In mid-August through early September we are planning a trip that is shaping up like this:
Fly SFO-Rome. Rome 2 nights (we have been to Rome twice before) Rome-Positano for 4 nights (or other beautiful, relaxing, scenic town easy to access by train from Rome) then fly or train to Bolzano for 2 nights. (I did see one 6.5 hour straight train from Salerno to Bolzano Then train to Kastelruth or Ortisei for 2 nights. We are not avid hikers. More like eager pleasure walkers, so I do think four nights in the area in general will suffice for us. Then train back to Rome to board ship for 7 night cruise that has stops in Salerno, Olympia, Santorini and Kusadasi before returning to Rome. (or more accurately Civitavecchia) for one night airport hotel stay for flight home.
It would be nice to find a replacement for Positano due to the very expensive hotel rates (600 plus a night!) and it seems a tad difficult to reach from Rome and it is so far from Bolzano and the Dolomites, which is our number one desired place to stay, plus we do have it as a port day. We actually have been to the Amalfi region twice before on cruises, and we have seen Pompeii and the town of Amalfi.
We are lucky enough to have been to Italy a few times, so we have been to Varenna in Como, Vernazza in Cinque Terre, Siena, Florence, Orvieto, Venice and Rome. We are not comfortable driving in Italy. We do not have the skills! LOL. So easy access by train would be preferable. We will spend up to 600 euro a night for a super special place that's unforgettable, but we are more
comfortable generally in the 250-450 euro per night range. Our cruise is September 1-8, but we can do the other stops on either end of the trip or have the cruise split it up.
I am super hopeful for any recommendations or thoughts!!
Thanks! Shelley