I'm taking my wife on a special birthday trip in April.

She is a theatre director and will have just mounted a production of Enchanted April, a delightful tale of 4 Englishwomen renting a villa in Italy. So... I'm taking her to Italy.

We've been to Italy in June once a few years ago with a week in Tuscany and Venice. This time we have almost 4 weeks.

I'd planned to start by renting an apartment for a week in Rome... and then??? A week in Positano? a week in Sicily?
iin Umbria? in Venice? the lakes, or the Veneto, or back to Tuscany?

Is it best to stay South that time of year? We loved Venice... how is it in April? How would you use the time?

Appreciate your thoughts!

Also... is the train the best way to travel between Rome and Venice?

Thanks.

wow, Rob - are you sure you're spoken for? 4 weeks - that's wonderful. But I think it will need some real planning if you want to use it properly.
i like the idea of starting in rome - and I think i would then fly to Sicily, and spend at least a week, relaxing as well as sight -seeing. there have been some threads recently in sicily that had lots of good ideas.
i would then hire a car and tour the very south of italy, ending up somewhere near naples, where i would finish off by staying either somewhere like Ravenna or positano, taking boat trips.
Alternatively, if you would like more of Tuscany, i would fly to Florence or Pisa, and spend my time there.
Happy planning!

No one has mentioned Portofino?

See http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0101811/locations

Best wishes,

Rex

Hi R,

You have plenty of time to get some guide books to Italy.

When in April?

Sorry can't advise, just want to say: what a wonderful husband you are!

oh, come on, dump your wife and ....I'm available!

What a great thing to do, I'm jealous!

Having just come back from Venice, I can attest that spending a week in Venice you'd never be bored. I was there for 9 days and never got bored.... being biased I'd say a week in Venice is definitely a good option!

Thanks!

ira -
We arrive the day before Easter. I have guide books, but I love the input and direct ideas of Fodorites.

One more question - does anyone know how easy it is to get to Dubrovnik from Italy by hydrofoil or ferry in April?

Yes, I would stay south that time of year---Rome, Amalfi Coast, and Sicily. The actual story does take place on the Ligurian Coast but it can be chilly that time of year. Here is amy Sicily photo gallery to get you excited. http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3828

bob -
great photos! I've enjoyed your input as I've followed other threads. Thanks. What were your top experiences in Sicily?

If you have a strong interest in Venice, I wouldn't shy away because of the season.

I spent a wonderful few days there in the first week of April last year.

The weather wasn't perfect, but the city was.

Have a wonderful trip!

Hi again, Robert - I would not advise going to Rome at Easter, unless you have no alternative. we were there for a week starting Easter Sunday this year and if was very very crowded. also the cost of accommodation went up. So i would start somewhere, anywhere else, then perhaps end up in Rome, when some of the crowds have gone home.
Ann

Weather, of course, is unpredictable, but April 19-27 in Bologna and Venice was beautiful this year.

We had sunny shirt-sleeve weather every day.

But in any case, never let a little thing like weather stop you from going to Venice!

Byrd

Robert, Here is my trip report. We enjoyed Palermo more than we had anticipated, and Taormina is unique if also a bit crowded. It really depends on time---The Aeolian Isles are reachable by boat from Naples as well.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...amp;dirtyBit=1

My sister, BIL and I were in Italy in April 4-18, 2004 and as New Englanders found the weather fine. We spent our two weeks in the Cinque Terre, Ravenna, Venice and Castelrotto up in the mountains. We wore sweaters over t-shirts or turtlenecks and sometimes shed them at midday.

About Italy during Easter week (we arrived on Palm Sunday. We did not have reservations and EAster weekend and the week after found things tight. The host at our first B&B told us that much of Europe is on the move Easter week. They all go home for Christmas, but Easter is a time to travel.

We loved all the places we went and hope to go back.

I envy you four weeks. Have fun!

DH and I went first two weeks of April 2005. Okay, no one laugh but I did a phone consult with Rick Steve's and they recommended starting in Rome and moving north, hoping the weather would continue to improve as the days passed.

It bit us in the a.. for one day in CT and the whole time in Venice but we had great weather in Rome, Umbria and Florence.

Still really enjoyed the WHOLE trip because we were together. Have a fabulous time.

robertsmyth,
Here is what I did with a month in Italy.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34811101

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34494897

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34608686

Henry

Thank you all for your input!

ann & teacher – thanks for the Rome-during-Easter warnings.

I think we’ll head straight to Sicily and then spend time in Rome later or at the end of the trip. And we have to go to Venice.

bob – I’d love to read your trip report. The link however takes one to a thread titled “viamichelin website”.

Henry – thanks for the great trip report. Would you mind if I emailed you if I have some specific questions?

Sorry, here it is:
http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=634

I agree--start in Sicily and end in Rome. Fly into Palermo so you can seit before you get the car--perhaps fly to Rome from Catania---or Naples.

robertsmyth,
No problem, happy to answer e-mails.

Henry