Does this itinerary look reasonable for first time family trip to Italy?

Why are you staying in Zagarolo if the purpose is to take day trips into Rome? Why not stay in Rome, be there in the early morning and late evening, and save yourself a move on the 4th day? All that travel time is lost time in seeing Rome.

Hi Bob,
We were thinking it would be nice to have a bit of a respite from from the hustle and bustle of Rome and also have an opportunity to take a cooking class at the B&B we're staying at in Rome (plus the B&B got fab reviews)...but you definitely have a point about it being more convenient to just stay in the city rather than commute 2x/day. Thank you for the advice!

Your itinerary looks good except for the 3 nights in Zagarolo to visit Rome. If you're going to do day trips to Rome then just stay in Rome.

jlgreenfield2,

Your Itinerary looks reasonably well organized, and it's great to see that you've allowed adequate time in each location. That time of year is going to be hot and crowded, so good planning will be important.

I always like to stay right in Rome, but staying in Zagarolo also looks reasonable, except for the fact that you have to change locations on your last night. It appears to only be about half an hour each way from Roma Termini, and trains run fairly late so you could still enjoy a fine hot meal and some of the evening activities in Rome and still get back to your B&B. Many of the trains on that route will be Regionale, so DON'T forget to validate!

I also prefer to stay in Monterosso. There are some really nice restaurants there, and it also has the nicest beaches of the five towns. It's an easy walk from the train station to the old town area.

If you haven't already got one, I'd recommend picking up a copy of the Italy 2014 Guidebook, as there's a LOT of good information there on sightseeing, transportation, restaurants, etc. It should be available in E-book format as well, should be travelling with a tablet or PC.

Happy travels!

Were you planning on taking a taxi to Fiumicino or the Leonardo express? Is it more cost efficient/time efficient to take a cab or car service from your B&B rather than stay in Rome that last night? It is obviously a more expensive cab ride (and way more expensive than the Leonardo express) but I would guess the hotel in Rome is a lot more expensive than the B&B. And even though the Leonardo express is pretty quick, you have to figure in transport/walking time from the hotel to Termini and then from the train to your terminal. Just a thought- I have never been to Zagarolo so have no idea how feasible my idea is. Have fun on your trip!

For a family of 4 a cab ride might not be more expensive than the Leonardo Express.

Looks fine except for the stay in Zagarolo.

At first I thought you were staying there because maybe you have relatives in that town, but if not, I would find it very inconvenient to visit Rome from Zagarolo, especially if you don't have a car (I don't think there are any train stations).

Just stay in Rome the whole time and save yourself an extra hotel move.

Also 4 nights in Venice is plenty, so you might find the time for a day trip to Padua (or maybe even Verona).

We stayed in a B&B outside Zagarolo last year, and there is a commuter train into the city. It takes maybe 20 minutes to get to Termini. We enjoyed getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

We found the suburbs outside Rome city center to have many interesting tourist sites. Our B&B Host took us to the top of a mountain (Castel Di Pietro), and we hiked 1500' vertical down to Palestrina. The trail has been used for 3000 years.

B&B hosts can often provide or arrange transportation to FCO. Just try to avoid the 6:00 departures to other European cities where you'll spend the rest of the morning sitting.

Thanks to all of you for your thoughtful comments and suggestions! We really appreciate it. For now, I think we'll stick with our plans to stay in Zagarolo because we really want a "country" experience - plus the cooking lesson - and we'll just have to deal with the daily commute in/out of Rome. Or maybe we'll spend one of the days doing a bit more touring/hiking in the countryside, as David suggested. Thanks again, RS Community!

jlgreenfield2,

Staying in Zagarolo shouldn't be a big problem. I did check and the town has a rail station (albeit somewhat diminutive in size). As I mentioned earlier, travel time is about 30 minutes in each direction.

Is your B&B in Zagarolo within walking distance from the station?

Cheers!

Hi Ken,
Yep, the B&B is less than a mile from the train station so quite walkable, however they also offer complimentary transport to/from anytime, so shouldn't be a problem. Rave reviews and many from "repeat" guests.

I like your itinerary in general (did a similar one this past June).
The only comment I will make is that July could be very hot in Rome. Staying in the center of Rome, more closer to the sites allowed for a respite virtually at any time from the heat and the hustle and bustle. We stayed on a rather quiet alley road off of Campo de Fiori (in an apartment), and it was really nice to be able to head back to the AC, refresh, and then head back out again. After visiting the Vatican Museum with thousands of others in 90 degrees temps, I don't think I could have gone on with the rest of the day without a shower. Could you still do your cooking class at the B&B even if you don't stay there. Meaning, travel out from Rome for a day trip to the cooking lesson and/or hike, and then come back. I don't mean to sway your decision, just wanted to give you our experience.

You raise very good points, Maryam. I guess our biggest struggle with the decision to stay at the B&B vs closer to city center is that we really wanted to give our kids a unique experience by staying with a family, being in the country, etc. instead of amidst the hustle-and-bustle of the city. Our other accommodations are in apartments or B&Bs (in cities, though). You've given us food for thought, though - thank you!

If your intent is to "we really wanted to give our kids a unique experience by staying with a family, being in the country" a suggestion is to stay at an agritourismo outside of Florence. You would need to find one on a bus line to Florence or rent a car for those days. That would give you the ability to make a day trip in Tuscany.