Backpacking thru Italy?

Question

I am going to Italy for 10 days with my husband and want to hit up as much of the country as possible. We'll be driving and I figured I'd start with Venice head due west to Cinque Terre, down south toward Florence and Rome and hopefully back up the other side. I know trying to fit it all in 10 days is going to drive me insane, but what do you suggest as far as funds, nightly hotels, gas prices, typical fees for museums, vineyards (VINO!), ferry rides, etc. Would Sicily be too far? (I would love to go there since I have family from there). I appreciate any and all help!

Answer 1

u will never make it in ten days.
or if u make it u wont enjoy it as you could or should.
do u really want to spend half of the time in train stations or highways?
u better try to take it easy... that is the only way to survive in italy!
my suggestion is to choose a couple of places only and relax walking around, this will let you appreciate the country in spite of all the trouble u will find with strikes, chaos, and connections that are always late.
if u plan it out, your plans wont resist more than a couple of days!
places i suggest: cinque terre and rome.

Answer 2

The only way to do the amount of things you want to do and actually see anything would be to fly in & out of different cities - rather than trying to drive all the way back to milan - try flying out of Naples.

It's not even worth going to Italy if you aren't going to give Rome 3 days. The train from Venice to Cinque Terre is @ 3.5 hours - I really don't think you've factored in travel times to your laundry list of places. Ireland is doable in 10 days, Italy isn't. Focus on one area of the country - Within your timeframe i'd suggest: Venice, CT, Florence & Rome OR Rome, Naples, Capri & Sicily.

Another thing you don't seem to be aware of is driving over there; obviously no cars in Venice, Florence - 25 euros a day to park in lots within the city limits - and non-residents can't park on the streets and have to properally register their car (another big fee) or they get a surprise ticket from their car rental agency. Rome's regulations are little losers but still plan for an extra expense associated with your car.

Answer 3

sounds like a nice trip! but my question is, around what period of the year will you be heading? because i wanted to mention, if its going be soon, i would skip the cinque terre. i live in florence for the last 4 years and just now, the weather is getting kinda chilly and rainy. and cinque terre is more a summer spot. you can go visit the area but its not that common unless its the summer or spring.

this is what i would do if i was you and taking off during this period. i would visit venice, NO car, as its illegal to drive in venice. and spend one or two days there. from there catch a train from venince to florence, a 3 hr trip. stay in florence for a couple of days in a single hotel. car is NOT needed in florence. florence is tiny enought to visit it all by foot. stay there for a couple of days in that same hotel and while you are there, take day trips to visit the towns around florence, Sienna, Pisa, Lucca, San Gimignano...ecc..

the reason why im recommending you to stay in ONE hotel while your in flroence is because i think you would loose more money on gas driving to towns you can easily acces by train from florence and plus you would loose more precious time driving aroudn looking for one hotel to be in one town and another the next day. just stay in one and from there visit one little town are the other letting florence be the center point. like i said, sienna, pisa, san gimignano, are all towns you can visit in one single day unless yuor willing to stay longer for the love of it.

after visiting these towns, you would be left with 4 to 2 days remaining. go the train station in florence and grab the next train to rome, when you reach rome, THEN immediatly rent a car. and go in search for a hotel or if you already have one reserved. the reason why i recommend you to get the car is because rome is HUGE, very very huge and if you want to visit as much as possible in the most quickest way, then go by car.

going to sicilly, i think thats way off the time limit, unless you do 1 day in florence, 1 day in rome and go directly by car to sicilly, but it wouldnt be worht it since sicilly is large and you have to know where exactly your heading and what you want to see. besides, IF you still had the time to go a bit down south after rome, i would make a definit stop at Amalfi Coast, visit sorrento, naples, the island of capri, pompeii, amalfi, ecc...but thats an entire different trip.

hope my advice helps you!

if you have any more questions feel free to contact and ask!

Answer 4

oh wow! that'll be fun!! you should try expedia.com for hotels and go to the main tourism web site for italy.. maybe www.italy.com??? but it should tell you everything you're looking for! :)