Trip to Italy 14 day agenda Sept-Oct
Jun 17th, 2012, 12:19 PM
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Trip to Italy 14 day agenda Sept-Oct
After much wine, good food, laughing, talking and exploring our options, I think daughter and I have an agenda:
Day 1 of travel- hopeful direct flight into Milan (11 hours) and take train to Lake Como-Night in Lake como
Day 2- Lake Como train back to Milan in AM... Duomo and Last Supper- Milan train on to Verona- Night in Verona
Day 3 - Verona sites (Juliet balcony,...) Train to Venice. Night in Venice
Day 4 Venice-Night in Venice
Day 5 Venice-Night in Venice
Day 6 Venice to Florence- Night in Florence
Day 7 Florence
Day 8 Florence
Day 9 Florence to Rome
Day 10 Rome
Day 11 Day trip to Sorento
Day 12 Rome
Day 13 Rome
Day 14 - Rome to home
Plan to use the high speed trains... this is daughter's assignment....do we buy individual tickets or pass...not sure but her task to figure this out.
Several posts in our previous messages mentioned hotels... Will start booking now that we have agenda.... Also seeking suggestions regarding "private tours" by the local tour agencies in the cities listed verses going it via Rick Steve's audios or directly booking top sites to avoid lines for admission....
Thought this agenda might break up museum-history mix with beautiful country.
Today is special day for Father's (as every day should be) so we are off and celebrating someone HE who makes this trip possible....CHEERS TO ALL THE MEN OUT THERE!
Day 1 of travel- hopeful direct flight into Milan (11 hours) and take train to Lake Como-Night in Lake como
Day 2- Lake Como train back to Milan in AM... Duomo and Last Supper- Milan train on to Verona- Night in Verona
Day 3 - Verona sites (Juliet balcony,...) Train to Venice. Night in Venice
Day 4 Venice-Night in Venice
Day 5 Venice-Night in Venice
Day 6 Venice to Florence- Night in Florence
Day 7 Florence
Day 8 Florence
Day 9 Florence to Rome
Day 10 Rome
Day 11 Day trip to Sorento
Day 12 Rome
Day 13 Rome
Day 14 - Rome to home
Plan to use the high speed trains... this is daughter's assignment....do we buy individual tickets or pass...not sure but her task to figure this out.
Several posts in our previous messages mentioned hotels... Will start booking now that we have agenda.... Also seeking suggestions regarding "private tours" by the local tour agencies in the cities listed verses going it via Rick Steve's audios or directly booking top sites to avoid lines for admission....
Thought this agenda might break up museum-history mix with beautiful country.
Today is special day for Father's (as every day should be) so we are off and celebrating someone HE who makes this trip possible....CHEERS TO ALL THE MEN OUT THERE!
Jun 17th, 2012, 01:01 PM
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For the most part, I think your itinerary is pretty good for a 2 week stay. A couple of thoughts: Your trip to Lake Como is pretty rushed and will seem more so with jet lag after an 11 hour flight and a train ride from Milan. And a day trip to Sorrento from Rome isn't really worth it. If you haven't locked in hotels and trains, consider skipping Sorrento and spending an extra day on Lake Como.
Jun 17th, 2012, 03:33 PM
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I think your first three days may be painful considering you have the 11-hour flight followed by two one-night hotel stays, with a lot of train connections to make on those days as well. Have you checked actual train schedules to see how those first few days might really work?
Jun 17th, 2012, 05:26 PM
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Sounds like a fun trip!
I agree with mamcalice, though, in recommending that you add a night to Lake Como and skip the daytrip to Sorrento.
As you itinerary stands now, you're in three different locations your first three nights, which is a lot of moving around, especially when you're jetlagged. Spending two nights at beautiful Lake Como would be a more relaxing start to your trip. On the lake, both the city of Como and Varenna are accessible by train from Milan. Although it's a bit further from Milan (maybe two hours by train from the airport as opposed to 1.5 hours to Como), I recommend charming Varenna, especially if you stay for two nights. On the second day, you could take the ferry accross the lake to Bellagio if you want to see a second town.
In Verona, Hotel Torcolo is reasonably priced and in a great location, right in the historical center. I stayed there two years ago and thought it was a good value for Verona.
http://www.hoteltorcolo.it/en/
A few months ago, a friend and I spent two nights in Venice at this b&b:
http://www.pontechiodo.it/en/index.asp
We loved the location in the Cannaregio neighborhood (easy walk to all the tourist hotspots, but a bit off the beaten track on a quiet little street). It was by far the best value and best location of the three places I've stayed in Venice in the last few years. Also, the owner provides you with a helpful list of restaurants in the neighborhood, and the two that we tried were quite good, and appeared to be frequented mostly by locals (or at least, by Italians).
I agree with mamcalice, though, in recommending that you add a night to Lake Como and skip the daytrip to Sorrento.
As you itinerary stands now, you're in three different locations your first three nights, which is a lot of moving around, especially when you're jetlagged. Spending two nights at beautiful Lake Como would be a more relaxing start to your trip. On the lake, both the city of Como and Varenna are accessible by train from Milan. Although it's a bit further from Milan (maybe two hours by train from the airport as opposed to 1.5 hours to Como), I recommend charming Varenna, especially if you stay for two nights. On the second day, you could take the ferry accross the lake to Bellagio if you want to see a second town.
In Verona, Hotel Torcolo is reasonably priced and in a great location, right in the historical center. I stayed there two years ago and thought it was a good value for Verona.
http://www.hoteltorcolo.it/en/
A few months ago, a friend and I spent two nights in Venice at this b&b:
http://www.pontechiodo.it/en/index.asp
We loved the location in the Cannaregio neighborhood (easy walk to all the tourist hotspots, but a bit off the beaten track on a quiet little street). It was by far the best value and best location of the three places I've stayed in Venice in the last few years. Also, the owner provides you with a helpful list of restaurants in the neighborhood, and the two that we tried were quite good, and appeared to be frequented mostly by locals (or at least, by Italians).
Jun 17th, 2012, 06:32 PM
#7
High speed trains only exist between major cities (Rome/Florence/Milan/Venice, etc.), not small towns (Varenna/Sorrento, etc.).
I think the Lake Como part is flawed and too much travel for too little time. You aren't factoring in the time it takes to do things or jet lag. Arrival day you really won't feel like doing anything so traveling to Lake Como only to leave the next morning is useless. What do you think you could do in a couple of hours at the lake?
Trying to visit Milan the next day won't be easy either. You will have to store your luggage at the train station (you can't take it with you touring around Milan), figure out the metro system (are you used to subways?), retrieve your luggage. This is just too many cities in too little time that you need to figure out where everything is and how it works. It will all take longer than you think.
>>>...do we buy individual tickets or pass...not sure but her task to figure this out.<<<
Train passes are rarely cost effective for Italy. They don't include the price of seat reservations which are mandatory except on the slow R trains (no reserved seats on them). There are discount tickets (as cheap as 9€ between major cities on the fast trains) on the Italian train website Trenitalia. You need to sure of your itinerary before booking as discount tickets can't be changed.
What is your interest in Sorrento? It's really not something to do in a daytrip.
>>>Day 1 of travel- hopeful direct flight into Milan (11 hours) and take train to Lake Como-Night in Lake como<<<
If you depart the US on day 1, you won't arrive in Italy until day 2.
I think the Lake Como part is flawed and too much travel for too little time. You aren't factoring in the time it takes to do things or jet lag. Arrival day you really won't feel like doing anything so traveling to Lake Como only to leave the next morning is useless. What do you think you could do in a couple of hours at the lake?
Trying to visit Milan the next day won't be easy either. You will have to store your luggage at the train station (you can't take it with you touring around Milan), figure out the metro system (are you used to subways?), retrieve your luggage. This is just too many cities in too little time that you need to figure out where everything is and how it works. It will all take longer than you think.
>>>...do we buy individual tickets or pass...not sure but her task to figure this out.<<<
Train passes are rarely cost effective for Italy. They don't include the price of seat reservations which are mandatory except on the slow R trains (no reserved seats on them). There are discount tickets (as cheap as 9€ between major cities on the fast trains) on the Italian train website Trenitalia. You need to sure of your itinerary before booking as discount tickets can't be changed.
What is your interest in Sorrento? It's really not something to do in a daytrip.
>>>Day 1 of travel- hopeful direct flight into Milan (11 hours) and take train to Lake Como-Night in Lake como<<<
If you depart the US on day 1, you won't arrive in Italy until day 2.
Jun 18th, 2012, 02:53 PM
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APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSES...think we will plan to stay in Milan first night then on to Lake Como for one day...(add one day to trip?) Appreciate your comments about Sorento...any other suggestions for "Day Trip" away from city? We are energetic...able to handle "lively" option...
Jun 18th, 2012, 04:29 PM
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Another idea for a Roman day trip would be Ostia Antica. There's plenty to see in Rome without needing to leave it, but Ostia Antica is interesting. Sorrento, I agree, would be a long trip and not worth the travel time.
