Italy Don't Miss Experiences

It seems that you have 11-12 days. I suggest leaving Naples out and spending the time in the other places. I would stay in Rome and Florence 3 days each, then the remainder in Lake Como. Milan may deserve a day, but I think the other 3 should take up all your quality time. You don't need a car for these places.

Kelly, I bet you'll get more helpful responses if you let people know what your interests are, including the reasons you've chosen those cities and regions. For example, I did a full day in 2011 touring churches in Rome that have good examples of early Christian mosaics and LOVED it. But some people would rather have their teeth pulled out than do that. :-) I, for one, am curious as to why Naples is in your list. For example, some people have family connections there and that's a big draw. Other people (me included) would not recommend it other than as a daytrip from Sorrento.

They erased my first reply. Agree w/poster above. First of all, congratulations on being smart with the Rome arrival/Milan departure, giving yourself so much more flexibility! 11 days on the ground is not enough for all of these stops. Remember each locatioin change will take 1/2 day packing, transit to train, plus 2 hrs or so on the train, then taxi from train to new hotel, check in and so forth. You didn't mention wanting to see Rome. If this is the case, take the train immediately on arrival to Naples and rest up and on day 2 (pre-arrange tour guide) for trip to Pompei/Sorrento. (This will be a Very Long Day) Day 3 - Either train to Rome and enjoy 3 days or go directly to Florence. You'll arrive prob. 4pm. Day 6 (?) if doing Rome Have dinner, and enjoy a nice walk to Piazza Navona, and enjoy some nice leisurely time! DONT miss Vatican/Sistene!!! First day in Florence: Enjoy Piazza de la Signoia at night.. Next full day touring Florence, Ufuzzi, Academia, and taxi up to Piazza Michaelangelo. Enjoy sunset/dinner up there. Day 9?)- (Prearrange tour guide) See Sienna and maybe a vineyard tour (12 hr day) Catch your breath, as you can see, this is a lot of moving around and pressure. Maybe skip Naples, do 3 days in Rome, 3-4 in Florence with a nice day trip........but please, relax in a Piazza, drink some wine, enjoy a night walk....and drink in the Charm that is only in Italy! I have more specifics if you want. NOTE: October is not the best time to see Lake Cuomo. and IMHO, do not care for Milano except for a place to sleep before the flight home. I've been twice, and it's no where as
charming as the rest of Italy.

In terms of your budget being pretty high, 200-250 for a hotel, especially if you're talking dollars as opposed to Euros, isn't all that high for the locations you're talking about. Generally speaking, 200 Euros will get you a nice 3-star hotel in a good, central location. Really, the only place you should consider renting a car is to explore the rural areas of Tuscany. As mentioned previously, tell us your interests, and it will be easier to suggest some "don't-miss" experiences. (And I love mosaics as well, and HAVE spent an entire day going from church to church in Rome looking at mosaics!)

Thanks everyone!! In terms of our interests we love churches, art , wine, beautiful scenery, history, anything that makes the area unique or special. We do plan to stay in rome and see the roman sites, and we included naples to get a southern coastal experience. Milan is only slated for the last night prior to flying home. All else is really up in the air.

Thanks to all you mosaics-lovers! Some mosaic-rich churches that might interest you in Rome are San Clemente, Santa Maria Maggiore, and the combination of Sant'Agnese and Santa Costanza (next to each other). Beautiful artwork (San Clemente is a restoration). If you have time in Milano, take the lift to the top level of the Duomo for great views of the buttresses and the surrounding area. The Brera Gallery and Castello Sforzesco are also great sites in Milano. Naples has my heart, but it is intense. If you are using it as a departure point for the Amalfi Coast, which can be done by public transportation in a day, you could make a long daytrip to the Amalfi Coast from Rome. From Florence you could daytrip to Assisi, Siena, or some of the smaller hill towns like Montalcino. All are accessible by public transportation, so you can enjoy the local wines without worrying about driving.

Hi -- must-see in Milan is The Last Supper. Go online to book entrance way ahead. We had just an overnight there, too. Stayed at an airport hotel and took their speedy train in to see the fresco and then went over to see their cathedral. Other highlights in Italy for us: Pompeii and climbing to top of Mt Vesuvius nearby (if you have a car there). You drive nearly to the stop and climb rest of way. Still smoking away! If you then drive through Sorrento and down the Amalfi coast, there are two great detours: drive way way up to Ravello for the most amazing vista, and drive a bit further south to the amazing Paestum. That is historically very important because it is Greek.
Up north, we love Siena, especially for its cathedral and the art inside, as well as the medieval city. Of course, Firenze! And further north, on way to Venice, the great city of Padua. Get a reservation to see the precious Giotto frescoes at the Scrovegni chapel, and enjoy a coffee in the square filled with university students. And then Venice! The churches of the Frari (Bellini and titian -- amazing) and San Giorgio e Paoli are amazing. Ca Rezonnico and ca d'oro. And the ghetto, with the tour you get every half hour just by going to the bookstore there.

Kelly, I'm sure you read about this in Rick's book, but if you make it to Siena be sure to go to one of the cafes with a balcony overlooking Il Campo. We got coffee and pasteries and spent quite a bit of time enjoying the scene below! It was one of my favorite things we did on our trip.

I stand by my original advice: 11 days on the ground is 4/4/3 --- NIGHTS with a half day wasted with every change in locations. I would change this to just TWO sleeping locations and save wasted transit time. I, personally, woud do 5 nights in Rome, because the first day is pretty much a waste with jet lag/time changes and will only allow a little evening sight seeing. Sleep in Rome 5 nights (maybe daytrip to Naples/Pompei) leaving 3 days to really explore Rome, and every bit of that can be filled up. This will allow some time for just relaxing and enjoying the beauty. Sleep in Florence 4 nights Day trip to Sienna - this will use up one full day. Another day trip for a Wine tour. These usually are 12 full hours and will give you a full day to enjoy the beautiful Tuscan scenery. This will only leave about 1 1/2 days to really explore Florence. You will be able to hit the major sites. This leaves you one night to add on to either of these sites. For me, it would be Rome -- but that's ME, not you! You indicate that you love Churches, art and history and the Vatican Museum, Sistene and St. Peters alone will be a full day. My first trip to Spain, I wrote a very ambitious itinerary and arrived in Barcelona, flew to Seville, bussed to Grenada Visited Nerja, trained to Madrid, then daytripped to Toledo.
Yes, I saw most of it, but rushed, rushed, packed unpacked, rushed, and my next trip I spent 5 days in each major location and enjoyed it a lot more! Most people don't factor in the transportation time lost in what could be more effectively used for enjoying the major sites.

Hi Kelly
There is a wine and grape festival in the town of bardolino on lake garda, outside verona, oct 4 thru oct 8. we attended the festival oct 2010 which was fabulous. drove from venice to bardolino, spent the night at hotel nettuno, right on the lake and walked. what a gorgeous place, lots of food, wine, shops and places to sit down and enjoy an apertif "veneziana", beautiful lake views. Enjoy your vacation.

If you're wedded to a "southern coastal experience," consider staying in Sorrento or one of the Amalfi towns instead of Naples. Sorrento is easier to get to by train from Rome than are the Amalfi towns. We made what we quickly considered to be a mistake several years ago when we decided to stay in Naples for 3 nights instead of Sorrento (also in late September like you). We ended up going into Sorrento each day to get the heck out of Naples. Happy travels.