FINALLY going to visit Italy! I have some "musts" and of course, wants..... Not sure how to proceed. I must see the Colosseum, of course, Vatican City, Tuscany, Salerno, Cinque Terre, Florence, Possibly Naples (where my dad grew up), Venice, and more...
BUT, I have to see how is the best way to do this! Travel will be about 2 weeks, give or take... any suggestions on MUST See?
Thanks!
Posted by
Indiana
985 posts
Congrats on going to Italy! I know the desire to see everything you can, but you just can’t. But that’s ok! It’s a great reason to return. How many actual nights will you be sleeping in Italy? How many of you? That will make a difference on advice you will get.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
We can do up to 18 nights... and there will be 2 of us, my 26yo son and me.
Posted by
New York, NY
1585 posts
dmandi234 - You can fly into Rome and start there and fly out of Venice to head home on day 18. Since this is your trip to Italy, Rome deserve at least 5 days to explore. Skip the Cinque Terre. Here is a possible itinerary.
Rome - 5 Days (Fly into Rome)
Naples - 4 Days
Florence - 3 Days
Lucca - (Tuscany) 3 Days
Venice - 3 Days (Fly out of Venice)
That would be how I would distribute the 18 days.
Posted by
Camano Island, WA, usa
1497 posts
Have you looked at Rick's Tour Italy in 13 Days, My Way? It might work for you and might actually be the most cost effective and efficient way to go for your first time. You won't be forced to be in a group all the time, but you can enjoy company when you want to. You can use your extra days at the beginning and end of your trip to visit longer in Rome, for example. Rick also has a new 2020 Italy Guide.
Posted by
4811 posts
Are flights booked? Time of year?
The only Musts are the ones you select! But to me, having family history in a place is something that would draw me, so just under a week in Rome and a week+ for Naples and the Amalfi coast would be lovely.
If you wish to see Rome, Venice, Florence, then I'd stick to those three, with day trips.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Not every first-timer wants to include Naples, but your time is limited and you have a connection there, which sounds like a good enough reason to base in Naples for a couple of days, instead of the other end of the Amalfi Coast near Salerno. (Did you mean Salerno or Sorrento?) The city has a couple of great museums and you'd still have easy access to Pompeii and Herculaneum by train and to Capri or some other locations by ferry.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7030 posts
Flying OUT of Venice is a bit of a pain- if you go that route try to book a very late am flight out so it won't be quite so difficult get to the airport.
With 18 nights one option could be:
Fly into Venice- great place to get over jet lag- 3 nights
Train to Florence- drop CT- you don't have time- 5 nights with 2 day trips to Tuscany hill towns
Train to Naples/Sorrento- 5 nights
Train to Rome- 5 nights
Depart from Rome.
Starting in Rome might be a bit overwhelming for a first timer.