Holiday in Naples, Amalfi Coast, Florence and Exploring Tourist Destinations in Tuscany
Italy has a special place in my heart. Our first holiday in Europe was in Italy, and the memories of that wonderful trip stay in our hearts so fresh that, even today, after many years, I remember every little detail of our experiences in this lovely country.
We, as a family, took a 13-day Holiday in Italy during the summer vacation. We spent the first three days of our Italian Holiday in Rome, the capital of Italy. We loved Rome and gathered lovely memories in this city.
I have already written about the first leg of the holiday-3 days in Rome. Do check it out. In this article, I am writing about the second leg of our trip- Days in Naples and Amalfi Coast, Florence and exploring small towns in Tuscany.
Before I get to more details, let me share our overall itinerary in Italy.
Itinerary for a 13-Day Holiday in Italy
Day 1: Reach Rome. Check-in, Dinner and rest
Day 2: Visit Vatican City in the morning and the old city in the evening.
Day 3: Visit the Catacombs, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and Circus Maximus.
Day 4: Head to Naples. Hike to Mount Vesuvius followed by a visit to Herculaneum/Pompei
Day 5: Head to Amalfi & Positano for a beach experience.
Day 6: Head to Florence, check in and rest.
Day 7: Florence Sightseeing.
Day 8: Day trip to multiple destinations in Tuscany from Florence.
Day 9: Head to Modena and explore local sights.
Day 10: Visit Enzo Ferrari Museum.
Day 11: Head to Venice. Local sightseeing in Venice.
Day 12: Visit the islands of Murano and Burano.
Day 13: Head to Rome to take a flight back to India.
Since I have already written about Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3, I will start from Day 4 in this article and discuss up to Day 8.
The Second Leg of our Italian Holiday- Days in Naples, Amalfi Coast, Florence and popular tourist destinations in Tuscany
In this article, I have shared information about using public transport in Italy, which we used for this holiday. Since we visited Italy from India, we were not quite comfortable with European roads and hence chose public transport. However, if you are comfortable with roads in Europe, you can rent a car, use it for your entire trip and return it before taking your return flight. After moving to Germany (where we presently live), we have used rental cars from SIXT on various occasions and found them pretty good. The cars are in good condition, the service is great, and the paperwork is hassle-free. Therefore, I would recommend them based on my personal experience.
Day 4
On Day 4, we took a train from Rome Central Station (Roma Termini) to Naples (Napoli Centrale). We started early so that we could make the most of our day. The journey from Rome to Naples was on the Freschia Rosa Train, which took about 1.5 Hours.
You can book your tickets from Rome to Naples here.
We deposited our luggage in the locker at Naples train station. Then, we took a tour of Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii.
About Mount Vesuvius:
Mount Vesuvius is a mountain with an active volcano located pretty close to Naples City Center. It is the only volcano on Europe’s mainland to have erupted in the last hundred years. It is regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world. The volcano on this mountain is said to have destroyed the nearby cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum around 79 AD.
Visitors can hike to the top, where they can see the crater and get excellent views of the Bay of Naples. The hike is not a difficult one.
About Pompeii and Herculaneum
These are archaeological sites of the cities that were completely destroyed during the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The sites are well-preserved and are a treat for history lovers. They let you travel back in time and experience life in these cities before they met their fate.
Herculaneum is a smaller site, and Pompeii is larger. If you have limited time, visit either one.
Reaching Mount Vesuvius using regular public transport can be a bit of a hassle because the frequency is not high, and you will have to walk a lot to reach the point from where the hike starts. Therefore, we took the Pompeii Ruins & Mount Vesuvius Day Tour, which started from Naples’s downtown. This 7-8-hour day tour took us to Pompeii and then on a hike to Mount Vesuvius. This trip also included lunch ( which was Pizza because Naples is where Pizza is said to have been invented, so we got to add this to our experience). After seeing everything, we were dropped back to Naples.
After spending over half a day at Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii, we returned to Naples. We picked up our luggage from the locker at Naples train station and took a private transfer from Naples to Amalfi. Though we could have used public transport to get there, this option worked better because we had a lot of luggage. The journey was a short one. It took us about 1.5 hours to reach Amalfi from Naples.
Here, I would like to share a couple of trip options (you can visit any two sites or visit all of them based on your interest, time availability, and budget).
Option 1: From Naples: Pompeii Ruins & Mount Vesuvius Day Tour ( about 7.5 Hours) (We took this one)
Option 2: Naples: Skip-the-line Herculaneum and Vesuvius Day Trip (about 7 hours)
Option 3: From Naples: Pompeii, Herculaneum, & Vesuvius Full-Day Tour (About 8.5 Hours)
You can make similar day trips from Amalfi, which I will discuss later in this article.
We checked into our apartment, had dinner, and had a pretty good night’s sleep because it had been a pretty packed and busy day.
You can check out hotels/homestays/apartments in Amalfi here. Alternatively, you can stay at Positano, which is pretty close to Amalfi.
When we visited, it was the peak tourist season, and accommodation was pretty expensive in Amalfi and Positano, so we booked an apartment in Massa Lubrense. It wasn’t too far from Amalfi, and we got it at a much more reasonable price than those in Amalfi. Also, this place is far less crowded than Amalfi.
You can check out apartments and hotels in Massa Lubrense here.
Day 5
Today was the day to explore the seaside and have a beach experience. So, after breakfast, we took the bus to Positano Beach, a lovely cliff beach on the Tyrhennean Sea.
Public Transport in Masa Lubrense, Positano and Amalfi:
SITA SUD Buses operate between these areas. You can buy tickets from any partner displaying the SITA SUD logo. This includes Tobacconists, newspaper stands, bars, caffés, and shops on the Amalfi Coast. You will find them near the SITA bus stops. You can also pick up the bus timetable from them, which will help you plan your travel between these locations.
The bus drops you at the point from where you climb down a series of steps to reach the beach. Along these steps, there are plenty of lovely shops selling local specialities. Some of these that caught my attention were the lovely ceramic works and the various products made with lemon.
You can spend a reasonable amount of time exploring these shops and then head to the beach.
There are plenty of restaurants at the beach where you can stop by for a meal. We did the same, and after that, we spent some time at the beach. Then, we explored Positano town and headed to the Amalfi Coast.
To reach the Amalfi coast, you can either climb up the steps (the same that you took to reach Positano from the Bus stop) or reach the bus stop. From there, you take a bus to reach the Amalfi Coast.
Alternatively, you can take an Amalfi Coast Boat Tour with Swimming Stop from Positano. This trip lasts about 7 hours. After the trip, you can get dropped at Amalfi Coast, explore the town and call it a day.
If you take the bus to reach Amalfi (as explained earlier), you can explore the beach, the town etc. and take the Amalfi Coast: Boat and Snorkeling Tour.
Note that the beaches of Positano and Amalfi are not public beaches. So, you can’t simply go and swim there. You must either order something at the beach restaurant to use the beach beds, swim, etc. OR take one of the tours (as already shared above).
After spending a day at Positano and Amalfi, we returned to our apartment in Massa Lubrense and called it a day.
Day 6:
On Day 6, we took a train from Amalfi to Florence. This was the longest train journey of our entire Italy trip, and on this day, we had only planned to explore the beach of Massa Lubrense in the morning, then take the train to Florence, check-in, and rest.
So, we started our day by walking down to the beach at Massa Lubrense. After spending a few hours there, we went to Amalfi Train station and took a train to Florence. Florence is about 550 km north of Amalfi, and it took us about 6 hours to complete the journey. We started early afternoon from Amalfi, and we were in Florence by evening.
We checked in, had dinner and slept.
Trains from Amalfi to Florence can be booked here.
You can check out accommodation in Florence here. Make sure you choose something within walking distance of the city centre.
Day 7:
Today was the day to explore Florence. Since we stayed very close to the city centre, we could reach all the places on foot. However, you can use public transport if you find accommodation far from the city centre.
Public Transport in Florence:
Autolinee Toscane runs public transportation in Florence. Tickets can be purchased from authorized sales points (coffee shops, tobacconists, newsagents, etc. Look for “Autolinee Toscane” stickers on their shop windows.
We didn’t use public transport in Florence. Our walking path to see some of the tourist destinations looked like this:
We took an entry ticket to some places and explored the others from the outside. We wanted to keep this day a bit relaxed, so most of the time, it was casual walking around, exploring the lovely city, eating in restaurants, having a riverside experience, etc.
I recommend taking a Walking Tour of Florence to make all these places more meaningful. This tour lasts about 1.5 hours, and you will learn interesting bits about the city and its landmarks from a local. After the tour, you can explore on your own. We took this tour and found it very interesting.
If you like exploring museums and have more days in Florence, you could take the Florence: City Pass for Museums, Tours, & Hop-On Hop-Off Bus.
As you can see in the map screenshot, the River Arno flows through Florence. Visiting the riverside is a must-do activity in Florence. You can end your day by taking a river cruise and enjoying the sunset.
After a lovely cruise on River Arno, we returned to our apartment.
Day 8:
On this day, we took the Tuscany tour from Florence. I highly recommend taking this tour when you are in Florence. This tour covers small towns in Tuscany and popular landmarks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The trip also includes visiting a vineyard in Chianti, wine tasting, and lunch. The tour lasts about 12 hours. You start in the morning and return by evening. A tour guide is with you for the entire day. He/She explains about all the places that you visit and then leaves you to explore them on your own.
Although this trip covers many places, it doesn’t feel hectic. You get a ton of experience, you get to explore so many new places, and you also get to relax with a glass of wine. So, it is a good balance. My family and I quite fondly remember this trip.
The trip starts and ends in Florence. From Florence, you travel by air-conditioned bus to Sienna, Chianti, San Gimignano, and Pisa.
You can book tickets for this trip here. Note that this is a popular day trip from Florence, and tickets sell out soon, so plan and make your bookings well in advance.
Day 9:
On this day, we took a train and reached Modena. After spending two days in Modena, we headed to Venice. That was the third and last leg of our holiday in Italy.
I shall write about it in another article.
Here are some tips for your holiday in the locations mentioned in this article based on my experience:
- Be prepared to walk a lot. Although you can reach your destination by bus/car, etc, you still have to walk a lot to explore them. Comfortable shoes are an absolute must.
- Summer is pretty hot. So your clothing will make all the difference. Wear light, comfortable clothes.
- Summer is also the peak tourist season. So, make all your bookings in advance. On-the-spot tickets to popular destinations are almost impossible.
- There may be queues and waiting times despite booking tickets, so be prepared for that.
- Beware of pickpockets in the city centre ( near the train station) and crowded market squares.
- If possible, travel light. We made a mistake here. Since it was a long trip, we carried heavy suitcases, which felt like a burden in many places. If you are also on a long trip, book an apartment and do your laundry so that you can reuse clothes instead of wearing something different every day.
- Try the local food, gelato, etc. We loved the food in Italy and even enjoyed fresh pesto, pasta, dips, bread, etc., which were sold in supermarkets, so add that to your experience.
- Before visiting the archaeological sites -Herculaneum and Pompeii, read books, watch documentaries/films, etc. I recommend the movie Pompeii.
To read about other holiday destinations, click here.
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