This will be my first time to Italy. We are going in mid September. 5 of us- Hubby and adult children. Will be flying in/out of Rome. I know we want to see Rome and the Amalfi Coast.
Thank you!!
8 nights = 7 days
3 days Rome
1 day travel to Amalfi Coast
2 days there
1 day to get back to Rome.
No car, do it by train to Sorrento, then bus/ferry/or car and driver
or, train to Salerno and then bus/ferry/or car and driver
Thank you. Will we have a language issue since we do not speak Italian?
Do you have 8 nights ON the ground in Italy or are you including your overnight flight in this count?
If not, I see a schedule like this:
Land in Rome
Night 1: Rome
night 2: Rome
Night 3: Rome
Night 4: Amalfi Coast
Night 5: Amalfi. Coast
Night 6:. Amalfi Coast
night 7: Amalfi Coast
Night 8: Rome
Fly out of Rome
You don't want to be on the Amalfi the day of a flight from Rome, IMHO. The more efficient alternative to this would be head immediately to the Amalfi upon arrival and end your trip in Rome to avoid a single night in a pre-departure hotel. It will be a long day but worth it, I think, to eliminate a move.
Land in Rome, trains/buses/transfers to the Amalfi Coast
Night 1: Amalfi Coast
night 2: Amalfi Coast
Night 3: Amalfi Coast
Night 4: Amalfi coast
Night 5: Rome
Night 6:. Rome
night 7: Rome
Night 8: Rome
No, I would not squeeze in another city
No, I definitely would not rent a car. You do NOT want one for Rome, and driving/parking the Amalfi during high season is not my idea of fun.
Research hotels in www.booking.com (my personal favorite accommodation booking site) although I'm sure others will have different suggestions. You will need to decide where you want to stay on the coast? Everyone has a different favorite but Sorrento or Salerno are best for varied transport options as there's train service to both.
No, absolutely not. Rome & A.C. are plenty. We just did the exact same trip over 11 nights last March, and it was just about right timewise.
Arrive Rome. If doable from a jet lag standpoint (and you're not arriving too late in the day), go immediately to A.C. for 4 nights--Leonardo Express takes you from Fiumicino airport to Roma Termini train station, train to Naples Centrale, hire a private driver (in advance) to wherever you're staying on the A.C. Back to Rome for final 4 nights.
Heavens, no. First time in Italy, driving in either place would border on insanity. Read other threads about driving on the A.C. in high season.
This forum, using the search engine for 'Rome hotels' or whatever, gives the best firsthand information without having to decide whether other peoples' reviews are from shills. Maybe TripAdvisor beyond that. Consider a B&B on the A.C. and maybe through AirBnB or VRBO an apartment in Rome.
I'm sure you will. Look at the Rome2Rio website to understand logistics on the A.C. before deciding where to stay.
Enjoy your planning!
We have found that most hotels and restaurant staff can handle English only speakers, but I recommend a good menu translator (book or app). I got a used copy of Eating and Drinking in Italy and find their menu translation section invaluable. If you head down to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, try to stop at Pompeii also. I would definitely book ahead for September. This forum site offers many good suggestions for places, along with Rick Steves' guide. We often also use Booking.com to search for places, but know that you often can get better rates if you book directly through a place. Most place wesites have an email contact.
OMG you are all wonderful. thank you!!! now I can't wait. :)
I will send this thread to my family.
I'm sure there is a lot of walking - which is fine, we are a fit family :) but what type of luggage do you suggest?
I'm sure there is a lot of walking - which is fine, we are a fit family :) but what type of luggage do you suggest?
Read on RS about luggage. Your pick, but definitely carry on size only. My wife and I went to London/Paris for 9 days last October and we each took the classic Rick Steves backpack bag. That included business clothes for my wife.
I'm sure there is a lot of walking - which is fine, we are a fit
family :) but what type of luggage do you suggest?
Spinners (4-wheels) with a telescopic handle so you can put another smaller bag on top and push the whole thing. Works great in train stations and airports. Cobblestones, not so much--you have to revert to pulling it on 2 wheels. I am partial to Samsonite myself.
RE: The Amalfi Coast, where to stay? You only have choices of Sorrento, Salerno, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, and then the not-so-well-known possibilities of Atrani, Maiori, Minori, Vietri sul Mare or Vico Equense. Check them all out, pros & cons to everything!
Don't worry too much about the language. Learn basics like, please, thank you, numbers, food items, and how to navigate the train station. Get a copy of Rick's Italian phrase handbook. It has everything you will need.
Luggage - Carry on only! My husband and I go for 3 weeks with just a carry on, well worth the convenience.
thank you. Wow a carry on for 8 days. Not sure if its in my DNA :-)
If it isn't in your DNA now, it may well be by the end of the trip.
Mix-and-match clothing all the way. Wash a few tops at some point or pay to have them laundered. You can probably pack enough underwear to last through the whole trip. No more than 3 skirts or slacks or dresses. The main thing is probably shoes. Embrace the concept of functionality. You want something that will allow you to walk all day, on cobblestones part of the time, and leave you pain-free. I take only a single pair of klutzy-looking lace-up shoes. Take no more than one additional pair (and only if you must!); it must be lightweight and non-bulky. And my bet is that you'll rarely if ever wear that pair, because it won't be comfortable enough.
Actually, if you are planning to spend time on the beach, you need to check on whether it is sandy or rocky. Many are rocky, in which case you'll need beach shoes. That's your pair #2.
wow thank you. So I'll be basically living in sneakers is my guess. Which is find if its not too hot.
Not necessarily a carry-on, but something small. We have our Samsonite 21" spinner that could be a carry-on, but overseas we check it anyway. Why not?
Yes, for you ladies, the shooz are the thing--they take up a lot of room. For Rome/Amalfi last March for 11 nights, it was one pair of Rockports and one pair of slippers for me. The time before I had a pair of old Saucony sneakers that I left over there, made more room for souvenirs.
Oh, and get one of those 'Don't Tell Rick' tote bags that folds flat!
Jay,
I love your idea of leaving old sneakers! I didn't want to bring my favorite pair because they looked too old and worn out. But, now I am and will leave them too. Thanks :)
Take-and-discard is a fine idea.
You definitely don't want non-breathable waterproof shoes for Italy in September, that's for sure. My preferred shoes for southern Europe are a combination of some sort of mesh and what looks like leather. I didn't realize how helpful that combination was until last summer, when I wore my waterproof-for-England shoes in southern France during June. In truth, though, I wasn't aware that my feet were hot during the day; I was focused on other parts of my body in the 90-degree heat. It was only when I took off my shoes at the end of the day that I discovered damp socks.
For me, the bigger issues are support for walking on cobblestones and unpaved surfaces (a sprained ankle really cramps a tourist's style) and a really cushy sole--the bouncier, the better. I now have plantar fasciitis, which I blame on the comparatively firm soles of those waterproof shoes.
Kathys' second itinerary is almost perfect. Instead of the Leonardo Express that Jay recommended , take a taxi from FCO-Termini station. Since there are more than two of you, it will save you $.
Bus, ferry and Circumvesuvian timetables.
http://www.sorrentoinsider.com
Ferry is always faster than the bus if it fits your schedule.
Thank you Gerri good idea! and @acraven who makes the waterproof shoes?
We travel as a couple. We are learning how to pack light, but it's an ongoing process for people who used to travel with jumbo suitcases wherever we went.
Long story short - after hauling your luggage around for several days, you'll appreciate everything you decided to leave at home. I recommend that you wear your tennis shoes (or primary walking shoes) on the plane. Pack a pair of lightweight flats for the evening if this is important for you. I have a pair of Tieks that weigh almost nothing and roll up to take almost no space.
You may want to consider a few washcloths as they are rare in many European hotels. Take a freezer-style plastic bag to carry the wet washcloth from point A to point B unless you're just going to toss it in the trash. Sometimes there is only one bar of soap for both the sink and the shower. We also found that it was easy to find shampoo, but conditioner was rarely provided in the hotels. If these things are important to you, you may want to pack a small, checked bag with room for conditioner, body wash, etc., although in all honesty it was easier to locate body wash than soap or conditioner sometimes.
Whatever you do, have a great time on your holiday!!!
My waterproof shoes are by Dansko. But there are lots of companies making waterproof shoes; at any given time, some of them should be on sale. That's how I ended up with the Danskos. They were totally comfortable on my feet (it's a very individual thing), just without the squishy sole I need for all the walking I do.
If I had it to do over again, I'd buy the On Cloudventure Waterproof Shoes, pricey though they are. This is the company that makes my non-waterproof travel shoes, and I love the bounciness of the soles. It's like walking on a carpet with double or triple padding. But those great cut-outs on the soles are not so wonderful if you're walking on rough ground; they can snag on twigs, and mine eventually tore after I did something foolish in the Dolomites.
Buying shoes for travel is the one time when I actually look for expensive products. I can feel a huge difference between many shoes retailing at $100-150 and those retailing at $50-80. When I identify something that works, I start watching for opportunities to buy more on sale. The trick is finding something that's subdued in color and design (psychedelic blue and orange--really??) and not cut too high. I try really hard to find shoes that are all black, in hopes that people won't notice them at all.
I also use a fairly expensive non-custom orthotic that provides extra arch support. It seems to make a difference. The one I've linked to (there may be cheaper sources) was recommended by the shoe store where I was introduced to my favorite On Cloudrunner shoes. It's possible that a less-expensive orthotic would be adequate, but I'm not going to take the risk.
Remember that each of you will be handling your own luggage and take packing light to heart. It's amazing how annoying having too many bags, bags that are too heavy or ones that are too big can be getting on and off trains, going up and down stairs and slopes--even for only a week.
There is a wealth of info on how to pack in this Travel Tips section on the topic. You can also learn a lot from this Sarah Murdoch video. And be sure to take a look at the advice on the Packing Forum.
Yes, yes, yes on the packing light! We've gotten better each trip.
Wash & wear, stuff that doesn't wrinkle, a solid pair of 'bouncy' shoes like acraven says (or comfort insoles--did that for my Rockports, made a huge difference). Slippers or slipper socks for cold floors--we travel in off-season.
Be a maniac about it, especially if you're traveling by train and have to routinely heft your bag onto an overhead rack. I think my 21" Samsonite spinner clocked in at 22 lbs., a lot more than packing maniacs more fanatical than I, but it was OK for me. Wife's was about the same. Plus I have a smallish CPAP that I carry on, that I stash my meds but no room for anything else.
Google the 'military roll' for shirts and pants. Absolutely amazing how much stuff you can get in a small suitcase by employing this tactic. But, that doesn't mean you can take extra! Honestly, my most bulky thing was a dual-voltage power strip and extension cord from 2010, and I'm deep-sixing that for my 2019 trip in search of something smaller.
Thanks you and @Lo the packing video is great.
I think my 21" Samsonite spinner clocked in at 22 lbs.
LOL. I weighed the camera bag I took two trips ago and it weighed 22 pounds! That's what I toted around all day, every day. I decided "no more" and bought a small Fujifilm mirrorless camera kit for the last trip and left my big full frame DSLR and six lenses at home.
What you carry around every day really does matter. I travel in the summer, so I always have a water bottle with me. My tablet stays in my suitcase in my hotel room, but still the purse weighs a fair amount. I got plantar fasciitis during last year's trip--but only in my right foot. That's the side I carry my purse on. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that, but I have clearly been warned.
