We are planning our trip and wondered if 2 days in Rome to Castelrotto to Varenna, day stop in Milan to Cinque Terre to Florence and back to Rome is really pushing it. We will be there 12 days. The stops above would be overnight with an extra day or two sightseeing. Thanks for any info.
Posted by
Anaheim, CA, USA
1455 posts
Wow you are trying to cram everything. Yes, I think you are stretching yourself too thin.
Even if you are giving yourself 2 days in some cities realize that you don't really start that trip bright and early. You get off the train, gather your bearings, get to your hotel, check in, and that's probably 1 to 2 hours right there.
Try to limit to the cities you really "must" visit and save the others for the next time.
Rick said to write the schedule down and realistically see what you can accomplish. Best of luck.
Posted by
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
705 posts
I agree with Michelle it does sound a bit rushed. Great idea to write it all down and do allow for getting to and from the station, booking into hotels etc. Also if you have to change trains do allow for the posibility of missing a connection. Have a back up plan.
Posted by
Newburyport, MA
683 posts
Choose 3 places you really want to see and go there. You do not want to spend most of your time checking in , unpacking, packing and catching trains, as well as on them. Or then, Maybe you do. To some, that is the essence of vacation. We are gambling that you are not among such folk.
Posted by
Anchorage
7 posts
yeah, you're really going too many places at once. You need some time to relax between cities too. My family will be in Italy for about the same amount of time. We'll be going to Venice for 3 days and possibly day-tripping to Verona, Then spending four days in cinque terre, then going to Siena for a day and spending 3 or four in Florence. You could try something like that but maybe cut down the time in Cinque Terre and go to Rome for two or three days.
Posted by
Kelso, WA, USA
221 posts
good advice everyone, each time I travel I forget that even if you are making short hops to get somewhere new, you still have all those things to do mentioned by another poster, find your hotel, get settled in, figure out where you want to go. It really is so nice to stay somewhere several days. I have found after 8 trips to Europe that if you try to do too much, it all just becomes a blur. what you remember if you slow down is not so much the star attractions as much as a charming street, or cool little shop or the nice street vendor etc