mcsles

Hello, my wife and I are early in plans for a trip to Italy next September and October. We visited Italy in 2015 and made 3 day stops in Cinque Terra, Florence, Venice, Sienna, Rome and Positano.
We were planning a flight in to Milan, 3 nights then 2 weeks to visit Lakes region and the Dolomites. Stops in Bologna, Modena and several of the quaint villages in this area.
We would enjoy spending more time in Tuscany and Amalfi region. We would like to spend a week visiting Sicily.
Originally, I was skipping the south of Italy and adding Slovenia and Croatia. However, recent Netflix programs on Italy have refocused our love for Italy.
We are late 50’s enjoy walking and a mix of museums with just as much sights and good smells of the smaller towns as well.
I realize this is a blank canvas request for ideas and help. We are just questioning and or wondering if we should visit the other countries?
Thanks and look so forward to talking travel.
Mike and Laura

Jean

I'm not sure what advice you're asking for... someone to decide whether you should stay in Italy or head to other countries? Or do it all? This is the sort of choice that I would want to make for myself.

As you ponder, a LOT depends on how much time you have and how you intend to move around. You might want to research the drive times and/or transport options (and how long these transfers take) between all the points you're contemplating. Some options may change (good or bad) in the next 18 months, but you can get a general idea of what's possible and how long it takes.

I will say a week for Sicily isn't going to give you much time and definitely would not be enough time for I would want to see. Your sightseeing list may be shorter than mine, but it also takes time to get there and time to move to the next destination. If you want 7 uninterrupted days, you'll have to devote more than a week in your itinerary.

KayF

How long do you plan to be away? You mention two weeks but is that just for the northern Italy part? If you have the time, I'd suggest going via Trieste (Italy) to Piran which is on the coast of Slovenia, then down the coast to stay in Rovinj which is in Croatia. We did a similar trip and continued on to Opatija but Rovinj was our favourite place on that trip. Things will have changed a lot because of the pandemic but there were ferries between Rovinj and Venice so you could continue the trip in Italy.

Having the whole trip in Italy is fine but sometimes I think mixing it up with another country, especially if it's right next door and transport is easy, means you have a different experience - different culture, food, language etc - for part of the trip. It really depends on what appeals to you most. We've been to Sicily and it was fine, Taormina and Lipari were our favourite places, but I wouldn't go back.

mcsles

Kay and Jean, thank you both for your comments. I am sorry but I neglected to say we have 7 to 8 weeks allotted for this vacation.
I Am interested in others opinions on towns that might be overlooked by a book. I am interested in why some may feel that one region is worth more time because it is less visited and is more beautiful. These are the comments I enjoy reading about in the forum .
Thanks so much for the time to spend in Sicily. We still may extend to Croatia, it was just seeing and remembering our previous trip we enjoyed Italy.

scrb11

Wow, long trip despite uncertainty about tourism under covid.


What Netflix program on Italy?

Jean

If you plan to add Croatia and/or Slovenia, you'll have to figure out the logistics of getting there from wherever in Italy and how much time that will take. KayF mentions a land route. There might not be direct flights to Croatia or Slovenia. Some ferry routes between Italy and Croatia operate only in summer and not year-round. Etc. It's likely you'd want to fly into one country and out of another to avoid backtracking.

progol

<<Wow, long trip despite uncertainty about tourism under covid.>>

The OP is looking for a Fall 2022 trip, so hopefully, covid won't be *quite* the problem that it is today!

scrb11

Ah I missed that. Can you even book that far ahead? Certainly not the fights and many hotels may not offer bookings that far out.

Also this thread could be stale a year from now.

With that much lead time, I would say maybe try to break it up into two trips? Give themselves a chance to decompress after traveling for 3-4 weeks before going on another trip, have a chance to digest your experience a little?

Otherwise, by the end of a 7-8 week trip, the initial destinations may be hazy.

dreamon

Italy is a country with more variation in scenery, food, and architecture than pretty much any other that I've visited. If you visit Slovenia and Croatia, then I wouldn't visit for less than a week or two each and preferably longer. If you did visit these other countries then I would stick to northern Italy.

I reckon that 7-8 is a perfect holiday length - and a total luxury - and I would not want to split it into two holidays. I love that feeling of totally getting away from things that a longer holiday brings. I would, however, aim to slow the pace and spend a little longer in each place you visit.

It's nice to dream and plan, even if it's a long way off and there is a good deal of uncertainty. I have been thinking about another trip to Europe but as it won't be for at least a couple of years, I know my plans will change and probably many times.

mcsles

Thanks Dreamon and everyone for commenting. I realize it is a long time away. I want to be prepared when the time comes to travel. I figured it is either going to be the north of italy and the 2 other countries or full on italy. While sardinia interests me, my wife and I are not lay around beach people.
We would start right after labor day to see the lakes region and dolomites due to weather and the towns closing up if done later. My biggest dilemma is I know very little about very southern italy. Sicily intrigues me. I just don't know if that outweighs Croatia and Slovenia?

bilboburgler

Weather and your length of stay is worth considering, I have no idea when labor day is but worth looking out for any festivals you might want to visit. Sicily in a week is tough but you can be selective and knock off the UNESCO sites in that time. I'd avoid cars in Palermo and use buses. Sicily's autobus "Pullman" are a great way to get around while the trains are a bit more ropey.

Jean

Dolomites... keep in mind that mountain lifts begin closing in September. I would worry less about "towns closing up" unless you're wanting to stay in tiny villages in October.

FWIW, laying on beaches (as beautiful as they are) would be the last thing I would do on Sardinia... Interesting geology and archeology, local arts and handicrafts, sailing, kayaking, hiking, good food and decent local wine, and as always in Italy a place with its own culture and traditions.

neckervd

Siciiy has tons of ancient Greek temples and theatres, several baroque towns, Norman fortresses and cathedrals, a more or less active vulcano (Etna) on the Island and another one (Stromboli) offshore....
Sardinia is famous for it's very scenic beaches and for people interested in nuragus culture.
The seven somewhat important cities (Cagliari, Sassari, Olbia, Oristano, Nuoro, Iglesias, Carbonia) are nothing to write home about.
Hiking is not impossilbe although not easy. Corsica, the Balearic Islands and most Greek Islands are much better for that.

mcsles

Thanks so much for your comments. I am leaning towards staying in Italy with 2 to 3 weeks devoted to Sicily. In 2015 we stayed in Positano for 4 nights. We enjoyed the beauty and took a bus to Ravello and had a cup of coffee and the views took our breath away. It was 90 degrees in Florence one week prior and 60s and rain 3 days in Positano. Weather. We did not go to Capri and did not see the blue grotto as the seas were too rough. Any advice on a spot to spend 4 nights in the Amalfi coast area? Sorrento vs Positano etc.
Thank you

yorkshire

For your Amalfi area visit, I would consider staying all four nights on Capri--so many just do a day trip. But much depends on how you want to spend your time. I stayed in tiny Cetara because I wanted a more low-key place that was close to the mainland for visiting Pompeii but well-known for restaurants. It took us longer to get to Amalfi, but the town did not have a ferry service that year--I believe it does now unless covid has changed that. I'd like to return one day and stay in the hills somewhere at the tip of the peninsula so I can do more hiking.
South of Salerno, the Cilento area is really nice and definitely overlooked. I stayed in Pisciotta. The Greek temples at Paestum are remarkable.
I would definitely do the full three weeks in Sicily. Your plan makes me so look forward to retirement! That leaves five weeks for the mainland, which you could definitely fill south of Rome. Another less popular (maybe not the most accurate term--it is not off the radar by any stretch but let's just say less visited than Tuscany) area I enjoyed was the Marche. If you like driving among hill towns, it is chock full of them.

scrb11

I wouldn't day trip to Capri nor day trip from Capri, though it's a 40 minute hydrofoil ride from Capri to Naples.

If you want to spend time in the Amalfi Coast, then stay a couple of nights there. Sorrento is nice but it's a long bus ride to the AC from there. If you want to visit Pompeii or Herculaneum, then Sorrento is convenient.

If you want to spend time on Capri -- there are some stupendous hikes to do on the island or just relax and lounge in the beaches -- spend a few nights there as well.

annw

Starting the trip in the north is a great plan. I love the lakes region but the Dolomites also sound great. In your shoes I might head over to Verona and Venice/Veneto/Vicenza, depending on your interests; I see that you've been to Venice area before.

Then I might focus on Emilia-Romangna, with Bologna and trips to Ravenna --> world class mosaics, walkable ancient center, lovely passagiata, and the good food of the region, with very reasonable lodging--I'd stay there a night or two and have often stayed a week in or near the center; we preferred Ferrara to Modena but missed Parma.

You probably know Tuscany--a little town outside Florence, Impruneta, has a couple of nice and reasonable agriturismos and easy access to Florence and other Chianti area towns, or a bit further afield, Siena and Volterra. Arezzo is easily accessible by train from Florence or on the way as you head south.

An area not always mentioned is Umbria -- headquartering in the old/hill town of Perugia, also a university town and main city in the region, you have easy day trips by train (or of course car) to Assisi, Spello, and others.

I'm assuming you know Rome or have enough information about it (I prefer Trastevere or maybe Monti neighborhoods).

Amalfi Coast from Sorrento to Salerno is IME still wonderful in October. We have several times stayed a week in Ravello at a wonderful locanda and will do so again this October or next. In addition to the beauty, views, culture, gardens, hikes -- you have the Ravello Music Festival/Concert series -- in the summer it's outdoors at Villa Rufolo, but by autumn, when we go, it transitions to chamber music concerts in a 16th century church, with limoncello served at intermission! We've also stayed in Positano and Amalfi but prefer Ravello to absorb the beauty of the region.

Sicily is in our future but I can't comment on it at this point, though it makes a natural next phase of the trip in your case.

I think it's not only fabulous that you will have a 7-8 week trip to explore but also that you have only one long plane trip vs. several shorter ones which seems environmentally sound.

mcsles

Thanks Annw, this is exactly the information I needed. I just yesterday went to the library to start researching the regions you mentioned. Have you been farther south on the mainland.

mcsles

Thanks all for your comments. I was at the library yesterday and I am beginning my studies on Sicily and the farther south regions of italy. After reading more I would like to return to ask your opinions. Thanks for now.
Safe travels soon I pray.
Mike and Laura

TDudette

Happy planning, mscles! If you click on my name, there are trip reports for several of the places you mentioned. Hope they help.
One of my faves:
https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/turin-spoleto-bologna-and-bellagio-tr-947180/
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