30 days in Italy, shall I skip Cinque Terre?

You can do coastal hiking on the Amalfi and Sorrentine coasts, so I would not include both--plus CT is a bear to get to (many hours on train). If you are not planning on visiting Pompeii or Naples, then you could stay on the Amalfi Coast instead of Sorrento and be closer to trailheads. There are some trails that go right out of Amalfi. Others require a bus or taxi ride.
Do you have lots of day trips planned for Florence?

You are going during the hottest month in Italy. I would leave as is, or at most I would move one night from Cinque Terre to the Amalfi Coast. In July your kids will certainly enjoy some cooler seaside location where they can jump in the water. Try to stay in Monterosso at the Cinque Terre, as it has the best beach (the other towns' beaches are too rocky and small).
6 days in Florence and 6 in Rome are quite a lot already, at least by the standard of the average visitor to those cities (most people don't stay over 4 nights in each). So you will have enough time to take a couple of day trips from both. For example from Florence you can visit various Tuscan localities. From Rome you can visit the Castelli Romani (near the lakes), Ostia Antica, Orvieto, Tivoli, Bracciano, or even some coastal spots like Lido di Ostia or Santa Marinella. If you are in Rome for 6 night, I would move one more night to the sea areas. The sea is where Italians go in July. It's damn hot in the cities in July!!!

Have you explored finding an agriturismo near Orvieto? The one we stayed at on an RS Tour had a pool.

Instead of CT you could use a couple nights in/near Orvieto and maybe add another night each in Sorrento and Rome. Having time to have 'unstructured/unscheduled' time will keep the kids from being worn out and cranky

Thank you! I will reconsider it!

Posted by RafaFan
Texas
03/09/22 07:10 PM
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CT gets crowded during day with day trippers. I read it’s more enjoyable in AM or PM. So if you can’t spend night there I’d skip.

Thank you! Probably I should skip CT. I do plan to visit Pompeii and Naples.
I plan to visit Pisa and Lucca in one day, Siena in one day. I have not make other plans yet. Any suggestions?

Posted by valadelphia
03/09/22 07:11 PM
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You can do coastal hiking on the Amalfi and Sorrentine coasts, so I would not include both--plus CT is a bear to get to (many hours on train). If you are not planning on visiting Pompeii or Naples, then you could stay on the Amalfi Coast instead of Sorrento and be closer to trailheads. There are some trails that go right out of Amalfi. Others require a bus or taxi ride.
Do you have lots of day trips planned for Florence?

I would suggest a few less nights in Florence and spend those nights in Lucca instead. The kids will love riding bikes around the wall and it is a wonderful, charming, family kind of place!

I Totally understand that. That's the only time of the year we can go due to kids' school schedule. Thank you for the suggestions for those day trips from Rome! great idea！ Would you suggest us rent a car or just ride on the train?

Posted by Roberto da Firenze
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
03/09/22 07:15 PM
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You are going during the hottest month in Italy. I would leave as is, or at most I would move one night from Cinque Terre to the Amalfi Coast. In July your kids will certainly enjoy some cooler seaside location where they can jump in the water. Try to stay in Monterosso at the Cinque Terre, as it has the best beach (the other towns' beaches are too rocky and small).
6 days in Florence and 6 in Rome are quite a lot already, at least by the standard of the average visitor to those cities (most people don't stay over 4 nights in each). So you will have enough time to take a couple of day trips from both. For example from Florence you can visit various Tuscan localities. From Rome you can visit the Castelli Romani (near the lakes), Ostia Antica, Orvieto, Tivoli, Bracciano, or even some coastal spots like Lido di Ostia or Santa Marinella. If you are in Rome for 6 night, I would move one more night to the sea areas. The sea is where Italians go in July. It's damn hot in the cities in July!!!

No I have not. I have not used any RS stay suggestion because we have four of us. I found most of the hotels RS suggests are 2 person accommodation.

I will do some research on Orvieto. Thank you!

Posted by joe32F
Edmonds, WA
03/09/22 07:43 PM
8070 posts
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Have you explored finding an agriturismo near Orvieto? The one we stayed at on an RS Tour had a pool.

Instead of CT you could use a couple nights in/near Orvieto and maybe add another night each in Sorrento and Rome. Having time to have 'unstructured/unscheduled' time will keep the kids from being worn out and cranky

Will Lucca has other stuff to do? I was thinking to do a day trip so kids can ride bike there.

Posted by Karen
03/09/22 07:51 PM
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I would suggest a few less nights in Florence and spend those nights in Lucca instead. The kids will love riding bikes around the wall and it is a wonderful, charming, family kind of place!

I first visited Cinque Terre in summer of 2008. Loved it so much for its authenticity that I couldnt wait to get back there again. Returned in late summer of 2016 to a much different experience. It was less charming because it was overrun by the crowds. A peaceful cliff walk along the coast from town to town or solitude on the train was replaced with the crush of crowds. It’s a very beautiful place and certainly worth a visit. Unless the goal is relaxation I would limit my stay to three nights during the summer.

Thank you for the input! I'm thinking to either do 2 nights or do not go at all. Do you by chance know which southern city has the best beach and relative affordable accommodations in Italy?

Posted by raymonelee
Connecticut
03/09/22 08:47 PM
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I first visited Cinque Terre in summer of 2008. Loved it so much for its authenticity that I couldnt wait to get back there again. Returned in late summer of 2016 to a much different experience. It was less charming because it was overrun by the crowds. A peaceful cliff walk along the coast from town to town or solitude on the train was replaced with the crush of crowds. It’s a very beautiful place and certainly worth a visit. Unless the goal is relaxation I would limit my stay to three nights during the summer.

We loved CT, especially in the afternoons and evenings when the day trippers are gone, but I think 3 nights would be the maximum. I would take a night or two from Florence and try to find a nice country hotel or agriturismo in Tuscany with a pool for 3-4 nights. You’ll need some downtime to just chill and enjoy the dolce vita, relax by the pool, enjoy some fresh local food and be out of the cities. We always plan a little mini-vacation on our 15-day trips otherwise we’d feel run ragged and not able to enjoy the next location.

Thank you for the input! I'm thinking to either do 2 nights or do not
go at all. Do you by chance know which southern city has the best
beach and relative affordable accommodations in Italy?

While on the Amalfi Coast, you could stay at Minori or Maiori for a sand beach and better prices.

We did 3 weeks in Italy in June 2019. Fam of 5. 10, 13, 16. I think you have too many days in Rome and Florence. It's going to be hot and crowded and the kids will burn out. We did a month in Greece last summer and even with water at most locations the kids burned out. 4 nights in venice for sure. But I recommend finding an airbnb away form the main tourist sections. We loved Cinque terre but agree with previous reply, I would stay in Monterosso where they have the best beach. Visit the other beaches on day trips. Hike to the next beach and then take a dip. We stayed in Luca which was nice to visit pisa and ride bikes around the wall. I'd take days away from the cities and add days to places where the kids have places to cool off. Sorrento, or Lake como. We loved Pompeii and hiking Mt.V but it was 102 degrees while we were there...in June luckily our airbnb had a pool. We rented a car but were caught in naples in a ztl zone. Ticket came months later. Left it in naples and took train to Rome to end our trip. I'm heading to Rome and Orvieto in 2 weeks. So very thankful that we don't have to test to get into Italy.

Thank you for the advice! I try to make each stay longer, that way after we see all the "must sees", we can relax and just walk around, as you suggested, downtime. I was thinking about a nice country hotel or agriturismo in Tuscany but we do not know if we will rent a car. The rate seems high in July. Would you suggest us to stay in Siena or Puglia for a couple of days?

Posted by ksinclair
Raleigh, NC
03/09/22 11:43 PM
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We loved CT, especially in the afternoons and evenings when the day trippers are gone, but I think 3 nights would be the maximum. I would take a night or two from Florence and try to find a nice country hotel or agriturismo in Tuscany with a pool for 3-4 nights. You’ll need some downtime to just chill and enjoy the dolce vita, relax by the pool, enjoy some fresh local food and be out of the cities. We always plan a little mini-vacation on our 15-day trips otherwise we’d feel run ragged and not able to enjoy the next location.

In my opinion, the best beaches in southern Italy are on the Adriatic. Pescara or Tremoli. Better beaches are more central - Comacchio south to Ancona.

If you do decide to stay in Monterosso, indeed it does have the best beach in CT. Keep in mind that in the water it is rather stony. Bring water shoes if you are tender of foot.

Six nights in Florence seems a bit much, unless you plan to use it as a base to explore. Doing just a day trip to Siena would not be giving that city justice. Consider two nights in Siena and then four in Florence.

While Bellagio has its appeal, it also has drawbacks. Primarily crowded, expensive and less frequent ferry opportunities. I continue to be a fan of Varenna because it has the best ferry options, not nearly as crowded or expensive and the option to train-hop along the eastern shore to some very beautiful areas.

Have fun. And check to make sure accomodations you book all have A/C. You will need it in Italy in July.

Thank you for the advice! I get it we can still go to CT. Just not sure if we should since we are going to Sorrento area. I find most accommodations in CT this July is either too price or too crappy. Not like other locations, much affordable with good location and nice. This is hard decision to make lol.
Enjoy your time in Italy, and have a safe trip!!!

Posted by mackpackof5
03/10/22 10:27 AM
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We did 3 weeks in Italy in June 2019. Fam of 5. 10, 13, 16. I think you have too many days in Rome and Florence. It's going to be hot and crowded and the kids will burn out. We did a month in Greece last summer and even with water at most locations the kids burned out. 4 nights in venice for sure. But I recommend finding an airbnb away form the main tourist sections. We loved Cinque terre but agree with previous reply, I would stay in Monterosso where they have the best beach. Visit the other beaches on day trips. Hike to the next beach and then take a dip. We stayed in Luca which was nice to visit pisa and ride bikes around the wall. I'd take days away from the cities and add days to places where the kids have places to cool off. Sorrento, or Lake como. We loved Pompeii and hiking Mt.V but it was 102 degrees while we were there...in June luckily our airbnb had a pool. We rented a car but were caught in naples in a ztl zone. Ticket came months later. Left it in naples and took train to Rome to end our trip. I'm heading to Rome and Orvieto in 2 weeks. So very thankful that we don't have to test to get into Italy.

MZ, not sure of your dates in July but we stayed here for two nights.

https://www.allamarina.com/apartment-atlantis-en.php

Not luxe but perfectly clean and roomy with a balcony overlooking the harbor of Riomaggiore with amazing views. We spent two nights so had one full day...took the train to the other three villages and walked around each (skipped Corniglia), then took the boat back from Monterossa to Riomaggiore which allowed us to see the amazing towns from the water. Riomaggiore is pretty unpretentious and probably the least touristy, IMO. It looks like they may have some availability in July.

Thank you for the recommendation! I actually have booked an airbnb in Vernazza. Not sure if we should cancel it. On one hand I feel I do not want to miss CT since it's so famous. On the other hand I feel it may not as good as I wished...Instead of CT, maybe I could spend more time in other areas in Italy. Debating with myself daily lol.

Posted by ksinclair
Raleigh, NC
03/10/22 11:37 AM
101 posts
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MZ, not sure of your dates in July but we stayed here for two nights.

https://www.allamarina.com/apartment-atlantis-en.php

Not luxe but perfectly clean and roomy with a balcony overlooking the harbor of Riomaggiore with amazing views. We spent two nights so had one full day...took the train to the other three villages and walked around each (skipped Corniglia), then took the boat back from Monterossa to Riomaggiore which allowed us to see the amazing towns from the water. Riomaggiore is pretty unpretentious and probably the least touristy, IMO. It looks like they may have some availability in July.

Salerno (instead of Sorrento) came to mind as I read your itinerary. It's at the eastern end of the Amalfi Coast. Here are its "assets"

1. It's connected to Florence and Rome by high-speed trains. The train station is a 10-15 minute walk to the historic center
2. It has a large sandy beach 5 minute walk from the historic center and a long seaside promenade
3. It has a well-preserved historic center (unlike Sorrento or the AC villages) to explore
4. You can take the train to Pompeii city and short taxi ride (or longish walk) to the ruins
5. It's the terminus for buses (at the train station) and ferries (short walk from the buses) to the AC villages
6. It has lots of restaurants and cafes in and around the historic center
7. Prices are lower (restaurants and rooms) than Sorrento which is lower than the AC villages
8. You can day trip by train or bus to Paestum for its well-preserved Greek temple ruins and archaeology museum

Instead of the 4N in the CT, I would add 1-2 nights to the AC, the rest to Rome and/or Tuscany

Thank you for the information! I will check Salerno out!
Another question for Tuscany: I keep hearing people say my plan missed Tuscany. I thought using Florence as the base and visit Lucca, Pisa, and Siena is part of it. Did I understand what Tuscany is wrongly?

Posted by Chani
Tel Aviv
03/10/22 01:22 PM
14564 posts

Salerno (instead of Sorrento) came to mind as I read your itinerary. It's at the eastern end of the Amalfi Coast. Here are its "assets"

It's connected to Florence and Rome by high-speed trains. The train station is a 10-15 minute walk to the historic center
It has a large sandy beach 5 minute walk from the historic center and a long seaside promenade
It has a well-preserved historic center (unlike Sorrento or the AC villages) to explore
You can take the train to Pompeii city and short taxi ride (or longish walk) to the ruins
It's the terminus for buses (at the train station) and ferries (short walk from the buses) to the AC villages
It has lots of restaurants and cafes in and around the historic center
Prices are lower (restaurants and rooms) than Sorrento which is lower than the AC villages
You can day trip by train or bus to Paestum for its well-preserved Greek temple ruins and archaeology museum

Instead of the 4N in the CT, I would add 1-2 nights to the AC, the rest to Rome and/or Tuscany

Florence is the capital of Tuscany, so, yes, you will be in Tuscany for at least 6 nights.
Maybe some suggest you should spend some nights somewhere else (for example in Siena or some small village in its province).
That is up to you, however if you decide to do so, I recommend you rent a car. Visiting rural areas and small villages in Tuscany is not efficient with buses and trains only go to certain places.

If your kids are okay around some antiques, this is where my daughter & I are staying in Salerno. They have a family suite, etc. It looks gorgeous and has a 9.2 rating on Booking.com

Casa Santangelo - Salerno

I only clicked because I was outraged by your title! But seriously, you absolutely should not cut Cinque Terre- especially since you are traveling with family in the summer. Liguria and Campania are different places for sure- with completely different food, wine, culture, and vibes. Sure they both have beautiful ocean views, sunsets, swimming, and hiking, but I don’t think anyone is going to complain about that during the heat of the Italian summer. Plus I think that Cinque Terre is really better for swimming and hiking and Amalfi for sightseeing (Pompeii, Capri, Amalfi drive etc.). Just don’t do it in June when I’m doing the same thing by bookending our trip with these coastal vacations from our vacation with my family- we don’t want too many people on the trails and the beaches with us. Lol!

My husband wants to rent a car, which will giving us more flexibilty. I'm thinking to rent a car on the day we leave Florence (maybe stay in Florence 2-3nights) and drive to Salerno and stay there for Amalfi coast (including positano, pompeii, and capri?). How's the driving? Many fellow travelers warned me that driving will be hard with unexpected tickets show up later.

Posted by Roberto da Firenze
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
03/15/22 03:55 PM
12530 posts
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Florence is the capital of Tuscany, so, yes, you will be in Tuscany for at least 6 nights.
Maybe some suggest you should spend some nights somewhere else (for example in Siena or some small village in its province).
That is up to you, however if you decide to do so, I recommend you rent a car. Visiting rural areas and small villages in Tuscany is not efficient with buses and trains only go to certain places.

My husband wants to rent a car, which will giving us more flexibilty.
I'm thinking to rent a car on the day we leave Florence (maybe stay in
Florence 2-3nights) and drive to Salerno and stay there for Amalfi
coast (including positano, pompeii, and capri?). How's the driving?
Many fellow travelers warned me that driving will be hard with
unexpected tickets show up later.

Renting a car is great for rural Tuscany, among countryside and small villages. It is not a great idea for the Amalfi coast, where traffic and parking costs are both considerations. There is a ferry system for the Amalfi coast, and ample train transport for Pompeii.

Thank you Marc! We will visit that area and Puagli area next time.
Yes we will use Florence as a base. Many people suggest use to find a small village as well. I'm checking now. If I cannot find one, I might stay two nights in Siena as you suggested.
I checked Vareanna first but could not find any nice airbnb, maybe because I started plan too late.

Posted by Marc
Southwest Florida
03/10/22 10:55 AM
467 posts
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In my opinion, the best beaches in southern Italy are on the Adriatic. Pescara or Tremoli. Better beaches are more central - Comacchio south to Ancona.

If you do decide to stay in Monterosso, indeed it does have the best beach in CT. Keep in mind that in the water it is rather stony. Bring water shoes if you are tender of foot.

Six nights in Florence seems a bit much, unless you plan to use it as a base to explore. Doing just a day trip to Siena would not be giving that city justice. Consider two nights in Siena and then four in Florence.

While Bellagio has its appeal, it also has drawbacks. Primarily crowded, expensive and less frequent ferry opportunities. I continue to be a fan of Varenna because it has the best ferry options, not nearly as crowded or expensive and the option to train-hop along the eastern shore to some very beautiful areas.

Have fun. And check to make sure accomodations you book all have A/C. You will need it in Italy in July.

Thank you for the reply! I am a little nervous thinking about dragging our luggage all the time after we get off the train in the heat. I really hope we can use a car after we leave Florence. Is that that bad to drive one in Amalfi coast?

Posted by valadelphia
03/28/22 06:44 PM
2271 posts
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My husband wants to rent a car, which will giving us more flexibilty.
I'm thinking to rent a car on the day we leave Florence (maybe stay in
Florence 2-3nights) and drive to Salerno and stay there for Amalfi
coast (including positano, pompeii, and capri?). How's the driving?
Many fellow travelers warned me that driving will be hard with
unexpected tickets show up later.

Renting a car is great for rural Tuscany, among countryside and small villages. It is not a great idea for the Amalfi coast, where traffic and parking costs are both considerations. There is a ferry system for the Amalfi coast, and ample train transport for Pompeii.

My husband wants to rent a car, which will giving us more flexibilty.
I'm thinking to rent a car on the day we leave Florence (maybe stay in
Florence 2-3nights) and drive to Salerno and stay there for Amalfi
coast (including positano, pompeii, and capri?). How's the driving?
Many fellow travelers warned me that driving will be hard with
unexpected tickets show up later.

Driving is not any harder than driving in the US, with some caveats, as explained below.
In the Tuscan countryside you will be driving mostly on 2 lane highways with lots of twists and turns, as Tuscany is a very hilly/mountainous region. Freeways are straight and 4+ lanes but the villages people are interested in seeing are not always along freeways. Those highways, besides being curvy, pass through many towns and villages where the speed limit is 50 km/h (30 mph), that means that, although distances are generally short in miles, however in terms of time trips take longer than you would expect.
The risk of getting a fine that shows up later, is because Italy uses a lot of cameras to enforce traffic laws. That means that if you exceed the speed limit while driving through a town, or even outside of town, there is the possibility that you might incur into a speed camera which takes a photo of your license plate and sends the fine to the car rental agency. Most cities and towns also have traffic restrictions (called Zona Traffico Limitato, or ZTL) in the historic center core (basically inside the ancient city walls). In that case cars are allowed only to residents with permit, and if you, not being an authorized resident, enter it, another camera will likewise take a photo and fine you later. So search ZTL and you will find a lot of info online, including in this forum. The ZTL is signaled, so it shouldn't be a surprise, but some people either don't care or are asleep at the wheel.

The drive from Tuscany to the Amalfi Coast is a long 5 or 6 hour drive. It's mostly on a freeway, similar to Interstate freeways in the US. The only portion not on the freeway will be at the beginning depending on where you start, and the last few miles before arrival after you exit the freeway. The Amalfi coast is also full of twists and turns. It's not difficult to drive in it, but during high season and on weekend it might get very congested with visitors who drive there. Parking is also scarce and prohibitively expensive (about $30 a day). Some hotels have arrangements with local parking garages, but you still have to pay. Because of this, a lot of people prefer to return the car upon arrival (both Sorrento and Salerno have rental car companies) and rely on buses and ferries instead. That is up to you. I've never driven on the Amalfi coast in July, which is a very busy time, although I've driven there in May (and it wasn't too bad on weekdays). It is up to you whether to return the car upon arrival or just keep it. For sure it's convenient to get there on arrival and get out when you depart, especially for a party of 4 with luggage, but while there, you might decide to keep it parked and rely on buses/ferries to avoid the hassle of congestion and finding parking. However if you decide to keep it and not use it, then you are wasting rental money and parking money for nothing, so you might as well return it as soon as you arrive in Sorrento, and to minimize the hassle of dealing with luggage on commuter trains (Circumvesuviana) in Sorrento, when you go to Rome, take a private taxi/limo from Sorrento to Naples train station and then get a high speed train from Naples to Rome. Private drivers charge about 100+ euro from Sorrento to Naples.

Thank you so much for the detailed and very informational reply!!! I really appreciate that!

Posted by Roberto da Firenze
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
03/28/22 07:51 PM
12576 posts
Report

My husband wants to rent a car, which will giving us more flexibilty.
I'm thinking to rent a car on the day we leave Florence (maybe stay in
Florence 2-3nights) and drive to Salerno and stay there for Amalfi
coast (including positano, pompeii, and capri?). How's the driving?
Many fellow travelers warned me that driving will be hard with
unexpected tickets show up later.

Driving is not any harder than driving in the US, with some caveats, as explained below.
In the Tuscan countryside you will be driving mostly on 2 lane highways with lots of twists and turns, as Tuscany is a very hilly/mountainous region. Freeways are straight and 4+ lanes but the villages people are interested in seeing are not always along freeways. Those highways, besides being curvy, pass through many towns and villages where the speed limit is 50 km/h (30 mph), that means that, although distances are generally short in miles, however in terms of time trips take longer than you would expect.
The risk of getting a fine that shows up later, is because Italy uses a lot of cameras to enforce traffic laws. That means that if you exceed the speed limit while driving through a town, or even outside of town, there is the possibility that you might incur into a speed camera which takes a photo of your license plate and sends the fine to the car rental agency. Most cities and towns also have traffic restrictions (called Zona Traffico Limitato, or ZTL) in the historic center core (basically inside the ancient city walls). In that case cars are allowed only to residents with permit, and if you, not being an authorized resident, enter it, another camera will likewise take a photo and fine you later. So search ZTL and you will find a lot of info online, including in this forum. The ZTL is signaled, so it shouldn't be a surprise, but some people either don't care or are asleep at the wheel.

The drive from Tuscany to the Amalfi Coast is a long 5 or 6 hour drive. It's mostly on a freeway, similar to Interstate freeways in the US. The only portion not on the freeway will be at the beginning depending on where you start, and the last few miles before arrival after you exit the freeway. The Amalfi coast is also full of twists and turns. It's not difficult to drive in it, but during high season and on weekend it might get very congested with visitors who drive there. Parking is also scarce and prohibitively expensive (about $30 a day). Some hotels have arrangements with local parking garages, but you still have to pay. Because of this, a lot of people prefer to return the car upon arrival (both Sorrento and Salerno have rental car companies) and rely on buses and ferries instead. That is up to you. I've never driven on the Amalfi coast in July, which is a very busy time, although I've driven there in May (and it wasn't too bad on weekdays). It is up to you whether to return the car upon arrival or just keep it. For sure it's convenient to get there on arrival and get out when you depart, especially for a party of 4 with luggage, but while there, you might decide to keep it parked and rely on buses/ferries to avoid the hassle of congestion and finding parking. However if you decide to keep it and not use it, then you are wasting rental money and parking money for nothing, so you might as well return it as soon as you arrive in Sorrento, and to minimize the hassle of dealing with luggage on commuter trains (Circumvesuviana) in Sorrento, when you go to Rome, take a private taxi/limo from Sorrento to Naples train station and then get a high speed train from Naples to Rome. Private drivers charge about 100+ euro from Sorrento to Naples.