First time to Italy

Travel back and forth to WHERE? Remember it is always a good idea to put some pins in a map so your understand the geography.

Travel back and forth to the Amalfi coast. I have read that the roads are dangerous so I guess I answered my own question about going back and forth from wherever in Tuscany we land and the Amalfi coast.

We are looking to go to Italy next Sept or October. I just got the all clear from Colon Cancer and have to have heart surgery next month...this trip will be very celebratory for my husband and myself. Above all relaxing. we love all the historical places Italy has to show us. We especially want to see Pompei.

If wanting to use Tuscany as a hub, and do "spoke" trips to destinations like the Amalfi Coast and/or Sicily, that's way too far to do in a day or even two, even if you flew to and from Naples, Salerno, Catania, Palermo, etc. If you were gone from the Tuscany villa for several days at a time, it would have to have a really good 2-week price to keep it that long.

We had a week on Sicily in December 2012 and did lots of one-night stands, driving a circle tour of the island and seeing ruins of Greek temples, Roman palaces, hilltowns, and great food. We took a week but could have stayed longer. It might have been possible to base ourselves in one spot in Sicily and do day trips, but even with the excellent roads between towns, that's a lot of driving.

The following, week, based at a B&B in Sorrento, we visited the ruins at Pompeii and Herculaneum, the city of Naples, the Amalfi Coast drive, the Isle of Capri.

Thanks so much for your input. We need all the help we can get. We want to see as much as we can but not at the cost of being runned ragged...we want to relax too. We both deserve it. We really don't like crowds and heat, thats why the Sept or Oct trip.
Again thanks.

mwal659-Sicily in December was very comfortable, but I can imagine Sicily in particular being really hot in the middle of summer. Hopefully you'll get pleasant temperatures! Best of luck on your recovery and you deserve a nice trip!

From a villa in Tuscany you can just see Tuscany and not even all of it. Maybe parts of Umbria if you are located in the right spot.

You need to check an Atlas or a map, and get an idea of the distances.

Italy is as long as California, from the Oregon border to the US-Mexico border. It's over 800 miles long and from Tuscany to Palermo (Sicily) it's at least 15 or 16 hours drive, including the ferry across the strait. From Tuscany to the Amalfi Coast it's about 6 hours drive.
Also Amalfi Coast and Sicily are too far from each other to visit both from the same location. The drive from Amalfi to the strait of Messina is about 5 hours, then you have to take the ferry across. In two weeks you could do one week in Tuscany and another week in the Naples area (Amalfi coast). To me one week is too short for Sicily, it's a huge island the size of Massachusetts and Rhode Island combined (and maybe more) with lots of things worth visiting. I think that Sicily is a two week vacation by itself.

Sicily is not unbearably hot in summer. Most areas get a nice sea breeze. The only areas that get really hot are some interior locations.

Given your statements about Tuscany, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast and not wanting to be run ragged, relaxing, celebrating, why not two weeks like this: One as planned in Tuscany and the second on the Amalfi Coast? You will most likely need a car in Tuscany, unless you make Florence your base. For the AC no car recommended, but you can see ever-so-much from a base there. I recommend Sorrento as you can so easily go to Naple, Pompeii, Herculeneum, Amalfi, Ravello and points in-between. Fly into Florence or Pisa and out of Naples. Italy is marvelous in late-Sept and October, IMHO. My favorite time to travel. Do you have the Rick Steves' Italy Guide? It would be a good resource for you in planning this trip. I think it is terrific that you don't want to run all over the place and see "everything" in two weeks.

Congratulations on celebrating your victory! I agree, a week each in Tuscany and Sorrento (which is a little over an hour from the Amalfi Coast) sounds great. I would do six days in Tuscany and split the rest between Sorrento and Praiano or Ravello (a must-see even if you don't stay there). From Sorrento you can easily visit Naples, Pompeii, Capri or Ischia, and from the Amalfi Coast you can get to Paestum and all the little places on the Coast.

Or, a week in Tuscany and fly to Palermo or Catania for the second week in Sicily.

Agree that one week is not enough for Sicily; we spent 4 weeks there and loved it. If you especially want to see Pompeii then one week in Tuscany and one at the Amalfi coast would work. Essentially, we agree with Zoe.

Great, thanks for all the wonderful advise. I am going to get Rick Steves' book. I wish we lived near Washington and could attend his lectures. I love hearing from people who have experienced places we want to go to. Hopefully I can do the same for someone next year! If you think of anything else......let me know.....

mwal659, you can attend his lectures and all the other speakers too online - live on the date. Check the notice about the travel festival. There will probably be a general sale of all the travel items from the travel store as well that weekend. Agree that the distances are too great to see all that you want with only two locations. SIcily is a long trip from anywhere except the bottom of the boot (we spent 10 days and it wasn't enough) so I would save it for a new trip or go there exclusively. Ciao y buon viaggio!

September can still be pretty hot in most of Italy. October would be my choice, cooler (personally I'd look for rooms with AC), possibly lower room and airline rates, and fewer tourists.

For better suggestions on where to visit, tell us more about yourselves. What kind of trip are you looking for - restful, active. . . what are your interests - food & wine, art & architecture, nature/hiking, history, museums. . .

Rick Steves' guidebooks are always our first resource, but he doesn't include Sicily in his Italy book. We mainly used the Lonely Planet guidebook for Sicily, and got great lodging recommendations. Rick does have a great Sicily show from his TV series.