We will be flying into Rome around 5/27/20 from US (haven't purchased tix yet). We have VRBO reservations in Sorrento for June 7-13 for our daughter's wedding, with hopes for some day trips that week (and are open to suggestions).
We'd really like ideas for a home base town for 5/27 to June 7. We're thinking that to keep travel time to a minimum, maybe we should stay in central to southern Italy, saving the northern part for another trip. We prefer small towns, good food, great scenery, getting off the beaten path. Not so much into big cities, long lines, etc. Having said that, after leaving Sorrento we're likely going to spend a couple of days in Rome before flying home.
Also, the trains seem quite confusing. Which one to take, how to find & get to the station, how & when to buy tickets, which are most comfortable?
As if it's not obvious, this is our first trip to Italy! Any suggestions are most appreciated!
Posted by
872 posts
Read this report:
Simplest way to get there from Rome is a train to Naples [Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale] and a driver, Sorrentocars or other good company [about €140].
Posted by
4603 posts
5/27-6/7 -- Are you looking for one place only, and are you interested in using a car or public transport only? Based on your description, Tuscany and Umbria or Puglia and Basilicata would make for a nice 10 or so day trip. Florence has trains to Naples, so going slightly north would not be out of your way really, but also look at taking a train to Bari and then picking up a car for looping through the south. Or you could take a train from Rome to Salerno and start there.
6/7-6/13 Sorrento (day trips to Naples, Capri and other islands, the Amalfi Coast villages)
6/13-? last couple days in Rome
Use Trenitalia and Italotren websites for searching schedules. Do you have a guide book? They list all the basics and are really invaluable--I still consult one even after visiting Italy many times.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11464 posts
I love that you are not trying to see the whole country in a week! Wise to not plan on going north when your big event is in the south.
While you don’t seem drawn to big cities, I humbly suggest you spend more than a couple of days in Rome. People who dislike Rome usually try to do too much too fast. If you spend 5 nights, it’s much easier to enjoy Rome.
Rather than propose a detailed itinerary, let me first ask, have you a good guide book? Rick Steves’ Italy book may be just the thing to help you sort out where to base (with 11 nights perhaps Rome plus another base?) and no one does a better job of laying out transportation options, connections, and logistics (how to ride the trains) than Rick Steves.
You’ll have more questions so do come back as you get into the details of your decisions. BTW, you might want to fly into Rome, spend time there plus another location before going to Sorrento, then fly and out of Naples after the wedding week. Avoids backtracking.
Posted by
948 posts
Even though you’re in Sorrento for six days, I would highly recommend spending a few days on the Amalfi Coast prior to that. I’m assuming a decent chunk of your stay in Sorrento will be focused on the wedding, and those plans may limit your sightseeing opportunities there. When you ARE free, there’s tons of options from Sorrento. Naples is absolutely worth a solid day. Pompeii and the under appreciated Herculaneum are convenient as well. Capri is easily accessed from Sorrento via ferry, and definitely worth the hassle. All those sights are on the Bay of Naples, and could fill much of your time. There are heavy duty sights here.
Day tripping to Amalfi Coast from Sorrento is less than ideal however, and I think travelers are best served by spending time ON the coast itself to fully appreciate this spectacular area. Time is a commodity and often a luxury here. If you can relax, enjoy, and not have to worry about a long bus ride back to your hotel on the mainland like most tourists, then you’re doing things right. This is a great time of year to visit too. Three nights would be an absolute minimum, but the more the better. It’s an easy train from Rome to Salerno, with regular ferries/busses to access the coast (and vice versa.)
Perhaps a couple days in Rome, or somewhere close like Orvieto to start off, a few days on the AC, Sorrento and end with a couple days in Rome. You can’t run out of things to see/do in Rome, and perhaps by splitting it up you won’t wear yourself out seeing it all.
Posted by
2575 posts
If I were in your shoes, I would go to Tuscany and Umbria. We have less time than you and Umbria is less crowded (and have been to parts of Tuscany although many years ago) so are going to Umbria. We are staying five nights in Assisi. We will rent a car for two days. If I had as many days as you I would include at least parts of Tuscany. Florence is beautiful but has the crowds and lines that you don’t like.
Florence though is easy train ride from Rome. Another option would be to go immediately to Orvieto which is close to Rome.
I would find two bases to explore. Maybe one in town and one agritiurismo.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15663 posts
Consider spending a few nights in Bologna - great food and lots of day trips by train - Padua, Ferrara, Ravenna, Modena . . .
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7529 posts
Don’t mistakenly think you are ahead of the season. Sorrento is already crowded in May. You don’t say if you’ve been to Rome before. Please give your travel history! Five nights (stop figuring days and work with In Country Nights ...) in Rome is not too many. If your flight home is before 1 PM, you can’t safely sleep in Sorrento the last night.