Itinerary Help

Yeah, the 4th isn't the best date but I don't have any control over La Scala's schedule. Finding the Mormon Church in Italy isn't the problem, I can do that easily on the Church's website. Its just being close at the right time. I'm not really seeing a way to be in the major cities on Sundays without completely changing the itinerary (except reversing the order, but that messes up La Scala) The itinerarys I've come up with my self put me in CT and Asissi on Sunday too. I'm considering contacting the Bishops of the congregations and seeing if there is a member close to where we will be staying who could help us get there.

Hi Julie-formerly-of-Gresham! Pardon my faux pas on church. As a Lutheran, I decided I needed to be a temporary Roman Catholic when in Italy. :-) La Spezia is a quick train ride (22-28 minutes, almost every half hour departures) from any of the CT towns, so at least there you can get to services easily. Good idea on contacting the bishops, though. Larry has an interesting idea for your itinerary, backtracking to Verona. Only you can decide how important it is to stay in a particular town. You are absolutely right to try and stay at least 2 (preferably 3) in any place. I would make an exception for Milan, though. One night for the opera and you'll get to see the Duomo, too. We had 21 nights in Italy last October. We did not go to Assisi (going there this Dec though), and did not stop in Padua or Verona (going to Padua in Dec too). We loved Rome and after 5 nights there, knew we needed another week, so we are spending Christmas there this year. Very excited about that!

I'll give it a go, Julie. Given your parameters and my personal interest in reducign the number of times I change lodging, here's what I'd do: Sept 30-Oct 4 (4 nights) Venice. Daytrip to Padua, stop in Verona on way to Milan. 3 full days in Venice allows you time for this daytrip as well as two full days to see the city of Venice. Really worth the time. (See below for an optional idea.) Oct 4-6 (2 nights) Milan. As mentioned above, see Verona on the way, or you could daytrip back to Verona on the 5th, depending on what you want to see in Milan besides attending the opera. Oct 6-9 (3 nights) Cinque Terre Oct 9-14 (5 nights) Siena, do Florence as a daytrip. This will be a nice change of pace from changing locations every 2 or 3 nights. Consider renting a car in La Spezia and driving from the CT to Siena. The train trip is a bear! Oct 14-16 (2 nights) Assisi Oct 16-20 (4 nights) Rome If you really want to stay in Verona, steal a night from Venice and one from Milan so it is 3 Venice, 2 Verona, 1 Milan. Milan for opera only then depart. Major cities on Sundays for church, well, there are more churches per square mile in Italy than you can imagine. Even tiny Vernazza has two!

"Major cities on Sundays for church, well, there are more churches per square mile in Italy than you can imagine. Even tiny Vernazza has two!" That would be true if I wanted to attend the Catholic Church but I will be looking for the Mormon church. The closest congregation to CT is in La Spezia and to Asissi is in Oristano. It will be much easier if I can be in Milan, Florence, Rome or even Siena on Sundays.

Florence is the single most important location to me on this trip but from my research I agree that Siena might be the best place to stay. Would it be convenient to go back and forth on multiple days? BTW I grew up in Gresham

I'll give it a try. First, the places you want to visit and your flying into Venice and out of Rome is all looking good. 20 nights is excellent IMHO. Second, you are pinched a bit with your requirement to be in Milan on 10/4. That gives you 4 nights to visit Venice, Padua and Verona before arriving in Milan if you were to do this geographically. Thus, my schedule below has you backtracking to Verona in favor of 1) getting to Milan on schedule and, 2) having nice stays in both Venice and Verona. 9/30 Night 01 Arrive Venice. Night 01 in Venice 10/01 Night 02 Venice 10/02 Night 03 Venice 10/03 Depart for Milan. Day visit for Padua. Night 04 Milan 10/04 Night 05 Milan 10/05 Depart for Verona. Night 06 Verona 10/06 Night 07 Verona 10/07 Night 08 CT town 10/08 Night 09 CT town 10/09 Night 10 Afternoon at Leaning tower is Pisa. Night 10 in Florence 10/10 Night 11 Florence 10/11 Night 12 Florence 10/12 Night 13 Florence 10/13 Night 14 Agritourismo near Siena. Rent car for hilltowns. 10/14 Night 15 Agritourismo near Siena 10/15 Night 16 Assisi 10/16 Night 17 Assisi. 10/17 Night 18 2.5hrs. train to Rome. Night 18 in Rome 10/18 Night 19 Rome
10/19 Night 20 Rome 10/20 Depart Rome for Home You could spend one less day in Florence and one more day in the agritourismo. Lots to see in Tuscany. Have fun locating Mormon churches in Italy.