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Italy Nov 4 -11: Our program, your thoughts

Posted by (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on

We (my wife and I) are going to Italy, Yay!
I've put together my best stab at a reasonable program, and invite all you fine Stevesians to throw rocks at it - for background, we;re moderately well traveled, semi-lumpish middle aged types.
We arrive in Rome 11:00 AM Sunday, Nov.4 -Planning to take the Leonardo express into town - staying at Hotel Seviglia by Termini - we've been to the Vatican & Colliseum previously - departing 1:00 PM Monday by train to Venice.
Our program (unless we're dead tired and crash) is:
Sunday afternoon Pantheon & Caesar shuffle down the Via dei Fori Imperi, Trevi fountain & Piazza Navona that evening
Monday Morning - Santa Maria Maggiore & maybe Campo dei' Fiori
Venice - Staying at Hotel Orion.

Mon. Nov 5 Arrive about 5:00 PM- once checked in, maybe an evening concert or (weather permitting) a romantic gondola ride and/or Vaporetto tour, or just walkabout.
Tue Nov.6 - Doge's Palace Secrets tour 9:55, Basilica San Marco (with museums). If time permits, the Accademia too. If weather is fine & time permits, maybe head out to S.Giorgio Maggiore, & later dinner by the Rialto.
Wed. Nov.7 - Morning catchup sights (details TBD - maybe up the S. Marco Campanile) - ~1:00 train to Florence
Florence - Hotel Nizza
Wed. Nov.7 - arrive about 4:30 - Walking tour of Centro Storico to orient. Maybe dinner in the Oltrarno
Thus Nov.8 - Uffizi / Science Museum (for personal reasons) / Bargello (if time permits) / Accademia / climb the Duomo if we still have energy.
Fri. Nov. 9 - Rental car for scenic drive through Chianti / Siena / S. Gimignano
Sat Nov.10 - early Train to Civitavecchia to embark Celebrity's MV Galaxy.
Sun Nov.11 - Naples - we've been to Pompeii and the National ethnographic museum, and we're thinking if weather is great, ferry to Capri / Ischia, if weather is ok, Herculaneum, and - if it's dismal - back to Ethnographic museum .

So, any thoughts, comments or mockery?
Thanks in advance!

Posted by
82 posts

Can I go?! (LOL) I have to wait a whole year to go to Italy. Your trip sounds good to me!

Posted by
8 posts

If you can find an extra day with the car in Tuscany/Chianti, I'd recommend taking advantage. I wish my wife and I had budgeted an extra day(we had two full, three nights) with the car. HOWEVER, if you happen to be staying in Siena, I'd caution you that Rick makes driving there(inside the city walls, that is) sound easier than it really can be. I can rattle off a number of mistakes I made driving in town there if you need them. Let me know! Enjoy!

Posted by
10344 posts

Stephen: Good job, well thought out program, sounds like a wonderful trip! Agree with Barry: you'll have more fun, less stress, if you avoid driving too far into the larger towns like Siena, you can park in parking lots located on outskirts of inner area and walk or take shuttle bus in.

Posted by
12 posts

Your action packed. We just came back from similar trip. Stopped in Assisi. Was pleasently surprized. Rick talks about a local guide "Anne Robichaud". Understated. Wish we spent more time there and in Florence.

Posted by
8 posts

1) In Rome we loved the Borghese but make advance reservations. It's lovely and doable in 2 hours.
2) Since you are on a tight schedule use Rick's "backpack" checking advice at San Marco in Venice. No wait and the pass gets you right into the church. Just by pass the line. It works!
4)We drove to Siena from our agritourismo in Assisi and ended up leaving without seeing Siena. It was market day and there wasn't a parking spot for miles.Take the train instead or go to Assisi. It was a wonderful small city with more parking for drivers.
5) Have a wonderful time.

Posted by
1056 posts

I agree about not driving in Siena. There's not much inside the walls that you'll be able to drive to (restricted zones) and there's virtually no parking in the city. And outside the city the roads are very poorly marked. We made three trips near Siena last week (one TO Siena and two around the city to other sites) and got lost each time, and my husband's a professional driver and a good map reader.
Otherwise your itinerary sounds ambitious but fun.

Posted by
340 posts

Sounds wonderful! We just got back home in mid-September and both of us can't wait to return! If you get to Capri, be sure to take the chairlift to the top of the island in Annacapri (sp?) We were unable to see the blue grotto because of rough seas, but the view from the top of the island is breathtaking. The chairlift is fun because it is just that - a chair for one person, rather than a bench-like seat for 2. The bus ride to get there was crazy. The rest of the island is lots of expensive shopping that we found a little off-putting. If you had the option to take an Amalfi coast drive or to ferry to Positano, Amalfi Town or Ravello from Naples, that could be another option - very charming and the most amazing views of the sea. Have a lovely trip!

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