Italy in April

1,917 Views | 13 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Crazy Ag 97
BR 12
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AG
Hi all, my wife and I will be spending about 10 days in Italy at the end of April. We're flying in and out of Rome and we're thinking of doing a pretty even split of Rome, Florence, and Positano/Amalfi coast. Will likely Airbnb it and take a train between the cities.

Any must-do's or yours while we're there?
TXCityAggie
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AG
Sounds like a fun trip. Try to squeeze in at least a day trip to Siena while you are in Florence. Also, we spent an afternoon in Naples on our way to the Amalfi Coast. Best pizza we had in Italy! There is a bag check in the Naples train station.
Cedar Bayou Ag
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AG
in regards to Rome, try to hit up the Trastevere district. Very cool little section that most folks don't utilize to their fullest.. also, try hit up most establishments for aperitivo time.. wish i could go today back to Italy..
HHAG
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AG
You are good on the train (unless they are on strike) from Rome in both directions, it goes to Firenze and also to Salerno, which is pretty close to Positano. This is the high speed line (Pendulino) and it is a couple of hours from Rome to Firenze and about the same to Salerno, although I think you still have to connect in Napoli...

You can catch the Circumvesuviano train in a number of different communes just north of Positano. It's a slow train that will take you to Pompei and Herculaneum, or if you are so inclined, to Napoli. Pompei is a can't miss, it's awesome, Herculaneum as well.. A lot of the relics have been moved to the museum in Napoli, but just walking around the two dead cities is fantastic. I am not a fan of Napoli, I have been there twice and both times were kind of awful due to pickpockets, beggars and overall filth.

Firenze is worthy of several days. I would suggest to spend most of your time there. Head to the city center and just walk around. Check out the Galleria Uffizi, L'Accademia, the Medici Palace, the Boboli Gardens... Climb the stairs in the Duomo and check out the incredible artwork there. Don't wear shorts or have bare shoulders or you will not be let in. We have always stayed at the Hilton Metropole. Good location and a free shuttle to the city center.

Rome is good, but so crowded. If you go to the Vatican, be prepared to fight Chinese tourists tor space the entire time.

Lots of great restaurants, too many to mention. Take cash. Lots of Euros, as the credit card machine will probably not be working... Don't know why, but in Southern Italy, they never do.

Buon viaggieo!
90 bull
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AG
https://abnb.me/i6oqH8pNYU

This is the Airbnb we had in Trastevere. The tram stop is right in front of the building. Great location.
SwissAgg
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AG


Pompeii and Herculaneum were two of my favorite places to visit. As HHAG mentioned, Naples is a dump, but the National Museum of Archeology is really cool and in Napoli. Many relics from Pompeii and Herculaneum are there.
Texas Ag Mom
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We stayed here in Florence. It was a good location.
https://www.firenzerentals.com/apartments/suite-cavour/
BR 12
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AG
Thanks so much for the recs! Is it generally an easy trip if we wanted to do a day trip from Positano to some of those other places? I feel like that area will be a lot less busy and we'll have more time than Rome and Florence will be.
TXCityAggie
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AG
BR 12 said:

Thanks so much for the recs! Is it generally an easy trip if we wanted to do a day trip from Positano to some of those other places? I feel like that area will be a lot less busy and we'll have more time than Rome and Florence will be.
I would hit up Pompei on your way to or from the Amalfi Coast. We stopped on our way back to Rome after a few days in Sorrento. There was a place to check your bags, and the stop for Pompei is on the Circumvesuviana rail line.
Rexter
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You can hit Minori, Maiori, Positano, Sorrento, and Amalfi all by boat.

When we were in Minori, there was a sidewalk cafe directly across the street from the pier. Excellent food. Really nice owner that would talk if you want to. The first question he asked when we told him where we were from was "How big is your ranch?"

My son was posted in Vicenza so we did a 3 week tour.
Arrived in Milan and then went to Rapallo, Pisa, Rome, Sorrento, Minori, Venice, and Vicenza.
eiggA2002
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AG
I'm going to throw a tip out there that has made our last couple of trips a little bit more enjoyable. We did a similar trip last April to Florence, Montepulciano, and Rome. Are you flying from Dallas/Houston?

Instead of arriving in Rome and starting your trip there, think about beginning in Florence or Amalfi and ending the trip with a few days in Rome.

Since our flight from DFW arrived early in Rome at 7:00am (there is a train station in the airport) we decided to go directly to Florence with a change at either Termini or Tiburtina Station (depending on which train you take). We were in Florence by 10:00am and we started our trip there. We did the rest of the trip and ended in Rome with four days without having to hurry back to Rome on our last day. Overall, we gave up about 2 hours to gain at least a half-day if not more.

To each his own, but it helps you avoid the last day of the trip beatdown of traveling back to your departure city and wasting part of it on a train, and checking into a hotel, etc. Obviously this doesn't work as well if you arrive late in the day or have a really long train ride, but all of your destinations are less than 3 hours with Florence only being 1.5 hours.
Texaggie7nine
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I did a long write up on Florence after I got back on this thread

https://texags.com/forums/54/topics/2628346/replies/43107368

If I were you, I would spend as many days there as I could.
7nine
BSD
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AG
Easter in Florence is amazing. There is a huge festival at the Duomo.
agmom95
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AG
Pompeii and Sorrento were our favorite.
Crazy Ag 97
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AG
We did Florence last year and Sorennto, Positano, Rome this year and it is all amazing. You will have a great trip. The comment above about ending the trip in your departure city was spot on. Let me know if you want any restaurant info for any of them.

FYI - the only way to get to the Positano/Amalfi Coast is by automobile or by sea. There are lots of options via shuttles, cabs, private tranfers, etc, but the trains don't go to the Coast. Sorrento is the only town you can access via train, and if you do, check the schedules and try to catch the Express (not the Direct), it will save you 20 minutes.
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