An Italian Itinerary

(Last Updated On: October 13, 2019)
When in Rome, will there be sufficient time in your itinerary for all of your must-sees? Photo credit: Michael Ciavardini

When in Rome, will there be sufficient time in your itinerary for all of your must-sees? Photo credit: Michael Ciavardini

Any vacation in Italy is only hampered by time and by goals: how much and how many you have. Some may prefer to take a religious pilgrimage of sorts, others might prefer learning about ancient life or about art during the Renaissance. Some might seek some romance, or look for family roots, or indulge in fashion. Others go to eat, drink, sit out in the sun. Only one thing is sure: There is never enough time, and you must go back. Below are three itineraries I have taken on various kinds of trips.

Ambitious Itinerary: 10 Days of Intensity

Destinations: Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Florence, Pisa, Venice

Fellow Traveler: The Brawny Sherpa

Overview: This was the Brawny Sherpa’s first visit to Italy, so we included his must-see, Pompeii, on a tightly planned trip. Flying in to Rome, we took a day trip to Pompeii and Naples, then traveled to Florence, Pisa, and Venice by high-speed train. We visited a lot in our week and a half away with the result that art, by the end of our journey, became a bit overwhelming. But we managed to get to all of our intended sights! This trip required precision planning to plot out our route and our daily itinerary to make sure everything would be open on the day we would be there.

Notable Omission: Milan

Ambitious Highlight: Pompeii, Murano

Will you determine the right mix of art, history, and gelato on your trip to Italy? Photo credit: Michael Ciavardini

Will you determine the right mix of art, history, and gelato on your trip to Italy? Photo credit: Michael Ciavardini

Less Hectic Itinerary: A More Relaxed Two Weeks

Destinations: Venice, Florence, Rome

Fellow Traveler: The Youthful Adventurer

Overview: Landing in Venice and taking a boat to Piazza San Marco was a magical journey for a 13-year-old on his first trip to Europe. We mixed visits to museums and churches with frequent breaks for pizza, gnocchi, and gelato. With a bit of time to indulge, we were able to take long walks through the cities and visit parks. This wasn’t quite the whirlwind tour that the shorter 10 days of intensity visit was.

Notable Omission: Pompeii

Ambitious Highlight: Murano

Will sufficient time and ambition allow you to see all that you came to see in Italy? Photo credit: Michael Ciavardini

Will sufficient time and ambition allow you to see all that you came to see in Italy? Photo credit: Michael Ciavardini

Time to Drift Intinerary: A One-Month Immersion

Destinations: Rome, Naples, Palermo, Messina, Reggio di Calabria, Salerno, Sorrento, Pompeii, Rome, Perugia, Siena, San Gimignano, Florence, Lake Garda, Lake Maggiore, Milan

Fellow Traveler: Just myself for the first half, where I headed south from Rome and made my way back to the capital; a law school friend joined me for my trip north from Rome.

Overview: A little present to myself after graduating from law school and taking the bar exam, I was roughing it in Rome and carrying a backpack. After the first few days in Rome, I took a train to Naples, then boarded a ferry headed toward Sicily for my visit to Palermo. From there, I made my way, slowly, back to Rome where my friend joined me and we rented a car for the rest of our journey, which involved sightseeing mixed with plenty of wine and swimming. Even with four weeks to indulge, I didn’t manage to see nearly as much as I had wanted to. But this was a life-changing trip where I learned I could travel on my own in a country whose language I did not understand.

Notable Omissions: Capri, Pisa, Venice

Ambitious Highlights: Hadrian’s Villa and Villa d’Este in Tivoli near Rome, Riace bronzes in Reggio Calabria

—Lori Tripoli

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