Itinerary Check-in

No, Pisa doesn't need a full day. For many of us (I suspect most) it needs no time at all. If you must go there, Pisa can be combined with the walled city of Lucca. Someone here suggested hitting Lucca first (and spending more time there), then going to Pisa in the mid- to late afternoon when the bus hordes have departed.

I can't imagine spending two nights in Venjce and three in Milan. I'd certainly want to reverse that. It's not that Milan has no sights (though I only know of the Last Supper and the Duomo), but Venice is one-of-a-kind.

I liked Bologna a lot; it has a huge historic district. But if I had a car and wanted to make side trips to two different towns, I'm not sure Bologna would be my base. It's fairly large and has ZTLs (no-entry zones) that must be avoided unless you want a bunch of $$$$ tickets landing in your mailbox after you return home. If you have a car, one of Bologna's selling points--that it is a superb base for day trips by train--will be meaningless to you. I don't know where the two car museums are. I hope someone can tell you how to reach them without bothering with a rental car.

Why do you need to rent a car to go to Bologna? The high speed train travels at 300km/h inside the tunnel under the mountains and takes 37 minutes from Firenze SMN to Bologna Centrale. The drive alone on the freeway is well over one hour. If you add the time necessary for the paperwork to rent and return the car, plus the time on the surface streets to get out of Florence and from the freeway exit to downtown Bologna, it's at least 3 hours when everything is said and done. Why would you do that to yourselves? You don't like your daughters? Take the train my friend.
And no. Pisa doesn't take more than half day, and that includes the 50 to 80 min train ride each way (plus the taxi or bus ride from/to the station to Piazza Duomo, where Cathedral, Baptistery and leaning tower are located). However you might consider visiting both Pisa and nearby Lucca on the same day trip for half day each (but I'd devote more time to Lucca).

Ditto to other posts. Bologna is a very fast train ride from Florence, definitely don't go by car. As for Pisa, Lucca is on the same train route from Florence and far more lovely and interesting than Pisa. Go early to Lucca, stay all day then late afternoon to Pisa. Unless you want to wait in a long line to climb the Torre you can walk around it and take a few photos in less than 5 minutes. The best sight there is the beautiful and art- filled Duomo, it's free but you need a timed reservation to see it, closes at 7 so get a ticket as soon as you arrive in the Campo. Get off the train at Pisa San Rossore, not Pisa Centrale, then you have only a short walk to the Campo.

No need to rent a car. I wouldn't bother with Pisa, but if you do, by all means take the good advice above and visit Lucca the same day. It's Lucca you will remember fondly. Bike or walk the walls. But I think you are shorting Florence. It is an art city (I've stayed there a week more than once just for that reason) but the city itself is a fine place to be. Consider allowing time for a daytrip to Siena too.

I spent just one day in Milan, but I really enjoyed the cathedral especially the roof.

Hi,

I like the idea of Lucca in the morning and Pisa in the afternoon. Great advice.

The rental car was really only about access to the two car museums. The Lamborghini museum is of top importance for one of my daughters. Clearly the train to Bologna from Florence would be a better idea. I am not so excited about potentially incurring fines for unintended driving incursions by renting a car. I am trying to be efficient getting to the museums, though.

So, I am hearing give Milan only one day on the ground and add that day to Venice.

Any thoughts on the length of time in Rome? Something fun and different for Venice? (We may have had our fill of art by then.)

I appreciate the thoughts and comments.

Lamborghini Museum
By bus – Bologna Autostazione (nei pressi della della stazione ferroviaria Bologna centrale) bus Tper 576, direzione Crevalcore, scendere alla fermata “S. Agata B. Chiesa Frati”(circa 55 min). La sede si trova a circa 5 minuti a piedi dalla fermata. Info: www.tper.it

So this means that to go to Lamborghini museum from the station you need to go to the bus station which is indeed very near the train station, you have to take bus Tper 576 in the direction of Crevalcore and get off atS.Angata B Frati Church (55 min ride). The museum is five minutes from the bus stop. Info: www. tper.it

I would also not stay so long in Milan and would certainly add 1 day in Venice and at least another one to Florence. A day trip to Siena is certainly a must see and will take you a full day. Also the time allocated for Rome isn't that much. I also think it is a real pity you do not spend more time in Naples (2 nights would be nice) just beware taking bags and be swift and alert to see when to cross the roads) but Naples is a really beautiful old city with wonderful palaces all around.
As regards to Switzerland, where in Switzerland. From Milan you have direct trains to Lugano which is a really lovely place but if you go on lake Geneva, you might like to leave from Geneva to the US or is it too expensive?

Also in June, I would devote 1 or 2 days at the seaside sailing or swimming, along the Amalfi Coast

You want to do something special and unique in Venice?
Try this:

https://m.viator.com/tour/venice/private-venice-gondola-school-learn-how-to-be-a-gondolier/0-6144GONDOLIER/info.htm

Francoise,

Thank you for the information and ideas. I have a friend in Geneva, but not sure yet where we will meet in Switzerland. We had originally wanted to fly out of Switzerland, but it doubled the price of the tickets, so Milan it was. I would love to add on days to just about everywhere, but there is only so much time. The gondolier school looks interesting.

June 16 is the Luminara in Pisa for the San Ranieri festivities. Should we plan on making that the day we visit Pisa or will the crowds overwhelm our ability to see the tower? Has anyone been there for that? We are not so interested in the Regatta.

I agree with three nights in Venice and two in Milan. Stick to the train as much as possible.

In Venice here are my highlights - St. Marks Cathederal, Doge's Palace, Friar Church, Rialto Bridge, Morning Fish Market near the Rialto, a trip up and down the Grand Canal. Gondola Ride in the day, at night, you don't see the beautiful buildings. Get lost! Skip the Gugenheim Museum, it is filled with Modern Art, which is not why I came to Venice.

Try a chichetti crawl. My favorite is Osteria al Portego. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187870-d1034685-Reviews-Osteria_al_Portego-Venice_Veneto.html

Pisa - the campus is pretty, the Baptistry is a must-see. The tower takes 10 minutes, 5 to appreciate it, 5 more to take photos, unless you want to climb it. I didn't but friends have. One suffers from vertigo and had a bad time on the ascent - remember as you walk up the tower is tilted. Others said it was great fun. You have to reserve in advance, it's only in guided groups and they sell out often.

Venice - there's so much more than "art." Take the Secret Itineraries tour at the Doge's Palace (first tour in the day - it gets hot in the upper regions where the tour goes). Buy in advance, they sell out. Ride the vaporetto up and down the Grand Canal and watch the city slip by. Some of the older boats have seats in the very front. Or sit outside in the back. Do it once in the early misty morning and once after dark. Visit Burano. I though the island was tacky, but most like it. It's worth going just for the ride across the lagoon. Wander the back canals where it's pretty quiet and utterly charming.

Naples, etc - With an early start, you could probably visit Pompeii and Herculaneum on the same day. The train from Salerno goes into the modern city of Pompeii, then a longish walk or taxi to the archaeological site. From there the Circumvesuviana train to Herculaneum (10-15 minute walk from the train station to the site), then back to Salerno by taxi. A really long tiring day, though and remember, you'll be outside with lots of bright sun and little shade most of the time. Put your bags in lockers in the train station in Naples to visit the museum (there is limited storage available at the museum and you don't want to shlep the bags there anyway).

Florence - I don't see why you can't visit the Galileo Museum if that's more to your liking than Renaissance paintings (which frankly you'll see just about everywhere). You'll only want about an hour at the Academia for David-plus, and nothing's more than a pleasant walk away in Florence. You could probably visit both and the Uffizi too. I much prefer the sculpture, so I'd go to the Duomo museum or the Bargello, myself - or the outdoor statues in the piazza de la Signoria. And an hour walking through the markets is fun (and great buys on leather goods).

PS - check the calendar to make sure none of your planned sights are closed on the days you will be visiting.

CSU and Chani, thank you for the additional info. I love the ideas about Venice. And, I genuinely appreciate the reminder that just because we are in Florence, we do not have to only see Renaissance paintings. Sometimes we forget that. I will take your advice.

I am pretty sure the teens will think climbing the tower is a must, so I will look into those tickets.

I was hoping we could check our bags at the Naples train station. I appreciate the confirmation. Are there lockers or is there an attendant?

As I am sure many here do, I will have a spread sheet with days places are closed in order to avoid disappointment. As I tell my daughters, the planning of the trip is half the fun for me.

Has anyone traveled directly from the Naples Airport to Salerno? Any tips? We will be tired and I want to make it as easy as possible.

I used rome2rio.com to look at going from NAP to Salerno. It's either take a 5-minute bus or taxi ride to Napoli Centrale and the train to Salerno, or take a bus from NAP to Salerno, 2 bus lines, the buses are infrequent and take about 1.5 hours. There are frequent trains from Naples, but some are slow and some require a change of trains.

It looks like there's a fixed taxi fare of €75 for up to 3 people from NAP for a 40-minute ride. By the time you add up the taxi to the train station and the cost of tickets for 3 to Salerno, then maybe a taxi to your hotel, the taxi's sounding pretty good to me. Make up for the splurge by eating cheap pizza for dinner on your first night. There may also be a shuttle option that would take longer but be cheaper.

There is a bus that goes from Salerno to within 50 meters of the entrance. It runs about once an hour, I think.

Milano is one of my favorite cities, the Castello Sforzesco has a beautiful courtyard and an excellent museum. Your daughters may like a glimpse of via Montenapoleone, the main fashion street. The roof of the Duomo will give you some time to commune with the gargoyles.

Chani,
I see what you found on Rome 2 Rio and agree that I the taxi is likely the best idea. I looked at the two taxi websites, but could not figure out where you found the fixed fare of 75 euros. Could you enlighten me on that? I am wondering if the taxi is something I need to reserve ahead of time or just pick up on the curb at the airport?

Zoe,
Thank you for the Milan ideas. Can you tell me which entrance you are referring to here? "There is a bus that goes from Salerno to within 50 meters of the entrance. It runs about once an hour, I think." I asked about so many things, I wanted to be sure I knew what you were referring to.

Thank you!

Will you still be in Europe on July 15? If so, you need to be in Venice for Festa del Redentore 2017 – The Redeemer’s Feast in Venice. It has a huge fireworks show Saturday night from five barges in the canal, they build a bridge between two islands. It is amazing. I would rearrange your schedule to include it if you are still on the continent.

For the taxi, I think I just googled something like "taxi fare from Naples airport to Salerno." Many places have fixed rates (set by a regulatory body) from airports to nearby cities. I'd think that any taxi from the official taxi rank would give you that fare.

You should check the bus schedules for the two bus companies shown on rome2rio.com. That may be a cheaper option and not too much longer.

I have flown into Milan several times. On my first two trips, I tried to book for the Last Supper and was unsuccessful though I don't remember why - maybe problems with the website, so I just gave it up. I did spend a couple days there on my first trip. Best thing was to wander on the roof of the Duomo and get up close to the spires. At night the Duomo's lovely, so it the adjacent Vittorio Emanuel Gallery, said to be the first covered shopping mall. I toured La Scala and its interesting museum (you don't go backstage, just see the auditorium). I also spent a few hours at Sforza Castle, it has several museums (a bit of this, a bit of that). I enjoyed it, but it's definitely a matter of taste.

I am not sure which entrance, but looked to me like the main entrance. Lots of souvenir stands lining the way to the gate.

The bus looks like a regular city bus, don't remember the number; it was one of those days where I changed my mind six times at the bus stop, and the bus to Pompei showed up before any others, so...

Ah, Zoe, you were talking about Pompeii. At this point I was not sure if you were referring to an entrance at the airport, Paestum, or Pompeii. Thanks.

Thanks, Chani, for the additional info. I will just try googling the taxi fare. I was trying to go to the taxi websites off of Rome2Rio and not getting very far.

CSU, unfortunately, we will be back in the States by July 15. Sounds amazing!