Must see in Italy

[ARareKindaBear]

Planning a trip to Italy early next year. Was going to do a driving road trip but on second thoughts might just rely on their trains instead.

What MUST we see in Italy? We have already seen Venice and Rome. Will be going back to Venice but happy to skip Rome this time!

I’d like to see:
Lake Garda
Florence
Pisa
Naples + Pompei
Sorrento

Corleone (Sicily, I’m a godfather fan 😂)

am I missing any must see places here? Any advice on how to reach each of these places? The train from Naples to Sicily is telling me 12 hour journey!!?

Lakes Maggiore and Como, Amalfi coast, Cinque Terre, Siena, Volterra

You've got the main ones, I would add
Lake Como
Positano
Tyrol mountains
Tuscany (Siena)

How long do you have - as that will make a big difference. The Godfather wasn't filmed in Corleone but in Savoca and other villages near Taormina. You can do a tour. Where are you travelling from and what sort of things do you like - historical sights vs nature sort of thing?

Naples and Pompeii - add Herculaneum
Sorrento - hmm - Amalfi coast is madly busy but beautiful. Capri/Ischia/Procida
Lake Maggiore - Stresa and the Borromean Islands
Bellagio and Villa Balbienello on Lake Como
Sirmione on Lake Garda
Pisa - I'd swerve personally
Cinque Terre and Portofino
Matera
Alberobello and Ostuni
Polignaro sul Mare
Tropea

You could get a 1 country interail pass - have a look at Seat61.com

Verona. Fabulous city and amazing amphitheatre.

There used to be a great pen shop there. I love pens. I don't know if it's still there though.

It is a short train ride from Lake Garda if you are going there. Love Lake Garda.

If you have kids there is a great theme park called Garda Land. Good day out. If you can afford it buy the fast passes. It is really worth it.

Have fun.

The train from Naples to Sicily is telling me 12 hour journey!!
It depends where you're going in Sicily! It's under 6 hours to get to Messina.

Alberobello
Lecce
Dolomites
Bellagio
Verona
Maggiore
52 tunnels if you fancy a little hike

Can you fly into north of italy, and fly out of the south?

So fly into venice, 1 or 2 days there. Then train to florence.

Book accommodation in Florence (pisa is a 1hr train ride away, you'll only need half a day to do leaning tower).

Then train florence to Rome. Or skip rome and train to naples. Do pompeii (and herculaneum if you really love archaeology).

Then head further south. Fly back home from somewhere.

As said skip Pisa..go to Florence and Siena which is worth seeing.
The trains are very cheap..not fancy but cheap.

Ravello on the Amalfi coast (and Amalfi)
Verona
Pompeii

Thanks for the recommendations.

So I’m thinking:

Fly to Venice (stay 2 nights)
train to lake Garda (stay 3 nights)
train to Florence (stay 3 nights - day trip to Pisa)
Train to Siena (stay 2 nights)
train to Naples - Pompei - Herculaneum - Capri - Ravello

so staying around Naples area for around a week? Or is that too much?

Rome??? The Collisseum, Pantheon and Forum; Trevi Fountain, St Peter's and Swiss Guard (I'd skip the Vatican personally), Villa Borghese. And much more.

Sorry, didn't read OP. It is early!!

Another one suggesting you skip Pisa.

If you look on Iplayer,Clive Myrie did a multi part travel programme through Italy. I was watching it last night. He stayed in a rock house in Matera.

If you're going to
Pisa and Florence add Lucca and Siena

Lake Como and a trip to Bellagio.

This was our view over Lago di Como in April 💗

You could stay a few nights in Naples and a few on one of the islands. Capri supposed to be fab once the day-trippers have gone home. And I love Ischia.

Pompeii and Herculaneum
Siena
Make sure you visit a terme - a thermal bath. There are lots of hotels with termes attached (in Tuscany esp - look at Raploano) - and your skin will thank me ;-)

Sorrento is nice and also add vesuvius - so you can say you've visited a live volcano. Great view too

Siena is lovely, very pretty and has enough decent restaurants.
Florence was wonderful when I went quite a long time ago.
Pisa is definitely worth a half day visit - yes, it’s very touristy but the tower itself is an incredible sight, I couldn’t believe how much it actually leans!

You can easily do both Pompeii and Herculaneum from Sorrento. Simple train journey stops at both.

Pop across to Capri by fast cat, spend some time around Capri town but also do the Blue Grotto boat trip from the harbour. Hire a little motorboat and sail around the island. Catch a bus to Anacapri as I think it's better, and less touristy than Capri town itself.