Itinerary Help

Posted by kcounts7 on 02/25/24 09:50 PM

We are headed to Italy in the spring and struggling with an itinerary:

Options:
Fly into Milan, train to Varenna and stay 2 nights there.
Train to Riomaggiore and stay 2 nights there
Train to Florence and either spend 1 night in the city and 2 in the countryside or vice versa
Train to Rome and stay 2 nights and fly home from there

Or skip Lake Como and add 1 night to Riomaggiore and 1 night in the Tuscany portion of the trip.

We would love to see Lake Como but we know that it might feel way to rushed. Pros/cons of either option? What about thoughts on Florence vs countryside? Also considering 3 nights in an Agriturismo and just day trip to Florence. We are more interested in the wineries and small towns in Tuscany than more sight seeing in the city. Thanks for your help!

Posted by N_Kingdom

02/25/24 10:21 PM

872 posts

So you have 8 nights? If so, stay in 2 places only.

Posted by joe32F

Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂

02/25/24 10:33 PM

11948 posts

9 nights and 5 locations. More moving than I would choose.

To really enjoy the trip try to do no more than 3 locations.

My $0.02

Posted by ChristineH

Gettysburg PA

02/25/24 10:33 PM

7233 posts

Looks like 9 nights?
Do no more than 3 locations

A 2 night stay is only 1.5 days in a location
Drop Como or CT and add the nights to Rome

You will likely need a car for a countryside stay
If you stay in Florence taking day trips by bus, train or guided tour is easy

Posted by hiredman

San Diego, California, USA

02/25/24 10:42 PM

1147 posts

Hello kcounts7, and welcome to the forum!

I think I have to agree you're trying to go too many places with the time you have. Keep in mind that 2 nights in a location only gives you one full day there. Every travel day involves packing, checking out, travelling with luggage and then checking in again. Check the actual time you'll be spending just getting from one place to another and I think it will be too much of your "time on the ground" will be spent involved in travel and not in exploring or enjoying.

Depending on how long your flight is I'd say one night in Milan to recover before moving on unless you're flying from within Europe somewhere. Then 3 nights in Florence and 4 nights in Rome or vice versa. Take a day trip from Florence to Siena to explore the Tuscany countryside some. Or choose a more rural location and Rome if you don't want the all city experience for your trip.

I recommend a spreadsheet for your nights and track your actual time vacationing versus your time travelling and adjust until you feel you've maximized it. Making hard choices is an unfortunate but critical part of planning.

Whatever you decide, have a great trip,
=Tod

Posted by Marc

Southwest Florida

02/26/24 01:20 PM

903 posts

Too many places. Cull this down to 2 locations or you may end up exhausted and have very shallow memories of your visit. Or just remember how hectic and tired you were!

Posted by David

Cleveland

02/26/24 02:19 PM

360 posts

Looks like a lovely trip!

If you are worried about feeling rushed, then by all means slow down. While Rome, Milan and Florence can all bustle, I personally never felt rushed in the cinque terra. Indeed I thought of the time there as a vacation from my vacation. And if want to relax further, replacing a night inside Florence for the country side likewise with reduce the tempo.

In any case, I think you'll have a great time!