What would YOU do with 4 extra nights in Italy?
 

Hi All,
I am still trying to decide on an itinerary for my upcoming (last minute!) Italy trip, and would love to know how some of you would spend your time in my situation.

Details: Landing in Rome on 9/11 to meet my husband who is wrapping up a business trip, then staying a total of 4 nights in Chianti in 2 different towns... I don't prefer 2 night stays but we are receiving hospitality at a couple wineries because my husband is in the industry. Details:

9/13-15: 2 nights in southern Chianti (small town called Castelnuovo Berardenga)
9/15-17: 2 nights Greve in Chianti
9/17-21: 4 nights, What to do????**
** haven't yet booked our return ticket, so location is flexible

We have visited Italy once before and spent time in Chianti, Siena, Florence, Cinque Terre and Venice. We loved it all. I'm leaning towards spending our final 4 nights all in once place rather than adding two more 2 night stays. Would like it to be near an airport for ease of departure on the 21st.

If the choice was yours how would you spend these nights? Thanks for any inspiration you can share!

Best,
Amanda

Rome would be my choice. It often is.

Four nights isn't really that much for Rome.

A TAXI can make most airports seem VERY near and yes you CAN afford one.

Since you have not been to Rome I would go there. Whether or not a certain number of days are "adequate" depends entirely on you.

Florence

As you will have been in the countryside in the first part of the visit, a city would not go amiss and I agree that Rome is the obvious choice. it's not a long time for Rome, and you'll only get a taste but that's a good start.

If you do decide to go to Rome, don't try to cram in everything that you can think of - there's too much to see and it would just tire you out. be selective, enjoy walking around and exploring, and promise yourself you'll come back.

You haven't mentioned what your interests are...

Unless you feel you've seen all that Florence has to offer (hard to imagine), I'd pick Florence for an easy end to your trip. You could always take a day trip by train to Bologna, Arezzo, Montecatini Terme, Lucca, or Pisa, etc.

I also like to mix up cities with rural areas. You ask what I would do and so for ME (because I've never been there), I'd head to Ferrara, doing day trips to Ravenna, Bologna, etc. However, I don't know whether there are flights to your home town from Bologna. But what I'd do might be very different to your choices. There is no shortage of options!

If you haven't been to Rome, then definitely Rome. That would be my advice to you.

However, your question was, "what would YOU do with four extra nights?"
For right now, I would go to a nice hotel with a pool and spectacular views on or near the AC and plunk myself down for the whole time.

Well I'd spend the 4 days/nights in Venice because I love it there. But that may or may not be right for you.

I'd choose Rome because I love it there. Venice would be my second choice.

Agree that Rome is the obvious choice. Unless you hate cities or have no interest in the culture that ruled much of the world for more than a thousand years, or the history of one of the major religions of the world.

I would go to the south(since I haven't been there,and so have you), maybe Amalfi coast, visiting some ancient ruins, Capri etc.

I can keep on adding more destinations such as Lake Como/Maggiore, Dolomites, etc.

However, do you really have that much flexibility with the return trip?

You mentioned:
>>** haven't yet booked our return ticket, so location is flexible

Are you traveling on miles, planning to use only point-to-point priced carriers, or don't mind paying high one-way fares? If this is a concern to you, start looking at how you are returning. That might limit where you can end up with.

Also,
>> "ease of departure on the 21st."

Depending on the flight availability, it can be beyond ease but mandatory that you be in the departure city the night before. You can split that last night from the three other or piggyback all in one.

Rome

Rome

1. You haven't been there
2. Big airport to fly out of
3. Close to Chianti

Second option - Venice
Reasons same as above

Don't forget Amanda will have 2 nights in Rome on arrival. I realise that's not a lot but 6 nights out of 10 is a big proportion of their holiday. The choice of options is endless so it's just a case of settling on one location. We once spent some time in Vicenza doing day trips and that was pretty good. Bergamo was also very nice. Both are within a couple of hours by train/bus of an international airport.

Amanda,
Hotel Minerva, on Via Capo in Sorrento, a sea view room with a balcony or the large suite with private terrace is where I would be. If I had not been there before, I would see Pompeii and Positano, Amalfi, etc.

<i><font color=#555555>"Don't forget Amanda will have 2 nights in Rome on arrival."</font></i>

That is not what I would call a visit to Rome. Late September in Rome is wonderful, and it deserves more than two jet-lagged nights (assuming you will be). Rome would be the obvious choice for me, but I've always loved Rome.

Wow - so much inspiration to ponder! Thank you all.

To answer a couple questions, we aren't using miles and I've checked one way flight prices home from a number of airports (Venice, Rome, Bologna, Milan) and they all are feasible.

While I will have 2 nights in Rome, my husband will actually have been there for 5 so I can't convince him to allocate any more nights there (my loss!).

We enjoy everything Italy has to offer, which is part of the reason we are having trouble deciding - from jam packed days museum hopping to leisurely days spent in the country exploring a town or 2 and a long lunch. We like to eat and drink well and a great meal would be enough for us to call a day a success.

We found the back canals and wandering around Venice particularly special, it is a strong contender. And who wouldn't be tempted by the Lakes or Amalfi Coast (sassafrass - I think photos of Hotel Minerva might just be enough to get my hubby to consider!)?? he would love to visit regions we haven't been to - Emilia Romagna or especially Piemonte ... I think I will have had enough time in the country and would like to spend some time in a city or by the water.

Thank you again to everyone who has chimed in.

<<I've checked one way flight prices home from a number of airports (Venice, Rome, Bologna, Milan) and they all are feasible. >>

One-way flights are NOT what you should be looking at. What you want is an open-jaw (multi-city) ticket, into one place and out of another, NOT two one-way tickets, which are always incredibly more expensive.