Italy itinerary question

It's doable but too fast for my taste. Your Friday-Wednesday covers a lot of territory from Assisi to "Riviera" (Assume you mean the Cinque Terre/Liguria?) to Pisa. Are you staying in Florence the whole time and doing daytrips? That makes some sense instead of changing lodging all the time. Two days in Rome is just not enough. By the time you figure out the city you'll be leaving. I think it is much less frustrating to spend more time here and not be in a rush to "do" her in two days. Why Bologna for only one night? Skip Bologna this trip, stay another night in Rome, then fast train to Venice. FWIW I would skip the Naples/Amalfi/Capri segment and add more time to Venice and Rome on a first trip. (Capri is just not worth the travel time you have to put in to see it.) But, if you have to go, consider you will be exhausted if you are arriving from the US in Naples. Skip the city bus tour and go straight to Sorrento, take a walking tour of the city and get on local time by morning. Driving the AC is madness; Take the bus.

gary, Your proposed Itinerary looks reasonably well organized. A few comments..... > Naples - you're going to be tired and jet lagged after a long international flight and hauling luggage. I probably wouldn't have the energy to sit on a tour Bus and then take a train to a Hotel. If you can manage that, it should be possible. > Leave Sorrento, train to Pompeii - were you planning to store your luggage while you're touring Pompeii? > Sorrento, drive coast and towns - driving the Amalfi Coast can be "challenging". Note that each driver will require the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. You could encounter Zona Traffico Limitato (limited traffic) areas in some towns, which come with expensive tickets if you violate them. > Tour Pisa, Riviera, Siena, Assisi, etc. - were you planning to visit all of those locations on day tours from Florence? Some will be easy (Siena via Bus) and some will take the better part of a day (Riviera). With "Riviera", I'm assuming you mean the Cinque Terre? For travel in September, I'd recommend pre-booking accommodations. If you don't mind locking yourself into specific departure times, you can save considerably by pre-purchasing train tickets. Happy travels! *EDIT: I just noticed Laurel's comments. I agree with skipping Bologna and adding a night in Rome.

Laurel & Ken, My itinerary wasn't very clear but we (2 couples) plan to buy a rail pass or train tickets so would not be driving a rental car but take a tour bus or car tour through the AC. Leaving the area on train going north might be a problem stopping in Pompeii with luggage!! Any hope of luggage lockers at the train station in Pompeii? We are planning on day trips from Florence (using train pass and also private tours) and were looking at a 2 bedroom apartment rentals so we can leave the luggage and have a week of staying at the same place and work out from that base. Day trips might be longer and more back tracking but easier not changing hotels, I suppose. (yes, Cinque Terre was a planned trip). Will take both of your advice to stay in Rome an extra day and skip staying in Bologna. We are trying to schedule accommodations so it helps to get our itinerary days set to set for our major stops. You have been very helpful.
Thank you both.

Ken always says things so much nicer than I do. :-) Glad to hear you are basing in Florence and day-tripping. Apartments are smart. CT is a loonnggg daytrip, be aware. Also glad you are not driving the AC!

If you leave Florence early and plan to arrive in Venice in late afternoon, you can stop in Bologna and have a great meal - Pm me for a recommendation. If you take a bus for the Amalfi Coast, sit on the right side and consider taking a boat back - you'll have a different perspective. You will be able to check your luggage in Bologna and Pompeii, just allow time for lines. Have a fabulous time!

Zoe/Dawn, Zoe - great advise thanks! We will grab the right side of the bus and a boat back for the AC, perfect!! Dawn - last year we did 18 days in UK on a Britrail pass (15 day pass) and each traveled with one carry on size luggage and a very small day pack. It was challenging for my wife but one of the best trips of our life! I love women in baseball caps so she just left most of the make-up and shoes at home. Thanks
Gary

@Laurel, "Ken always says things so much nicer than I do. :-)" I'm not sure I agree with that. Your wording and especially the information your provided was great. @Gary, Using a Railpass in Italy is often not the most cost effective method. These DO NOT include the reservation fees which are compulsory on the "premium" trains. You'd have to pay "out of pocket" for those. If you're caught on a train in Italy without a valid reservation for that train, you'll be fined on the spot with fines starting at €50 per person. The same fines apply for those riding Regionale trains (no reservations) with unvalidated tickets. A Railpass won't be of any use on the Circumvesuviana (Naples - Pompeii - Sorrento). You'll have to buy tickets. If you don't mind locking yourself into a specific train and departure time, considerable savings are possible by pre-purchase of tickets on the internet. Depending on the route, you could either consider Trenitalia or the new Italo trains. With Regionale trains, just buy tickets at the time using the Kiosks. You may find it very helpful to have a look at the excellent Ron In Rome website or Man in Seat 61 websites. Regarding luggage storage at Pompeii, I beleive there's a free luggage check close to the Turnstiles at the entrance to the site. Possibly one of the others can confirm that. The Guidebook has lots of information on hotels, but not sure if there are many apartments listed (I've never looked, since I never use apartments). For the day trip to the Cinque Terre, I'd suggest leaving early and planning to return late. After you see the place, you may wish you had booked a few days there. Cheers!

The luggage storage is not individual lockers but a luggage 'room'. You'll stand in line to drop off your bags and get a receipt. Allow time when you return to pick up your bags in case there's a long line. It took me 30 minutes to retrieve my luggage in Rome's Termini station. It made my train connection a little to close for comfort! Remember that each time you change cities/hotels you'll lose a significant amount of time, sometimes 1/2 day or more - you'll need to check out, travel to the train station, find the platform, travel to new destination, get to next hotel, check in, get to your room, settle in...with all your luggage. Keep that in mind when you're packing that extra pair of shoes!
I always say, lay out everything you plan to pack - put half away and double the money!