Wanted to see if this would be too much moving around from city to city. This is our first time in Italy and I really want to see all of these cities. I don't want to feel like we are living on trains. If we had to leave a city out-my thought is Florence because it's another city and Amalfi is so different. Also, any recommendations on hotels in each city would be great! 3 nights in Venice 3 nights in Florence 3 nights in Rome 1 night in Ovindole (visiting family)
3 nights Amalfi Coast (we would fly home from here)
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
What time of year? And as for hotel recommendations, you'll get good advice for all price ranges and potential neighborhoods in the Rick Steves books.
Posted by
OP
Redwood City, CA, USA
53 posts
We will be going in May of this year
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16231 posts
If you can, fly directly to Venice (via a European hub, such as FRA or CDG or LHR, for ex.) and return to the US from Naples (or Rome) still via a European hub. From SFO you can fly straight non stop to London LHR (BA, UA, Virgin), Frankfurt FRA and Munich MUC (UA/LH), Zurich (Swiss/LH/UA), Amsterdam AMS (KLM/Delta), Paris CDG (AirFrance/Delta). All of those have connections to Venice and Rome. Unfortunately Naples only to Paris CDG (AF), Munich (LH), and seasonally to FRA (LH). I think what you have is great. I wouldn't make any changes. If you want to decrease either Venice or Florence by one night is ok, but don't go below 2 nights for either, and certainly don't eliminate any if you've never been before. YOu have to go through Florence from Venice to Rome, so you might as well stop for 2 or 3 nights. Ovindoli is a small village in Abruzzo. My reccommendation is to rent a car from Rome at the end of your visit and drive there. Then, after the relatives' visit, drive the rental car to the Amalfi coast and return it in Sorrento, near the Amalfi Coast. Whether you want to keep the car in the Amalfi coast instead of returning it in Sorrento and return it at the airport the day of departure is up to you. It depends on how comfortable you feel driving in narrow winding roads and if your hotel can accommodate parking, which along the Amalfi coast comes at a premium. If you can take highway 84 from Woodside up to San Gregorio beach, especially the series of curves on Woodside Rd. to skyline blvd where all the motorbikers meet at that bar (I'm sure you know what I'm talking about). I think you can handle the Amalfi coast. Also you must know how to drive stick. Buon viaggio.
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8371 posts
You're fortunate to be flying out of San Francisco which has direct flights to Paris-deGaulle, Heathrow, Amsterdam, Frankfort, and Munich. You can catch a connecting flight to Venice from one of these cities. Your itinerary sounds okay to me. Another day or two in Rome might be warranted, however. From city to city, you'll be on fast trains and you'll handle it well.
There are no direct flights to the U.S. from Naples, and chances are you'll have to fly to one of the above gateway cities to get home.