2 weeks in Italy Itinerary suggestions

As others have said in this forum, you are best flying into one city and out of another - without having to back track. You are also wise to go by train rather than car. Generally speaking you are still going to need time to travel from one city to another, so you are going to probably use 3 days of your two weeks in travel time. The first day you arrive, getting through customs, getting to your hotel, etc. Same with travel to those other cities. Getting to the train station, time on the train, and getting to your next hotel. Same with the day of your departure. Chances are you are going to be heading to the airport in the morning.

That being said, you can do the math depending on how far each destination is from the other. So, you might want to consider 4 days in 2 of the cities and 3 in the other, or some combination like that. Lastly, you might want to consider Sorrento as one of your cities, and that would mean flying in or out of Naples. Anyway, look at a map and see what makes sense for you.

For an October trip I'd start in the north and work my way south unless there was a special event of interest that dictated otherwise. Thinking about the possibility of cool, rainy weather, I might lean toward the Amalfi area rather than the lakes or Cinque Terre for the third base.

Take a lookat a guidebook or two to see what sights in Rome and Venice you want to see. That should help you figure out how to balance your time. Although I am a big fan of Venice, I personally would need at least one more day in Rome than in Venice. That would change if I planned to take day-trips from Venice, such as to Verona and Padua. Again, the weather might be a consideration.

If you can fly into Venice and out of Naples, then Venice>Rome>Amalfi works well with 2 weeks. If you have to return to Rome for your flight home, Amalfi (4 nights minimum) may use up too much travel time. Then I would recommend into Venice or Milan and out of Rome, spending time at Lake Como.

I think Venice is the perfect place to start your trip. You can relax and soak it up while getting over the jetlag. I haven't been to any of the lakes, but that might be a good place to start for the same reason.

2 full days (3 nights) in Venice and 3 full days in Rome would be my minimum. 2 in Venice gives you just about time to get to know your way around and see its major sights. In Rome, it depends on what you want to see. I could spend an entire day in the fabulous Vatican Museums, others really only want to see a few exhibits and the Sistine Chapel.

If you don't go south of Rome, there is much to see between it and Venice. Verona is a lovely town (2 nights, 1 full day) or spend several nights based in Bologna and day trip to Modena, Ferrara, Ravenna (superb mosaics in 5th-6th century churches), and more.

Or Assisi/Orvieto . . . while the Umbrian countryside is similar to Tuscany, these two towns are quite different, especially Assisi. Stay overnight in both, 3-4 nights total.

See which flights work best, then decide how many nights in Venice and Rome, and come back. We can help you plan the rest once you have the "anchors" in place.

Something like this perhaps if you have 14 nts ...

Arrive Milan - 1 nt
Lake Como - 2 nts
Venice - 3 nts
Amalfi Coast - 4 nts
Rome - 4 nts
Fly home from Rome

You are wise to think no more than three locations. It gives you a chance to really experience the locations instead of 1 or 2 nights in several places. Depending on what you want to see, 4 nights in Venice is a nice start and allows you to ease into Italy. It is lovely there in October! For Rome, 5 nights is excellent as there is so much to see. I would say the Amalfi Coast in October makes a good third stop. for 4 or 5 nights, whatever you have that remains in your travel bank. You cannot see all of Italy, so make the most of what you can see in your two weeks.

Now, as to what should not be missed, only personal research can tell you that. Rick Steves' guides are superb at pointing out the "3-triangle" sights and then the 2-and-1-triangle sites you might wish to add in, time permitting. He also lays out nice day trips (Laguna islands in Venice, Ostia Antica from Rome, etc.). Take a look at his planning guides on this very website (example Venice planning here) and ID the places in the book that YOU want to see/experience. You have a Rick Steves Italy Guide, right?

As others have said, into Venice and out of Naples (or Rome) woudl be most efficient.
Oh, and no need for a car! IN fact, it would be a liability!

Thank you all for the great suggestions. We are going to try flying to Venice, spend 3 nights there... but coming home will be very challenging from Naples back to AZ, so we need to end up in Rome. . It looks like we could take a train from Venice to Naples and Sorrento? Is that an ok way to get south? Then we could spend 4 days in that area before taking a train to Rome for 6 days. And we do have a 2012 RS Italy book :) Suggestions for hotels from you all would be great though!

It looks like we could take a train from Venice to Naples and Sorrento? Is that an ok way to get south? Then we could spend 4 days in that area before taking a train to Rome for 6 days. And we do have a 2012 RS Italy book :)

Yes, a route of Venice - Sorrento - Rome will work! A longish day on the train between Venice and Sorrento but highly doable. I would get a newer book. Things change, such as hours, advice, recommendations. Rick Steves' team does fabulous research and updates accordingly.

I think that would work well. You'll use most of a day getting to Sorrento from Venice, a lot less to Rome.

Sorrento is a good base for the area. You can day trip on the local Vesuviana train to Naples, Herculano, Pompeii, and take buses to the Amalfi towns (Ravello, Positano. . . ) walk down through the town, then take the ferry back to Sorrento. And of course there's the ferry to Capri if you choose. I'd spend at least 5 nights there.

If you do not like crowded area and want an interesting visit near Rome, go to Tarquinia and see the wonderful Etruscan tombs, after which you can visit the very interesting museum in the city centre. If weather permits it go and bathe at the seaside. Gubbio and Peruggia are also very beautiful and deserves to be seen. In Italy you have something worth seeing at every 5 km, so why traveling so much?

For me October is too chilly in Northern Italy, concentrate on Southern Tuscany, Rome and Southwards, Sicily is also nice in October.

Personally would choose Amalfi Coast over Cinque Terre. We just returned from a trip that included both. Although we are active, healthy, seniors (65 & 72), we found our Cinque Terre stay limiting because of the hike to our room. We left the room just once each day, visited by ferry and train the other villages, and then purchased food to be brought back up the steep hill and enjoyed on our veranda (beautiful view). The Cinque Terre is quaint and lovely, but for the reason that uphill hikes are required everywhere, we would not return. Or would stay perhaps in Levanto and visit the towns from there.

On Amalfi Coast we stayed 5 glorious nights at Hotel Panorama in Maiori and it was wonderful. The price, at 53e/night, was unbelievable for a nice room with a seaview balcony, expansive breakfast on seaview veranda (attended to by waiters), beach area, and lovely lounge area. I did reserve several months in advance and we went in fringe season (end April), but still couldn't believe the value. Sita bus is readily available from Salerno train station and up and down the Coast. Ferry to other towns, as well as Capri, is quite reasonable.

Chilly in October? I needed a fan in Venice in mid-October, wouldn't have minded AC to keep out mosquitoes.

I live in Phoenix AZ, I would love it if it was "cold". But lately temps are much warmer where ever we travel so I always lower my expectations.

I agree with Venice--Amalfi (I like Sorrento)---fly home from Rome.