First time to Italy, interested in planning a trip to Rome, Venice and the amalfi cost. We will be flying from California and plan to stay for approximately three weeks. Where should we begin or trip and end, how many days in each city, and home base for Amalfi coast. Would like to travel in September or end our trip in the beginnings of October. What airlines can you recommend for the flight from California.
Posted by
Charleston & Birmingham
4562 posts
This question is asked constantly. The search bar at the top of this page is your friend; also Rick Steves' suggsted itinerary in the "Explore Europe" section of this website.
Posted by
Atlanta
5149 posts
Where should we begin or trip and end, how many days in each city...
I'd start in Venice. It's a wonderful place to get over jet lag after a long flight. And it's easier to fly into Venice than return from Venice. Travel in as straight a line as you can to eliminate losing time back-tracking. A week in each place will give you enough time to get a good feel for the location, and a day or two to take day trips to nearby places. If possible, fly back from Naples. Just something to think about.
Posted by
San Diego, California
5442 posts
Use Google Flights to research and track airline prices.
Hotels will be booking up quickly so decide on an itinerary asap.
Review the posts under Italy here on the Forum. There's a wealth of info already posted.
Be aware of the infrastructure problems in the Sorrento/Amalfi area, making all travel tedious and time-consuming. Things just don't work so well south of Naples, with the exception of the train from Rome to Salerno, so 4-5 nites in the AC.
Venice > AC> Rome is probably the best sequence. You need to be in Rome the night before flying out.
Check when the ferries stop running in Oct in the AC.
Join the area-specific Facebook groups for on the ground, real-time info.
And then- enjoy!
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
795 posts
You have good time to spend, but since you need to spend your last night in your departure city (very easy from Rome) I would save it until last so you will save an extra hotel/location change instead of coming back after you visited already.
I would also agree that you should stay in Amalfi for the coast, you can take a fast train from the north to Salerno and take a ferry. I have taken a ferry to Amalfi in the end of September but I also am unsure when they stop running in the fall.