How to spend 17days in Italy ? Any Suggestions?

Lots of good suggestions above...

Yes, November can be wet and cold, but Italy anytime is wonderful. I
think you need a minimum of 5 days each in Rome and Florence--
especially in November, because there are many indoor activities here.
(You could divide your time just between these two, and have a fine
trip if you love art, architecture and history.)
Venice is an experience and not to be missed, but I think you can
enjoy it in 3 days. It doesn't have the density of sites you find in
Rome and Florence.

For these 3 cities, don't get a car. You can easily get between them
by train, and around them on foot or by public transport.

When in Florence, you can rent a car and do either day trips (if you
don't want the hassle of changing hotels) to Siena and San Gimingnano.
Public transportation to these places is not as easy...but there are
tour companies who do day tours from Florence, too. Or you could
stay a couple nights in in one of these smaller Tuscan towns.

And from Rome there are lots of side trips, too. Pompeii and
Herculaneum are perhaps easiest by car. If you picked up a car in
Rome, you could leave early one morning, see Pompeii and perhaps
Herculaneum (for the hard core history buff), then stay for a night or
two in Sorrento. From Sorrento you can take the ferry to Capri (one
day) or drive down the Amalfi cost to Ravello/Positano (one day).

My other favorite day trip from Rome is Orvieto, which is on the train
line between Rome and Florence. Perhaps you could see it on your way
to Florence, but I'm not sure what you would do with your luggage.
(No luggage check facility in Orvieto--it's too small!)

Of course there are other lovely towns-- Perugia, Assisi...or farther
afield Urbino (fabulous but hard to get to without a car) But I'd save
these for subsequent trips. If you try to cram all of this in, you
won't have time to savor and enjoy the places you are in....

(6656) wrote in message . com...
We have about 16 to 17 days to spare in Italy and this is our first
visit there. We know this is not enough to see Italy but like to
obtain from the board what are the important areas to see for a first
timer. What we have in mind is a budget holiday.

We are coming from Singapore. We would prefer to drive when required
and take the trains/bus if that are cheaper or better option. (Have
driven in the EU countries before).

Our interests are to see the historical stuff and the scenery and the
usual key locations. We are planning to go in early Nov.

Any suggestions on how many nites we should spent in each city?

In article , 6656
wrote:

We have about 16 to 17 days to spare in Italy and this is our first
visit there. We know this is not enough to see Italy but like to
obtain from the board what are the important areas to see for a first
timer. What we have in mind is a budget holiday.


Just came back from the following itinerary. A llittle hurried at
times, but enjoyable nonetheless.

3 days in Rome, rent car on your way out of Rome
Drove to Orvieto, slept in Siena
Drive around Tuscany, slept in Greve (Chianti)
Drive to Florence, return car, 2 days in Florence
Train to Cinque Terre, slept in Vernazza (train)
Train to Venice, with stop in Pisa
3 days in Venice
Train to Milan, leave Italy

Weather was great, except 1 day in Florence and 1 in Venice (which got
Flooded).

Unforgetable trip, had a great time. Good luck and enjoy!

Saludos,

Miguel


We are coming from Singapore. We would prefer to drive when required
and take the trains/bus if that are cheaper or better option. (Have
driven in the EU countries before).

Our interests are to see the historical stuff and the scenery and the
usual key locations. We are planning to go in early Nov.

Any suggestions on how many nites we should spent in each city?

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Change hotmail.com to mac.com if you want to send email.

On Thu, 30 Oct 2003, Miguel Palacios wrote:

3 days in Rome, rent car on your way out of Rome
Drove to Orvieto, slept in Siena

can do the same thing by train, not sure whether it's better to stop in
Orvieto and continue the next day

Drive around Tuscany, slept in Greve (Chianti)
Drive to Florence, return car, 2 days in Florence

can probably do by public transport, surely by train according to
some other itinerary (e.g. Siena-Grosseto-Piombino, ferry to Elba, stay
there, ferry back, Piombino-Pisa-Florence)

Train to Cinque Terre, slept in Vernazza (train)

The five towns of Cinque Terre are actually connected only by train or
footpaths.

Train to Venice, with stop in Pisa

I question the route. wouldnt be simpler to go over La Spezia,
Pontremoli and Parma or Bologna ?

3 days in Venice
Train to Milan, leave Italy

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"Chessie" wrote in message
om...

When in Florence, you can rent a car and do either day trips (if you
don't want the hassle of changing hotels) to Siena and San Gimingnano.
Public transportation to these places is not as easy...but there are
tour companies who do day tours from Florence, too.

The road from Florence that connects to the expressway to Siena is a mess --
traffic is hellish, directional signs are hard to find, the whole thing is a
major hassle even for residents. The bus runs from across from the Florence
train station to the center of Siena, will go faster than a car that you
drive because they know the way and can bully their way thru things. Even
the local, usually packed with schoolkids at certain times of day, is
preferable to a car. The bus stop in Siena, on the way home, is a long
section of the street -- watch carefully for your bus, because they rarely
stop where the signs say they should.

Lots of busses to the the very popular San Gimingnano.
rjf