hi all,

my gfriend and I are planning a trip to Italy for 9 days in late June. we've purchased a rt fare to ROME (ouch!) and am trying to figure out our itinerary

having read several threads re: italy itineraries, I'm a fan of spending more time in fewer cities.

What we're thinking is this:

Arrive in Rome, spend 3 nights. check out a few of the major attractions (parthenon, vatican, etc.)

Head down to Amalfi Coast and spend 5 nights there. Make Pompeii and Capri day trips.

Return to Rome the night before our early morning flight the next day.

Is 5 nights in the Amalfi Coast too long? Are we better off trying to incorporate a 3rd city such as Florence or Tuscany region?

My gfriend has been to Venice, Rome, and Florence before. I'm a rookie to Italy travel. I would prefer not to run around and just relax, so leaning towards the itinerary above.


Some questions, I would appreciate feedback on:

1) Does the itinerary above make sense?
2) Hotels in Amalfi coast seem really expensive and I realize their "star" system differs radically from that of the US. Should we just be prepared to pay 300-500 Euro/night there?
3) Is train or air the best way to get from Rome/Naples? Haven't had a chance to do the cost comparison yet. Even then, i realize we will need a car transfer to Amalfi coast from Naples.
4) in terms of hotels in Rome, I'm looking at some of the int'l chains, such as a Westin or Marriott. Is there a particular area in Rome, we should try to stay in (or avoid)?

5) any other tips?

Thx very much!

nyctexan

Some questions, I would appreciate feedback on:

1) Does the itinerary above make sense?

- not really, seeing as how the Parthenon is in Athens

2) Hotels in Amalfi coast seem really expensive and I realize their "star" system differs radically from that of the US. Should we just be prepared to pay 300-500 Euro/night there?

- Amalfi Coast is a premiere int'l destination - similar to Cannes, Sardinia, etc.. so summer hotel prices will be quite high

3) Is train or air the best way to get from Rome/Naples? Haven't had a chance to do the cost comparison yet. Even then, i realize we will need a car transfer to Amalfi coast from Naples.

- train is the best way. Unless you are a *highly* experienced European driver, do NOT drive in Naples, it is one of the most challenging driving experiences you will ever encounter

4) in terms of hotels in Rome, I'm looking at some of the int'l chains, such as a Westin or Marriott. Is there a particular area in Rome, we should try to stay in (or avoid)?

- if you are using points for the rooms, then either of those two chains will be fine. However, they are far more expensive than Italian 4 star hotels - which will be far more personal, interesting, and Roman

5) any other tips?

IMHO, 5 days in the Amalfi coast may well be too long if you really want to see Italy, Amalfi coast will be much more a pool/sunbathing vacation

Thanks for the reply

I meant Pantheon, (it was late)

1) Regarding 4 star hotels in Rome that are non-chain, any recommendations?

2) The Amalfi Coast - positano, capri, sorrento? any thoughts? We were thinking of splitting 5 days between positano and sorrento

Thx!

1) Does the itinerary above make sense?

Obviously depends on what you want to do -- just relax (in which case Amalfi coast is the right place for most of your time) or see more of Italy. I might do another day in Rome and one less in Amalfi, but trying to plug Florence into that short a trip would make it a lot less relaxing. We did Rome, Florence and Amalfi in 11 days a couple years ago, and that was running around a lot.

2) Hotels in Amalfi coast seem really expensive and I realize their "star" system differs radically from that of the US. Should we just be prepared to pay 300-500 Euro/night there?

Good luck finding a good one that isn't already booked up for late June. If you find one, you are probably going to have to spend 300 Euro. We stayed at a nice, moderate hotel the Miramalfi in Amalfi. I would recommend it, if it has rooms.

3) Is train or air the best way to get from Rome/Naples? Haven't had a chance to do the cost comparison yet. Even then, i realize we will need a car transfer to Amalfi coast from Naples.

We drove, so I have no opinion on the train.

4) in terms of hotels in Rome, I'm looking at some of the int'l chains, such as a Westin or Marriott. Is there a particular area in Rome, we should try to stay in (or avoid)?

We really liked the Hotel Residenze Farnese, near Piazza Navona, centrally located so that we could walk to much of the city easily. Unless I am using points, I dislike paying for American chain hotels in foreign cities -- would rather stay at someplace with more local character.


5) any other tips?

If you have a car in Amalfi, you might consider driving down to the Greek ruins at Paestum, a couple hours south along the coast (south of Salerno). It is a really interesting outpost of Greek Civilization (and as close as you will get to the Parthenon!)

Oh, and to make the Amalfi coast more manageable, try to avoid the weekend (Friday Sat.). The coast road is incredibly traffic jammed all weekend. Much easier to drive around during the middle of the week.

Have fun.

I've done the Rome-Naples train connecting on to Sorrento. From Sorrento, there are frequent buses down the coast (albeit it was a bit nausea inducing).

Naples is probably the most chaotic place I've been in Western Europe. This is both a good, and bad thing. Train station, though, is easy to navigate and trains to Roma Termini are frequent. For some quiet, you might want to pay the (small) premium for first class. Seat and amenities are practically the same as 2d class, though. Although I can't speak for the Eurostar Italia on that route.

I'd agree that driving Rome-Amalfi is a bad idea.

Another thing we really enjoyed was the short walk to the top of Mt. Vesuvius. At sundown, the views out to Capri and Ischia and south around the coast are amazing.

Sorrento is much larger than Positano, which is good and bad. Better as a jumping off point to Pompeii and Capri.

Finally, limit yourself to a few attractions in Rome -- otherwise you'll be ovewhelmed trying to see everything -- and spend some of your time just touring around some of its neighborhoods.

Piazza Navona is a good, central area for a first trip to Rome. Be sure to check out Campo di Fiori (although not at night when it's hang out for drunk American frat boys).

My wife and I stayed in Positano in the summer of 2005 for three nights. We wish we would have stayed one more. One of the days there we took a day trip to Capri (boat right from the beach in Positano) and another we went to Amalfi. We stayed at the Hotel California, a great little hotel which was very reasonably priced for Positano. It was in a perfect location and was actually used for the filming of Under the Tuscan Sun. The website is: http://www.hotelcaliforniapositano.it/uk/index_uk.htm There are reviews for it on Tripadvisor. We stayed on the upper floor in a room to the far left when you face the hotel from the street. It had a balcony and as a corner room had windows facing two directions. Magnificant views.

If this was my first trip to Italy, I'd try and make it an open-jaw flight, going in to Rome and out of another city such as Florence or Venice. Three nights is very little time in Rome. You could spend weeks exploring it without exhausting its possibilities. The Amalfi Coast is beautiful but, as someone else noted, unless you just want to spend your time relaxing, five nights would be a long time. Rome/Florence or Rome/Venice would give you a nice mix with some good contrasts and all three are spectacular cities.

Some questions, I would appreciate feedback on:

1) Does the itinerary above make sense?

Yes, but depending on your flight times (arrival and departure), I would suggest getting to the Amalfi coast the 1st day, or leave from Naples early on the last day to catch your FCO flight. Getting back to Rome for 1 night, just to go to the airport the next morning is a pain. (We've done it)

2) Hotels in Amalfi coast seem really expensive and I realize their "star" system differs radically from that of the US. Should we just be prepared to pay 300-500 Euro/night there?

We stayed at Villa di Sorrento (http://tinyurl.com/yq274s), right in the center of Sorrento, and really liked it. ½ block from the center. I think Sorrento would make a nice base to see other areas. There are busses (right in front of the hotel) that seem to go everywhere.


3) Is train or air the best way to get from Rome/Naples?

Train service from Rome to Naples is superb. There is even a newer, faster train now. We flew from Venice to Naples, then took the Curreri bus (very comfortable) from the airport front door to central Sorrento.

1. The Vatican
2. Rome (which I consider for this purpose as separate from the Vatican)
3. Florence--arguably the best small city in the world
4. Pisa--1 hour by train from Florence (you can do the Leaning Tower (torre pendente) and adjacent Duomo and Baptistery in half a day
5. Assisi--absolutely wonderful
6. Venice--a human theme park
7. Pompeii--not very far from Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast
8. Ravenna--this town is the hidden jewel of Europe, as it has incredible historic and artistic treasures, and is not touristy.

If you are Catholic, you will want to see these places outside central Rome:

1. The Catacombs, south of Rome, in the direction of Ciampino Airport.
2. Loreto, 200 miles NE of Rome, where the Blessed Virgin Mary's "holy house" stands within a remarkable basilica on a high hill overlooking the Adriatic sea coast.
3. Padova (Padua), 23 miles west of Venice, where St. Anthony of Padua is entombed in a stunning classic basilica.

While the Amalfi coast is spectacular, I would explore the Vatican, Rome and Florence on your first trip (the train ride between Rome and Florence is 200 miles covered in a jaw-dropping 95 minutes, through rugged and splendid countryside, on extremely comfortable Eurostar Italia trainsets). There's enough there to fill up 9 days without having to do much else. It has taken me seven trips to Italy, and I still haven't seen any of the country south of Salerno (the east end of the Amalfi Coast).

As for a beach resort, I think Rimini would be more fun than the Amalfi Coast, but that's just me. Also, Rimini is the jumping off point for "The Most Serene Republic of San Marino", a 25 square mile independent nation with a 1600 year history.

Whatever you do, enjoy.

I've done the Rome-Naples train connecting on to Sorrento. From Sorrento, there are frequent buses down the coast (albeit it was a bit nausea inducing).

Naples is probably the most chaotic place I've been in Western Europe. This is both a good, and bad thing. Train station, though, is easy to navigate and trains to Roma Termini are frequent. For some quiet, you might want to pay the (small) premium for first class. Seat and amenities are practically the same as 2d class, though. Although I can't speak for the Eurostar Italia on that route.

I'd agree that driving Rome-Amalfi is a bad idea.

Another thing we really enjoyed was the short walk to the top of Mt. Vesuvius. At sundown, the views out to Capri and Ischia and south around the coast are amazing.

Sorrento is much larger than Positano, which is good and bad. Better as a jumping off point to Pompeii and Capri.

Finally, limit yourself to a few attractions in Rome -- otherwise you'll be ovewhelmed trying to see everything -- and spend some of your time just touring around some of its neighborhoods.

Piazza Navona is a good, central area for a first trip to Rome. Be sure to check out Campo di Fiori (although not at night when it's hang out for drunk American frat boys).

Piazza Navona and Campo Dei Fiore are about equidistant from the headquarters of the Rome program of Saint Mary's College, the women's school at Notre Dame. Both my wife and daughter were on that program. The bar to watch out for in the Campo dei Fiore is "The Drunken Ship"--there are both male and female students drinking there, I can assure you.

I'm italian, i'll give you my answer, hope this will help :)

Some questions, I would appreciate feedback on:

1) Does the itinerary above make sense?
If it was my first time in Italy, I wouldn't go to the hyper-busy amalfi area, and I would avoid Naples at all... so I'd head to Tuscany and Rome, and maybe spend couple of days in agriturismo near siena like this http://www.castellodibossi.it/en/agriturismo.htm

2) Hotels in Amalfi coast seem really expensive and I realize their "star" system differs radically from that of the US. Should we just be prepared to pay 300-500 Euro/night there?
I have just checked on www.booking.com and there are 4 stars hotel available and not "that" expensive; you could also try www.venere.com and www.octopustravel.com

3) Is train or air the best way to get from Rome/Naples? Haven't had a chance to do the cost comparison yet. Even then, i realize we will need a car transfer to Amalfi coast from Naples.
Trains in italy are cheap compared to our european country, and Eurostar are fast and comfortable: in case you go to the amalfi area take a 1st class seat on eurostar Roma-Napoli. Makes no sense to go by car. You could also proceed up to Salerno, and rent a car there, so you would avoid Naples at all

4) in terms of hotels in Rome, I'm looking at some of the int'l chains, such as a Westin or Marriott. Is there a particular area in Rome, we should try to stay in (or avoid)?
I would suggest you to stay in the area of Ottaviano and the vaticans, less crowded and more safe, or you can stay at the fleming hotel on the hill near by Corso Francia; however, central Rome is just sublime....

5) any other tips? as I said, I'd rather go to Tuscany if you have never been there: in case you can write me a private message if you want, i'm originally from Firenze

Anyway, welcome to Italy!!!

Thanks to everyone who has responded to the 4 questions. They are very helpful thoughts and will definitely help us in setting expectations regarding price as well as the planning logistics.


Question:

We are considering incorporating a visit to either Tuscany region or Florence. Is this feasible (enjoyable), if we do it as a day trip from Rome? Or as some may state, does this defeat the purpose of going to Tuscany or Florence?

Thanks!

Thanks to everyone who has responded to the 4 questions. They are very helpful thoughts and will definitely help us in setting expectations regarding price as well as the planning logistics.


Question:

We are considering incorporating a visit to either Tuscany region or Florence. Is this feasible (enjoyable), if we do it as a day trip from Rome? Or as some may state, does this defeat the purpose of going to Tuscany or Florence?

Thanks!

Florence is doable as a day trip but I wouldn't recommend it. It'd be like spending a week in NYC and doing a day trip to DC.

Personally, Florence is wonderful in the evenings after some of the crowds have dissipated...

5 nights in Rome and 3 on the coast works best.
I'm not all that big a fan of the Amalfi. It will be PACKED with people and overpriced. It is lovely to look at, but it is nowhere in my top 10 of Italy.
With this schedule you really don't have time for day trips.
Rome will be amazing and will keep you very busy for your short stay.
If it were me, Tuscany always wins over the coast.
IF,and that's a big "if", you really want to taste a hill town ,try Orvieto.