meganb

I am starting to collect information i've learned on Fodors about Italian travel and would like to know what is the best itinerary for an Italy trip. We want to visit these places in 2 weeks. Venice, Rome,Florence & Positano. I'm really not sure where we'd start and finish. I'm not real sure what's the best place to start and stop. I'm not sure in which order we should visit these cities and what's the travel time between each to make our trip perfect for the time alloted.

We don't have to spend a long time in Florence, I just don't want to pass it up. Rome and Venice are my favorite cities and I am just taken away with views of Positano. If you needed we will be flying out of Louisiana (probably New Orleans).

If possible can you help me with the best way to travel to the different cities. I know i've read renting a driver to take you to Positano.

Any help is much appreciated!!

Megan Broussard
[email protected]

eliztrav

Knowing the time of year you plan to travel would be helpful.

ira

Hi megan,

assumg that you will be traveling sometime between May and November,

I suggest:

Fly into Naples - go to Positano - 4 days

Fly www.alpieagles to Venice - 4 days
Train to Florence - 3 days, daytrip to Siena,
Train to Rome
Fly home

Have a nice trip.

Steve_James

Megan - Most people planning a trip like yours usually fly into Venice and out of Rome - or vice versa.

It really depends on whether you want to start with a relaxing few days in Venice or with the hustle and bussle of Rome. Your choice ...

Unless you plan to hire a car, train would be the easiest way to go.

Venice-Florence is less than 3 hours by train.
Florence-Rome is 1.5 hrs.


Hiring a driver to get to Positano is not a cheap option:
€ 300 + from Rome.
€ 85-100 from Naples.

My preferred route is usually Rome-Salerno by train (2.5 hrs) - then ferry from Salerno to Positano (1 hour).

A quicker route is by hydrofoil from Naples (- 1 hour; € 9).
There are 2 hydrofoils daily (- in high season only):
Deps. 08.45 and 13.40 from Napoli Beverello

Hope this helps ...

Steve

meganb

Thanks so much for your helpful information. We are planning on September or November on our travel time.

meganb

Ira- Can you tell me the traveling time by train from Venice to Florence and then Florence to Rome. I am more intrigued by traveling by train just b/c i've never done it. I'd like to stay away from boarding another plane while i'm traveling form city to city. Is traveling by train a good option getting from Positano to Venice or is flying or even another means of transportation better for this leg of the trip?

I think your setup really appeals to me Positano to Venice, Venice to Florence, Florence to Rome.

Forgive me if my questions are little on the dumb side, I am truly just starting my research.

GeoffHamer

For train schedules, use www.bahn.de. For journeys between Venezia, Firenze and Roma, the train will be hard to beat for speed and convenience.

bobthenavigator

Ven to Flor=2:48
Flor to Rome=1:42
Assuming ES[ Eurostar trains]
Go to www.trenitalia.com for more detail.

rlbplf

My wife and I just returned from our trip which began in France, flying from Nice to Naples. We had a driver meet us in Naples for the drive to Positano. The cost was 80 Euros. We ended our trip in Rome and to get from Positano to Rome we elected to hire a driver again, cost 300 Euros. Positano is very difficult to get to as there is one road in and one out, both very narrow. The train/bus transportation method is one way to get there and back but by the time we factored in the cost of this mode plus the time, we felt the private driver was the way to go. Frankly, having now seen Positano and Capri, we wouldn't return. Too many tourists, and very pricey, and no beach to speak of. For my money, we prefer the CT. By the way we live in New Orleans so if you want to talk about this more let me know.

Cronen

Hi, We did a very similar itinerary (16 days).
We flew into Naples, had a driver pick us up at the airport and he drove us to the Amalfi Coast (Priano for 2 days). When we left Amalfi, went on a tour to Pompeii and from there took a taxi to the train station in Naples, where we took a train to Rome (3 days). From Rome we took a train to Florence (2 days) and went on a six day bike trip of Norther Tuscany. We then left by train from Florence to Venice (4 days). We flew out of Venice. Geographically, it seemed the best way to go. Trains were fine, we reserved before we left the states (ES trains) and printed out an email ticket. All we had to do was present the ticket to the conductor. The longest leg was from Florence to Venice, but still under three hours and a very pleasant ride.

eliztrav

You've already got some very good advice here. If you go in November, I'd think long and hard about Positano. Given the weather and the fact that much will be closed, you might prefer to tack on those days elsewhere. That would simplify some geographical problems, too, as Positano was furthest away on your list.

ira

Hi megan,

November is late for the AC. Up until mid-Oct is OK (Sept is better). Prices go down Oct. 1.

>... traveling time by train....<
See www.trenitalia.com

It's about 7 hr from Naples to Venice, which is why I suggested flying.

You could also fly into Naples and then train Rome, Florence, Venice, fly home, but I planned the itinerary from calmest to clangiest.

Melissa5

Meganb, you will start your trip with excitement and enthusiasm. In spite of jet-lag, your eagerness will drive your energy. Therefore I recommend starting with Rome. You DON'T want to be burned out on art museums before you see the Vatican Museums and the sistine chapel!

By the time you get to the end of your trip, you can hardly bear to look at one more piece of art, no matter how magnificent. Therefore Venice makes a great ending, because the greatest charm of Venice is just wandering about the beautiful, romantic city of canals, and you don't have to look at another piece of art unless you really want to.

Venice was at the end of our trip and although we looked at a bit of art our hearts weren't in it. But we were charmed by the city of canals, and it was relaxing just to wander about on foot, and to buy a 3-day vaporetto pass for each person for 22 euros, and get on and off the vaporettos wherever and whenever we pleased.

some people worry about the inconvenience of getting from Venice to the airport when their flight leaves. However it wasn't any problem at all for us. We stayed at Pensione Accademia in the peaceful dorsoduro area of Venice, which has its own little dock. So we had our hotel book us a private water taxi which took us from the hotel to the airport. Our flight left around 9:00 am which was perfect.

Don't save Rome til the end of your trip. Rome is awesome and requires high energy levels. Do Rome first or second. I recommend 4 nights for Rome.

Buon viaggio!

Tiff

Well said, Melissa5.