First trip to Italy

Hi Holly,
I just got back from Italy on Saturday, so most of your towns are pretty fresh in my mind. Rome to Pompeii is a full day, so you're right, you'll miss quite a bit of Rome. 3 nights still isn't enough, but it's about as much intensity as someone on their first trip to europe will want to take. Actually, this was my 6th trip, and I was still commenting to my wife about it's intensity (the stroller in infant that I was pushing across the intersections likely added to my apprehension). Pompeii is worth seeing, as is sorrento, so I think that you have a good idea there, except for the necessary backtracking to and from rome. It's worth it, though. You seem to have even more backtracking in your last leg, though. Can you streamline this a bit as to not waste precious time on trains? What about driving to CT, dumping your car, spending 2 nights, then train to florence for a least a night (you didn't say if you were staying here, but it IS Florence, so I would give it at least a night, or more), then to venice, then to Milan. This isn't ideal either, but your CT driving leg can be broken up by hill town stops, and then you won't endure the CT-Venice leg and it's many train changes. Another note, on our Firenze-Venice leg, we stopped for a night in Verona, and we regretted not spending more time in that town. It surprised me, and was a great town to spend some time. You might want to think about that to break up that leg also (we took the ES to verona 1.5 hours, then the ES to Venice, just over an hour). It's been two days, and I already miss it...

Darren, Yes that seems to make more sense to me and Yes we definitely will want to spend at least a night in Florence. I was thinking that I had to drop my car back off at an airport. That is why I figured on Florence.
Thanks for your input and time.

Many times you can pickup/drop off your car near train stations. We did this in Orvieto just a few weeks ago. Check with your rental company and see where their offices are near CT (you don't want to drive into CT, but drop it in La Spezia or something, then take the train into the towns). Or, choose a rental company that has an office near there if they're rates are competitive.

Love it!!! First time on this blog what a huge help. It is so nice to plan and be informed, but to allow for the spontaneity of a trip. I am out of my mind excited for this trip!
Have a great day

I agree that if you can spend at least one day in Verona you will not be sorry. There is so much to see there. We bought a Verona Pass that included free admission to many sites (including everything we did) and transportation. What do you plan to do in CT? There is not much to do besides hike, and that time of year it could be rainy. We were there in mid-September and besides the great weather on the first day, it was stormy the rest of the time. We were only able to do the 2 easiest hikes, as the trails were slippery. You are right that you only need the car for Tuscany. You might consider going to CT from Tuscany. You could stop for a night or 2 in Florence traveling from CT to Venice. Then you could spend a night or 2 in Verona on your way from Venice to Milan. We spent 3 nights in Rome. Did we see everything? Of course not! But we did see a lot and someday we will return. Don't be surprised if this trip causes to to catch the disease most of us here seem to have. I call it Europitis. I just can't get enough. I went for the first time 5 years ago. I thought it would be my one and only trip. Fast forward...this fall I will be taking trip number 5. Don't worry about not seeing everything. Europe isn't going anywhere! Have a fantastic trip!

If you leave Rome early, you can arrive at Pompeii late morning. Depending on how long you stay at Pompeii, you still have time to get to Sorrento and enjoy the late afternoon, evening there. Sorrento deserves some time for walking around. Stay at Hotel Nice or the Hostel which are both near the train station so you can save time getting to your lodging and back to the train Station. Leave mid-morning the next day for Rome (two separate trains for this from Sorrento) and arrive there mid-day.

sounds like we should make a stop in Veronna and yes I am starting to wonder as well about CT at this time of the year with the possability of rain and closed trails. Perhaps a re-think on this stop. Thanks

If you skip CT, you could spend an extra night or two in Sorrento, giving you time to visit the lovely Amalfi Coast in addition to Pompeii. This would mean changing your villa arrival by a day or two, but I think it would be worth it.

Hi Holly, I personally would save Pompeii & Sorrento for another trip in which you can visit more of the Amalfi Coast as there is a lot to do/see there (Capri, Positano, etc.). I would add a 4th night to Rome, not for the purpose of visiting Pompeii but because there's SO much to do in Rome & your first day will probably be an abbreviated sight-seeing day due to jet lag. After 5 full days in Rome, I still felt that it was not enough. If you're really wanting to see Pompeii, how about visiting Ostia Antica instead & saving Pompeii for another trip. Ostia is an easy day trip from Rome. Just an idea.

Thank you for all of your replies, you have all been a big help to me. Now to wait for this amazing trip!