10 days in Italy over Easter - where to go?

[bookwormsforever]

We’re thinking about catching the sleeper to Milan, then the train to Venice, Rome, Naples (for Pompeii and sorrento). Booking oartments and staying a couple of nights in each.

Would anyone recommend any other cities? What is sorrento like? Anyone been to Pompeii? Is it better to book tours etc when there, or book them in the UK first?

Italy is one of my favourite places. We did 10 days in the summer in the north.

Started with 3 days/2 night in Venice. I think a day in Venice is enough. We much preferred our day on the Venetian Islands - Murano, Burano and Torcello. We then stayed 2 nights in Florence. Again, didn’t feel rushed. Florence was much more touristy than Venice. Lots of street hawkers and huge guided tours. From Florence we did 2 nights in the Cinque Terre, stopping at Pisa on the way, then finished with 4 nights in Lake Garda.

Our DC’s are a few years younger than yours and get bored if we spend too long in one place. We stayed in a mixture of hotels and campsites so had pools etc for a bit of relaxation as well as sightseeing.

YankeeZulu totally agree about Venice. We went to Venice for a day on our honeymoon because well Venice.

Fought for a square foot of space in the boiling sun on St Marks Square and then DH, who had been before said 'this is rubbish' because it was, and we went to the Burano and Torcello and it was lovely.

Went back for a proper break a few years later and made sure we went in October.

Agree that lots of Italy is best out of season. Our summer holiday was scorching! It’s hard when you’ve only got school holidays to play with. We went to Rome a few years ago in November. We were all in T-shirt’s and didn’t queue for anything. Everyone said before we went it would take us hours to get tickets for everything. It didn’t. Was a great holiday and started my love affair with Italy.

Yes, we had a lovely break in Umbria one August and all the Umbrians were complaining about the terrible cold summer and how it was wiping out their olive oil crop.

On the other hand, it was perfect weather for a Brit holiday.

Unlike the week of 40 degree heat in Emilia spent dashing from one patch of not v shady shade to the next. It genuinely was mad dogs and Englishmen.

Right. Have had a rethink. Think we will do northern Italy - Venice, Verona, Lake Como/Garda - and perhaps do southern Italy next year.

Lake Como or Garda? Both look lovely.

I want to see Roman ruins and historical stuff, stroll around, take in the atmosphere. Like the sound of the hot springs at Lake Garda and the gardens. DD likes cities and history and shops. DS likes history but loves mountains and being outside. We all like hiking.

I can’t comment on Lake Como as I haven’t been but there’s lots to do around Lake Garda. Sirmione is a lovely town with a medieval castle and there is a cable car at Monte Bardo. Once at the top there are lovely views and walks. I recall there being some sort of castle on Torcello in Venice and can’t recommend it, alone with Murano and Burano, enough. Verona is nice for a day trip. Not loads to do although there is an amphitheater and, of course, Juliet’s balcony.

Pompeii/Herculaneum and Vesuvius are well worth going to. Naples - apart from the archeological museum and some bits around the royal place is a dump. It's very unclean and I'm afraid teeming with pickpockets, friend was robbed when we went in October. In particular the area around the central station - they like to target the area as its where most tourists come in from the airport and aren't paying attention. On the plus side - it does have some bloody good pizzerias.

Near Venice my family are from Ferreira it's beautiful and full of history. Castle with a moat, palace.