Just Starting Research For First Italy Trip - October 2015

Actually you are being way too vague. This site works best when you can ask specific questions. No one here has the time to develop a three week plan for you given how vague you are. But some equally vague suggestions for you to get started with your planning. Hit your public library and check out all the travel DVD, guide books, etc., for the areas you want to travel. Read and view until you develop some very good ideas of what you want to see and do. And then ask more specific questions as your refine your ideas.

I would encourage you to use open jaw tickets - generally cheaper and more convenient. It doing a quick hit, then plan at least two nights per location but if truly interested a more relax stay then stay as long as you like. There is no such things as saying that a city is a two or three or a seven day stay. Over the years we have spent over three weeks in Rome but always look forward to returning and find new things to occupy our time. We always use public transit except if staying in the country side for a period of time when a car is appropriate. Never in any city. October is one of the better if not best time to go. That is our preference.

Also, read all of the other questions and responses on this site that are asking the same question in slightly different ways.

If you want to add Croatia to your Italy's list, you might need more than 3 weeks.

As discussed in another post, apartments (VRBO, Homeaway, etc.) are good choices for bigger parties (2 couples or a family of four, or more) if you plan to stay in the same spot for at least 4 or 5 nights. The process for checking in and out of apartments takes a little longer than at a hotel (at least in my experience and the experience of others), therefore the advantages are lost if you plan to stay only a couple of nights, especially because, as I understand it, it's only two of you traveling and therefore the savings aren't as big (many apartments are for more than just 2 persons).

First of all you should find an open jaw flight from SFO (or LAX) to VCE going and from FCO (or NAP) back to SFO (LAX) coming back. Use the multi-city function in www.kayak.com to see flights as you get a little closer to your travel time.

Here is my take for your desired destinations (no car needed in this trip. Car is not recommended for the cities. It could be of use only for visiting Tuscany's countryside):

Arrive VCE
Venice: 3 or 4 nights (with day trips to Murano, Burano and/or Padua)
train Venice-Florence (2 hrs)
Florence: 5 or 6 nights (2 days devoted to Florence and the rest day trips to various Tuscan destinations).
train Florence-Cinque Terre (2.5 hours, with change in Pisa and La Spezia).
Cinque Terre: 3 nights (two days hiking the trails and/or sunbathing at the beach)
train from Cinque Terre to Naples area (preferably Sorrento or Amalfi Coast) (long trip: 6 hrs)
Sorrento/Amalfi Coast: 5 nights (with day trips to Pompeii, Capri island, Amalfi Coast, Naples)
train back up to Rome (2.5 hours from Sorrento, with change in Naples).
Rome: 4 or 5 nights (with possible day trip to Orvieto)
Fly back from Rome (FCO) back to the US.

The above trip is a 20-23 nights on the ground in Italy. Rearrange nights up or down depending on your personal preferences.

You can do Croatia maybe by eliminating the Naples area portion above. But I would leave Croatia to another trip. 3 weeks is hardly enough to visit the surface of Italy.

PS: If you fly back from Naples instead of Rome, then do Rome before the Naples area and leave the Naples area for last. However Rome has better options for flights and also making it to NAP airport from Sorrento early in the morning is expensive because it's over 1 hour via taxi.

Thank you, Roberto . . . all good suggestions/thoughts. (We are sort of neighbors - we're in Oakland.) Maybe bail on the Croatia idea.

Good to know October is a great time. And it sounds like we won't need to consider a car (I knew they are not allowed in the old parts of Florence and Venice in any event).

I have already started my research and apologize for being too vague. For example, I have some specific interest in working with soft glass (I use a torch to make beads using Effetre glass which, I believe is made in Venice) and so plan to visit Murano while in Venice. However, aside from that, Saint Mark's, San Giorgio Maggiore and possibly the Guggenheim, I'm open for suggestions. In Rome, the Pantheon, the Forum, the Colosseum, as well as the Vatican Museums are, of course, planned. (I will admit that we are "those people" that have Suetonius, Marcus Aurelius, Caesar, Livy and Plutarch on the shelf.) In Florence the Uffizi, the Basilica of San Miniato, Duomo, Accademia, Bargello and so forth (our niece is working toward a doctorate in art history and has made a few suggestions). But a day or two of side trips to other hill towns and possibly visiting a winery or two would be a nice break from museums and cathedrals. Similarly, we thought the Cinque Terre would offer another experience. So, trying to settle on the number of days in each location and figure out the mode of transit between them seemed a good beginning (I assume as things get more specific I will be looking for restaurant suggestions or something).

But maybe we are trying to do too much? One person has suggested just spending three weeks in Rome, but I am thinking for a first visit get a taste of several areas.

Hi there--we will be in Italy in October ourselves, but it is not our first time there. Last October we spent the whole month in Venice, in this apartment:

https://www.flipkey.com/venice-vacation-rentals/p230868/

It was great---especially the rooftop terrace.

In 2010 we took our daughters to Italy for two weeks, visiting Verona, Florence, Lucca, Siena, Manarola, Varenna on Lake Como, and Milan. As we only had two nights at each place, we did not include the "biggies" like Venice and Rome (also we avoid Venice in the summer).

Next time we will go for a week each in Venice and Rome.

Some things that might interest you: in Venice, the Bienniale will be underway. There is a paid admission area but also free installations all around the city. These are well worth seeking out.

If you enjoy walking you will likely love Venice. We spent hours every day just walking, and actually learned our way around without a map.

If you would like a short visit to Croatia, you can ferry over to Rovinj from Venice for a couple of nights. But the ferries stop running the first weekend in October ( probably Oct. 4 next year) so you would have to plan for that.

For Venice to Florence and Florence to Rome, the train is the way to go. They are fast, comfortable, and very inexpensive if you buy tickets well in advance from Trenitalia. If you want to tour around the small towns of Tuscany, you could rent a car for a few days for that. Pick it up on the outskirts of Florence, or train to Lucca or Siena and pick one up there. Tour around, drop the car in Pisa or La Spezia, and take the train to one of the cinque Terre towns.

A logical,order would be Venice--Florence---Tuscany by car---Cinque Terre--Rome ( by train from La Spezia. Five nights each in Venice and Rome would be a good starting point. That leaves you ten nights to divide among the other stops.

Wow, Lola! Thanks for the info, the suggestions and the insights! The Bienniale sounds interesting and I will need to look into that (my son is in art school). If my wife is really set on the Croatia idea, maybe we move up our flight plans a few days and try that ferry idea! With my son in college, we are enjoying being able to travel at other times than summer as the crowds are a little diminished.

I just now realized you intend to travel in October.

Nothing wrong with October, however mid Oct/early Nov is statistically the wettest time of the year in Italy. During this period there have been major floods for example in Liguria (Cinque Terre), in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.

if you happen to be there during a very wet October (like it has been this past few weeks), you might want to exclude "seaside" destinations from your itinerary (e.g. Cinque Terre). The cities will be fine, since there are plenty of 'indoor' activities (churches, museums) in case of rain.

So my suggestion is to keep the itinerary flexible in case of bad weather in October. Or, if you really want to enjoy those locations that are more enjoyable with nice weather, maybe move your trip a little earlier in the Fall. Schools start in early September at the latest (both N.America and Europe), therefore after the first week of September crowds thin out and it's generally not hot.

Thanks for the weather tip, Roberto! (Though with global climate changes, I don't know how much predictability we'll have!) We are still so early that we have plenty of flexibility!

For a first trip to Italy I would suggest keeping the variety in your trip... that way you get a good idea of a lot of what Italy has to offer. I had great weather there last Oct so CT was perfect as it was not crowded, but obviously weather is not predictable. I often stay outside of Florence in a beautiful hill town in Tuscany and do a day trip to Florence as I like to have a village experience as well as cities. There are so many places to see it is always hard to make choices, but I would not give up time on my first trip to Italy to venture off to Croatia. But, I would also not spend a ton of time in Rome... I enjoyed it, but there are so many other place that I love more... have a great trip...

We just took our first trip to Italy. I'm 59, my husband is 63. We had 17 nights.

Venice 3 nights
Train to Florence
Florence 3 nights
Picked up rental car- to Tuscany
Siena 2 nights, Montepulciano 2 nights
To Assisi 2 nights
Dropped car, train to Rome
Rome 5 nights

The itinerary was practically perfect for us. We wanted to avoid 1 night stays but I do wish we had done 1 night Siena, 1 night Orvieto.
Anyway, with 4 more nights I'd go to Sorrento/Amalfi Coast.

Weather is certainly unpredictable, however these are the average monthly rain precipitation statistics for Genoa, the capital of Liguria. Similar graphs would apply to the rest of Italy.
http://www.paolociraci.it/meteo/clima/genova-prcp.gif

Obviously the month of October, especially the second half, has a very high chance of yielding rain. If beach locations are in your plans, I would go earlier, maybe the end of September.

The weather is totally unpredictable. Last October we had wonderful weather for the whole month of October in Venice---it rained lightly maybe 3 times, briefly, and we had one dynamite thunderstorm that was short but very exciting. The rest of the time we never even needed jackets.

This year Italy has been hammered with rainstorms and deadly flooding in some areas. It is sad to read about.

But that will not deter us from an October visit next year. We plan to be there the first two weeks. Maybe that will work for you too--especially if you want to try the ferry to Rovinj for a short visit to Croatia. ( the schedule this year was 5 pm departure from Venice, morning departure on the return from Rovinj. Which means you really need to spend two nights there. We haven't yet decided it we will do that. )

I have been looking at other apartments in Venice with a rooftop terrace (Altana) which is now a must for us. If you are interested, I can post links to some that look promising. But many have. 5-, 6-, or 7- day minimum, so may not fit your travel plans. We liked that apartment we had last year a lot-- the location, close to Rialto bridge, was great. Some days we had a string quartet playing Vivaldi in the little square below---we had only to open the window to enjoy. But next time we want to be in Dorsoduro.

We are looking forward to the Bienniale, now that we have a sense of it. Each country has a permanent pavilion, where there is an exhibit of modern works. Some are so modern as to be barely comprehensible to us; but all are interesting. Our favorite in 2013 was the UK pavilion, which was dominated by scenes from this video:

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/video/2013/may/29/venice-biennale-jeremy-deller-english-magic-video

The video played constantly on a large screen and was riveting. The accompanying exhibit explained the motivation behind the video, namely the mysterious shooting of two endangered raptors in an area where the only possible hunters were Prince Harry and a companion.

Edit: unfortunately that link does not work as well as it used to, and I cannot find a good one.

I like Roberto's itinerary, leaving out the Cinque Terre because of the uncertainty of the weather in October. You can enjoy just about every place in Italy in bad weather except the CT. I'd add one of those days to Venice, just because it's your first stop and you may need/want another day to catch up on sleep and get over the worst of the jetlag. The other "extra" days, maybe to 1 or 2 to Rome, maybe 1 to the Amalfi area. Or spend 3 nights in Bologna between Venice and Florence. It's a lovely town and a good base for day trips to: Ravenna (the mosaics!!), Padua, Ferrara.

Among the benefits of Roberto's plan - starting in Venice, absolutely the best place to get over the long-haul flight. You can relax and soak up the atmosphere, just ride the vaporetto up and down the Grand Canal (again after dark), wander the back canals, then find a cafe and pinch yourself - yes, you are really in Italy! By the time you get down to Sorrento, the tourist crowds will be thinning out.

Sorrento is an excellent place to stay. You can day trip by local train (the Circumvesuviana) to Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Naples (the National Archaeology Museum is a must-see), by ferry to Capri (mixed reviews here), by bus to Ravello and Positano.

In Venice, add the Frari Church, the Correr Museums, the Jewish Ghetto tour and the Secret Itineraries tour at the Doge's Palace. Get up once before dawn and go to the Piazza to watch sunrise over the lagoon. Then go back to your hotel for breakfast.

I'm one of those people with Seutonius, Livy et al on the bookshelves, too. You should try to see some of the sites around Naples if you can - an afternoon at Cumae is an unforgettable experience if you love ancient history. The Archeological Museum in Naples is high on the list, it has many of the finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Paestum is a great stop as well, it has a very good small museum, a large archeological zone, and some of the best-preserved Greek temples in the world (three of them). There's a hotel/restaurant/cafe just off the archeological zone, you can buy your ticket and enter or exit from there if you want. Great place for watching the sunset. And there's a beach (good for walking if too cold for swimming in October), and mozzarella farms. You could daytrip from Naples or make it an overnight. There's also a good hotel closer to the beach, you can get bikes if you want. If you are taking public transportation, they will pick you up at the train station.

For Tuscan/Umbrian hill towns, if you base in Florence or Siena, visit the other one as well. Day trips to Montalcino and southern Tuscany by public transportation are easier from Siena. I love Cortona, Todi (hard to get in and out of by public transportation), Assisi, Gubbio, Spello - there are hundreds of great possibilities.

Rome needs several days; a daytrip to Orvieto is a little over an hour away by train.

Keep planning and posting,

Zoe.

You guys are incredible! So many wonderful ideas that weren't even on our radar (archaeology in Naples, for example). The tips on jet lag (the hotel the first night seems prudent), routes, transit methods, etc. are all exactly what we needed. Thank you all for being such incredible resources! Much to discuss with my wife (including possibly dropping CT from the itinerary) and I will keep monitoring this thread. I expect we'll be asking more detailed questions (probably in separate threads) as time goes on. But you have all made me so glad I got started on this (I am the primary "trip planner" in the household and take my responsibilities seriously). So excited!! Thanks again!

we are also planning our 1st trip to Italy for Oct2015. Just curious if anyone has been on a Rick Steves tour? We are considering time on our own and a Rick Steves tour. One of my coworkers just returned and said it was the way to go and a bargain. The price seems high, but all hotels, transportation, admissions, etc are included. We are considering the Venice, Rome, Florence one.

As I read comments about the weather this month in Italy, I feel like I must have missed something. It has not been rainy all over Italy! Rome has been delightful: le ottobrate romane, i.e., Indian Summer with very little rain. I know Ligura got hit, but grazie a Dio, it is FABULOUS right now as I sit in view of the sea in Manarola: high 60s and low 70s Fahrenheit for the next several days. My point is, one never knows. We have been to the Cinque Terre in October 2010, 2012, 2013 and now this year, an unexpected blessing as other travels had to be canceled last minute. In 4 trips, a total of 16 nights when this one is finished in early, middle and now late October, we've had one afternoon and two evenings with rain, plus rain on departure last year. Niente male! If you want to see the Cinque Terre, take the chance. You can even plan not to plan and go only if the weather looks good. We made these travel arrangements last minute and ended up in a new favorite apartment. From your pre-Cinque Terre stop have two plans: the CT and perhaps a location less problematic in poor weather and go with your gut a few days in advance. While I usually recommend making reservations long in advance, sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Oh by the way, we are in love with Torino and it is way off the radar for North Americans. You can get there easily from Northern Italy and it is worthy of 2-3 nights. The Museum of the Automobile is outstanding!

my friends, ironically my wife and i live in santa cruz, ca, and we will be in italy in the fall of 2015 from mid october until mid november. we've been a couple of times, and this time we're staying/renting an apartment in umbria, in the hill town of spello, which is about 10 kilometres south of assisi. we 've stayed in assisi and loved it, but this time we just want to stay in one place, and take in the customs, language, etc. i'm studying italian so i can converse with the locals. umbria is not as touristy as toscana, but i think as beautiful. we found our place on either vrbo or trip advisor, and we'll be in france from mid sept to mid oct and we found the place we renting there on vrbo. it's not too early to book, as some of the places we were interested in were not available. if you're going to be in umbria when we're there, let's meet for pasta and vino rosso. you might think about staying in an agriturismo, we did that a few years ago for a week in toscano, and there were many opportunities arranged by our hostess, such as cooking and painting classes, winery visiting, etc. if you haven't been to venice, do three nites and two days, the city was magic for us.

last fall we were in croatia, we drove the coast with another couple, and i would recommend a 4 or 5 day boat trip along the coast.our favorite however was lake bled in slovenia, it's alpine like, good hiking, sketching, eating and viewing, i'd go back. let me know how your trip is coming together, nick barthel

Torcello is close to Burano and worth a visit if you like mosaics. So is the city of Ravenna.

Spello is beautiful, and Roman mosaic pavements have been uncovered in the city's main parking lot!

Even with the resources online and advice in this forum, I still recommend planning and fleshing out some details with Rick Steves' Italy 2015 guidebook. You won't need a car for most destinations mentioned, but after the plan jells, you might want a car just for a few Tuscan hill towns.

Yikes!! Just looked at the Rick Steves Italy 2015. Is it really over 1300 pages?? And if I buy that, is it worth also buying the Rome, Florence and Tuscany, and Venice books? What about the pocket guides or the snapshot for Naples? The Italy map?

The pocket and snapshot guides have information taken from The Big Book, better maps can be bought from Michelin. And the Italy book only goes as far south as Paestum and has only RS' personal favorites; you may want Lonely Planet or another, more wide-ranging guidebook. But for detail, and self-guided tours, RS guides are the best, in my opinion.

My mother (61) and I are traveling Italy now. October is a beautiful time of year and we are so happy we chose it. We only have two weeks. The best decision we have made so far is renting a car and spending a big chunk in Tuscany. It's easy and set at your own pace. The BEST way to see this area. Would be happy to recommend places to stay. Our airBNB experiences have been fantastic.

You should use the RS Italy guide for planning. Then rip it apart and take the relevant sections with you. Or maybe scan or photocopy the needed pages (is that infringing on any laws?), then keep the guide at home to plan your next trip. I'm still using the 2006 guide (it was less than 750 pages).

We are also planning our first trip to Italy October 2015. Cinque Terre is planned as a day trip from Florence, rain or not. Our dates are early October. We are flying Open Jaw from LAX. I was seriously considering changing my dates to late September, due to all the talk of rain and closed trails in Cinque Terre, but I have an annual work conference I attend in late September and would hate to miss it.
5 Days Rome
3 Days Florence (day trip to Cinque Terre)
Fly to Paris for 5 days.
I found good posts on how to get the train from Florence to Cinque Terre (changing trains, purchasing day pass on all trails and trains) and a good you tube video explaining it. I do not ever take a train in California and am 100% clueless, it was a bit overwhelming to figure out, especially with the foreign names. The You Tube video was the best explanation for me.
I am 49 and hubby is 50. Good luck in planning, it is a year out but so glad to hear I am not the only one getting a jump on it!

Letizia and bnelson210 The best tutorial regarding train travel is roninrome.com

train travel, including ferries....see the man in seat 61 http://www.seat61.com/

for a first trip, I would stick with hotels/b&bs instead of apartments. By the time you get the hang of "living like a local" you are on to the next venue. Hotel/b&b staff can also help with restaurant recommendations/tickets for museums, concerts, etc. on the spur of the moment.

Michael, this is called hijacking a thread. It is not responsive to the OP's original question. Now the OP will get notifications and not you every time some one answers your questions. And answers to her questions will tangled with answers to your questions.

I would suggest you post your question as new question and delete your response to this question. Makes it cleaner and easier for everyone and the board works better. And this way you can always go back and find your question.