Going to visit our daughter who is studying abroad in Florence. We have 2 weeks and would also like to take in Venice and Amalfi Coast. Help! I don't know how to do this...where to begin and wether to rent a car or take a plane, train...we have a moderate budget. Which town along the coast would be best to stay? We are small town people and prefer to stay and see the countryside with the exception of Florence, where our daughter is. Thanks!
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11834 posts
Lori:
Many on this board would suggest you start by reading Europe Through the Back Door, which offers travel skills for plannig and executing yorut trip. Even though you know where you want to go, ETBD will help you with making some of the crucial choices you face. Also highly recommended is Rick Steves' Italy Guide where you can read about Venice and the Amalfi Coast (Florence too) in detail. There are also great resources here: http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/italy/italy_menu.htm. When you have some specific questions, please come back and post them. I will offer that with 2 weeks, Florence, Venice and the Amalfi Coast is a lot of territory. One thing ETBD teaches is not to change locations too often as it is exhausting and by trying to see too many places, you actually see less. If you are spending, say, 5 nights in Florence with your daughter, you might split the remaining 9 nights with 4 in Venice and 5 at the Amalfi Coast. Don't spend less than 3 in Venice or less than 4 at the A.C., in my opinion.
Posted by
OP
Spokane Valley, WA
201 posts
ok, thank you. I will check out these resources. I appreciate your advice.
Posted by
Portland, OR
282 posts
I agree with Laurel - us Portland gals stick together! :-)
As you will read in EBTD, you should book "open-jaw" (aka Multi-City) tickets, for example arriving in Venice (great place to recover from jetlag) and flying out of Rome or Naples. Arrive in Venice, spend 3 nights, train to Florence, spend 5 nights, train to Salerno (likely through Rome) and then ferry to Amalfi and spend 4 nights, then fly out of Naples (or Rome). Sounds like a great trip!
Posted by
OP
Spokane Valley, WA
201 posts
Thank you. This is exactly what I was looking for. I wasn't sure where to fly into/out of and what was the best way to travel. We are not opposed to renting a car, but, I think I would rather hire a driver in AC. We have already been to Rome, so, we don't need to go there again on this trip. Flying home from Naples is a good suggestion.
Thanks so much!