We will be spending a portion of the holiday season with friends in Italy (Dec 25/26, 2019-Jan 4, 2020). I would love feedback on what is good to do that time of year in Italy, and also what to avoid doing that time of year. Ideally, we would like to see Rome, the Amalfi Coast and Venice if possible. We will primarily be using the train system to move around, but can also do rental car if needed. Bonus: if anyone can suggest kid-friendly activities and/or accommodations we will be very grateful. Thank you in advance for the feedback!
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16065 posts
Hi Glynnis and welcome to the forum!
First things first?
We will be spending a portion of the holiday season with friends in
Italy (Dec 25/26, 2019-Jan 4, 2020).
Does this mean that you're meeting your friends in Italy or they live in Italy? If so, where? Are they traveling with you? And how many nights will you have on the ground in the The Boot?
Also, how old are your children, and what sorts of things do you enjoy doing as a family? There is a big difference between a child who is 3 and one who is 11! :O)
Have you purchased plane tickets? If so, into/out of which cities?
Obviously it won't be warm enough for beach time in the Amalfi, many businesses will be closed for winter, and the ferries won't be running to most locations. I honestly don't know if I'd choose this location for end of Dec/beginning of Jan. and geographically it's a long way from Venice. Yes, Rome is in the middle, sort of, but it could complicate your choices of arrival and departure airports and ability to plan a no-backtracking, linear route.
A car is not useful or advised for Rome and Venice, and I don't know as it would be useful enough in the A.C. to bother with.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Hi Kathy! Thank you so much for your reply. To answer your questions...
My husband and I, along with our two kiddos (2 and 7) are actually ex-pats living just outside of Napoli. We're still fairly new to Italy and sadly we haven't ventured much outside of Naples yet which is what led me to asking my question on the forum. ;-) Our friends who are also ex-pats, living in Mozambique with their two girls (7 and 10), will be meeting us here in Italy. So we do have a "home base" (which is literally our home, LOL) just outside of Naples... but being the first time our friends are coming to Italy they really want to see some of the bigger cities if we can. They will be buying their tickets this week (hopefully today in fact) - flying into Rome or Naples and then flying out of Rome, Naples or Venice depending on the deals we find.
We've never had friends or family come and visit us for the holidays so I'm kind of at a loss for what to suggest for the itinerary. Additionally, it's kind of an awkward week because Christmas will have just passed...and I'm not sure what big monuments will be opened/closed for the holiday week. The icing on top is the unpredictability of the weather. Cold + wet + kids is not the best combination so I'm trying to think of both indoor and outdoor options to accommodate for bad weather.
As for the element with the kiddos, all four kiddos are very well traveled and tolerate trains, cars, walking, etc. well.
Thank you again for your feedback.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11470 posts
Assuming you will leave home on the 26th, take a train (high speed) from Naples to Rome and plan on at least 4 nights there, so 26th to 30th. That gives you 3 full days in Rome. Most sites will be open although the usual Sunday closures need to be heeded. A good guide book will help you decide what to see, but with Italy’s mild climate, unless it is pouring rain, all is possible. And with rain, of course, museums are your friend. Rome movie theatres even have English language movies (ask me in a PM if you need specifics) if it comes to that.
On the 30th, take a high speed train to Venice for the 30th-3rd. That gives you four full days in Venice. On the 4th, your friends can fly out and you can take a high speed train back to Naples.
I know it is tempting to add in the Amalfi Coast, but it is something you can easily do from Naples at a better time of year and is very weather dependent for enjoyment. And if you decide to try to include it, you will be shorting your time in Rome and Venice, each of which needs time.
If you really need to include it, I would come home from Venice on the 2nd and do a daytrip by train to Sorrento if the weather is good that day. Sorrento is not really on the AC but it is a delightful gateway.
Editing to add that while in Venice you can include day trips to the Laguna islands and Padova or Verona as well. Very nice opportunity to see a bit of the Veneto.