akvaughn

Hello! I'm planning on taking my mom to Italy for her birthday. Neither of us have been before, and I'm looking for recommended itineraries. The goal is not to see the whole country, but be able to spend some time in a couple cities. Any feedback would be appreciated!

Jean

You have to give us more information. Where in all of Italy would your mother (and/or you) most like to visit? Whether you could realistically "spend some time in a couple cities" would depend on which cities.

It would also be helpful to know what time of year you'd be going.

akvaughn

Im thinking September or October of this year. Because neither of us have been before, we would be open to anything! If we were to spend 3 days in 2 different cities, what would be the 2 cities you would pick?

PalenQ

First time - highly recommend Venice and Rome - trains take just about 3.5 hours between them - fly into Venice and out of Rome or v.v. Book train tickets far in advance to get limited in number discounted fares - www.trenitalia.com to book your own - for lots of info on Italian trains -www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

to me nothing else compares for a first-time visit.

greg

You might have more constraints than the "1 week", "two cities" limits.

There is not much time until your desired departure. What this means is that you are wondering off to unconstrained spaces, availability of flights and accommodations might already have constrained you to limited options.

Do a quick check on open-jaw flights to several sets of two cities with large enough airports: Start from MXP,FCO,VCE combinations. If certain combination does not offer you acceptable solutions, the itinerary requiring that airport combination is not desirable.

Other possible smaller airports are: LIN,FLR,NAP,PSA, etc.

Then do a quick check of the accommodations at key cities. For example, use www.booking.com, enter city and dates and you can scan the map to see if most places are booked solid or not acceptable prices. If there is a big convention going on, landing in that city during that time would hit you with availability issues and high prices.

With this background info, look at guide books. We can rattle through many cities, but that would keep you in confusion. Most guide books have what the author thinks are "top" attractions. You don't have to agree with them, but they give you some ideas. Fodors, Rick Steves, etc, have such sections.

Sassafrass

Can you stretch the trip to 9 or 10 days total? It would be great if you could. Flights are expensive, so the more time you can get on the ground, the better the trip is cost-wise, plus gives you more time to see things and more flexibility

Depending on which cities you choose, it is usually best to book multi-city or multi-destination tickets, (not two one-way) into one city and out of another. This saves time and money so you have no backtracking.

Are there any walking issues for either you or your Mom?

Are there any places that have been a dream for either of you to visit?

Venice is a place like no other, an ethereal dream when you are there.
Rome has everything!
Florence is also beautiful, all about art and with some great nearby towns.

ElendilPickle

Yes, stretch the trip a bit if at all possible, and fly open-jaw - into one city and out of another if you can.

I realize you aren't sure where you want to go in Italy, but what has drawn you there now? Museums, art, ruins, countryside, food, wine? If you can give us some ideas, the people here can give better suggestions.

Lee Ann

heart2travel

I agree with everyone above. I guess the key question for me would be "what does Mom most enjoy?" What's her energy level and physical fitness?? If in fact you only have a week. Pick one of any amazing city in Italy and stay there. There are always day trips outside the cities easily done by train. While I love every city I have been to in Italy nothing compares to Rome and Venice for me.. Venice is a little harder to navigate IMO.
They say All Roads Lead To Rome for a reason!!!!
You really cant go wrong, enjoy.....

akvaughn

Thank you all so much for your feedback!! My mom is in her early 60's and is in perfect health and great shape, so walking won't be an issue. After a little research, I'm thinking about this itinerary. If anyone has reasons why it's not a good idea, please let me know!!

Fly into Venice, stay there for 2 nights. Take a train from Venice to Rome, and stop in Florence for an afternoon. Then continue on for 3 nights in Rome?

Thank you all again for your help... so appreciated!!!

artsnletters

This sounds like you have 5 nights total?

The itinerary you propose amounts to 1 day in Venice, 1/2 day in Florence, and 2 days in Rome. IMO that isn't enough time for even an introduction to any of them - each needs at least one day more.

Sassafrass

Oh, this is less time than it originally seemed.
Two nights gives you only 1 full day in a place.
Two nights in Venice is 1 day and 3 nights in Rome is only 2 days.
You are using 1 day to travel between with a stop in Florence.
Do you really only have 4 days total on the ground? That is not a week.
Remember your first day may be jet lagged too.

If that is all the time you can possibly manage, I won't say do not do it, but it will be such a rush, I question if you will get any sense of the wonder of Italy. The faster you go, the less you will see. You are in a swirl along with everybody else. Sitting in a piazza or at a cafe and watching life in Italy move by gives you more of Italy than rushing around. Not saying you have to do that all the time, and certainly, you want to see stuff, but don't miss out on the "feel" of Italy.

If you can only get 4 days on the ground, seriously consider seeing only one place or city. Rome is good for a week, or Rome 3 days with a day trip to Florence. Venice is too with day trips to Burano or Padova or Vincenza.

I urge you to try to stretch this trip to 8 nights. Even 7 nights would be better than 5.

akvaughn

My fault for not writing that clearly. I'm thinking a total of 7-9 days. I was just backing out travel days in my last post which I see now was confusing! What are your thoughts on 3 nights in Venice, 2 nights in Florence and 3 nights in Rome? Would that be doable or should I stick with 2 cities?

HappyTrvlr

Doable but better with two cities.

StCirq

You say neither of you has been to Italy, but do you have any experience with taking European trains anywhere else on the Continent? European trains are wonderful, but there is still always the strain of packing up, getting to the station, finding your track, boarding, then doing it all in reverse on the other end, then getting oriented in a new place. It can be draining. And I say this as a 65-year-old fit woman who just returned from a 15-day train trip through SW England with 2 nights each in 7 places. I had my reasons for doing that and loved it, but it was exhausting and, frankly, a blur. I slept for about 3 days when we got back and it took me more than a week to unpack.

I would stick with two places and fly open-jaw.

akvaughn

I've not done European trains before, but my mom has. I was planning on flying open jaw... flying into Venice and out of Rome. Is the general consensus that I should take The stop in Florence out and just so Venice and Rome?

alandavid

If 9 days, I don't think you have to throw out Florence.
Like others stated, open-jaw into Venice, leave from Rome.
Here's my itinerary:
It's both your 1st time, so you'll be willing to sacrifice in order to see more of the "big" stuff.
1. Fly into Venice by noon. Spend afternoon outdoors to beat the jetlag. Maybe a gondola ride and some shopping.
2. Visit St Mark's square early to beat the crowds. Instead of travelling to Murano, visit the Murano glass factory that's just a short walk from St Marks to see blowing demo and shop. Free afternoon & nice seafood dinner & late night walk away from the tourist areas.
3. Train to Florence. Good hotel options right by the station. Advance tickets to Academia to see the David and Uffizi. Visit Ponte Vecchio. Go to Michelangelo's square at sunset & dinner
4. If you're in shape, climb the Duomo. Visit Baptistry, St Croche, leather school, shop for leather. Free afternoon and early dinner.
5. EARLY train to Rome, but stop in Assisi or Orvieto for the day to experience a cool hill town. Arrive late to Rome for dinner.
6. Guided tour (to avoid lines) of Forum/Coliseum. Free afternoon: Travestere, Borghese, wander the city.
7. Breakfast or early tour at Vatican (to get early entrance to Vatican Museum), then St Peter's. PM to see Spanish steps, Piazza Navona, Trevi (at night is better).
8. Bonus Day: Extra day in Venice or Rome. Day trip to Pompeii?
9. Fly home from Rome

suze

I would do either Venice & Florence OR Venice & Rome (not try to do all 3 because your time is pretty short).

akvaughn

You all have been just so helpful. Thank you so much!!!

Jean

I don't think alandavid's Day 5 works very well. There is no luggage storage at either Assisi or Orvieto, although there are occasional comments about an Orvieto hotel near the station that offers this service. The train from Florence to Assisi is about 3 hours, not counting time to deal with the luggage or ride the shuttle bus up to the town. The train from Assisi to Rome can take 2.5-3 hours. Orvieto is slightly better if the rumored luggage storage exists. The train from Florence takes a little over 2 hours, and you take a funicular near the station up to the historical center. Evening trains to Rome take 60-90 minutes and run late.

But before you decide where to go and how much time to spend there, you and your mom should really put some research into what you most want to see. I'm en energetic 65, but I don't like racing through cities just to say I've seen one or two of the most famous sights. I would visit two cities in 7-9 days and perhaps plan a day trip from each. I'm a huge fan of Florence and Rome (and their surrounding areas) and put Venice much farther down my list of favorites. I realize I'm in the minority here with regard to Venice.

ElendilPickle

We were able to store our luggage at the tourist information center in Orvieto, but only for about 90 minutes since the woman working there was leaving after that time. We visited the cathedral and had lunch, then had to take our suitcases with us to walk around and look at things.

However, I see there is now a place to store luggage near the train station. https://www.orvietoviva.com/en/orvieto-train-station/

Lee Ann