Italy - driving from Palermo (South) to Venice (North East)

[Lexual]

Hi... we're planning a 2 week trip for next June to travel through Italy, flying into Palermo and driving up through Naples, Rome, Florence and then Venice, probably stop at a couple of small villages in-between.

Has anyone done something similar? we're looking at a budget of around £1500 each.. car hire and fuel and flights are going to be around £400 each... accommodation £200 each (hostels) and the rest is spending money.

Would welcome any tips on what to see and what to avoid? great beaches? villages? 'must dos'? nice wine districts etc?

Thanks...

[iva cosworth]

Siena and Lucca are nice.

There is really only one thing to see in Pisa.

[iva cosworth]

Might be worth posting this in the "Italy" forum too where some err Italians hang out.

[real ones]

[Lexual]

..good shout Iva_.. forgot there was such a place..

[Stephanie Plum]

South of Naples Italy becomes much poorer - are you driving from Sicily to the north or taking a ferry from Palermo to Naples? If driving then roads are much worse than in northern Italy and tbh it's not that great an area. North of Naples it becomes better with much nicer places to visit - detour through Tuscany though be careful not to drive into the centre of any cities as they have confusing rules about who is and isn't allowed in - Florence is particularly bad.

If I only had two weeks I would spend a few days in Sicily, then get a ferry to Naples (it goes overnight) then visit Pompeii or Herculaneum (or both) then head north towards Tuscany and just take my time. As already said Siena is wonderful and I liked Perugia as well Montepulciano and the surrounding area is a favourite of mine too.

Then I'd stay around there and do the Lakes on another trip, otherwise you'll spend your whole time at the wheel - fine if you're in something nice but you're in a hire car

Lucca is lovely too. Fly home from Pisa or Bologna.

Have fun Italy is just lovely in the main, we go most years. We drove all the way down to Sicily in two Elises a few years ago so have covered many inches of Italy - we took 3 weeks in all via France, Switzerland, Lake Como, Tuscany, Pescara, Naples and then back via ferry from Palermo to Genoa and then home via French Alps and Beaune. Great trip

[crossy67]

About 8 years ago we did a two week fly drive from Naples down the west coast to the toe then across to the heel and back up. Some of it was quite nice, Maratea in particular sticks in my mind as being nice.

We have just come back from riding from south west France through easte coast of Italy into Greece. Fuel is between 1.70-1.95€/ltr depending where you buy it. Toll roads are really quite expensive and hotel rooms generally start at 60€/night.

Given the choice I wouldn't be bothered if I ever went there again, the east coast being by far the worst. Best thing I can say is the pizzas and coffee are amazing.