First visit to Italy

As undoubtedly you will have read here and elsewhere when you spend two nights somewhere that is only one full day. That is quite a short period of time if you want to know a place at all.

I suggest that you research your diving options prior to departure.

My experience is that driving in Italy can be somewhat different to driving in other parts of Europe.

Be sure that each driver has a valid IDP, and be very familiar with ZTLs.

Since you hope to use points for hotels and thus will be in larger cities, as Nigel says, beware of the ZTLs. These are limited traffic zones in all centres of any size and can cost a bucket of euro if you stray into one in error. Do lots of research on these.

I agree with the previous post - staying only two nights any place means you really just end up doing lots of moving from place to place with no time to enjoy any place. Spending less than 3 -4 nights in Venice or Florence would be a shame - in my opinion. You can easily do a day trip to Siena from Florence. The longer I travel, the more nights I spend in each place. Spending the first week in just a couple of places in northern Italy, a week in Rome before heading further south would really give you a feel for Italy.

I think it's a good idea to spend the first night in Milan, just to get over the transatlantic flight, but there is easily a day's worth of things to see in Milan as well, which you could do on your arrival day and the next morning before you depart. I would take one night from Varenna and add it to Venice.

Vernazza seems out of the way for the itinerary you have planned so far.

I agree with spending more nights in Florence and seeing Siena as a daytrip. After your Sorrento stay (hopefully you can visit Paestum and the Amalfi Coast while you are staying in Sorrento for several nights), go to Naples, then to Rome. Or, you can visit Naples as a daytrip from Sorrento (about 1 hour 15 minutes by Circumvesuviana train).

Remember to breathe!

I agree with those who say to add the Siena nights to Florence and just do Siena as a day trip. Unless the Archaeological Museum is a must-see for you, I'd also skip Naples. You could always ride in on the Circumvesuviana if you decide to see the museum. I'd scratch Vernazza from the list, as well. In my opinion, the CT are vastly over-hyped by Rick Steves. In the summer, they are a zoo of Northamerican tourists. You'll see plenty of beautiful coast during your stay in Sorrento. You can easily stay busy there for four or five nights (Amalfi, Ravello, Capri, Paestum, etc.). I would do three nights in Varenna, as the first day will be impacted by jet lag. All the remaining time should be for Rome. It's one of the great cities of the world. If you want a relief from intense urban experiences, you can always do day trips to Ostia and/or Orvieto. One last bit of advice: get moving on hotel reservations. Even as late in the year as October, Italy is full of tourists; and accommodations fill up far in advance.

Thanks for the replies. Just throwing out another thought I have had. Flying into Rome. Spend the day/nite to recoup, get a rental car and go south to Naples.Or take a train to Naples and then get car. Spend a day there and maybe a nite then continue south to Sorrento and the Amalfi coast. My husband really wants to drive the coast. Return to Naples and ditch the car and take train to Rome spend a few days and then head north on train to Florence for several day and Venice for several days. Get car in Venice and drive up to the Dolomites and then into Milan for the trip home. We really like having the freedom to stop a small villages and seeing the local areas that a car allows.

Help again.

Hi,, Louanne, I'm also from the Atlanta area, and I also KNOW traffic and crazy drivers, but you do NOT want to drive the Amalfi Coast! I think you're on the right track, reversing the route, and starting in Rome. Stay in Rome at least 3 nights, then train to Naples and sleep in Sorrento, at least four nights. This will give you adequate time to enjoy the scuba diving (Iknow nothing about this) and also get to Naples/Pompeii for a great da;y trip, and even go to the Isle of Capri.

From Naples start North via train. Spend at least 4 nights in Tuscany. This is the place to have the car. You may enjoy staying in an Agriturismo near Florence or Siena. In my opinion, Florence is worth at least 3 full days, maybe 4. Siena only one, but that's just me. There are so many sites to see in Florence! Florence city proper is not where you want to have a car, but there are hotels and Bnb's that are just outside of the ZTL zones, but you're going to have to go on Trip Advisor, because I don't know of any off the top of my head!

Get rid of the car in Florence, and take the train to Venice. Venice is worth several nights, but not as many as Tuscany/Florence!
From Florence, take the train to Milan, and how much time you spend there is up to you, but doing this route will save back tracking.
I've never really "gotten" Milan, and for years we flew into Milan because we had family weddings in the North, and after the second trip, I decided to fly into Rome because I just enjoy the history and general atmosphere so much more than the hustle, bustle, and high prices of a modern city that just doesn't have that "vibe" of antiquity that Rome has. Others will disagree with me.

Don't save your rest time for when you get home, sit in a Piazza at night, and enjoy the art of doing nothing! Drink in Italy's charm, enjoy sipping some wine while viewing the aqua marine Mediterranean in Sorrento....listen at night to some acapella singers in a Piazza in Florence! With 21 days, enjoy and come home relaxed! Read the guidebook, and decide which areas you'd like to add a day or so to, as this just "routing" advice!

BTW, I've never had much success with hotel points in Italy, as Marriott, Hilton, etc., are near the airports, and I have no interest in staying near an airport except for resting the day of arrival or the night before departure. If you find something let me know. Maybe Florence?

I agree with those who say to drop CT... while I love it, if you are spending time on one coast that is probably enough for one trip. I have driven the AC (I drive all over Europe) and in my opinion it was the least 'fun' drive I have ever taken. Narrow roads, tons of traffic, cliffs down to the sea and no way to get out of it...you are sort of stuck. But, I guess it does not bother some people, but I don't want to do it again. I have been to Naples and visited friends there and enjoyed it, but if it were my first trip to Italy I would not make it a destination. Big, gritty city. I would train to the AC and just enjoy the time there and do driving around Tuscany. You could also stay in a village/town in Tuscany and take a day trip to Florence. All depends on what you prefer.

Don't drive the Amalfi coast! Stay in Sorrento for 4-5 nights. Wait at the bus stop to Amalfi/Positano and sit on the right side of the bus (closest to the front) and you'll have the ride of your life. The views are amazing (from the right side) and you'll see all the crazy people trying to squeeze past all the busses in their cars. In my opinion the only time you'll need a car is the Florence area which you should stay in for 3-5 nights. There are many day trips from Florence... Sienna, Pisa + Lucca, Bologna, etc. The Sienna day trip you'll take the bus because the train doesn't drop you in the city center. The bus from Florence to Siena is only 1 hour non-stop. I've never been to Milan so I can't give advise there but in my opinion the BEST itinerary is to fly using an open-jaw ticket (which it sounds like you're doing.) Start in Venice for 2 nights (I don't think you'll need more time especially if you arrive early in the morning. Take the fast train (2 hours non-stop) to Florence and stay there for a few nights. When you're ready to leave Florence take the fast train to Rome (only 1.5hours non-stop). Stay in Rome for at least 3 nights. Take the fast train to Naples (1 hour fast train) then continue on using the local train (Circumvesuviana) to Sorrento for a few nights and enjoy all the Amalfi sights. Day trips to Pompeii, Capri and Positano are a must! We flew out of Naples using a private driver arranged by our hotel. Check out this blog's itinerary for a 2 week tour of Italy. We used this for our first trip there and even enjoyed 2 days on the CT using the full day to hike the 5 towns. I'm taking my mom to Italy this May for her 60th birthday too. :-) Here's the link to the helpful blog. We just added the extra time in Sorrento.
http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/italy-itinerary-the-perfect-two-weeks.html

Hope this helps and happy birthday/anniversary!!!