littlerazz

Hi everyone,

So glad I came across this forum. It looks great!

My husband and I have been "planning" a trip to Italy since we were married seven years ago. After having three kids in the last four years, we finally have the time and $ to go this fall. But we can only get our parents (who will be watching the girls) to agree to eight days, so it's got to be quick. I traveled to Italy between high school and college, spending time in Venice, Firenze, San Gimagnano, Rome and Pompeii. I am interested in getting a little deeper into my favorite city - Florence - and seeing some new places, particularly in Tuscany. My husband has never been to Europe and is very interested in ancient Rome, so that tops his wish list.

My first question is logistical. While we prefer not to go on a bus tour in order to keep our travel intimate and individualized, we wouldn't mind going on some "day trips" from our home base cities. Perhaps Siena or even Cinque Terra from Florence and Pompeii from Rome (I know it's a hike but my husband realllly wants to go). How do I go about booking these things? Do I do it once I get there? Find a tour online? Any recommendations for tour companies? Since we will be traveling by train and foot, we won't have a way to do these side trips on our own.

Second, when you book flights to Italy, do you generally book a separate flight to a "major" airport and then overseas? Is there any trick to it? We live in Gainesville, Florida so we'd likely drive to Orlando, Tampa or Jacksonville to get started.

Second, please look over our very preliminary itinerary and let me know what you think!

1. Fly to Rome
2. Rome - Ancient Ruins, catacombs, etc.
3. Rome - Vatican City, Jewish quarter, etc.
4. Rome - day trip to Pompeii
5. To Florence - Uffizzi and Academia, etc.
6. Florence - half day trip to Siena, other Florentine sights
7. Florence - day trip to Cinque Terra?? OR half day in Chianti
8. Fly home

nytraveler

Your trip is doable - barely - but VERY rushed. You will have to have some very early starts (to Pompeii) and from Rome to Florence. I'm not sure if the Cinque Terre is a day trip from Florence, but you can easily do Siena - but it will take most of the day to get there and back and see anything.

You can probably book the daytrips once you get there - but I would google tour companies online to see what days they do trips to Pompeii and Siena - since your time is so limited.

And do realize that seeing ancient Rome the day you arrive (you probably won;t get to hotel until 10 at the earlies will be difficult).
'
You need to figure out the earliest flights from wherever to Rome (hopefully at 5 or 6pm - and leave wherever you fly from in plenty of time to make those flights). And it should be booked as a single open jaws flight - from Orlando to Rome and Florence to ? to Orlando - of the flights will be a fortune.

leuk2

I'd skip Pompeii, and spend the day in Rome,with a possible trip to Ostia Antica. I'd leave the cinque terre for another trip as well. You could easily spend the entire week in Rome. Rome and Florence would be good bases though if you want to split the trip. Lots of day trip possibilities on train or public busses. I suggest you get Rick Steves book on Italy. Lots of info on the logistics, distances, travel time etc.

ellenem

When nytraveler mentions "single open jaw flights", this does not mean two one-way flights. Use the multi-city function at a airline website like kayak.com to see which airlines offer the best flights, schedule, and prices.

I'm unclear why you think you can do the side trips on your own. There are ways to accomplish each of your day trips on your own, though it's true you might enjoy an organized tour for some.

You could travel on your own via train from Rome to Pompeii and then explore on your own, or get a guided tour when you arrive. There are day tours via bus to Pompeii from Rome, but many people don't care for them since they feature stops at cameo factories. I think Enjoy Rome offers a simple direct bus day trip from Rome to Pompeii--no guide, no cameo factories--that might be easier than the train. Ostia Antica is a much easier option than Pompeii--just outside Rome via local train near FCO airport.

You can reach Siena easily on your own by bus. (Bus is more direct than train, since Siena train station is outside town.) Or you might splurge and hire wonderful driver and guide Luca Garappa of hillsandroads.com to combine Siena and Chianti into one day for you.

BarbaraMH

Florence to the CT is possible, but pushing it. I'd hold off on that, too, if you're really prioritizing the ruins, museums, etc. You could just use that other day in Florence or another of the many beautiful Tuscan hill towns. A great resource is www.initaly.com. You could probably do those daytrips on your own... if not by car, then by train or bus. In Italy has transportation info.

ellenem

Excuse my typo above . . . I'm unclear why you think you CAN'T do the side trips on your own.

littlerazz

Thanks everyone.

I know we're really pushing it with this trip, that's why I was hoping to book tours once we get there - in case we don't really want to do them.

I was thinking it would be hard to get to Siena, Cinque Terra, etc. because we wouldn't have a car. I think we will probably skip the Cinque Terra tour, now that I'm looking into it.

I'll let you know how things go as we go along. I like to get pretty detailed in my travel planning and I'm thrilled to be going on an adults only trip!

kybourbon

Have you already booked your flights? Your best deals may be in and out of Rome. If so, I would train to Florence upon arrival as it's much more compact and walkable.

You can tour Siena easily from Florence (bus is better than train). You can also find some Chianti tours. Just ask at the tourist info in Florence. I don't think you have time to add CT. You want the rapid bus to Siena. You might have to zoom in a bit on this link to read the legend key.
http://www.sitabus.it/sita-toscana/Firenze-Siena06.pdf