I had a plan for a month in Italy going from Venice south but we are now going to have to start and finish in Rome as we are doing a cruise in Croatia before. We will be in Italy from the second week of September. I originally had Venice and Naples on the list but am now thinking there is a better plan but have got confused with watching You Tube and using Chat GPT.
We want to include the must see big cities of Rome and Florence plus Amalfi Coast. Also was trying to do Bologna and around there.
Having to go via Rome both ways has me confused.
Rough plan now is:
Rome 5 nights
Florence 5 nights
Tuscany area 5 nights (hire car)
Bologna 5 nights
Amalfi coast 5 nights
Rome 1 night
That leaves say 3 spare nights and did think of Puglia but does that work in or should we add back Venice? Have read some reports that make it sound average, could also day trip from Bologna.
The order may be able to be improved too and number of days Also maybe land in Rome and train straight to Florence, is there a train near the airport? That would mean just stay at Rome at the end which would be better than a split stay and give us an extra night
Big cites are not our favourite thing so a mix is good which i have tried to do here
Would appreciate help on order of trip and anything to add or take off.
Thanks
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7326 posts
but we are now going to have to start and finish in Rome as we are
doing a cruise in Croatia before.
Could you clarify WHY you must start and end in Rome if you are coming from Croatia?
When is this trip?
To Bologna first- train from FCO to Termini then on to Bologna
Bologna 5 nights
Florence 5 nights
Tuscany with car 5 nights
drop car
Train to Naples then where on AC will you stay?
AC 5 nights
Rome 6 nights
Fly home
ETA-Did you edit your post?
If you want Venice then go there first- fly to Venice- or take train on arrival Rome
I would give Venice 4 nights and take one from Bologna
Have read some reports that make it sound average,
There is nothing average about Venice- it is unique, nowhere else like it and deserves time- a day trip is not enough
Posted by
Idaho, USA
7975 posts
Do you already have your roundtrip flight purchased for Rome? If not, consider flying into one city and finishing in another.
Initial advice:
Take Puglia out of your consideration. It’s not a 3-night destination and not as convenient to get to compared to your other locations.
You mentioned you don’t like big cities, but you’re in Rome & Florence (& were thinking Naples) for five nights each. Florence & Rome are definitely worth seeing, but I’m hearing very mixed signals. Decide what you really want to do & see. Your only “must sees” are what you personally decide is worth seeing. Then, choose the city or site that will fulfill those wishes. You can have an absolutely fantastic trip not going to the bigger cities.
“Heard Venice is average.” Whew! I’ve stayed in 40 cities in Italy, and Venice is still my favorite. Venice is best enjoyed before & after the day trippers have left. (I’ve stayed in Venice for multiple days six times and would love to go back again!)
Pick up a Rick Steves guidebook which will be valuable to help you decide your priorities and how to maximize your time in Italy. It also includes a lot of helpful hints for trains, buses, etc. that can save you some money.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
I cant find direct flights from Dubrovnik and any non direct flights are expensive. If we could fly into Venice it would be great. The bus looks a long way.
The cruise starts in Split and ends in Dubrovnik about 7/9 so we have to get to Italy from there. We could do Italy first from the last week of August and the cruise and Croatia after, but i thought italy might be better a little later due to crowds/heat. If we did laly first we would not have issue on flights as coming from Paris.
From Rome we head to Athens. We are doing a 3 month Europe trip then heading to Asia so its a long trip
I have not thought where to stay on the Amalfi Coast yet
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Hearing you all Venice is back on.
Mixed signals yes, we need to see Rome and Florence but like some smaller places too which is why I have Tuscany and Bologna on there
Think need to start in Venice and work our way down, so issue is getting to Venice form Dubrovnik or doing Croatia second
Nothing booked yet, getting cruise dates fixed in first which is a week and can then work out the rest of the plan
Posted by
5292 posts
From Dubrovnik, you could take a ferry to Bari, but to include Puglia, you would have to give up something else. (For example, you could trade Amalfi for Gargano).
But a round trip flight is not such a burden--you could leave on arrival and return to finish in Rome.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
I just looked at trains and could fly to Rome and then train to Venice, so thanks that is an option
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Will drop Buglia
Posted by
Idaho, USA
7975 posts
I agree, Dubrovnik seems like it should be easier to head onward, but I ended up doing an EasyJet from there to Amsterdam and then flying the rest of the way home the following day. I’m not seeing convenient hours to go from Dubrovnik to even Milan and just taking the Frecciarossa Trenitalia train from there to Venice. So maybe it makes more sense to begin in Italy and then do the Croatia portion of your trip.
Posted by
Calgary, AB, Canada
588 posts
If you land early enough in Rome, you could train to Venice. Or stay just one night in Rome and train there the next day
Then:
Venice,
Bologna ( or maybe Modena or Ferrara as they are smaller?)
Tuscany- with car
Drop car- Florence
Amalfi Coast
Rome
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11841 posts
Pick up a Rick Steves guidebook which will be valuable to help you decide your priorities and how to maximize your time in Italy. It also includes a lot of helpful hints for trains, buses, etc. that can save you some money.
I want to emphasize this advice from Jean. You Tube and ChatGPT are not substitutes for a well-researched guidebook. Before we go somewhere we have never been , we do not know what we do not know. Online sources are great when you have specific questions or want inspiration or insight to a location, but you may not even know all the questions you should ask regarding logistics, downsides, how to get from A to B, what is worth seeing (and not) from a reasonably objective point of view.