I would appreciate input in this itinerary:
Rome 4 nights
Orvieto 2 nights
Florence 2 nights
Cinque Terra 2 nights
Venice 2 nights
Milan 2 nights
We will be riding the train. Does this look reasonable? Also, should I book day tours in the cities prior to arriving or when we arrive? We would love to do a cooking school along the way if there are any suggestions. Thank you, Judy
It's a little bit zig zagged over the map and little bit rushed but if you want it, it's doable. Maybe I would do Florence then Venice then Cinque Terra then Milan.
Thanks for the suggestion. Is 4 nights in Rome too many? Arrival day is short and jet lagged.
Is 4 nights too long for Rome? I would say no. There is plenty to do there, but it really depends on what your interests are and where else you could/would spend the time otherwise. I think you will be fine with 4 nights, especially with the jet lag on day of arrival.
Judy,
Your Itinerary is a bit "busy" with a lot of two night stops, which will only leave about 1.5 days for actual sightseeing in each location. Unless there's something specific you want to see in Milan, I'd probably drop one night there and add to one of the other locations (Florence or Cinque Terre).
I assume you've already purchased flights for the trip? I'd suggest a slight change in the order, for better efficiency. There will still be a few longer travel days but you might consider travelling Rome > Orvieto > Cinque Terre > Florence > Venice > Milan. The shortest trip from Orvieto to the Cinque Terre will still be about five hours (with at least two changes), but it's not a difficult trip. When checking times on that route, I used La Spezia Centrale as the destination, since you didn't specify which of the five towns you'd be staying in.
For your stay in the Cinque Terre, it would be highly advisable to get a room booked SOON, as that area is very popular and it can be difficult to find accommodations there at times.
Regarding local tours and cooking schools, I'd suggest having a look at the RS Italy 2016 guidebook, as I believe there's information on both those activities in the book. I often find it a good idea to pack the book along, as it's a good source of reference when planning tour "on the fly".
If you haven't used trains or other public transit in Italy, there are a few potentially expensive "caveats" to be aware of. If you need further information, post another note.
Yes, this can be done, but you will spend a lot of time travelling, instead of sightseeing. I would do Orvieto as a day trip from Rome, and add 1 night to both Venice and Florence. Do a day trip to a cooking school from Florence.
Are you flying out of Milan? I personally would take 1 night from Milan and add it to Cinque Terre.
Remember, packing, checking in and out of hotels, and train travel take up quite a bit of time. Better to stay put in one place and do day trips.
Thank you for all the tips!! It has been 8 years since I was in Italy so all information is greatly appreciated.
With x5 two night stays it means you are travelling 'every other day'.
I would maybe leave Orvieto for a future trip and consider the following routing ...
Rome 4 nights
Venice 3 nights
Florence 3 nights
Cinque Terre 2 nights
Milan 2 nights
I agree with Dave. I would skip Orvieto and add a day to Venice and Florence. If you do not want to do that, I would go to Siena over Orvieto.
Any suggestions on tours in these cities? And, should we purchase tickets in advance?
You should definitely purchase your train tickets in advance, since you can save a lot of money that way. Note that the cheapest tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable, so make certain your know your plans before buying train tickets. If you need to know more about how to do this, ask here.
If you are going to the Galleria Borghese in Rome, the Uffizi or the Accademia in Florence, or the Last Supper in Milan, you should purchase advance tickets. You will probably want to do this for the Vatican as well. To find out how, go to this link, look at the box on the right, and scroll down to "Italy": https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/sightseeing/avoiding-lines
As for "tours," what did you have in mind? Some need to be prebooked, others do not. For instance, there are early morning tours of the Vatican that would need to be booked in advance, and you will need to book a cooking class. For walking tours, you can usually just show up.
Very helpful! Thank you. Has anyone stayed in convents or monasteries?
Any suggestions on the best areas to stay in Rome?
Staying with my parents is like being in a monastery, but that doesn't help you.
In Rome, for a first time...
- near the Pantheon
- Campo di Fiori
- Monte
