Two weeks in Italy...
 

I am planing to spend 2 weeks in Italy in July. We want to visit Rome, Milan, Venice and the Amalfi coast. What is the best way to get to each of these? How should we arrange trains and bus travel? If I have to leave out a city it would be Milan or Venice. Which should I keep? I have never been to Europe and am overwhelmed! This trip is a surprise for my daughter so I can't ask her opinions. Any suggestions and information would be greatly appreciated.

Trains are best for the three cities and to get to Amalfi area (Sorrento or Salerno) then buses or ferries from there. Book train tickets far in advance at www.trenitalia.com or www.italotreno.com - two competing rail companies using same tracks - check both but booking way in advance to get limited in number discounted tickets is key - check www.seat61.com for help in booking your own discounted tickets online -for general info about trains and Italy check www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Thank you PalenQ!!!

Many people here like to use private driver transports from Naples to their Amalfi abode - of course a lot more expensive but way more convenient than other ways - I know nothing about them but others will. But you can do on own by bus or ferry from Salerno or CircumVeusuviana commuter train Naples to Sorrento then bus to Amalfi places.

You may want to fly into Venice and out of Naples.

We are flying from US to Rome. I'm assuming 4 night there, then on our way to the next destination. Which should be what? Train and bus to amalfi, flight to Venice, train to milan then train back to Rome? Does that make any sense?

flight to Venice>

why not do that right away from Rome airport?

Or do Amalfi first then train to Florence (about 3-4 hours from Naples) then train to Venice then 3.5 hr train back to Rome. But flying to Venice somehow first would be optimal.

I would suggest dropping Amalfi and dwelling on other three areas - maybe doing day trips from say Florence to Tuscany's famed hill towns - may Rome to Pompeii, etc.

do you have 14 days on ground or 12 - if 12 those three cities at 3 days each and a day of travel between would be nice. Amalfi sounds nice but it takes a lot of time to get there and back to Rome - nice area to stay for several days but for a brief stay cumbersome.

There's no reason you need to backtrack to Rome. Book open-jaw tickets, into one city and out of another.

If going all those places, then do not do RT Rome. Buy multi-city or multi-destination tickets, into one city and out of another. Tickets may cost a bit more, but will save the cost of train or plane returning to Arrival city, and save a day of travel that can be used for sightseeing.

Do not stay twice in the same city.

If you must do RT Rome, on arrival, trek on immediately to your next city. Put all time in Rome at the end.

Thank you all!! This is very helpful!!

Of these, I would drop Milan. Rome, the Amalfi and Venice would make a great 14 day trip. If you can, fly into Naples and out of Venice or vice versa, and use the trains to travel between your destinations. In none of those 3 places will you run our of things to do in the time you've got, and if you fancy a change, there are plenty of day trip possibilities.

Venice and Rome for your history interest, and the Amalfi Coast for the most beautiful scenery.

For transportation decisions, your best choice might be to see which cities you can fly in and out of without a double stay.

Naples doesn't often connect well with US airports, but perhaps a flight to somewhere in Europe with a connection to Naples, then on to Rome, then fly out of Venice. But there are dozens of permutations on this idea.

For transportation decisions, your best choice might be to see which cities you can fly in and out of without a double stay. >>

if you can't easily get a flight into or out of Naples, it might be worth working Florence into your itinerary as there are quick trains between there and Naples that don't go into Rome. Venice - Florence - Naples [for the Amalfi] - Rome would work well.

Firstly, I would attempt to arrange your trip either from north to south or vice versa to ease your itinerary. Not sure where you're traveling from but either fly into Milan or Venice and work your way south (leave home from Rome). Or after arriving from Rome, immediately head south and work your way up, departing towards home from Milan or Venice.
Personally, this is where I start. You need to find flights/itinerary that makes sense. The rest can easily fall into place thereafter.

The rest can easily fall into place thereafter.>

But if 12 days on ground and 4 places each of which should demand at least a few days? Even 14 days- figure a day of travel between each place...Venice, Florence and Rome would be my first trip with that limited time. You'll return sometime with the big three out of way.

Thank you everyone. I really appreciate all the comments. The tentative dates are 7/25-8/10 which should give 14 days on the ground I think. I am definitely open to changing the structure of the trip and sequence of cities visited. I could leave amalfi coast out because it seems to be the menace as far as travel is concerned. It's just a place we have wished to see and I'm not sure I will do another trip to see it.

Well if you leave Milan out and just do Venice-Rome-Amalfi that could be fine. But maximiza time by flying first to Venice and working down to Amalfi and fly out of Naples or Rome.

Brandi - does that mean that you arrive on 25th July and depart on 10th August?

in which case I make it 16 days on the ground.

I find it helpful to set out an itinerary like this:

25/7 - arrive ? {time} ? hours to get from airport to hotel. say ½ day for orientation.
26/7 - [say] Venice
27/7 - [say] Venice
28/7 - [say[ Venice
29/7 - Train to Florence. Arrive 12 noon. check in by 1pm. ½ day sightseeing.
30/7 - Florence
31/7 - train to Naples. arrive 12 noon. train to Sorrento then private car to ?
01/8 - Amalfi
02/8 - Amalfi
03/8 - Amalfi
04/8 - Amalfi
05/8 - car to Naples via Pompeii. train to Rome. Arrive by 4pm
06/8 - Rome
07/8 - Rome
08/8 - Rome
09/8 - Rome
10/8 - fly home.

if you mean that you leave the US on 25/7 and arrive home on 10/8 then you only have 14 days and 13 nights; this shows why it's important to do this sort of plan so that you can make sure that you count the nights correctly, and therefore know how many you need to book in hotels [don't laugh, it's very easy to make mistakes unless you make a clear note of when you are planning to stay where].

I hope that helps.

Thank you. Very helpful information! My thought was leave US on July 25, so arrive in Italy the following day and leave Italy on August 10.

I will certainly write it all down and try to map out the best route without back tracking or repeating a city. That definitely makes the most sense. Thank you all. I will take all the help I can get!

Keep in mind how hot it will be in August. Plan outdoor tours and walks in the morning and evening and use mid-day for inside museums, etc.

What was your special interest in Milan?
You are already going to Rome, one of the great, great cities of the world.

It will be hot. It will be crowded, but I would choose the Amalfi Coast over Milan.

If Milan is important enough to give up the AC for it, then you could spend a couple of days in Milan and a couple on one of the lakes.

BTW, Annhig's sample itinerary (and order of things) is lovely. When I think of what might be changed, like taking a day from someplace and adding it to Florence for a day trip, I think of crowds and heat mid-day and think, no. It would be better to keep what she suggests and do day trips from those places.

My preferred method of getting to the Amalfi Coast towns is to train to Salerno and then ferry. The AC road is crowded and twisting, and makes me car or bus sick. The boat ride is much more pleasant. Just a thought, since most advice suggests a train to Naples, then Sorrento and a driver from either Naples or Sorrento. It's quicker and more pleasant, IME, to train to Salerno then boat to coast.

I don't have any must do area in Milan. My only real interest would be to see the Last Supper. For my daughter, beautiful architecture and shopping- which I know can be found in many areas of Italy.

The itinerary Annhig laid out was great, and very helpful. The idea of writing it out has proven to be beneficial for my thought process, I seem to get scattered and off track easily with all the options.

As far as Amalfi Coast goes, is it easy to find the needed transportation? Taking a train, bus, private car and ferry are all options so I'm not sure where to start with that. I'm sure I'm just overthinking. Since positano will be so crowed during this time of year, is it worth staying there? Better options for staying on the coast?

Also- thoughts on hotel vs air bnb?

Tucanlifeedit- thank you! That is definitely information I will use!

Once you are actually on the AC, a train is not an option. You may have to use a bus or car once in a while, but roads will be very, very crowded and busses will be slow. A driver and hired car will be in the same traffic. Ferries run frequently during the Summer, views are great and there is always a breeze in the water.

You can easily get train Rome-Florence then Florence-Venice.
I think is the top 3 places to visit in Italy and 2 weeks is plenty time to do it.
You can even squeeze in some more. You can reach Naples for 2 days or so. If not, from Florence you can go Pisa and Siena, and the chianti region. From Venice you can go see Verona that is great, also Trieste is not far and it's beautiful/

If the Last Supper is a priority than you must buy tickets well in advance. There are not many available given the huge numbers of people who want to see it. You can find information about how to book tickets online. Be sure to follow the instructions about picking up your tickets before the actual entry time.

All of the Amalfi coast will be crowded, and so will every town. What is most important for choosing a town is how comfortable you are with stair climbing, whether you want a beach for swimming and how much "day tripping" you plan to do. The worst experience of the crowds along the Amalfi coast is on the buses. If you plan a lot of day trips you might want to be sure you are located somewhere that minimizes how many buses you need to take. If you are really not happy with stair climbing in the hot sun, then perhaps Positano is not the best choice unless you pick the right location for lodgings.

Airbnb or other rentals can be great for cost saving + charm + extra elbow room. They are also great for people who are particular about breakfast and thus would like a kitchen, or people who are not huge eaters, and therefore will prefer to have some breaks from restaurant meals. Downsides are that it's often a bit more complicated to check into a rental than a hotel, and that you are unlikely to have 24 hour access to a desk that will help you with booking restaurants, tours, etc if you want that kind of help.

At a minimum I suggest you check out what on offer via Airbnb (or Rome Loft's website for Rome rentals and Summer in Italy website for the Amalfi coast). You might see a set up that looks much better for you than hotels in your price range. Be sure to read reviews and get air conditioning wherever you decide to stay, whether it's a hotel or a rental.

I think you did ask the right question-how to get there? I find when planning a trip that figuring out how to get everywhere is the first step before booking lodging or making other reservations for sight seeing!

Everyone gives great advice above.

Thanks again everyone!! You all are wonderful!

I like annhig's itinerary a lot!

I like Annhig's itinerary too. Nice mix.

If you love this itinerary, I would start browsing lodgings. For me, I like to take my time on this part so starting now is not a bad idea. I email myself websites of the places I am looking at.

With all of your destinations, I would suggest you figure out what part of the city (or in Amalfi, which city) you want to stay in. Use the map view on travelocity, booking.com or whatever site you prefer.

For apartments, I like booking.com better than airbnb.com. I had great support from booking.com when I needed help. I also loved their app. Homeaway.com is a good third option for apartments.

No matter which apartment website you use, keep an eye out for extra fees like a housekeeping fee. When needed, message the property owner with questions. If they don't message back in a timely fashion, that is its own answer.

You will want to be sure to get A/C in Rome, and probably also Florence. Apartments with A/C will go early.

Your Venice and Amalfi stays would be over weekends, so those may go sooner too.

One drawback to an apartment, in that you don't have anyone to answer questions, help order dinner reservations, or even just call a taxi.

For at least one of your stays, it would be fun to stay somewhere with a terrace balcony, either an individual one or a rooftop terrace with a bar or restaurant. In Rome, an example of what I mean is the Albergo del Senato, a hotel located in the same piazza as the Pantheon. I have not stayed there but that property gets good reviews on this board.

Thank you!! This is seeming more doable with all your advice.

yes annhig's itinerary is relaxed enough -I may say add a day to Florence and take one away from Amalfi.

yes annhig's itinerary is relaxed enough -I may say add a day to Florence and take one away from Amalfi.>>

of course, it's not written in tablets of stone.

My reasons for giving Florence so little time were that it wasn't on the OP's original list and it can be very hot in the summer. The Amalfi will be hot but if the OP chooses well, there should be a beach and/or a pool in the near vicinity and they can use that as some down time before heading to Rome.

There isn't time to do Florence justice, so you might as well cut down the time there so that you just have a taste and save seeing most of it for another time.

Yes annhig - just think 5 full days in Amalfi would be a bit too much if just relaxing and in hectic summer most towns may not be so relaxing - but if doing day trips to Paestum, Capri and other Amalfi towns maybe not and of course maybe not if folks just want to beach or pool it for five days that is of course great.

Florence was not on OP's original wish list - and a few days there is enough for seeing the main sights but I think Florence with a day or two more would be ideal for daytrips to iconic Tuscan hill towns like Siena - about an hour by bus - or to nearby Pisa to see the Leaning Tower if nothing more - that was what I suggest anyway and this is all veryn subjective.

But the more options presented the better for OP to consider.

I definitely appreciate being thrown more options. Florence never crossed my mind originally, now it's almost a must do. Hearing of the little places in close proximity to the major cities is my favorite! We absolutely want to see a little more than just the tourist attractions.

Day trips to Pisa and Siena from Florence won't net you an experience of little places beyond the tourist megnets. Both towns are packed to the gills in summer with tourists there to see world-famous sights.

However, if you really would like a more intimate of Italy, connecting you with Italy & charms (and charming people) it is not at all difficult to with your present itinerary if you make a point of doing so. In fact, there are less-visited corners of Venice and Rome that can be fascinating to spend just a few hours in, away from the tourist hordes and guidebook attractions, plus tiny villages and walking in the Amalfi or the nearby islands that are away from the souvenir hawking and frantic rush to "must-do" and "must-see".

For Rome and Venice you can sometimes find short books or internet essasy with very obvious titles like "Quiet Corners of Rome" or "Hidden Treasure of Venice". For the Amalfi, it can be a simple as going for a drink or lunch in Atrani or Furore or Scala.

When you finalize your itinerary, start another thread asking for tips for teeny mini breaks from famous Italy. Or just make a pact with yourself that at least 1/2 day in each destination, you are going to keep your guidebook shut and just head out into the unknown (and only open the guidebook when you discover something fabulous and are curious to know what it is. Such things are everywhere in Italy -- and not all of them in the guidebooks)

When we went to Italy the 1st time in '00, we skipped Florence for exactly for one of the reasons cited by Ann....we were doing a "survey" trip that time and Florence would have gotten short shrift. We went back in '13 and spent 5 nights there.

I wasn't doing a survey trip my 1st trip to Italy but I skipped Florence. Have since visited it half a dozen times, for long and short stays. Nothing set in stone about a 1st time trip to Italy.

Very true! I just knew that I wanted to take my time in Florence whenever we did finally go....and our "survey" trip was really great. 2 nights in Venice, 3 nights in the Tuscan countryside, and 3 nights in Rome. We took DS as a college graduation/family trip knowing that his days of traveling with us were probably coming to a close...