Italy and UK Self Catering apartments or advice on hotels

[DontGetMeStarted]

Hi

Just planning the itinerary now for our Italy / UK trip...it looks like the below at the moment as we are travelling by train between various towns need some assistance. I can mess round with the days if need be

I need some hotel advice for two nights in Milan ( what area ) ( Eligible for chauffeur drive from Airport to hotel ) spend one full day in Milan and then commence the train travel

• I do have a contact for apartments in Florence and hope to do some bus/train trips from there
• Not sure whether to stay in La Spezia or Vernazza for a look at Cinque Terra - need help with where to stay - Budget up to about $150 a day
• Same for the Amalfi coast - Do we stay Salerno and where about and then do bus trips or try and get to Praiano or Vieni Sul Mare which is also near Salerno and trains and do day trips from there

I am originally from London and thought it would be good to be a tourist for a few days or even a week there and / or have the option of hiring a car and driving up to see our daughter in Sheffield and relatives on the way, or meet her half way, somewhere. Hotels are pretty expensive in the UK so again an apartment would be good.
[TABLE="width: 410"]
[TR]
[TD]April[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Tuesday[/TD]
[TD]Milan ( Arrive 8.30pm on the 20th[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]April[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]Wednesday[/TD]
[TD]Depart Milan for Florence [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]April[/TD]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD]Thursday[/TD]
[TD]Florence and Day Trips[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]April[/TD]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]Friday[/TD]
[TD]Florence and Day Trips[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]April[/TD]
[TD]25[/TD]
[TD]Saturday[/TD]
[TD]Florence and Day Trips[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]April[/TD]
[TD]26[/TD]
[TD]Sunday[/TD]
[TD]Florence and Day Trips[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]April[/TD]
[TD]27[/TD]
[TD]Monday[/TD]
[TD]Depart Florence for La Spezia[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]April[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]Tuesday[/TD]
[TD]La Spezia & Cinque Terra[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]April[/TD]
[TD]29[/TD]
[TD]Wednesday[/TD]
[TD]La Spezia & Cinque Terra[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]April[/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]Thursday[/TD]
[TD]Depart La Spezia to Salerno[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Friday[/TD]
[TD]Salerno & Amalfi[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Saturday[/TD]
[TD]Salerno & Amalfi[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Sunday[/TD]
[TD]Salerno & Amalfi[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Monday[/TD]
[TD]Salerno & Amalfi[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Tuesday[/TD]
[TD]Salerno & Amalfi[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Wednesday[/TD]
[TD]Depart Salerno for Rome ?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Thursday[/TD]
[TD]Rome[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Friday[/TD]
[TD]Rome[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]Saturday[/TD]
[TD]London?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Sunday[/TD]
[TD]London?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]Monday[/TD]
[TD]London ?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Tuesday[/TD]
[TD]London ?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Wednesday[/TD]
[TD]London ?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]Thursday[/TD]
[TD]London ?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]Friday[/TD]
[TD]London ?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]Saturday[/TD]
[TD]London ?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]May[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]Sunday[/TD]
[TD]London ?
May 18th Depart Heathrow [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[VPS]

Not sure about others but I wouldn't stay in La Spezia again - much nicer to stay in one of the Cinque Terre Villages -

 

[RB]

Just as a starting point, I would be inclined to select one of the 5 villages rather than La Spezia. We stayed in Riomaggiore & were very happy with that choice & it was super easy to get around on the train in between our hikes. Similarly we stayed at Amalfi itself-certainly more suitable than Salerno for what we wanted to see/do while in that area

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

Just as a starting point, I would be inclined to select one of the 5 villages rather than La Spezia. We stayed in Riomaggiore & were very happy with that choice & it was super easy to get around on the train in between our hikes. Similarly we stayed at Amalfi itself-certainly more suitable than Salerno for what we wanted to see/do while in that area

Thanks RB, you helped me with suggestions last year when we went to Lake Como ( ended up staying in Varenna - it was magical) but had to cut trip short because of family illness, and did not get to Cinque Terra so we are off again - will have a look at Riomaggiore again and Amalfi itself, we are training it everywhere just want to make it as easy as possible.