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Italy March - Initial planning

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Planning to visit Italy March 20-31.

Arriving at FCO, March 21 and departing from FCO March 31st.

Looking to explore, Pompeii, Pisa, Lucca, Bologna/Verona. Will be traveling only by public transportation, no rental cars.

Current plan is to take the train to visit Pompeii first then head up north and circle back down to Rome.

Looking for suggestions on the following:

  1. Are there other places along the route that is worth a visit, like Orvieto? Have visited Rome, Florence, and Venice in the past.
  2. How much time/day should be allotted for each place?
  3. Should Pompeii be self-toured or pay for a guided tour? Any recommendations on guided tour?
Posted by
111 posts

So you have only 9 full days and try to take in 5 destinations, which are also far away from each other.
This would be a very rushed trip and you mostly would see only the scenery passing by out of your train-window.
For every of your mentioned destinations you'd need 1 full day at least, means 2 nights. And it would take the best part of a day moving from one city to the next.
BTW: you can do Pompej easily without a guide. And if you really feel the need for a guide: there are guides waiting at the entrance, no prebooking needed.

Posted by
9755 posts

I presume you have been to Italy before. I am sure you will return.
Skip going south to Pompeii, do it on a later trip.

Add Siena and other Tuscan cities and towns.

Posted by
111 posts

Or skip the northern part (Bologna/Verona) and stay in the south (Pisa/Lucca).

Posted by
3512 posts

On arrival day travel to the furthest place on your itinerary (Verona) then work your way down to Pompeii and back to Rome. Buy train tickets before leaving home except for the train you take to Verona on arrival day: https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html.
Sat. Mar 21 - From Rome’s airport train station (Fiumicino Aeroporto) book a train when you arrive in Rome to the Verona Porta Nuova station. You’ll need to transfer in Rome and staying awake during the 3h 30m journey will be hard after a night of no sleep. Be sure the train you travel on is direct (no connections) with fewer stops. Trains with lots of stops attract pickpockets. Make sure your belongings are secure and not easy to grab and set your alarm a good 15 minutes before arrival in Verona. Sleep in Verona for two nights.
Sun. Mar 22 – Verona
Mon. Mar 23 – From the Verona Porta Nuova train station take a direct train to Bologna Centrale and sleep in Bologna for two nights.
Tue. Mar 24 – Bologna
Wed. Mar 25 - Take a train from Bologna Centrale to Lucca and sleep in Lucca for two nights.
Thu. Mar 26 – Get an early start and take a direct train from Lucca to the Pisa S. Rossore station. Walk to the sights you want to see in Pisa and sleep in Lucca.
Fri. Mar 27 - Take a train from Lucca to Orvieto. Sleep in Orvieto for two nights.
Sat. Mar 28 – Orvieto
Sun. Mar 29 – Take a train from Orvieto to the Napoli Centrale station. Sleep in Naples.
Mon. Mar 30 – Take the Circumvesuviana train (located in the basement of the Napoli Centrale station) to Pompeii: https://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/naples-to-sorrento-train-schedule.
It would be best to hire a tour guide before leaving home. The locals who’ll solicit you before you reach the ticket window at Pompeii are not licensed guides. You can also store your luggage at Kipoint in the Napoli Centrale station near platform 5. After you have toured Pompeii, take a train to Fiumicino Aeropuerto and sleep in an airport hotel.

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