Interrailing around Europe - Italy help

will369

Hi guys,

I am going interrailing this summer for a month.

Italy is one of my stops.

I want to visit the main cities, Venice, Rome and Florence.

I dont know how long I will need to spend at each city?

Will I need to book a hostel up in each city?

So spend 2 days in Milan, stay 2 nights there, then a train to Venice, 2 days there & stay 2 nights there

Then a train down to Florence, 2 days in Florence, stay 2 nights there.

Then a train to Rome. 2 days there and 2 nights?

I really want to visit the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Is that something I would visit in a day? Where would I stay?

If I have finished italy and I am in the south down the bottom, how would I get to my next country? Long train journey? As my next stop would be Slovenia.......

Or do you think I should visit italy last and fly home from Italy back to England?

Sorry for all the questions, but I am finding all this planning so stressful.

Thanks


EDIT: I live in England...plan to get the train to Amsterdam > Paris > Barcelona > Switzerland > ITALY > Slovenia > Austria > Hungary > Czech Republic > Germany

I dont know if that is too many countries?

& I am not sure what order to do them in?

I am going for 35 days.

Wasn't planning on flying anywhere....I will buy a interrail pass.

Thank youuuuuu

richardw

Depends which summer month you plan to travel.

There are good ferries from Bari and Brindisi to Greece etc.

Voyager2002

Most people would not regard Milan as among the best cities to visit in Italy: you might spend the time in nearby Bergamo (the old town is fantastic); or Siena; or somewhere small like San Gimignano; or Ravenna...

The whole point of doing inter-rail is that it allows you to be spontaneous, stay in a place as long as you are enjoying it and then move on when you feel ready to do so. If you are going to plan in detail and tie yourself down with hostel reservations then you might as well buy advance-purchase point to point train tickets, which would cost less money but give you zero flexibility.

If you go all the way to the south then you might get an overnight sleeper for the journey back, or perhaps go along the west side of the country and come back along the east side.

zagfles

The great thing about interrailing is you can be flexible and don't need to book ahead - how long you spend anywhere depends on how interesting you find it, if you get bored move on, if you're enjoying it spend longer. If you can't find anywhere to sleep get an overnight train (done that a few times!).

If you're going at peak times might be best to book ahead in cities, but otherwise you should be able to find somewhere just turning up or booking online the day before...some hostels save spaces for people who turn up on the day. Also look at cancellable reservations if you want to reserve, some allow cancellation at short notice.

Happytravelling

How long to stop in each city depends what you want to see and do in each place.

I've stayed in Milan for 2 nights, but had seen all the things I wanted to in a day.

Rome I spent 5 nights, around 1 and a half days was spent meandering!

Florence 7 nights and I felt I could merrily have stayed longer, but this is more to do with the atmosphere and feel, rather than missing out on anything I wanted to do.

I've spent 3 nights in Venice and magical as it is, this was plenty as it is fairly compact.

Bologna is my top pick, not as touristy and seems so easy to find good food.

It sounds like a lot to do in 30 days, but depends on what you want to get out of your trip. Have you tried posting on trip advisor, especially about amalfi coast? It is full of people who will be able to give advice.

Happytravelling

The durations were to give an idea of which cities you might want to stay longer in- I didn't make that clear. i.e. I'd say florence requires more time than venice and milan.