I have approximately 7-8 days to spend in Italy in a couple of weeks (June 28-Aug 5th). I will be in Barcelona on June 27th and was planning to go from there to Italy (where and how is open) and I plan to fly out of Rome on the 5th. I would love to hear itinerary suggestions from the group. I'm a 39 y.o. male, traveling on my own. I do not as yet have a rail pass (should I get one), nor any hotel rooms (I like last minute planning obviously), and would love to see the things I "should not miss" as opposed to spending a week sitting on a beach. I've never been to Italy before - any thoughts re: itinerary suggestions and good sites to find last minute accommodations? Thanks!
Posted by
pacific grove, ca, usa
144 posts
there are the obvious sights of rome. pompeii is definitely worth a trip. i have been twice and would go again. sorrento is in the same area and very pretty.
last year i went to viterbo and orvieto. i loved orvieto. great wine there.
Posted by
USR, NJ
277 posts
It all depends on what you are interested in sightseeing. The major tourist attractions are of course in: Rome, Florence, and Venice. I would purchase a few guide books. I use Frommers, Steves, and DK. They give a different perspective on the same sights. Once read, then determine. Having the oppurtunity to visit Italy on many occasions I would suggest: Venice and Rome for the time you have alotted. You can travel betwen cities via the rail system. It's very easy. Once you leave the train station in Venice, you mouth will drop. It is that wonderful.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Forget a railpass.....point to point tickets will be cheaper (http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html), and at this late date, you probably won't be able to get any passholder reservations for the trains that require them. And don't take a train Spain-Italy....it'll take forever. Check Spanish discount airlines like vueling (http://www.vueling.com/EN/index.php) and clickair (http://book.clickair.com/skylights/cgi-bin/skylights.cgi?language=EN) for direct flights Barcelona-Rome...the sooner you book, the cheaper the flight
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
Keep reading advice here and on Lonely Planet.
No, you don't need a railpass. Buy tickets there.
If you know where you want to be, reserve rooms ASAP. Look at venere.com
You have options coming into Rome from Barcelona. By rail, Florence is on your way and would be the top sight next to Rome itself. You'll really need reservations there. Lucca, nearby, is great.
Posted by
southwest, Missouri, U.S.A.
1717 posts
Stu, your question was posted here July 13, thus I assume you did not fly to Europe yet. I recommend fly from Barcelona Spain to Florence Italy. If you will be in Italy for a total of 7 days, that is not enough time to see every place in Italy. I recommend do not go south of Rome. If you can be in Italy for eight nights, I think a good plan is :
Fly to Florence.
FLORENCE : three nights.
VERNAZZA (in the Cinque Terre at the Mediteranean Sea coast): two nights. Riding in trains, stop at Lucca for two hours the day you travel from Florence to Vernazza, via La Spezia.
ROME : three nights.
I think it is possible to travel from Vernazza to Rome, in trains, in one day. A high-speed train (Euro Star) goes from Pisa to Rome. (Coastal route).
I don't know its schedule, but you might be able to travel in trains from Vernazza to Pisa in the morning, to get on the high-speed train going to Rome. Leave Vernazza early in the morning, to be prepared for train delays.
Posted by
OP
San Francisco, CA, USA
11 posts
By the way, I meant to write July not June above...
Thanks!
Stu