Italy proposal trip, itinerary recommendations

Fiyatoe · 21-04-2022 12:25pm #1

Hi All,

My girlfriend and I (28 and 29) are flying from Dublin in September 2022, neither of us have ever been to italy:

This is our proposed itinerary - but open to changes:

1. Fly into Bologna airport Wed 21st sept 2022 from Dublin with Ryanair /Malta air arrive at 3:30pm Italian time.

(We can’t get direct flights to Florence from Ireland). Pisa or Rome were the other closest options but times weren’t good.

2. 1hr train to Florence. Stay in Florence 2 nights, stay in Tuscany 3rd night or a day trip to wine tour or vineyard

3. Day 4 (sat 24th sept) Train from Florence to Rome (2hrs)

1 full day in Rome, stay 1-2 nights; leave at some stage Sunday/ Monday for Naples

Reason for this is that we are not city people and prefer more time at the coast/ scenic country. Not overly awed by Vatican etc, but we will stay a 2nd night if we want longer in Rome

4. After 1.5hr train from Rome to Naples Sunday evening or Monday ; we will spend the rest of our time in the area below Naples - we are hoping Capri, Sorrento; Positano, maybe amalfi/ravello but obviously not all of them

<b>Roughly it works out as 3 areas :

Florence and Tuscany 2-3 nights

Rome 1-2 nights

Amalfi coast area/ gulf of Naples and capri 4-5 nights

Then return up to Naples for flight home to Dublin Saturday 1st October at 11am </b>

We chose sorrento as our base for 5 nights over positano due to nicer accommodation with equally nice coastal views. It was almost double in positano for accom that was very basic and old. Hope it pays off and sorrento has enough to do! It’s day trip accessibility to positano etc look fine if booked in advance via ferry.

I am planning to propose in Florence to my GF of 4 years in Sept, as I read that you are apparently better to propose at the beginning of a holiday!

NSAman · 21-04-2022 12:28pm

Just be careful around train stations. Lots of gangs working around them, check you are not being followed and keep valuables safe.

Nigel Fairservice · 21-04-2022 1:07pm

You seem to be trying to pack a lot in. I have been to all those places except Ravello. Maybe cut out Rome and go there on a separate trip? Bologna is lovely and has the best food I've ever had in my life. The Emilia Romagna region is well known for its food. Bologna is definitely worth a day or two.

drunkmonkey · 21-04-2022 1:22pm

If your heading to Tuscany and like the coast i'd be wondering would you just be best off have a nice break in Elba and forget about all the other stuff.

Fiyatoe · 21-04-2022 1:36pm

Agreed about trying to pack a lot in.

were there Wednesday 21st sept - Saturday 1st oct… 10 nights

we just read that the train network is very quick and easy in Italy and most journeys aren’t too bad…

we will probably spend the full 5 nights down on the south coast and relax there without moving around too much bar a couple of day trips.

any reports on sorrento? I had heard it’s very British!! If it was like Benidorm/ Magaluf etc I’d prob give it a miss. Not that I’ve been to those places!

Nigel Fairservice · 21-04-2022 1:43pm

I stayed in Sorrento and thought it was nice, didn't get overly British vibes from it. It's a good base for places like Capri, Positano and Amalfi. Naples is very rough around the edges. It's the only city in Europe where I've felt slightly unsafe. I was staying around the train station so that probably didn’t help. It might be worth a day of you're in the area but no more. The train network in Italy is very good.

Fiyatoe · 21-04-2022 3:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118956521#Comment_118956521

Just looked it up! Looks like a beautiful little island, I’d imagine it doesn’t come with the price tag of capri either!

drunkmonkey · 21-04-2022 3:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957192#Comment_118957192

It's a beautiful place it's where Italian's would take a holiday at school break, haven't been to Capri but spent a week or so in Porto Cervo on the Costa Smerelda, now that is rediciously expensive, I might visit again on my mega yacht when i'm a billionaire.

cml387 · 21-04-2022 3:58pm

When you see Sorrento you'll want to come back for a longer stay, and I've holidayed a lot in Tuscany previously so I can compare.

It's a bit late in the year so you may get a day of rain in Tuscany.

Fiyatoe · 21-04-2022 5:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957267#Comment_118957267

Didn’t know Sardinia was expensive at all! Positano prices were crazy

Alquaa · 21-04-2022 5:55pm

I absolutely love Italy, been a few times with the other half, one week of which was a mini moon based in Florence. Bologna is a food haven, do your research and maybe it would be worth a night there and booking somewhere nice for dinner. Food tour of Bologna also highly recommended.

I have nothing but praise for the Italian train system, keep your wits about you as you would in any other train station anywhere in the world and enjoy!

Florence is beautiful plenty to see and do, it’s worth pre booking places you want to go to to avoid queues. We did a full day wine tour of Tuscany and it was amazing 3 vineyards, 9 glasses of wine amazing scenery and food. We visited an estate called rignana (look it up online) we were only sorry we hadn’t booked to stay- beautiful venue stunning wine and it might be a romantic venue to suit!

Fitting in Rome after Florence might be quite busy/tiring and may be worth deferring in favour of visiting smaller less busy cities- consider Siena for example.

I have no experience of Italy further south than Rome yet so I can’t comment on those plans. Best of Luck!!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957662#Comment_118957662

E

Montage of Feck · 21-04-2022 5:56pm

Bologna is a great city in which you'll get in most of the main attractions in a day, so why not stay there.

drunkmonkey · 21-04-2022 6:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957662#Comment_118957662

It's not just that particular stretch of the island is, probably the most expensive in Europe. We only figured that out when we arrived.

Fiyatoe · 21-04-2022 8:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957714#Comment_118957714

I just showed Fattoria de Villa rignana to the other half this evening , bravo @Alquaa!

absolutely amazing and so is that region in the chianti hills. I’m onto them emailing already about staying for a night! Thank you

Alquaa · 21-04-2022 9:48pm

Amazing I hope the booking works out, it’s on my bucket list to stay at some point! Enjoy!

Charles Babbage · 22-04-2022 12:24am

Rome wasn't seen in a day, take through train to Naples. Rome makes a good break some other time, stay in Bologna instead.

Fiyatoe · 22-04-2022 7:16am

Thanks all. Might be an idea to stay in Bologna yeah.

out it all the amalfi coast towns do you have any favourites ?

the ones I had shortlisted were amalfi, positano; ravello, capri island, but won’t do them all. Staying in sorrento which technically isn’t Amalfi coast!

don’t think I’ll bother with Salerno it’s right over at the end of the coast.

lawred2 · 22-04-2022 7:28am

Capri is overrated

Stick to the Amalfi coast.

Seeing Capri with the sun setting from Sorrento is enough for anyone to die happy. Capri to your left, Vesuvius to your right. The most amazing blue waters of the Bay of Naples.

Got married in Positano.

Living Off The Splash · 22-04-2022 7:52am

If staying in Bologna have a look at the gorgeous town of Ravenna, a short hop on the train. Rimini for a couple of nights and possibly Ferrara. Old town Rimini is nicer in my opinion than the coast.

While on the other side of Bologna there is Modena and Parma, I felt the visit was not as good as I imagined it would be.

Fiyatoe · 22-04-2022 8:10am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118959467#Comment_118959467

In what way @Living Off The Splash ?

omeara1113 · 22-04-2022 8:24am

Love Italy going to holiday this year in Sorrento have been there three times before love it

recyclops · 22-04-2022 8:32am

agree with what's said about skipping rome on this trip, It almost mirrors my honeymoon ( 4 days florence, week in a private villa in tuscany, week down around naples).

I think naples gets an awful rep but having been there a number of times its my second favourite place in Italy ( florence first) I remember speaking to a guy who I have stayed with a few times in his rented apartments and he described florence as classical music and Naples as rock and roll and it pretty much sums it up.

Sorrento is fine for a day especially if you like shops of limoncello, lots and lots of them.

I cant see any trip like that being poor its a sensational country so enjoy.

Nigel Fairservice · 22-04-2022 11:06am

You can also get the bus from Rimini to San Marino. It's a pleasant day trip.

Discod · 24-04-2022 5:59am

I absolutely love Italy 🇮🇹

See Rome in a day, two, three, week is unrealistic :)

Too much cities I guess, If you like more coastlines, it is better to fly to Naples, and then to Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi e.t.c.

Tenzor07 · 25-04-2022 11:39am

Starting in the north and doing Florence, Tuscany, Rome, Sorrento and Amalfi plus a proposal to your GF..... jeeze with so little time and so much traveling she may not give you the answer you want! :-D

With such a short time of 10 nights If I was you i'd fly into Rome, do 2 nights for a city tour of the main sights forget the Vatican unless you like standing in a queue all day.... train to Naples, 2 nights for Pizza ... train down to Salerno (as your base), day trips by boat to Amalfi, Positano...Capri.... 5 nights... train back up to Naples and fly back from there...

I've recently done 23 nights from the Italian Alps to Sicily and flew back out of Napoli and that wasn't even enough! :-D

The Nal · 11-05-2022 9:19am

Stay in Bologna! Best food you'll ever have.

Just do a day in Florence. Overrated, busy, dirty, expensive and 5 hour queues to see the dome. Bus loads of tourists everywhere. Dont bother.

Also for the wine tour, would recommend renting a car and staying in a vineyard. Around Greve in Chianti or Radda in Chianti both great spots. Miles away from anywhere and right up in the hills. Gods country. We ate in this place and I cant wait to go back to the area.

https://goo.gl/maps/MEKDWvWAyeF5VQMN6

Rome needs more time too. 2 days minimum. Especially if you havent been before.

Italy proposal trip, itinerary recommendations

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