Italy - Planning my trip to Italy - I leave in 8 days!

I am a procrastinator. I admit it. I have 10 days of vacation to use -- from Sunday the 20th of November through Tuesday, the 29th, or even the morning of Wednesday, the 30th. And my girlfriend has never been to Italy.

I'm looking at LAX to Florence on Sunday the 20th, arriving FLR on 11/21. I'm a Hilton gold, so staying with points at the Hilton Metropole for 4 nights, then taking a train down to Rome and staying at the Cavalieri for 4 nights (awards still available as of last night, anyway). Flying home to LAX on the 29th.

Only problem is, cheapest flights I can find are $1,171 round trip whether it's Delta, Air France, or any other carrier. Seems pricy to me, but I guess that's the cost of waiting to the last week.

Question: if I go within one week, will prices rise? Or should I buy today?

Any other advice for my trip?

Apologies if I've posted in the wrong forum.

Best,

Don in LA (and soon Italy!)

The issue may be flying to Florence. LAX to Rome seems to be pricing at about $871 RT for those dates on Swiss, UA, CO and a few other carriers.

If you haven't already checked it out, FlyerTalk's Travel->Italy forum may be of help to you for land/sightseeing info.

Thanks...after an afternoon in front of the computer, it's looking like roundtrip flights to Rome (the flights I wanted came out to $897 each on BA), with train trips to and from Florence...which look to be $100 each way, so I may not be saving much, but we'll see more of the country. Now on to hotel choices!

You have too many nights in Florence. Add at least one to Rome. I assume you'll do a daytrip from Florence to Pisa (very touristy and overrated); check out Lucca nearby on that trip. Volterra is another lovely town near Florence.

I would also do a daytrip to Pompeii and Naples from Rome.

I've just returned from Italy and you will have an amazing time!

I agree with the changes you've made to your initinerary. Rome is a must see and easy access to other places by train.

If you do have time you must do Sorrento, there are day and overnight trips available if you check through Viator for last min special offers.

why are you not doing an open jaw. it is worth the extra expense. the train ride from rome to florence will burn most of a day. now you have 2 days of travel. there is not much to see on the train ride.

unless you are really into the art and architecture ol the period, shorten florence, and lengthen rome.

move to italy forum please

Since this is at least about planning the optimal use of time in Italy, and not just various flight selections, please follow the thread as it moves to the Travel->Italy forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

I think a day trip to Pompeii is absolutely going to happen. Maybe now just two-day/one night trip to Florence (trips seem to take 1.5 hours each way and cost 72 euros, or about $100, roundtrip).

Last time I was in Rome was in 1986 with a backpack and a Eurrail pass!

I hear there's a front of the line pass or something like that to avoid waiting in long lines at the Vatican and maybe other venues. I ownder if that has value in late November. I'd understand at the height of the tourist season, but now?

Still get your Vatican tickets online. Any time of year can be busy and you will be thankful to not have to line up. You get them direct from the Vatican website.

If you're headed to the Vatican in the afternoon in late November, depending on the week, you'll be able to walk right in. Mondays and Saturdays are days to avoid. This post (http://tinyurl.com/vatican-tips) has some info on visiting the Vatican Museums that may help you.

Both the Florence Metropole and the Roma Cavalieri (http://tinyurl.com/roma-cavalieri) are located "outside" of the city centers. The Florence Hilton is out near the highway and you'll have to arrange transport. If you want to get the "feel of Florence" you might want to look at other options. I've stayed there on points - with a car - and it's very modern, but distant from downtown. The Cavalieri is closer to Rome and commands incredible views. Get a room facing Rome, or you'll spend your time looking at apts and a huge TV tower. Since it changed to a Waldorf it's perhaps been more restrictive on HHonors points and benefits than the old days!

In Rome, you might check out this posting on What to Pre-book? (http://tinyurl.com/prebook-rome) Your time is short, but you could still get reservations at the Galleria Borghese (http://tinyurl.com/borghese) if you're so inclined.

As a frequent flyer, I'd also recommend an open jaw itinerary. But I'd come into MXP (Milan) and train south. That way you can see the Duomo and perhaps the Last Supper... (The Milan Hilton concierge got me last minute tickets!). From Milan, head to Florence - do sidetrips to Lucca or Pisa if you like and can fit them in - and then train on to Rome. The trains are great - only 1.75 and 1.5 hours in between Milan and Florence and then Florence to Rome. (about the same as a work commute in LA!). Kayak has a LAX-MXP-FCO-LAX itinerary for $886, all-in. This way you're headed all in one direction and avoid doubling back! If you lock in your primary train dates, you can save money buying a MINI ticket (http://tinyurl.com/MINI-fare) online through the Trenitalia website (http://tinyurl.com/tren-online).

I think I'd save Pompeii for a warmer trip. It can get pretty rainy and blustery in November. We went one year around Dec 1 and wished we stayed home. Plus it's a FULL day of travel from Rome.. and you really only have roughly 8 days to use. I think I'd plan on returning in a warmer time of year and head south. You could always substitute Ostia Antica (http://tinyurl.com/ostia-antica) in Rome for Pompeii.

Hope that info helps - Good Luck on your trip!

why are you not doing an open jaw. it is worth the extra expense. the train ride from rome to florence will burn most of a day. now you have 2 days of travel. there is not much to see on the train ride.

unless you are really into the art and architecture ol the period, shorten florence, and lengthen rome.


While I agree to add 1 day to Rome and remove 1 day from Florence, it is worth noting that an ES train ride from Florence to Rome is roughly 90 minutes.

While I agree to add 1 day to Rome and remove 1 day from Florence, it is worth noting that an ES train ride from Florence to Rome is roughly 90 minutes.

that is not hotel to hotel time. or breakfast in rome, hour transit and wait to get on train. 90 min on train. 30 min transit(unless at the hilton) time to hotel(hilton transit time at least an hour). now turn around and go back to centro whatever it is called. sounds like dawn to dusk in december to me..........

Florence to/from Rome via train is easy. The trains run VERY frequently (~every 30 min.) and both train stations are centrally located. One could easily have lunch in Florence and be in Rome (having dropped luggage off at the hotel) in time for evening cocktails...