Novice Traveler: Input for 3-wk trip to Italy & Prague from Atlanta 05/01-14 to 05/22/14

The key is where the least expensive airfare is. Right now they all appear to be in the ,$1650 range.
you might want to change your track a little, start in the south w/Rome, head to Siena, Manarola, Varenna,Venice then Prague.
If you want to add Naples would recommend taking a day from both Siena and Manarola. You could then fly into Naples, see the Archaeological Museum the day you arrive, very busy day, then store your luggage at the station the next day and take the Circumvesuvian to Pompeii . Late train into Rome. 2 days from Rome would also work out. Otherwise would not recommend it.
Planning is part of the fun, enjoy it, the more you look up, the better prepared you will be.

If you want to see Pompeii OR the Naples Archeology Museum, you can do this as a day trip from Rome. If you want to see both, you can technically do it as a one day trip from Rome, but it will be rushed. But if you want to see Ischia too, you should plan to spend an overnight or two in the area (Naples or Sorrento work best logistically).

I like the above idea of starting by flying into Naples and working your way north, and like the idea of vice versa even more. Prague is a good place to unwind from jet lag (largely walkable, lots of English, few hassles). Although Atlanta has lots of nonstop flights to Europe, don't be afraid to change planes to get where you want/need to be (for instance, Naples).

To check on flight options within Europe (such as Venice to Prague) use Skyscanner.

Dana:

You want to fly into Milan and go up to Lake Como. Then you want to visit the Cinque Terre and go down to Siena. Then you want to visit Rome before going back up to Venice. And then take a budget flight to Prague.

Please remember that your first and last days of any trip are wasted, and so is every day you travel from city to city. Visiting 6 locations in 22 days is a little aggressive for your allotted time frame.

There is so much art, music, food and culture in Italy, and it's a place that's best taken slowly. And you're bypassing Florence, which is a premier city to visit. If you go to Lake Como, you are basically looking at the south side of the Swiss Alps, and I see no reason to go into expensive Switzerland. Lugano, Switzerland is just over the hill and lake from where you'd be staying.

You should reconsider your itinerary and limit it to four locations going in a straight line. Rome alone is a one week destination. I'm thinking:

Rome-Florence-Venice-fly to Prague. Or, Lake Como-Cinque Terre-Rome-fly to Prague. Or, Lake Como-Venice-Florence-Rome. Siena and other hill towns are a good day trips via bus out of Florence. Naples and Pompeii are 150ish miles from Rome, but they'd take away from time in Rome.

Another option would be to stay at an Agriturismo in Chianti one week and take day trips by rental car. I've done that, and found the roads easy to navigate.

Please note that the only budget air carrier from Venice to Prague is Air One. Wizz Air (Hungarian) and Czech Airlines fly Rome-Prague. You might check their websites to see how much the flights are.

Good luck on your trip planning. And anyone that goes to Rome needs to closely study RonInRome.com, who is an Atlanta/Covington, GA travel agent that lived in Italy.

Congratulations! I agree that straight-line travel is the best use of time/money. I would fly into Prague and work south, and leave from Naples. Your list of places to visit looks good to me, but I would bypass Switzerland unless you decide to fly into Switzerland and then take the train to Prague.

I have done daytrips to Ischia and Pompeii from Naples, or Sorrento; each is easy. If you have any interest in art, give Florence a couple of days..

You can do all these places by train and bus, no need for a car.

Look at roninrome.com and get the RS Italy book, it's especially good for first-time travelers.

All- Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Will review & check out your recommendations & may get back to you with more questions. We are planning to go to Florence but that seemed like a pretty easy day-trip from Sienna?

Was thinking Switzerland might be a stretch.

Dana

Just an additional note. If you do fly into Prague and out of Naples...Make sure your Naples flight is around mid morning. This is another spot where transportation for early morning flights is a nightmare.

You are going back and forth from north (Milan) to south (Rome) to north again (Venice). It's more efficient to start from the southernmost point and work your way up (or viceversa). Also you have a lot packed in 3 weeks.

Also your trip seems to be focused on Italy.Is there a reason why you want to include Prague in this trip? It's kind of a diversion. Maybe you could leave Prague for another trip when you can couple it with Austria and/or Germany.

This is your first trip to Europe, but it won't be the last one. Everybody in this board can tell you that after you travel once, you'll get the bug, and you'll be hooked on traveling more than a crack addict on cocaine.

Also check the straightline itinerary for flights that would start in Naples and end in Prague.