How does this sound for a 13 day itinerary for 2 adults, and an 11, 14, and 17 yr. old? Day 1,F 12/21 - arr. Rome 4:30pm- hotel, meal, bed Day 2, SAT 12/22 - Rome:Vatican/Sistine Chapel Day 3, Sun 12/23- Rome: Pantheon, Coliseum area Day 4, Mon 12/24- Rome: walking tour of churches, markets, presepios, Christmas Eve meal Day 5, Tu 12/25- Rome: Christmas mass, Jewish Ghetto, walking tour of churches Day 6, Wed 12/26- Train to Pompeii- see ruins, dinner and spend night in Naples Day 7, Th 12/27- Early train to Assisi- spend day touring, spend night Day 8, Fri 12/28- Assisi- spend night Day 9, Sat 12/29- Depart for Castelrotto- spend night in Castelrotto (husband really wants to be in mountains for a day or two) Day 10, Sun 12/30- Day and night in Castelrotto Day 11, Mon 12/31- depart for Venice. Gondola ride, walk around city, New Year's Eve fireworks Day 12, Tue 1/1- Venice all day- spend night Day 13, Wed 1/2- leave early for Rome- travel day, last dinner/walkaround
Day 14, Thur 1/3- plane leaves early am
Posted by
Bainbridge Island
3095 posts
Castelrotto isn't really "iin" the mountains, although you can see them from there. It seems a long way to go just for that view-you would divert from your Venice route at Verona, head to bolzano, and then take a bus to Castelrotto. It would be better if you could actually get "into" the mountains, but most of the ski areas will be booked solid between Christmas and New Years, or have a minimum stay longer than two nights. Maybe you can talk your husband out of this and add time in Venice?
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
I guess you already have tickets in and out of Rome? It would be more convenient to fly into Rome and out of Venice. If you want to see Pompeii, you could spend the night in Sorrento instead of Naples, which might also give you time for a trip along the Amalfi Coast and back to Sorrento. Note that 12/26 is a holiday in Italy, check the opening/closing hours since they may be shorter than usual. For your Christmas Eve/Day walking tour of churches, there will probably be extra services scheduled, during which visitors are discouraged from walking around - timing will be important.
Posted by
OP
Gainesville, Virginia, USA
5 posts
Thank you so much for all your suggestions- needless to say we were not able to get tickets to the mass at the Vatican, but I think mass at the Santa Maria Maggiore would be lovely- we are fine with a non-English mass. We are unfortunately flying in and out of Rome- have revised our trip a little to include Bolzano instead of Castelrotto- you were correct, all the lodging is filled with skiiers. We are staying at a convent in Assisi- still need lodging in Venice 12/30- 12/2.
Know that will be challenging during New Year's- any suggestions?
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11302 posts
Best bet for Venice lodging will be VRBO.com, Homelidays, AirBNB, although they may not be crazy about 2 night stays.... Or just Google "apartments in Venice." There can be some pleasant surprises. Stay in Venice proper, though. DO not bow to staying in Mestre!
Posted by
San Jose, CA
1994 posts
Sounds like a great trip. If there are any churches you definitely want to visit, I'd suggest fitting those specific churches into another day. I'd guess it's going to be pretty difficult to tour churches on Christmas day. SMM is lovely and would be great for Christmas Mass. If you're there, you might want to wander across the square and 1/2 block down the street to visit Santa Prassede; really lovely mosaic work and more of the feeling of a parish church. Mass at the Pantheon is also a lovely way to experience that space; there typically is one in the early evening.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15146 posts
If you can't stay in Castelrotto, consider Ortisei or Selva di Val Gardena. Even better. However no matter where you choose to stay, it's going to be a challenge to find a place at New Years' Eve.
Merano is way prettier than Bolzano, by the way. I agree that you should stay in Venice proper, rather than Mestre (yuk!). I'd rather stay in Padua than Mestre. It's not that much farther away than Mestre (less than 30 min from Venice SL by train) and at least it's a pretty old city with a wonderful city center and a world famous basilica (St. Anthony of Padua, of course).