Help Please: Italy 17-day Itinerary and Lodging Recs

Have you all traveled together at all before? I'd be very reluctant to move this much with a group of that size, but we all like a different pace. When I see nothing longer than 3 nights, I must say I get very very anxious.
You could cut Venice--I feel like, why bother for only a day? Then I'd pick lakes or mountains and merge those, possibly add a day to Rome.

I have traveled twice with a group of 7-once in Greece and once in Italy. I would not stay less than three nights anywhere except last night before leaving, if necessary.

You are not considering how much work it is to move a group. We went to Italy last August. We spent 5 nights at Lake Como, 3 in Verona, and 4 in Venice. I would have liked 4-4-4.

If I'm honest, that's one of my big concerns, too. Thanks for sharing your personal experience and thoughts on this.

My immediate family of 5 (including 2 young adults who are very experienced global travelers) are accustomed to traveling together or alone; the other 4 in our group do not have much travel experience, but are eager.

Would you recommend grouping our stay in Sorrento (5nts) and then doing one or two day trips to Capri for those who'd be interested? Keeping Rome at 3nts...

Also, thoughts on making Verona a home base (3nts?) and daytripping to Venice and Sirmione?

Venice would be a quick drop in for the 4 who've not been there before as well as an opportunity for the rest of us to revisit some of our favortite spots. It's one of the "musts do's" on a couple of the travelers' lists.

Have you found a rental car that fits 9 plus luggage?

Our family (my husband and I are 66 and 54; the “kids” are 22 and 20) just returned from a 22 day trip to Europe; 15 days were in Italy. We went to Rome, Paestum area (used as a base to see the village where my husband’s grandmother lived), Florence and Venice. We stayed at each place a minimum 3 nights, but even our kids said in retrospect they would have preferred to stay longer in one place, but see fewer places. Also, in regard to car rental, we rented a car in Naples, and while we had limited luggage (4 carry on suitcases and 4 backpacks), it was quite a Tetris to load. I think it was similar to a Jeep Renegade.

ChristineH, Yes, good question! We have 4 vehicles reserved already, 2 in each pick-up location. It was difficult to secure what we have in the locations we needed. That's why I'm willing to work dates around that if at all possible.

salbeachbum Sounds like you've just returned from a similar trip with family close in age to mine. Thank for great feedback to consider.

I just had to pop in and say that you'll love Two Sizes! Best tiramisu of the trip for us!

I would be inclined to combine Capri and Sorrento so that you aren't moving lodging so much. This gives you some flexibility to work with the weather to decide what day trip to do each day.

Lago di Brais seems really out of the way for one night. I would probably drop it and think about staying somewhere around Verona or Padua for days 10-13 so you can do day trips to Venice, Sirmione, etc, without moving so much.

With a big group, you could consider Airbnbs with multiple bedrooms--or you may well want a break from each other in separate hotel rooms!

Have you worked out the logistics from Sorrento to Rome? Where is *Up Rental Car (never heard of it, no luck googling it)? Is it in/near the Naples train station? Or will your group have to move from the train to another part of the city (ugh!). The only train from Naples to Sorrento is the Circumvesuviana or Campania Express. They run on the same tracks, alternating. The CV takes at least 1.25 hours, the CE I believe is less than an hour because it makes fewer stops. BTW when you land in Naples, you have to get to the train station to get the CV or CE to Sorrento. A private transfer may be a lot easier on your group after an overnight long haul flight. Have you worked out how long it will take you to get from Sorrento Positano and Amalfi? To Pompeii.

Realistically, you have no time in Venice. Even if you stay in Mestre it's over 3.5 hours on the train, and you first have to get your group to the Rome train station. The 8.30 train gets in at 12.30, another half hour to drop your luggage and take the train to Venice for the rest of the day. Lunch and dinner will use a lot of that time.

It seems like a lot of driving to have one night at Lago de Brais. I put your itinerary from there to Sirmione in google maps. It shows over 5 hours driving time, not including parking and possible traffic That doesn't leave a lot of time for lunch and sightseeing, never mind paddle boats and hiking.

I stopped plotting timetables at that point. You need to work out honestly how much time you will have in each place and how long it will take you to get there. How long it will take you to rent a car (for me it's usually at least 1/2 hour, more if there are people ahead of me) and return it. Google maps usually gives you ideal driving times, expect more. Parking can be difficult to find. You need to allow time for meals, packing and unpacking. On a 2.5 week trip you also need to allow time for laundry and shopping for incidentals you may run out of. How big are the cars you're renting. Spending hours in the back seat of a car with three adults is not going to be much fun. And the only really good views are in the front seats. You may have to make a pit stop or two. Even if everyone packs light, there may not be room for all the luggage in the trunks of the car - European cars do not have much baggage space. There are often warnings here and on other travel forums, not to leave any items visible in the car when you park it and not to leave valuables in it at all.

BTW when is your trip? Will it be hot? Will places like the Amalfi Coast be crowded?

Andrea, Adult kids were in Italy for a month last year and still rave about Two Sizes. Also, I like the idea of combining Sorrento and Amalfi. Thanks.

Chani, That private transfer from Naples airport to Sorrento sounds like sound advice considering jet lag. Will look into that.

Trip is the first 3 weeks in Sept. After 5 nights in Sorrento/Capri we will pick up rental cars at Naples train station so that we can travel to my dad's village, touring and overnighting there before heading to Rome (FCO) later that afternoon.

Also, thanks for the timetables. You brought up situations that I hadn't thought about (laundry and shopping!!).
You are right about Venice. I'm now thinking we will make Venice a day trip from a 3- or 4-nt Verona home base. Maybe adding a night to the Lago di Braeis area or dropping it altogether?

Again, thanks, everyone, for popping in and offering your input. Sometimes it's difficult to see the obvious with so much excitement in the air.

Need more time in Rome.

You are getting great advice from others. I will just encourage you to slow it down and not fret about missing something. You will only be able to travel at the speed of the slowest member of your group. Have a teen languishing in bed? Your day will be off to a late start. I like your idea of making Verona a base. You could skip having cars at all and let various groups peel off for day trips by train as there are many options. Lago de Brais is a long way to go for a day trip or one night. Expensive to rent cars if that is the major reason to have them.

We rented a car in Naples, and most of the car rental places were at the airport. I bring this up because you referenced renting a car at the train station, and I don’t recall a rental business located at the train station. We had to take a taxi to and from the car rental business to Napoli Centrale.

Termini is fairly easy to access from the main roads so I would consider dropping the car at Termini and save the hassle of getting from FCO to Rome -- and use the train money for great meal in Rome.

Bear in mind that September can be quite hot and humid and it's still high season. Getting around the Amalfi Coast may mean splitting up and/or long waits for bus or ferry. There are two bus lines (you can get the schedules at SITA) that go along the coast, one is Sorrento-Amalfi, the other Amalfi-Salerno. If you stop in Positano and then want to get to Amalfi, hope there are enough people getting off in Positano to make room for the 9 of you to get on. Since Amalfi is the terminus, it's easier because the bus is empty, but if you are too far back in the line, all of you may not get on and some may have to stand. It's the same issue if you want to go farther along the coast to, say, Minori. Ferries could be less of a problem, but most of Positano is up the hill while the ferry's down at the bottom, of course. There is a separate bus line to Ravello (and lovely views, including those on the walk down) from Amalfi.

A lot of the problems older people have (I speak from personal experience here) is not the long distances but the often steep up and down walking and, of course, lots and lots of stairs. You may remember Venice as being flat, but don't forget all those bridges you have to cross.

I would consider doing Sorrento 4 nights , Rome 4 nights, Verona 4 nights and Lake Como 3 nights. I would not rent a car for northern Italy. Trains are easy and I am sure much cheaper. We did Lake Como, Verona and Venice with group of seven by train last summer.

Wow, love this community! I am so glad I posted as many of you have offered input in areas I overlooked. Thank you!

geovagriffith, Laurel, and others: Thanks for the reminder to slow down. Rethinking Lago de Braeis and Madonna della Corona.

Beth L, I am now looking to do as you've listed with the only exception being the time we will be in my Dad's village. For home base in Lake Como, would you recommend Varenna or Belagio (We have a vehicle reserved at this point, but may reconsider)?

Salbeachbum, you are correct! I inadvertently posted the wrong pickup in Naples. Our rental in Naples is from the Airport with return at Rome (FCO). Our pickup in Venice is from Mestre.

Frank mentioned drop-off at Termini rather than airport. I like his idea as it will save time and money (for dinner and for more gelato) but I hear driving in Rome is a bit unnerving. Anyone have difficulty w dropping at Termini?

Chani, once again you've brought up more for us to consider that we were overlooking: buses and steps for everyone. Our group ranges from age 13 to 82. Some are fitter than others, regardless of age. Considering the buses, is Sorrento a good home base or should we choose somewhere more central? We'd like to visit Capri, Amalfi/Ravello, and Positano.

Again, many thanks.

I suggest taking taxis from Napoli Centrale to the car rental center. They charge a flat rate (I think 20 or 25 euro each way). The Alibus would be cheaper but you may be going to the cruise port first, and then bus goes to the airport terminal, not the car rental area.

If you stay in Varenna or Bellagio, you will not need a car. You will take the ferry to get around. The lake is too big to drive many places so is of very limited use. We preferred Varenna over Bellagio, so I would vote for it. You will not find a house large enough for your group there though. I know because I looked. Varenna is less upscale than Bellagio which we preferred. Varenna also has a train station. Bellagio you would have to take a ferry from Varenna after arriving whether by train or car. So would be more complicated arriving and departing. From Varenna you could take train into Milan and then change trains to go to the airport hotel.

My sister in law and her family were just at Lake Como and stayed on the other side of the lake in a large villa. They had 8 people. They had one car which they used to visit the grocery store and to shuffle people to the ferry. We deliberately avoided such places when looking last year preferring to not have a car but it seemed to work well enough for them. So a different type of option.

And I had assumed you would keep the days for your fathers village!