Planning a 2 week trip to Italy

Hi two weeks will be nice, but I think that you should take a look at your travel pattern.

Also the one night in Naples is odd. What is it you want to see there? It can be done as a day trip from Rome to avoid unpacking etc, but in that case you would have to cut a day from the rest of the trip.

In late October many places in Cinque Terre may be shut so consult RS books.

I recommend cutting out Naples and Cinque Terre and staying with
Rome 5 nights
Florence 2 nights
Venice 3 nights
Lake Como 3 nights
Milan on last night or you can depart to the airport from Lake Como

I would decide what things to really want to see on this trip. Then using Google maps, see how many hours a train ride from each place will be. If it's too long, maybe cut out a stop. Although it's nice to see scenery from the train, it could take a whole day for some travel parts.

Hi,
We just returned from our second trip to Italy in a year. Over 18 nights , 11 in our first trip in Nov and 7 in our second trip in may we covered all that u intend to cover in 14 ( except Naples, which we didn't do)
If u are interested in well preserved Roman ruins then Ostia antica day trip from Rome may be more suitable than a day trip to Pompeii which is much farther away.
If you are going to the Cinque Terre then you should stay two nights minimum to enjoy the superb scenery and give you more chance of hiking if it doesn't rain. As it is traveling from Rome to cinque Terre will take 4-5 hours minimum.
Varenna on lake Como was pretty perfect in May but I have no idea if it will be as good in late October. Traveling to Varenna from Milan is a short train journey so it's perfect that way.
Check out the weather for cinque Terre and Varenna for your dates over last few years. If you feel it's too rainy or cold for you then you can use the days for the wonderful towns of Orvieto ( convenient between Rome and Florence), Siena and Lucca.
Most people in this forum would call it too rushed but my itinerary would be as follows.
Option 1
8-11 - Rome
12-13- Vernazza
14-15 - Lucca and Pisa
16- 18 - Florence
19-20 - Venice
21-22 - Varenna
23- Milan
Option 2
8-11 - Rome
12-13 - Orvieto
14-15 - Siena
16-17 - Florence ( leave majority luggage in Florence hotel luggage storage)
18 - Lucca and Pisa with a small day bag
19- Florence
20-22 - Venice
23- Milan
As you see I loved the country so much to return within a year and hope to go back sometime soon.
Have a great trip!

I like jjtraveler suggested itinerary.

If the night in Naples was to see Pompeii, a good alternative is to take a easy day trio from Rome to Ostia Antica, to see an ancient Roman city ruins.

Unless you have a late afternoon flight out of Milan, I would suggest your last night be spent in Milan, to afford easy stress free airport access.

Thank you for the replies. They were a great help. We've decided to cut the night stay at Naples.
A few further queries:
1. Is there scope for a day trip to the Dolomites from Venice....if so what place should one visit.
2. Day trips to Tuscan villages from Florence...again...suggestions please ? Any places which might offer cycling tours in the neighborhood ?

Also...since we're planning around 4 days in Rome...which locality (and co-located to which station) should one ideally stay...so that it enables relatively easy coverage of all the major attractions of Rome ?

@romianeesh, you may want to search the forum for previous topics that relate to your new questions, or if you can't find what you need create a new posting. Good luck!

One query... We are planning an overnight trip to Vernazza from Florence (17 oct ). We want to reach venice on 19th oct. what's the best way to travel / stay. As of now we have booked one night in vernazza (17th). Should we plan a night train on 18th ....or should one visit another place e.g. Pisa and stay the night there on 18th?

Our provisional final itinerary is as follows:
08th Oct (evening): Rome arrival.
08 - 12 Oct : Rome (plus minus day trip to Pompei)
13th- 16th : Florence
17th - Vernazza
18th : night stay...still to figure out.
19-20th : Venice
21st-22nd : Varenna
23rd: Milan
24th (evening) : flying out from Milan.

If this sounds too ambitious or unachievable , request comments , so that the trip may be suitable modified.
thanks.

Nice trip! I would consider adding 1 night in Venice take from Tuscan towns. Venice is a magical place, unlike any other. Also gives you less moving around.

Ostia makes a great Pompeii alternative.

Tivoili day trip is good from Rome too, Villa d'Este, and Hadrian's Villa if you prefer gardens and villas WITH ruins to say Ostia Antica which are only ruins, but lovely ones!

Not sure of your budget, but book early for Rome even in October! Try RS suggestions or search in the search bar of this forum.

@JJ...thanks...will consider an extra night in Venice...should we limit to a single night in Cinque terre (Vernazza).
We have made all provisional hotel bookings already. Got reasonable mid-range prices in well reviewed budget hotels. Not paid for them...option to hold reservation till 7 days before check in.

I'm biased - I really like the Cinque Terre and I found the Lakes area pretty but boring. Obviously, personal preference. Check both areas to see if places are closed at that time in October. If I were planning your trip for me, I would skip Varenna entirely and add that time to Venice and/or the Cinque Terre. I will say that one of the reasons that I like the Cinque Terre is the immense beauty and the walk from town to town; we're active people. So if the walks between the towns don't appeal to you, or the weather is not suited for that, then your opinion might be different. And I could spend months in Venice and not run out of things to do or see, between the museums and old churches and other old buildings, and just wandering around.

Keep in mind that you cannot know now what the weather will be like in October. If it's rainy in Rome or Venice or Florence, there's plenty to do indoors. If it's rainy in Vernazza or Varenna, you will be cooped up indoors with not much to do. I'm not saying don't go to those places, just have ideas in advance for what you will do if it's rainy.

I think one night in Vernazza is not worth the bother of getting there . Spend two nights or skip it.

I think adding a night in Rome and skipping Vernazza is what I would do, especially if you plan to do a day trip from Rome to Pompeii. As has been suggested, going to Ostia Antica will give you a similar experience to Pompeii, but without the grueling travel.

You have an ambitious schedule. You are trying to cover in 2 weeks what an RS tour would probably cover in 3 weeks, and you are doing it without the benefit of a dedicated door to door chartered bus the tours have..

You should look at the train schedules on trenitalia.com when planning your trip. For instance, it is easier to travel from Rome to the Cinque Terre to Florence to Venice. I do not believe there is a "night train" to Venice. You can travel at night, but it means "regular" trains (upright seats), 2 or 3 train changes and waiting time in the middle of the night in train stations. I try to optimize my sightseeing time by taking evening trains, either taking a picnic supper on board or going out for a late dinner after dropping my luggage. However, I don't recommend arriving late in the day in the Cinque Terre or Venice where it may be difficult to find locations in the dark.

Thanks again for the suggestions....we have 24 hr stopover in Milan before we fly out....reach by midday.. and fly out next evening . Have booked a hotel near Stazione Central n Milan. Any ideas on the best way to utilize these 24 hours?

romianeesh, it would really help if you could break some of your questions into separate posts. New questions you're asking are sort of buried in this thread where people who might be able to offer assistance can't see them. :O)

For your time in Milan, see if you can get tickets for the Last Supper.

Otherwise see the Duomo and the Galleria , wander around and enjoy a leisurely day

The Brera is a lovely and interesting neighborhood of Milan, and the museum there is interesting too. I also liked the Sforza castle.