Itinerary for first trip to Italy

erk,

With such a short time frame, you most definitely don't have time to visit all the locations you listed. IMO, you'll have to decide between places in the north (ie: Florence, Venice, Rome) or the south (places you listed). Pisa is the first place I'd scratch off the list.

A few thoughts.....

• Places in the north will be easier to visit in an efficient manner, since transportation is relatively easy and fast. With 12 nights you could make a loop including Venice, Florence and a few other locations, ending in Rome.
• Places in the south will take more time and effort to get around, as transportation isn't as well developed there. I haven't checked on the transit links to Avellino and Siano, but hopefully they're accessible by train. Sorrento makes a great "home base" for getting to Pompeii, Ercolano and Paestum.

I'd have to spend some time working out an Itinerary for either north or south. As this trip is taking place in April, that doesn't leave much time to get arrangements in place.

Sounds like your family is in for a wonderful bunch of memories! The kids are very lucky. From Rome you really could day trip to several places. Rick Steves' book has lots of ideas. I wouldn't include both Pompeii and Herculaneum though - they are very similar - my preference is Herculaneum, or Ostia Anticha (outside of Rome). Paestum is amazing and would take a day in itself because train service is sporadic in that area. Florence and Venice are really quite an easy commute from Rome by the high speed trains. Pisa really isn't much more than a quick look at the tower and is a bit out of the way. I like the Amalfi Coast with Sorrento as a base. Day trip to Capri, bus or boat to Amalfi Town. From there, go see the family roots and return to Rome for your flight home. Let's see, that makes it:
3 nights in Rome
2 nights in Florence
3 nights in Venice
2 nights in Sorrento
2 nights to visit the ancestors

hmm, maybe this is more than you would be comfortable with - that's a lot of packing and unpacking suitcases! Personally, I'd skip Florence and fight to keep Venice on the schedule. I'd add those extra nights to Rome. Maybe at the end of your trip. I hope your planning gets lots of help from the Travel Forum. At least you'll have lots of ideas to talk about with the kids who might really enjoy being part of the planning!

You are discovering one of the challenges of planning a trip to Italy: where to draw the line. Setting priorities is key.

Are Avellino and Siano absolutely imperative? They are challenging to get to. You could do something like this:

Arrive Rome -- assuming it's early in the day, before noon -- and proceed directly to Sorrento via Frecciarossa high-speed train. Use Sorrento as a base for 3 nights. See Pompeii and/or Herculaneum one day, and take the Amalfi Coast bus the next. Sorrento, 3 nights (It is not worth going all this way for less than 3 nights.)

Rent a car and drive to Avellino, a one hour drive - spend 2 nights. Visit Siano 30 minutes away. Avellino, 2 nights. Of course, you could stay in Siano instead and visit Avellino.

Paestum is interesting, but I would save it as it is a bit out of the way and your time is short. Instead:

Drop the car in Sorrento. Take the Frecciarossa high-speed train to Florence. Florence, 3 nights. I would forget Pisa, but if you must you can daytrip there from Florence. EDIT: Drop the car in Naples. Much more efficient than Sorrento.

Take the high-speed train to Roma and finish your trip there. Roma, 4 nights

Much as I love Venice, unless you can sacrifice the Avellino & Siano time, I would skip it this trip. Plus, Venice really needs more than 2 nights. You will be back!

Alternatively you can skip the south entirely and as Ken suggests, work your itinerary around Venice, Florence, & Rome with maybe a stop in Orvieto. (Venice 3 nights, Florence 3, Orvieto 2, Rome 4, in that order.)

I think you first have to decide how important the ancestors are.
Kens' suggestion for the big three is right on.
If the first is important, try this approach.
Arrive Rome, train to Naples, then Circumvesuvian to Sorrento. 3 nights.
This will allow you time to see some of the areas you're interested in.
Then the train back to Naples. 2 nights.
From here you can see Avellino (45 minute bus ride). There are 2 Sianos one in the Campania region, 2+ hours, and one in Calabria 4+ hours. Both by bus.
Next train to Florence. 3 nights.
Train to Rome 4 nights.
Even if you don't end up doing the family search, Naples has much to offer.
Or you could add a day to Sorrento and Rome and do a day trip to Orvieto from Rome. The kids would really like this Umbrian Hill Town.
Edit: Laurel and I were cross posting

Arrive Naples - 3 nts (day by train to Pompeii and Herculaneum)
Train to Salerno. Hire car. Drive to Avellino - 1 nt
Drive via Siano to Paestum - 1 nt
Drive to Salerno. Return hire car. Bus to Positano - 3 nts (day by ferry to Capri)
Bus/train to Rome - 4 nts

Definitely visit the ancestral cities. You might consider renting a car for that portion of your trip, or check rome2rio.com for transportation options. Roads in the south are good and driving is not difficult. Avellino is a fair-sized city, Siano is only a half-hour away by car, 2+ hours by public transportation..

Leave the northern cities (or choose between Venezia and Firenze), and plan to return.

If you do decide to visit Venezia, fly into it rather than Roma, then fly out of Roma. Personally I would stay with Roma and south for this trip.

Thank you so much to everyone for all of your input and suggestions! You have given me lots to consider! I think we may attempt to just add Florence to our Rome and South itinerary, and we will be renting a car for the parts of this trip that will make that easier. I will hope to return to Italy someday in the future to see Venice, and other sites further north. Thank you again!