Good Day! My son (age 11) and I (older than 11 :) are wondering if we should try to fit Dublin/Cork and Milan/Rome/Cinque Terre (?) in the same 2 week trip in mid-late June. We also want to fit a day trip to Naples in as well. Is this too agressive based on travel times and cost? We'd like to see more than one country, and Ireland and Italy have always been on our list, but if you have other suggestions, we'd love to hear them.
Thanks very much!
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32222 posts
Jim,
With careful planning, it would be possible to fit both Ireland and Italy into one two week visit. Of course, you'd only have time to visit a limited number of locations. Using open-jaw flights would ABSOLUTELY be the best idea, regardless of cost!!!
Mid-late June is a great time to travel, but that's at the end of the spring shoulder season, moving into the peak travel season so pre-booking Hotels would be a good idea.
I'd suggest dropping Milan from the list, unless you have a specific reason for visiting there (ie: The Last Supper). Florence or Venice would be much better choices, but that will depend on your interests.
Given the fact that you want to visit more locations in Italy than Ireland, you'll need to divide your time accordingly (less time in Ireland).
One method I'd consider would be to start in Dublin, travel to Cork by train (about 2H:53M from Dublin Heuston) and then fly from Cork to Rome / FCO to continue your trip. AFAIK, Aer Lingus is the only airline operating on that route, but if you book early enough the prices should be reasonable (be sure to read the "Terms & Conditions" carefully).
When you arrive in Italy, you can have a brief look at Rome (day trip to Naples), travel to (for example) Florence, Cinque Terre and then fly home from Milan / MXP.
A day trip from Rome to Naples is certainly possible, as the trip is only 1H:10M each way via EuroStar Italia / Alta Velocita trains. It would be a good idea to pre-plan how you'll be getting about in Naples once you arrive at Napoli Centrale. You might want to check the "Italy 2011" Guidebook for tips on the Taxi's in Naples.
Good luck with your planning!
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
524 posts
A few years ago we stayed a week in Pedona (served by the Pisa airport) and then flew from Pisa to Dublin for a week. It was super easy. Flew RyanAir for the flight from Pisa to Dublin. So, visiting both countries in two weeks is certainly do-able. How much you take on in each country is another issue.
Posted by
Newburyport, MA
683 posts
With such a short stay, why waste time in Ireland?
Posted by
Phoenix, AZ, USA
1035 posts
"With such a short stay, why waste time in Ireland?"
Ireland is far from a waste of time. The pull of Ireland on many of us is real and hard to explain. It is a special place. The pull seems to be especially strong in those of us (40 million Americans and millions more in Canada) who have some ancestral ties.
Italy and Ireland make a nice contrast. There are some similarities that may not be initially obvious.
Think about minimizing time in Irish cities and maximize time in the countryside. Flip it in Italy. Maybe save CT for another trip.
Posted by
Washington, DC
48 posts
Personally I think you are trying to fit too much in a short period of time but I'm sure its doable. Have you tried using one of the online sites to figure out cost and times? I like to use www.europeandestinations.com to plan trips just to get an idea of cost and time.
Posted by
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
322 posts
It's been ten years since I was at the Science Museum in Milan (the DaVinci museum), so things may have changed. Based on my experience, I don't think it is worth going to Milan just for that unless one of you is a true science and Leonardo freak. There were only a couple of rooms specifically devoted to Leonardo. If you are super committed, then you have to spend more time in Milan so you can also see the horse constructed on his plans, the Last Supper, and Sforza Castle.
Posted by
OP
Philadelphia, PA, USA
21 posts
Thanks for all of the info. The draw to Milan was the DaVinci Museum. Has anyone been?
It does sound like we may be spending much of our time traveling - I'm going to discuss this with my son before we make any additional plans.
Thanks again!
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9103 posts
My experience is the same regarding Milan's Science Museum. For the most part it's geared mostly to children, and has limited appeal for Adults. Also, a lot of the exhibits don't have English translations. Having said that there is a full sized submarine in it's courtyard. The exhibit explaining how they got this submarine through the streets of Milan was interesting:)
Posted by
OP
Philadelphia, PA, USA
21 posts
HK and Michael,
Thanks very much for the info on the museum!
I'll discuss with my son, but it sounds like we may pass in favor of spending some time in the countryside.