Two weeks in Italy in September WWYD?

[OhCheesus]

Would probably be the last two weeks. Keen to see a few sights but also do bugger all on quite a few of the days! Don't have a huge budget. Just me and DP, no kids.

Any suggestions at all appreciated. What would you do?

Me and DH have had 3 fabulous holidays to Italy now. We don't have kids and also did each one on public transport (if you have a car then even better)

1st hol - flew into Rome and spent 2 nights there. Then took train to naples. Then spent some time around the amalfi coast and stayed in a Campsite near sorrento (in a chalet/Lodge) which was beautiful. Visited pompeii and capri. Then back up to naples and Rome.

2nd hol - flew into into venic and spent 2 nights there. Then train to verona for the night. Then coach to lake garda where we spent around 7 nights in two locations. Then train to Milan for 1 night. Flew back from Milan.

3rd hol - flew into bologna for 1 night. Then train to Florence for 2 nights. Then bus to a Campsite in the chianti region for a few nights... Then train to siena.. Then a coach, two trains, bus and a ferry to island of elba. Then back to Rome for flight home.

All three were in the 1st 2 weeks of September.

Absolutely loved them all!

I’m flying to Rome for 3 nights then train to Cinque Terre for 3 nights then Florence for 2 and Venice for 1 before leaving for Eastern Europe.

Thank you so much both!

Your trips sound perfect @cluecu

Have done Venice, Verona and Lake Garda in one trip and can highly recommend it!

Also Parma-Bologna-Florence-Pisa, again so much to see but can be as chilled as you want. Particularly good area if you like foody stuff!

Ohcheesus have you been to anywhere in Italy before and do you have a preference for types of sights you'd like to see? Will you have a car?

I've been twice. Once just for a few days, and we visited Florence, Sienna and a couple of other places (different man!)

And I spent a couple of nights in Rome last year on my own - didn't do much though, just the colleseum, did a food tour. Stayed out of town.

DP loves Italy and has been to Naples, Sorrento, Sicily.

We're maybe fancying the north - we like barolo wine!

Oh, and not committed to any particular sights. Just happy to 'be' there. As I said I'd like a bit of lazing around.

Can have a car. DP doesn't drive which is a massive pain but I know it'll make it a lot easier

I would then recommend similar to my Lake garda one then as you get to see Venice, verona and Milan but also plenty of downtime around lake garda. I've not been to the other lakes there but I'm sure they're also fabulous, I just know that the public transport situation makes this journey pretty easy.

Also I don't know where you're based but I was able to find cheap flights into Venice and out of Milan.

Happy to answer any questions and I'm sure you'll get loads of other ideas too

We did a similar trip to Cleucu's Lake Garda one...it was fabulous! All by rail (Seat61 website www.seat61.com/ ), going first to Paris on Eurostar, then to Zurich. We travelled on the Bernina Express (amazing) to Tirano, then to Milan and Lake Garda...stayed in Peschiera del Garda at this hotel, overlooking the lake. Would recommend. Very easy to take buses to beautiful places around the lake, like Sirmione and Malcesine, and to Verona. www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g635642-d1051709-Reviews-Hotel_San_Marco-Peschiera_del_Garda_Province_of_Verona_Veneto.html#photos;aggregationId=101&albumid=101&filter=7&ff=313384516
Train to Venice then back to Paris and home...if you have never been to Venice, it is worth spending some time there...such a magical, memorable place. A few years ago we combined flights to Italy with rail travel between cities...that worked really well too. Travelling by train is very relaxing, and you see so much looking out of the window!