re: 12 Days in Italy

It's a better and healthier way to eat. American portions and dinners are ridiculous. It's no wonder that we're such an obese country.

If you visit any small towns or villages and eat there you're probably in for a treat. The food tends to be cheap and very good. When at a restaurant just order the table wine. There's no need to look at a wine list as the regional table wines are very good.

That is perfect if you have to fly out of Rome. Only problem is that you are backtracking on your ground travel - south to north to back south.

I just got back Sunday. We could not find a deal on the flights because we flew in to Florence and out of Venice - two airports that are not major hubs. A couple of years ago we flew in to Naples and went to the Amalfi Coast first then headed north.

My wife wants to do 3 nights in Rome, 2 nights in Cinque Terre, 2 nights in Florence, and 2 nights in Venice.

I think we should cut out CT and do it next time but she’s pretty adamant.

That's the same that I would say. Pick 2 main cities and make day trips from there. We did Rome and Venice. Took trips to Florence and Tuscany.

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Bump! adding to my previous thread instead of starting a new one..

We have one extra day in Italy that is not accounted for thus far. 4 days in Rome, 4 days in Florence and 4 days in Naples/Sorrento area.

I am trying to figure if i should give the extra day to another city in the south, or return to Rome with one last day to walk around, eat, redo something we enjoyed, etc... before flying home. Thoughts plz

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Are you flying home from Rome? Or flying home from Naples?

You’ve got to be in Rome the night before you fly out.....is that the option vs taking the train from the south directly to the airport? No way I would do that.

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Sell me on Venice.

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I wouldn't spend more than two days/one night in Venice. I just got back and was kind of disappointed. It was cool to see, but it looked all the same, no matter where you went. It's just one big tourist trap. I never felt unsafe or anything, just bored with it after the second day

I would do like a few people have already suggested, stay in Florence and take day trips, or over night trips to different places (Venice for one of them).

Pisa is just a small town with a leaning tower. I did what a local told me to do, get off the train, go see the tower and then get back on the train. There is not much else to do there (according to the Florence local).
I did that on my way to Cinque Terre. I would recommend spending at least one night there, it is simply beautiful. They have some GREAT restaurants, beaches, and exploring there.

If/when I go back, I plan to use two jump off points, Rome & Florence.

From Rome, you can hit Naples, Pompeii, and the Amalfi Coast.

From Florence, you can hit Venice, Cinque Terre, & the Tuscany hills.


Here is a photo I took at Cinque Terre's Riomaggiore, the first of five villages (Cinque Terre is Italian for Five Lands). We had planned to take a short $4 train ride to another one of the lands, but at the last minute, the train was cancelled due to a strike.

We paid $800 for RT Biz tickets from LFT -> FCO. That’s covered lol