Two weeks: Rome-Florence-Venice-Verona-Chamonix, France-Geneva

You can take ferries to Murano and Burano, no tours needed at all; they are small. Burano would be a better choice for restaurants than Murano. In fact, once was enough for Murano for us.

Pls explain the time blocking for 5/14. It's making my head spin.
Once you get past Naples, the infrastructure is very sadly neglected, and there is no fast nor efficient manner of moving about. Everything takes time and patience. The roads are congested. The regional trains kind of follow a schedule. The ferries are weather-dependent, and were frequently canceled when we were there May, 2023, due to rain storms.

Also, for Venice, which train station are you staying close to? There's no charm around Mestre. I'd highly suggest staying in old town Venice. What are Venice city tickets?

You have obviously put a lot of energy into planning this, but it's a very busy schedule with a lot of time spent traveling.
Have you blocked all the travel time out, time checking into and out of hotels, getting to/from train stations, etc., to find out how much time you actually have left to enjoy being in a place?

Obviously, it's your trip. And I wish you well, safe travels!

5/14: Rome: Day trip to Herculanum in am, Sorrento (kayaking) in pm
Rome> Naples by FR train, bus to Herculaneum. Group tour? Self guided?
We arrive by 8:45. Herculaneum>Sorrento by bus. Afternoon in Sorrento:
would like to do a Kayak trip (2pm-4pm) Ferry boat back to Naples and
FR train back to Rome.

This day sounds like a travel disaster waiting to happen.
Why not just stay in Sorrento? Drop your bags when you arrive- they will hold for you. Take the train from Naples to Florence the next day.
Ferry port in Naples is not near train station- take the Circumvesuviana to Napoli Centrale. Or take a taxi from port to station.

Seems you are just adding a lot of travel that may not go well- for all the reasons Pat as listed above.

5/18: Florence >Venice/Mestre (2 hr 15 mins) (we have accomodations
near train station). We have city tickets to travel Venice 2 days.
Afternoon in Venice, Murano and Burano Islands small group Tour
2pm-7pm. Restaurants?
5/19: Venice: Activities and restaurants to be decided. Would like to
just do some self guided touring.

Mestre is not Venice. You will need to take train to S Lucia station on the Grand Canal. I guess you mean 2 day vaporetto tickets? If so be sure to validate each time you board.
I would save outer islands for Day 2- and I'd probably just go to Burano. Can't see why you'd need a group tour for either. Check vaporetto schedules carefully for your return trip.

5/20: Venice> Verona FR train 8-9am Rental car (near station) drive to
fossil museum in Monte Bolca (dolomites), 11-2pm then short hike up
Bolca Mt. Restaurant on the way home. 5/21: Verona: Enjoy breakfast at
"Home", room with a view of the river, Ponte Pierre, and castle on the
mountain. Ride bikes along the Riveredge. Self guided tour of Verona.
Restaurant to be decided. Hike up to castle and take tram to top,
Enjoy the view at 9pm, sunset over Verona.

When/where will you drop car? will you keep car while in Verona? Have you confirmed parking? Be sure to check opening hours of the agency.

The pace is not for me but maybe you are comfortable with the amount of travel and additional stress.

First I wanted to mention, the places we are staying and the travel in between are set. I really appreciate all the warnings and the tips!

I would like to see comments on how to still have fun, even if things don't go as planned if you have had a bad experience. I have often found a change in what I planned can still be fortunate with good alternative planning. Some things were unexpected. For example, getting free airline tickets for two, or getting a free day and night in a cute little town in France when a flight was cancelled. Ask me how I know?

Christine H
"Why not just stay in Sorrento? Drop your bags when you arrive- they will hold for you. Take the train from Naples to Florence the next day."
***The reason for this is, we do not want to have to carry our bags to Herculaneum, then to Sorrento, unpack in Sorrento and repack again leave the next morning just to wind up riding the train back through Rome to Florence.

"Ferry port in Naples is not near train station- take the Circumvesuviana to Napoli Centrale. Or take a taxi from port to station."
isnt there a bus right there that stops at the train station?
*If it rains would it be worth it to take the Circumvesuviana to Napoli Centrale from Herculaneum? If its too windy and the ferry cancels this also could be an option.

So here is my reasoning for May 14th: (nothing is set in stone yet!)
Initially we were thinking of taking a City Wonders guided day trip from Rome to Pompeii and then to Positano. The total travel time was 9 hours long on a mini bus. That leaves about an hour or so in each place. No thank you! So I decided to see what could be possible on our own.

I found we could take a freccarosa train to Naples, <1.5 hour, then a bus 15 mins to Herculaneum. That's better! Then we have 2 or so hours (9 to 11) in this archeologist haven. ( Should we purchase a guided tour?)

At around 11:30 or so we hop the same bus, L1 to Sorrento. My goal is to see at least one coastline, and the bus ride is right along the coast. The ride is "1 hour 23 minutes". 1:00 pm or so we get off in Sorrento, walk to the Marina Grande. We have to be there by 1:45 when we get instructed in using the kayaks ( which we all have done before) get our life vests on. At 2:00 pm the trip starts, and we get an up close tour of the coastline for 2 hours, til 4pm. Talk about fun!! I hope it's nice that day. If it's canceled, we just stay longer in Herculaneum, go to the virtual reality museum. Take a bus or train back to Naples.

Then on the way home from Sorrento our choices are plan A catching the ( fast) ferry to Naples (45 minutes , 5pm) (or plan B back by Flix bus ( 1.5 hr 6pm) or Circumvesuviana to Naples). When we get across on the ferry there is an airport bus ( 2 min walk) takes us back to the train station. We may have time for dinner somewhere near the marina. The last FR train out of Naples is at 9:46 pm arrives in Rome 2 hours later. I will be sleeping!!

Christine H - Re " Mestre is not Venice"
And Pat- "Also, for Venice, which train station are you staying close to? There's no charm around Mestre. I'd highly suggest staying in old town Venice. What are Venice city tickets?"
We have Venice city tickets to travel by a variety of means for 2 days:
City travel pass: https://www.veneziaunica.it/en/content/how-it-works.

On the advice of our Italian friends from Verona, I chose a decent place in Mestre, a nice 2 bedroom apartment with garden balcony on Via Antonio Fogazzaro. It is a short walk to the Venice-Mestre bus and train station. It is much less expensive there and we are only 20 minutes from Venice central. We have discounted transportation city pass for the 2 days we are there. Thanks to you and SUKI for the tip on 2nd day, visiting Burano.

Is it true much of the transportation in Venice to return to Mestre shuts down around 8pm?

What is the easiest and least stressful way to spend our open days in Rome (2), Florence (2) and Verona (1)? We do nor have activities, dining or tours yet. I am thinking the guided tours would be easy and informative, and helpful to keep on track, not get lost. We would like to locate some good places to have dinner. We do have a kitchen in each place so we could have breakfast and lunch from leftovers and the local markets.

Re:Verona
Christine H-"When/where will you drop car? will you keep car while in Verona? Have you confirmed parking? Be sure to check opening hours of the agency."
We are still checking into these things. There is a parking lot next to the apartment we will be staying, but there are a lot of restrictions for driving in the city. We would like to keep the car overnight. If not we will just drive it for the one day and stay local around Verona. Maybe we could go to the gardens there?

Christine H- "The pace is not for me but maybe you are comfortable with the amount of travel and additional stress."
***I wish we could stay in just in one place the whole 2 weeks! That would be restful. This is the first time and possibly our only time we may to go to Italy. The days planned are flexible with time for rest inbetween. We do not feel like we have to tour everything everyday. Our busy days are 5/14, 5/16, and 5/18. We have the long travel days with nothing planned. Doing things like spending time in gardens, a vineyard, at a nice restaurant or Cafe, hiking, looking for fossils, and kayaking are among our most favorite things to do. We dont mind relaxing on a train trips across country. We feel we must see Rome, Venice and Florence for all the art, architecture, culture and history. I think that is the stressful part that we need to keep as easy as possible.

PAT-"You have obviously put a lot of energy into planning this, but it's a very busy schedule with a lot of time spent traveling."

How would you recommend time blocking? How early should we arrive for the trains? We are staying is very close to the train station in Rome, Florence and Venice. The FR train rides between cities are all less then 2 hours. Our longest travel besides intercontinental is from Verona to Chamonix, train to bus. The car rental is next to the train station in Verona. The other car rental in Florence is also next to the train station.
Thanks for the help!

5/16: Florence: Rental car- Day trip to SanGimingnano 11:00 am tour of
Montenidoli, afternoon San Gimingnano self guided. Dinner at Le
Vecchie Mura and (hopefully) watch sunset over Tuscany. Return to
Florence.

This is another potential problem.
The car rental agencies close at 5. They might be open later at airport location. If you are watching sunset somewhere outside of Florence you will need to keep the car overnight. Where will you park? There are many many restrictions on driving in and out of Florence as well as parking restrictions. I'd hate for you to return home and find that the one day car rental you budgeted for has turned into a couple hundred euros in ZTL and parking violations.

You need to block out each day with hours and be brutally honest with your timing. A 2 hour train ride is not just 2 hours- it's at least 30 min before to get checked out and to the station and find your track. Then from the station to next stop- check in, get oriented. Picking up a car usually takes more than 30 min, etc.
In general each location change eats up half a day. it just does.
Before you commit to this itinerary be very clear on the schedule. By packing in so much you are negating any "relaxation" you may envision. I fear you will be watching the clock a lot more than you think. Don't mean to be a Debbie Downer- it does sound like a lot of fun activities- just be ready to adjust as needed.

The ride is "1 hour 23 minutes". 1:00 pm or so we get off in Sorrento, walk to the Marina Grande. We have to be there by 1:45 when we get instructed in using the kayaks

It's Italy- buses and ferries are often late, trains are late, traffic is snarled...a 1 hour 23 min bus ride in the Sorrento region can really take closer to 2 hours or more. The walk from the bus stop to Marina Grande will take at least 30 min. A cab will be quicker but will cost- cabs in Sorrento are famously overpriced. (unless that's a bus that goes to Marina?)

I emphasize what Christina said regarding the regional train from Naples to Sorrento- it's not too time dependable. When we were on that train this past May, 2023, we talked to college kids that got on in Naples. We got on in Pompeii. They had already been on the train for two hours, (SRO) and still weren't in Sorrento yet.

One of the issues is that many tunnels on the route are single track only. Once a train starts running late ( even in the mornings), the train misses its " turn" thru the tunnels. Therefore, your train starts waiting at each tunnel until the line clears. I think it took is 90 minutes at least to get from Pompeii to Sorrento, standing the whole time, with no air conditioning. Folks who have traveled in northern Italy have a difficult time understanding how inefficient the infrastructure is south of Naples, and just how time -consuming moving about is.

I wish you well on your trip, and safe travels!

Hi and welcome to the forum -

I would like to see comments on how to still have fun, even if things
don't go as planned if you have had a bad experience. I have often
found a change in what I planned can still be fortunate with good
alternative planning. Some things were unexpected. For example,
getting free airline tickets for two, or getting a free day and night
in a cute little town in France when a flight was cancelled

Regarding the above, I've no idea how any of us can give you advice there 'cause when things go wobbly, they don't go wobbly in any predictable way. What any of us may do in any wobbly situation may depend on too many variables. We've dealt with train strikes, lousy weather, some equally lousy meals, blisters and bad stomachs and still had a great time. YOU have find the ways to make it work for you in whatever situation you encounter. :O)

We enjoy following a leader without the stress of figuring out where
we are and where to go.

"Follow the leader" doesn't work if they are leading you to places personally not of interest to you. You are also traveling with friends who may have different ideas about what's interesting? Waiting until the 4 of you get there to find that out could result in some uncomfortable friction! I'd have a discussion around what you want to do together, and what you might split up for to accommodate different interests/schedules. Have you all traveled together before?

We are not so much fans of city life or big cites in general.
Particularly dislike waiting in long lines.

Rome IS a city and a very busy one. Really, you and your friends need to get guidebooks and research what would best appeal. You will be there during high season, and the most-visited attractions will require advance reservations. Same with Florence. Tours? As mentioned above, it depends on what you want to see: neither cities are garden/bike/kayak/hike kind of places but they are fascinating if into ancient history (Rome) and Renaissance art and architecture (Florence).

Day 14: Just to reinforce what has already been said about this day's plan, things don't exactly run like clockwork in that part of the country, and you can't count on perfect weather. Without wanting to sound like a Debbie Downer either, you're getting feedback from people who've already been there, and It sounds more like a marathon than fun and relaxing! What's your Plan B should it pour rain?

Venice: Nope, Mestre is not Venice but you seem to be set on it so not sure what additional advice you're looking for?

YIKES!
It does not sound like we are in for much of a good time. Really don't know what to do at this point. Maybe just want to forget it and stay home, but can't do that.

Nothing is set in stone yet.

I have spoken with my friends. We have done some traveling together, spent many years doing things and meeting together regularly. We enjoy much of the same things. I have consulted with them all along the way. Have done a lot of research but seems inaccurate from what I have read here. Have even consulted with our neighbors who are from there.

I appreciate all the good advice. 👍
Thanks! I will return with modifications.

It does not sound like we are in for much of a good time.

Gosh, NO one is saying that! I LOVE Italy and can't wait to go back! It's just that, outside of restaurants, maybe, I think you're wanting answers that really aren't possible to give, or at least not without more info. Recommendations on the itinerary? If accommodations and transport are set in stone, I'm not sure exactly what sorts of changes you could make to it if we suggested some? So sorry if I'm misunderstanding the questions!!

OK, taking a stab at activities...
Florence, for example; if you don't have a deep interest in Renaissance art + dislike crowds, I wouldn't advise doing the Uffizi. There are some churches and other smaller museums that have some great stuff, don't involve advance reservations and aren't as overrun. I'm just not sure there is a tour that would cover those. But there are also some food tours or general walking tours people can suggest if those would be more to your liking?

Was thinking about all the advice and have concluded this: We can cut out Venice/Mestre. Our trip there is 100% refundable.

Thought more about what our group loves, hiking, biking, kayaking, rafting, gardens, natural history. We are charged and relaxed by peaceful countryside and oceanside. We do want to see Rome, but it's a big city. We don't need to see more than one big city with Roman ruins and amphitheaters and basilica. We will be in Rome 3 full days. We can get small group tours of 2 hour each including skip the line entry, to many of the most famous places in Rome. No problem there.
Maybe the next day we can go to Herculaneum in the morning, then to Sorrento to Kayak and enjoy. We can stay the night in Sorrento. Next day we can take the ferry to Naples then go to Florence from there. Or maybe we can leave from Sorrento and go to Florence.

I just discovered, in Florance our host loves the same things we do. He has tours of rafting down the Arno River. He has backpacking trips in Tuscany. He has footbiking through one of the large parks in Florence. We can join his groups via airbnb. I will further research this. We will see about renting a car there to drive into Tuscany to see a Vinyard, taste wine, and maybe stay a night there near San Gimignao before going to Verona, a day early. 😀

I am looking for a way to organize my trip and time block as recommended. My son sent me his template that he used for his honeymoon, called Canva. He went to many of the same places we are going, last July, but I can't figure out how to change the info. I used Roadtripper for a successful tour of Oregon last summer. It helped me time block and plan every step of the way. It's an app, but only for car travel and mainly in the US. Wish I had something like this for our trip to Italy.

I appreciate all the suggestions, tips and warnings. Still processing. Thank you all!

Our best day ever - paddling around Venice.
Venicekayak.com is the place to go.

Mestre is a dump. (Sorry, residents of Mestre.)

Christine H- "This day sounds like a travel disaster waiting to happen.
Why not just stay in Sorrento? Drop your bags when you arrive- they will hold for you. Take the train from Naples to Florence the next day."

Here is modification #1:
So we are going to drop the trip to Venice because it is not one of our top priorities, we want to reduce our dosage of city touring, and not much good said of Mestre.

Kayaking in Sorrento and touring Herculaneum are priorities.

What will that look like if we have all our bags with us after checking out of our accommodations in Rome and travel south to Naples, Herculaneum and then stay the night in Sorrento? (Do you happen to know a good place to stay for 4, two separate bedrooms, under $200/night?) Then we can ferry back to Naples the next day, get our things at the train station, and take the train to Florence. No rushes, because we do not have any set time to be in Florence.
Can we leave most of our luggage at the train station overnight in Naples and just take a backpack overnight for Sorrento? If not then any other suggestions?
Thanks!

I haven't been to Sorrento, but people here speak of its virtues as a base for visiting the Amalfi Coast, Capri and Pompeii, not a place with a lot of sights of its own. It also works for Herculaneum, but that's a lot closer to Naples. By the time you start your day in Rome, travel to Naples and on to Herculaneum, see the excavations and then take the Circumvesuviana on to Sorrento, you're going to have virtually no time there--certainly no time for side trips. Since Sorrento is a post-war resort town, I don't think it's worth it to spend the night there just to turn around the next day and head up to Florence. And I suspect there's no hope of finding lodging anywhere near your price point unless it's way out of town and comes at the expense of two very costly taxi rides.

I think you should stay in Naples instead.

Why Sorrento?
We are excited about the possibility of kayaking in Sorrento. In the words of Kayak Sorrento: "We will leave from Marina Grande di Sorrento in our kayaks and reach Punta del Capo, where the Roman villa of Pollio Felice stands, dating back to 41 – 54 AD. It is also known as Bagni della Regina Giovanna, famous for the natural heart-shaped pool with emerald green water, which we will access by kayak passing through the small opening in the cliff. Ruins with opus reticulatum, mosaics, and frescoes blend with wild nature. It is an enchanting place where there will be opportunities to take a swim, freely explore the villa, and take many photographs. We will leisurely return to Marina Grande to finish the kayak excursion."
We initially wanted to take a tour from Rome to Pompeii to Positano, but from the reviews, the ride was long and full of delays. Our goal is to see the Amalfi coast, and to get out for a little upper body exercise (after all the walking!). We all love kayaking. I thought this would be a nice way to experience this part of the country, see the coast, and get some exercise.

I am concerned about staying in Naples because my son said it was "one of the most dangerous cities in Italy". His wife's family is from Italy and he did not recommend it. If we go from Rome to Herculaneum on the 14th, we thought we could go on and stay a night or two in Sorrento. We could change our plans to Kayak the morning of next day. In the afternoon of the same day or even the morning of next day we could go by ferry to Naples, and then take the train from there to Florence. (We are trying to take the recommendations provided here in the forum not to pack too much into one day.)

Let's say we don't go to Sorrento, but go back to Rome after Herculaneum. Since we cancelled Venice we have 2 extra days. Can you recommend anything on the coast before we head up to Verona? Maybe we should just spend extra time in Verona or Florence with a car and see the countryside? Thanks!

We sought advice from neighbors and friends who have been to Sorrento and they all loved it! We decided to stay there for two nights, May 14th through the 16th. That gives us plenty of time to relax and enjoy the sights, and flexibility should anything be delayed. We are going to Kayak as planned. On the 16th we will take the Sorrento>Naples ferry weather permitting, and if not, there is a very comfortable flix bus available. From Naples we will go on to Florence. Since we cut out Venice we now have an extra free day to spend!

Ciao..Ck out Settignano..eat at LA Sosta del Rossilino..a lovely restaurant run by father daughter..for great food..charm..overlooking the Tuscan hills..and a 20 minute bus ride from Florence. Have eaten there 3 times..once solo..2x with friends..one who is a guide in Florence. Honestly..if u are looking for a true Tuscan experience just up the hill..almost next to Fiesole..this is it. Especially if u want to escape the crowds..you'll KNOW you are in Tuscany!! Have fun.

I understand the tension between seeing everything you'd like to see and having a realistic schedule. There's a danger of in an attempt to see everything, you end up seeing nothing.

The sites are only part of the charm of Italy. You have to slow down from a fever pace to soak up the ambience, which is just as important to us as seeing every site. Also, we make sure we schedule in a day of down time at least every five days. Some of our most memorable experiences were unplanned when we sketched out our trip before leaving. Then there's La dolce far niente, the sweetness of doing nothing. We spent a wonderful unplanned evening in Volterra. We walked outside the walls of town to a lovely little area where the citizens gather in the late afternoon. The sun was setting and the town was gorgeous under the golden hour. We had planned to leave earlier to drive back to our agriturismo, but decided to linger until after sunset. It was a highlight of our time in Tuscany.

Grazie Linda and DougMac!

Linda- We would like to try out the restaurant you recommended Linda. We are looking for a true Tuscan experience! Hopefully the weather will cooperate for a nice sunset a few of those days.

DougMac- we still have a lot of unplanned time yet. La dolce far niente, the sweetness of doing nothing is exactly what we will add into our "activities" for the true ambience of Italy. We all enjoy meeting new people, relaxing and eating, having some nice wine, enjoying the atmosphere and company of the locals. The small country towns are so much more appealing to us as they seem to be a slower pace. We have already contacted the head of the small fossil museum and are looking forward to meeting him in Bolca. This is near where our neighbors grew up in the Dolomites. We will go to the museum and play fossil hunt with the school children in the pescaria, and afterwards chip away at our own new found fossils, then have a nice picnic there and relax. It is on a mountain overlooking the countryside. The rest of the afternoon is free!

We have been in contact with owner of one of the vineyards near San Gimignano and are happily anticipating a private tour of the vineyards and winery, then having a wine tasting of their wines, (some of which we already have tried at home). We don't mind relaxing and just watching the sun set over Tuscany, if the weather cooperates.
We have been taking mini tours on Google maps, "walking" the roads we plan to travel and looking out on the scenery as we plan our trip. We have been able to choose some nice roads to travel on when in Tuscany for the few days we have a car and avoid the busy industrial highways.
We have been taking YouTube video tours of bus stations and train stations, just to get a feel for the layout and what to look for when we are there, showing us how to get our tickets validated and being prepared. The end of our stay is with friends in the French alps where we will relax at their home a few days, maybe go up to the top of Mont Blanc if the weather is nice. We are really looking forward to our travel. Hopefully we have enough sweet nothings built into the schedule!

OK, so it sounds like between youtube videos, mini tours on google maps, "neighbors and friends who have been to Sorrento", and contacts outside of this forum that you have your trip planned. That's OK! Not sure what else you want from us at this point or what you wanted from us to begin with?

Sincerely, best wishes for the sort of trip you are envisioning!!!!

We will leave Rome with our baggage on the day we go to Herculaneum. What might we do with our baggage while we are at the archeological site?
Our plan initially was to return to Rome and not take our bags.

Rome (FR)>Naples>circumvesuviana stops next to Archeological park where we spend the day>Sorrento where we stay 2 days.

Any recommendations on where to store our baggage while we are in Herculaneum?

We will be returning to Naples after Sorrento. Should we leave some things in Naples?

Kathy-
"Not sure what else you want from us at this point or what you wanted from us to begin with?"

Still have lots of questions. Still learning. What I wanted to begin with is analysis of our plan and suggestions to improve it. LOVE all the recommendations!

Planning a trip is a creative experience. It does not just happen. I understand that. I am willing to make the cuts and additions to make our trip to Italy enjoyable. This would not have happened without the people who have responded to my posts. So thankful, Rick Steves friends!

The trip is not planned yet. I have just made some changes and followed the advice given. I have new plans to try. I still don't know what I am going to do with luggage in Herculaneum, and I am looking in to where we can park our rental car in Florence and Verona, if we get one.

Envisioning something one has never seen or experienced, and trying to choreograph the time, places, and activities one might do is a daunting task. I am always thankful for the experience and advice given, even if it's sometimes hard. In the end, we will have something good, memorable, enchanting, and fun! Many thanks to the contributors. -Jeanne

I believe there is luggage storage at the Herculaneum site

Why would you leave things in Naples???

Great if we can find someplace in Herculaneum to store luggage.

I was wondering if the train station in Naples has any safe storage for baggage as we will return there to take the freccarosa to Florence.

We will have a carryon rolling suitcase and a backpack each. Trying to travel light.

I want to echo other comments that your trip packs a whole lot into 13 days. We typically get out to small towns when traveling in Europe and raft/kayak when it seems like a good way to enjoy the area you are visiting. We are a bit older than you but did our first trip to Italy when my husband was 60.

We head to Venice whenever we are within a reasonable drive, and have been there 4 times, always finding new things to enjoy, and have always stayed there for at least 3 days because there is so much to see. It's gotten more crowded over the years but if you are there after the day trippers leave, you will get to experience the reasons it is so special. We are heading back there this summer and think kayaking the lagoon would be incredible. Definitely would have Burano on the list. But if you are skipping Venice, I'd also drop Verona, for it is a touristy mini-Rome. Worth seeing if you have the time but not sure it adds much to what you are experiencing on your itinerary. Instead, take a real foray into the Dolomites with the time you saved because it is gorgeous and seems like the thing you'd like to do. We spent a month in the Alps last summer and were in awe as we drove the slow roads of the Dolomites. We wouldn't have omitted anything from the rest of our trip, but in hindsight would have spent a few more days up by San Candido. I'd make Alpe di Suisi, Ortisei or San Candido (a long drive through the eastern dolomites) your goal.

We had one of the best nights of our lives at a B&B outside San Gimignano, Pondere Montese. Sunrise in Tuscany can be lovely.

Ah, this should confirm the Herculaneum luggage question (yes, there's storage at the site):

https://ercolano.beniculturali.it/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/faq.pdf

"Wardrobe" is noted as a service on the Coopculture website section for the park as well:
https://www.coopculture.it/en/poi/archaeological-park-of-herculaneum/

As your group enjoys outdoor activities, take a look at exploring Parco Appia Antica in Rome?
https://www.parcoappiaantica.it
Click the orange "translate" tab at the bottom of the page and then click the British flag for English, although it apparently won't translate every page. Use your device's translation function and this as well:
https://www.parcoappiaantica.it/smart-info-ita-eng/

Our "hike" on the ancient road (Via Appia Antica is essentially flat) was from Casal Rotondo...#49/Mile VI on this guide we'd used: https://www.parcoappiaantica.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/AppiaAntica_eng_2015.pdf
...to Porta San Sebastiano and beyond back into the historic center. We didn't do the Aqueducts but I know some other posters have. Anyway, it was our favorite day in Rome to date: lots of interesting things to see along the way!

More here:
https://www.parcoappiaantica.it/visitare-il-parco/audioguide/

You can also bike it, although that method can be sort of bone-shaking! Some feedback on the two-wheeled method here:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/biking-on-the-appian-way-be-forewarned

Kathy-
Re: place for luggage: Thank you!! This helps a lot! I will look into the "wardrobes" there in Herculaneum.
My friend mentioned a virtual museum there, have you seen this? Is it worth visiting? 🤔

Rome- Wondering if we will be safe in this area, ( near metro at Re di Roma) ? Rome is a big city. Some people mention this area not as safe as others. I should have asked this question before renting an apartment there a few days. We were told not to walk about after dark...? Is this true for our stay in Rome? Would it be unwise to visit the Trevi fountain after sunset? Should we not use the metro at night?

There is a metro within 5 minute walk from our place, according to Google maps. I wonder how accurate their distances are? ( I am trying to do more " time blocking" for estimates on travel)

Rome- regarding the hiking tour and parks, we will take a look at these links tomorrow! Thank you! Jeanne

Nope, haven't seen the virtual museum so you'll have to fill us in when you get back. :O)

Look like your Rome accommodation is in Tuscolano Nord. I'm not familiar with that area; a quick google seems to define it as largely residential, which is not necessarily a bad thing but as a first-timer I'd personally prefer to be closer to center. I'm not seeing any safety issues to be aware of but maybe someone else can weigh in on that neighborhood

But in general Rome is a very safe city, and evenings are GREAT times to explore the historic center on foot! A lot of the monuments fountains, piazzas and excavations will be illuminated, and oodles of people - both tourists and locals - will be out and about. We walked a lot after dark and never felt unsafe, although we didn't stay out until the wee hours. Non-violent pickpocketing is the most common crime and one easily avoided. Just mind your valuables - never keep them in exterior packets or unsecured purses/bags - and you'll more likely be fine than not.

Editing to add: Ponte San Angelo, my favorite bridge, with its gorgeous Bernini-designed angels, is especially lovely at night.
https://www.alamy.com/castel-santangelo-and-ponte-santangelo-at-night-rome-italy-image664601.html
(Scroll down the page)

We are young, spirited mid 60s with love for natural history, photography, hiking, kayaking, biking, good food, good wine, tours, gardens, and beautiful places.

Since you mentioned you enjoy biking, I enjoyed and would recommend considering bike tours offered:

-in Florence (city and another of Tuscany originating from Florence)

-in Rome, and;

-in Sorrento, of the backroads

Although you do not have a lot of time planned in Sorrento, you may be able to fit this in the morning or evening if you are looking for another activity there

Kathy and Crystal B-
Thanks for this info, we are processing it as we continue to color in our itinerary. We have reduced Rome 1 day (staying 3 nights instead of 4) to stay in Sorrento (2nights ) as recommended, and cancelled 2 nights in Venice from our itinerary. Still working on Florence (3 nights) and Verona (3 nights instead of 2). Meeting friends in Chamonix (3 nights) then returning home through Geneva.

Here is the completely revamped May 14th:
May 14th: Rome >Naples>Herculaneum, archeological park. We will leave our bags at the "wardrobe center" mentioned by Kathy.
We have a 2 hour tour by an archeologist of the site. We will leave Herculaneum when we are tired of seeing it, and arrive in Sorrento on the Circumvesuviana whenever it gets us there. Our new place in Sorrento is about a 10 minute walk from the Agnello station, and very close to the ocean. We can do what we like in the afternoon and evening, maybe just nothing but relax, then find a nice restaurant for the evening.

Suggestions for a nice restaurant would be wonderful!
May 15th: The next day we have the morning free. Maybe we will ride bikes as Crystal mentioned. There is about a 40 minute walk to the Marina Grande where we meet our kayak instructor at 1:45. We have time to mosey over there if we leave early, have some lunch, and then take off on our adventure. Then 4pm off to do whatever. :-)
May 16th: 8:50 Take the Circumvesuviana to Naples 10:05, give ourselves 45 mins or so to take the "1 minute walk" (according to google) to catch the 11:20am Freccarosa fast train to Florence.
How does that sound so far?

Thanks also to LindAnn- for your all your helpful comments and recommendations of Venice, Verona and the Dolomites.

Per your suggestion, we are more inclined to rent a car and take 2 day trips into the Dolomites north of Verona, one day already planned, going to a fossil museum. Maybe the second day we can plan on going for a short trip to Lake Guarda and stopping at one of the towns on the lake to enjoy the vistas there. Is there a place that may be more highly recommended?
Is there a bus or train, or will we have to rent a car to do this? We have a third day to spend just in Verona.

We are staying at a lovely place in Verona that has a most beautiful view of the castle across the river, and is very close to Ponte Pietre. It seems like a good place to take an afternoon of exploring where we are staying. Are there gardens there we could visit that are worth seeing?

Re Alps: I wish we had more time to spend in the Alps, but at least we get to spend a few days in the Alps! Best of all we will be with our old friends from France again after 12 years, which is already way more than we had ever hoped or dreamed.