Over December, my wife and I will be taking a dream trip for us for about 16 days in Spain and Italy. Here is our rough itinerary.
Friday Dec 19 Fly to Barcelona
Saturday Dec 20 Arrive in Barcelona mid-day
Sunday Dec 21 Barcelona
Monday Dec 22 Barcelona
Tuesday Dec 23 AM Flight to Venice/Venezia
Wednesday Dec 24 Venice/Venezia PM Train to Vernazza – 394 Kilometers
Thursday Dec 25 Vernazza
Friday Dec 26 AM Train to Florence/Firenze – 179 Kilometers
Saturday Dec 27 Florence/Firenze
Sunday Dec 28 Florence/Firenze PM Train to Siena – 75 Kilometers
Monday Dec 29 Siena – Il Campo, full day in Siena
Tuesday Dec 30 AM Train to Assisi (126 Kilometers)– Franciscan Monks PM Train to Naples – 385 Kilometers
Wednesday Dec 31 Pompeii / Sorrento – Castle Nuovo + Vesuvius/Pompeii + Beach
Thursday Jan 1 Naples/Napoli / Pompeii / Sorrento PM Train to Rome – 227 Kilometers
Friday Jan 2 Rome – Vatican City – St. Peters Basilica, Dome Climb, Sistine Chapel
Saturday Jan 3 Rome – walk the city
Sunday Jan 4 AM Flight to America out of Rome
Is this doable and enjoyable?
Anything that we must see in these cities? Recommendations for places to stay or eat?
I think you are trying to do too much. Especially Dec 31st/Jan 1st.
Something needs to be dropped somewhere.
Additionally,
I wouldn’t recommend a “dream trip” to Italy and Spain in December (especially not to Vernazza). Can you postpone it to April or May? Or move it up to October or September? September would be ideal.
I agree with luv, December is hardly the time for a dream trip. I would definitely cut out Vernazza which will probably be deserted, cold and damp.
Also I would definitely slow it down a bit. Try a few days in Barcelona, a few days in Rome, a couple of days in Venice, Florence, Siena, Assisi, and do Pompeii and Naples on an overnight.
So fly to Barcelona 3 days
fly to Venice 2 days
train to Florence 2 days
train to Siena 2 days
train to Assisi 2 days
train to Rome 3 days
train to Naples/Pompeii 1 day
train to Rome fly home
I know December is not ideal, but it’s that or wait several years. Our jobs and personal life will only allow this window to take an extended trip. Otherwise, we’d be looking at a week or less. So, this will still have to work. Good to hear about Vernazza. It looks beautiful, but if it’s closed down and cold, maybe not ideal. How does this look for a revised schedule?
Day 1: Friday Dec 19 Fly to Barcelona
Day 2: Saturday Dec 20 Arrive in Barcelona mid-day
Day 3: Sunday Dec 21 Barcelona
Day 4: Monday Dec 22 Barcelona
Day 5: Tuesday Dec 23 AM Flight to Venice/Venezia
Day 6: Wednesday Dec 24 Venice/Venezia PM Train to Florence/Firenze
Day 7: Thursday Dec 25 Florence/Firenze – Christmas in Florence
Day 8: Friday Dec 26 Florence/Firenze
Day 9: Saturday Dec 27 Florence/Firenze
Day 10: Sunday Dec 28 Florence/Firenze
Day 11: Monday Dec 29 AM Train/Bus to Siena – Il Campo & explore the city
Day 12: Tuesday Dec 30 Siena – PM Train to Rome
Day 13: Wednesday Dec 31 Rome – New Year’s in Rome
Day 14: Thursday Jan 1 Rome
Day 15: Friday Jan 2 Rome – Day Trip to Pompeii/ Possible Overnight in Sorrento/Naples
Day 16: Saturday Jan 3 Rome
Day 17: Sunday Jan 4 AM Flight to US
This is going to require some extra planning. Everything will be closed on Christmas day and New Years Day. There may also be significantly reduced service for trains, public transit, etc. on the eves — particularly Christmas eve. I’d suggest buying your train tickets in advance (or at least checking the schedules). The schedules should be available 60 days in advance. Use the German rail site http://reiseauskunft… to check schedules anywhere in Europe and www.trenitalia.com (the Italian rail company site) to buy tickets for trains in Italy. I would definitely sign up at trenitalia.com to get an ID and password before I left home. There may not even be any staff in your hotel, so plan ahead with food, etc. as you probably won’t find any restaurants open or any taxi’s on the street.
I’d try for an extra day in Rome. I don’t know how much you’ll be able to see and do on January 1 as there will be little, if any, public transit available and most things will be closed — although you can still stroll around. 2 days in Rome plus the day trip to Pompeii (I’d stop at Herculeneum, too) is the absolute minimum, IMO.
Thanks for all the input…all this planning is a tricky business! We’ve gotten some mixed information on the availability of trains/public transit on Christmas/Eve/New Years. Can anyone share their experience or knowledge on this?
The German rail link and Trenitalia show train times for December 13, 2008, which is apparently the last day before a schedule change. Usually new schedules are posted 90 days in advance (even if you can’t buy tickets until 60 days), so you should be able to check schedules and have some idea of the situation by mid-September.
As much as I love the region, Mediterranean Europe just ain’t at its best in winter. Of course, the final decision is up to you, but since your travel/vacation time is so limited, have you considered exploring another part of the world during that time of the year? Maybe Brazil and Argentina? Or Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam? Maybe waiting 8 years to visit Med Europe during the spring, fall, or summer time would be worth the wait. Of course, this is my opinion. Some people prefer going when they are practically the only tourists there. But in my opinion, the atmosphere in Med Europe during the warmer [and drier] months (April-October) just can’t be compared to anything else in the world.
Since you’re going to go anyways: have you thought about allocating more time to Spain? Now that you’ve cut out Cinque Terre (and possibly Sorrento too), maybe squeeze in Madrid? If there’s a time of year for doing strictly big cities, it would be winter time.