This is my first time using this forum and I’m so excited to have found it. I've been pulling my hair out trying to decide a plan of attack for our adventure. So this will be my first of many postings as more questions will come up, I’m sure. My wife and I are planning on taking a one to two month trip to France, Italy and Sicily next year in the April, May, June time frame. We've been on a several guided tours to Europe but this time we're doing it on our own. At this time we have a tentative itinerary and are pretty flexible timing wise. Our only commitment is to meet another couple to go on a tour of Sicily from May 14th to May 28th. So our plans need to evolve with that time frame in mind. The broad brush itinerary at this time is to fly into Paris and travel by train to Marseille. In Marseille we rent a car and drive down the coastline of France and Italy eventually to Sicily where we will meet our friends. Well maybe. It’s just a thought at this point. I’m not sure of driving all that distance. It depends on the feedback I get from you all. We do have an apartment available to us in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, France which we would like to take advantage of. It is located on the coast about an hour south of Marseille. This would be our base for daily excursions for this part of our trip. From there we would drive to Cinque Terra and stay at an apartment (location yet to be determined) and again make it a base for daily excursions. From there we would travel to the Sorrento and the Amalfi coast area and once again stay at an apartment (location yet to be determined) as a base of operations. Then travel on to Sicily to meet our friends and do the tour. I am an amateur photographer and so we plan on taking our time and taking advantage of the many photo ops we encounter as we move about. Seeking out and exploring out of the way places would be a daily objective as well as capturing sunrises and sunsets. That's the big picture. So now with the first batch of questions:
1) It is a given that we would need to make reservations places to stay at Cinque Terra and also in the Sorrento/Amalfi coast area. Getting caught up in hiking and exploring we might need to spend a night or two away from the base. Considering the time of year do you think it will be hard to find a place at the spur of the moment for a night or two or should we figure on returning to the base each night?
2) While staying in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, what are some places that are in the “don't miss” category? This would be assuming a 2-3 hour driving radius.
3) Approximately how long would our stay in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer need to be to visit these must see places?
4) What are the draw backs in driving from Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer to Cinque Terra?
5) Of the 5 villages in Cinque Terra which one would you recommend to have as a base? Rick Steve's likes Vernazza, but I’ve heard other villages mentioned as well. We're up for other suggestions/recommendations.
6) Is it practical to drive from the Cinque terra to the Amalfi Coast? Or would it be better to take the train? Would we miss any outstanding photo ops if we took the train?
7) What are your thoughts on driving from the Amalfi Coast to Sicily? Or would it be better to take the train?
8) Do you think this tentative plan is doable?
Any thoughts and comments would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15164 posts
Before you plan any further, you should know that renting a car in one country (France) and returning it in another (Italy) may cost you in drop off fees well in excess of $500. Also there might be restrictions by your credit card on the length of the car rental. Many cards limit it to a maximum of 30 days.
Also a car is not needed at all at the Cinque Terre, which is more easily accessed by train and has very limited parking.
You should return your car in France (Nice) and proceed by train to the 5 Terre. It's a slow train line, with changes required in Ventimiglia and Genoa, but you will save a lot of money and aggravation.
The train is also convenient from Cinque Terre to Rome and Naples (and Sorrento). Italy is longer than you might think. From Nice to Sicily is a very very long drive and so is the drive from Naples to Sicily. To me the best way to reach Sicily is by airplane, even from Naples (with Volotea, which is a cheaper low cost airline).
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
I agree about the drop-off issues. Also, you should post your questions about France in the France forum for best results.
I fell in love with Tropea, near the toe of Italy, it's on a promontary with great views. With as much time as you have, you could keep the car (rent it after Cinque Terre) and stop in Amalfi. Paestum, Tropea, and drop the car in Reggio Calabria, then hop on the ferry (without the cost of taking the car on the ferry) and meet your friends in Sicily.
If you want hotel recommendations, let me know.
Is your tour of Sicily an organized group tour, or just you and your friends? If it's an organized tour, you might want to save some time before or after it to see some of Sicily on your own.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7356 posts
In December 2012, we rented a car in Palermo, Sicily (after flying there from Rome), drove around Sicily, then ferried the car to the mainland, where we drove to Sorrento. So you could do that in reverse. The Autostrade in far southern Italy had lots of construction zones then, but traffic was fairly light in December and moved pretty well. We spent 1 night in Castrovillari and 1 in Eboli on the way between Sicily and Sorrento.
If you want to stay along the actual Amalfi Coast, you have several potential places for an apartment location. For us though, just visiting the Amalfi Coast on a drive one day, we based in Sorrento, giving us easy access for excursions to Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Capri.
In France, if you're considering a car for 3 weeks or longer, then leasing (as opposed to renting) might offer a better price, but would likely still require turning the car back in in France. Having your own wheels lets you set the schedule and frees you up to drive where you want, but parking can be challenging and costly. Highways come with tolls (but no tolls in Sicily - although streets in old towns can be very narrow). Some places in Italy have ZTL areas, where unauthorized drivers will be fined. Get International Driver's Permits (at your local AAA) for each driver.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
The Cinque Terre is always pretty busy. Being flexible about which of the five towns to stay in is helpful if you're not ready to book ahead. You could call hotel listings a day or two ahead, or show up and enquire about private rooms. If all else fails, it would still be possible to move on to a larger town like La Spezia.