Venus_Maher

We are going to Italy early next May and are choosing our itinerary now. It is my first time. What do you suggest? We fly into Rome, then thought we would go to Florence, and up to Venice. Then to Lake Como or Lake Garda then up into the Alps somewhere. Also want to go to the coast somewhere. Wanted to go to Southern Italy, like Sicily, but that may be too much. What coast-line areas do you love? There is SO MUCH TO SEE! (By the way we love art, culture and nature. Don't drink wine or like shopping, so will skip Milan.) WHAT DO YOU LOVE IN ITALY?

HappyTrvlr

In two and a half weeks you can't do all you mention. However,since you asked... I love Lake Como, Florence,Tuscan countryside, Venice, the Dolomites. You should see Rome too.
You could go to the Cinque Terre before or after Florence or stay in Santa Margherita Ligure a little north of the CT.
You need to eliminate and focus on fewer destinations or it will be a blur. I stay in a place a minimum of three to four nights.

zoecat

<<WHAT DO YOU LOVE IN ITALY?>>

In May, I love the countryside. Everything is green and blooming. Daylight hours are long, there are not a lot of people, and the weather is usually beautiful. I like the Tuscan countryside south of Siena, Umbria, and Lake Como.

I love Venice in the Winter when there are less people.

mamcalice

There is very little in Italy that I don't love. After 8 trips, we have learned that we will love our itinerary no matter what. We've visited the Genoa, the Ligurian Coast, including Cinque Terre, Milan, the Lakes, the Dolomites, Venice, Verona Bologna, Florence, the Tuscan Countryside, Umbria, Rome, Naples, the Amalfi Coast, Capri and Sicily. I loved them all but it took 8 trips to see all of that.

One thing you have to guard against is trying to see it all in one 2.5 week trip. May is a wonderful time for Italy. Do a little research and decide what to do on this trip.

Jean

"We fly into Rome..." Have you booked your flights yet? If so, you are already slightly limited in what's comfortably possible in 2.5 weeks. If flights are booked, let us know your "bookends" for this trip.

"We love art, culture and nature... don't like shopping, so will skip Milan." Not so fast! There is a lot of art and Italian culture in Milan. The Last Supper, La Scala, several art museums, the largest cathedral in Italy, and great food... Milan may not fit well into your itinerary for this trip, but don't write it off just yet. If you decide to go to Lake Como by train, it's likely you'll be taking a connecting train in Milan.

bobthenavigator

Here is a start--plan 3 trips now since you will return:

BOB the NAVIGATOR’S FAVORITE ITALY ITINERARIES

After 24 trips to southern Europe, and having developed more than 220 customized TRIP PLANS for others, I am now older and hopefully wiser. Here is an updated version of my favorite itineraries & my “Bella Italia” photo gallery. I hope you enjoy.
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3827

1. BELLA ITALIA: Five destinations in 15 days—car & train travel
* Arrive in Milan[MXP] & depart from Venice[VCE]or vice versa.
* Itinerary to include the Italian Lakes, Ligurian coast, rural
Tuscany, Florence, & Venice. Suggested timing is 3-2-4-2-4.
* Option: Drop the coast & rent a villa in Tuscany[ 3-7-2-3].
* Best time to go: May & June or Sept. & Oct.

2. LA DOLCE VITA: Three destinations in 12 to 14 days-car & train
* Arrival & departure from Rome[ FCO] or arrival in Naples
* Itinerary to include Rome, the Amalfi coast, and Tuscany
* Best time to go: Easter to end of October
* Option: Fly into Naples & stay at 2 locations on the coast

3. CLASSIC ITALIA: Three destinations in 12 to 14 days-car & train
* Arrival & departure from Rome—may start trip in Florence
* Destinations to include Florence, Rome & Tuscany/Umbria
* Best time to go: Anytime, but May & Oct. are my favorites
* Option: Consider a weekly rental in Tuscany/Umbria

4. SICILIAN CHARMS: Five destinations in 15 days—car travel
* Connections to Catania & Palermo via Rome or gateway city.
* Itinerary to include Taormina, Siracusa, Palermo & more.
* Best time to go: March to November—May is best for flowers
* See: http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=634

5. THE VILLAGE SAMPLER: My favorite venues for those who enjoy natural beauty and quaint, small villages. Arranged north to south.
* Arrive Milan & depart Rome—car travel-- 3 nites per location
* Itinerary to include Lago Orta, Castelrotto/ Ortisei[Dolomites],
Portovenere[Liguria], Montalcino[Tuscany], & Spello[Umbria].
* Best time to go: May to October for the lakes and Dolomites
* Option: Pick 3 out of 5 and stay longer in Tuscany/Umbria.

NOTE: These are only intended to be SAMPLE ITINERAIRES.

pctraveler

We have been to Italy multiple times and will go again in the spring of 2013. Your itinerary, while aggressive, is doable, but I would highly recommend listening to bobthenavgator. I have listened to his advice many times, and he really knows his stuff.

One thing you need to consider is that every time you change cities, you essentially lose a day. IE, you take a mid-morning train, and by the time you get to your next destination city, find the hotel, check in (if the room is ready) you are ready for a drink and early dinner. So that # of destinations will make for a more rigorous trip than you might think.

Another couple of suggestions; in the fall of 2010, we met friends in Bellagio (Lake Como) and spent 4 nights there, then went to Stressa and spent three nights there. Then we went to Florence for a week. If you used that itinerary and added Rome for a few mights, that might work as well.

Again, if your air reservations are set, then you could do Rome, Florence and Lake Come and then back track to Rome for the return flight. It would be better if you did Rome/Florence/Come and returned from Milan.

But know this: Italy is such a magnificent place that you simply cannot go wrong -- unless you try to pack too many places into a short # of days. Last piece of advice: few people make "only one trip" to Italy. They go, fall in love with the place and return again and again!

Venus_Maher

I want to thank bobthenavigator and all of you who so generously replied to my questions about Italy. Clearly we need to decide what we want to see most this first trip to Italy and keep it reasonable so we can enjoy what we do see and experience. I understand that we will go back and back again if we fall in love with Italy the way you all have, and I AM SURE WE WILL!