Hi. My wife and I were in Portugal, Spain and France last September, and we found the pace a bit strenuous. For our next trip to Italy, we plan on visiting Venice, Bologna/Modena/Parma, Florence/Pisa, then Naples, the Amalfi coast and finally Rome… Yes, it seems very ambitious. Any thoughts? Our initial thoughts were 5 days in each of the 6 regions, but I’m starting to think that we’ll be running for a month solid. We would like to soak in the feelings of the areas so we are open to lightening the schedule if necessary.
Venice will probably end up being 4 days at most, and Bologna/Modena/Parma would probably be 1 day each.
Our original idea was to fly into Rome, then turn around and fly right to Venice for the 4 days, then B/M/P for a few days and onto Florence/Pisa for a week total (might be too much?), probably all with a rental car. Then take the train to Naples and rent another car there, spend 3-4 days on the Amalfi coast, a few days each in Naples and Sorrento/Capri (for another week total), then back to Rome for the last week (turning in the rental car and using local public transport).
I wonder, this is all just scheduling time right now, but we still have to schedule tours, excursions, etc. to see all the ancient monuments and modern experiences, food tours, and a bit of culture and art. And the logistics seem to be growing every time we look at the trip.
I hear that some cities have a superpass that allows skip-the-line access to some places, as well as free public transport of hop-on hop-off bus use… do these really exist or will we have to buy tickets for specific days and have to schedule our vacation rigorously? We did a trip to Portugal/Spain/France last September, and it was scheduled a bit too much and we were “on the clock” a lot. I’d like to avoid that if we could. You mentioned about leaving room for flexibility, which would be great if we can figure out how to do it and not overschedule ourselves.
Sounds like a great trip coming up. Not sure if it’s a travel style you would consider, but last year my wife and I walked the ‘Via Degli Dei’ trail from Bologna to Florence. We did 6 days of hiking and used a tour company to plan the days and book accommodation for us and move our main packs from accommodation to accommodation - but it would certainly also be possible to plan yourself using the resources on their site.
Having been to Italy a number of times previously, this was a wonderful way to really connect with Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany regions. We explored Bologna and Florence at the start / end and we walked on (still visible), ancient Roman Roads, went through picture-perfect olive groves and vineyards, purchased our lunch each day from small villages we passed through. The final day hiking down in to Florence was a great way to arrive.
For me, walking through the landscape is a great way to really connect to the place - and also it’s people. Our interactions with locals on this journey were far more authentic and involved much more than the usual tourist-style interactions. I know it’s not for everyone, but it’s a great way to immerse in a destination if you’re up for it!
@Peejes A month in Italy is a wonderful idea, but based on what you’ve written, your instinct is right — the current plan is quite ambitious if you want to truly soak in each place.
I’ve traveled extensively around Italy, and one thing I’ve learned is that Italy really rewards slower travel. Five days per region sounds reasonable on paper, but with moving days, packing/unpacking and transit time, it can start to feel rushed — especially after you mentioned that last September felt strenuous.
Your route makes sense geographically, but I’d strongly consider reducing the number of bases and staying longer in fewer places. For example:
Choose either Florence or Bologna/Parma as a main base, with day trips
Spend more time in Naples + Amalfi, allowing for slower days
Give Rome enough time at the end to enjoy it without exhaustion
September is perfect for lingering — long dinners, morning walks, markets, and simply being in a place rather than ticking boxes. Italy isn’t just about seeing sights; it’s about rhythm, food, and atmosphere.
If your goal is to feel Italy rather than rush through it, lightening the schedule will make a big difference.
That makes a lot of sense. I figured that, on paper, our schedule was “less hectic” than last year’s… But less hecticshouldn’t be a goal, appreciating the experience should be. We’re looking at paring down the bases and doing more day trips to save on packing/unpacking.
Funny to say, the highlight of last year’s trip was being able to stay in Paris for 5 full days without living out of the suitcases… We should have figured that out at the time, and for our next trip.
