tennisgirl

I would appreciate anyone's input on our first trip to Italy this Sept/Oct. My husband and I will be flying into Venice on Thursday morning. Here's the question... 2 nights suffice in Venice or should we stay 3? Staying at Locanda Orseolo. (very excited!) Then taking train to Florence ,on either Sat or Sun afternoon, depending on length of stay in Venice - Staying at Villa La Sosta for 3 nights (again, very excited! We were hoping to stay for 4 nights but they don't have the availability) So, the big question is, we still have 2 days before we are due in Rome. Where to go? Cinque Terre? or stay in Lucca or Siena for the 2 nights and further explore Tuscany? Since we are only 3 nights in Florence, that only gives us enough time to see the sights in Florence and one day for a wine tour. We end our trip in Rome on Thursday and Friday at either San Carlo or Hotel Aberdeen. Then fly out on Saturday afternoon. Any input would be helpful, my head is spinning. I thought I had everything planned out: 3N Venice, 4N Florence, 2N Rome - but hotel reservations have put a gliche in my plan. Do I change dates to stay where I want to stay, or not worry about it? THANKS!!

bobthenavigator

Hello tennis[my favorite game BTW,
Stay 3 nites in Venice.
Train to Florence, but Monday is not good--most museums are closed.
Get a car when you leave Florence and stay in rural Tuscany--south of siena.
Drop the car at Orvieto and train into rome from there. That is a plan.

Lorac1127

Yep, you should definitely add one day to Venice. Otherwise, by the time you get to the hotel, you will have only 1 1/2 days left to see Venice.

Depending on your interests, select either Florence or Siena for three nights.

If you have never been to Rome before, you should consider 3 nights...it's a great city.

RufusTFirefly

Neither 2 nor 3 nights will suffice in Venice. You won't even be able to see all of the top sights in that amount of time. You surely won't be able to explore the city at all in that amount of time. That said, 3 nights are better than 2.

isabel

I agree three nights Venice. Why do you need to stay in a specific hotel? There are plenty of fine hotels in Venice, I wouldn't let availability of one place determine how much time I'd spend in a city. Are you going there to see Venice or to see a hotel?

I just returned from Italy and spent 3 nights in Venice and it was about right, but I had also spent 3 nights there only two years ago. If I hadn't I probably would have wanted even more time. I also spent 6 nights in Florence but did two days trips (one to Siena and one to Lucca). I didn't have a car this trip that's why I did it that way. I agree with bobthenaviagator about renting a car when you leave Florence and spending a couple of days at least in a smaller Tuscan town, then dropping the car in Orvieto and taking the train to Rome. But I actually think your original plan of 3 nights Venice, 4 Florence and 2 Rome is a good plan. Find a hotel that will accomodate you, don't plan your trip to accomodate the hotel.

DAJ

How wonderful this will be for you, and what a great time of the year. Our first trip to Italy was in the second half of September and it was great weather. Personal opinion only, but in 10 days, seems like your trying to squeeze in quite a bit (i.e. venice, florence, a touch of tuccany & rome). I suppose if depends if you want an overview of more of a flavor. The flight over may be a bit more tiring than you expect so your first day I would not expect much, but maybe that just me.

In two weeks we went to 3 destinations (Rome, Venice and Sorrento, and this included a day trip of the Amalfi coast). I wish we had more time in each place. We are going back this May '05 for 2 weeks and are only splitting in between Venice & Rome with a day trip to Orvieto & a day trip to Cortina.

Personally I would not rent a car if I did not have too. Unless a good portion of my trip required it (i.e. 1/2 as it did in a 2 week trip in France last year). Having a car afforded us freedom and the ability to see towns not accessible by a train, but at additional cost in $ and wear & tear on ourselves. If this is your first trip, perhaps this may not be for you.

Although I do not want to confuse, please keep in mind Bob the Navigator is a highly respected and well traveled, highly experienced member of this board. His guidance is sound and you may want to inquire further if you are considering a car rental.

Thanks and hope your trip is a great as ours was.

tennisgirl

Thank you all for your input! My husband feels 2 nights is plenty in Venice, so I will talk him into the 3rd. We do have accomodations for all 3 nights in Venice. It's the Florence part that threw us. The B&B we really wanted to stay at only has availability for 2 nights. Any rec. on great and reasonable villa/B&B's in Florence? All advise is greatly appreciated! Also, I'm a little nervous about renting a car. We don't speak Italian well at all and I don't want to end up in the middle of no where!! We really want to take 2 day trips from Florence as well - Lucca and Pisa, and then Siena. What can we expect in Orvieto? Where to stay? Thanks again for any input!

Sue_xx_yy

How about:
3 N Venice (yes, you need 3, especially as this is where you will start);
3 N Florence (focus on the art); do a day trip from Florence to one of Siena, Pisa or Lucca; you don't have time for all of them this trip. Option: If you would rather stay in a smaller place in Tuscany part of the time than Florence, you could try for 3 nights in Siena, and daytrip to Florence from there (Pisa is also possible by public transport from Siena, although it's a bit more awkward.)

AND add a night to Rome (recommended) or , if you are really not that keen on Rome, add a night in Orvieto (pleasant hill town with cathedral and Etruscan artifacts 2 hours by train from Florence, 1 hour from Rome.)

bobthenavigator

Sue has a good plan if you do not want the car--that is a personal choice.
And, Isabel is right--there are plenty of hotels--do not make that your showstopper. It is your choice now--if you want those day trips then stay in Florence and forget the car.

mjs

I think Sue has good ideas here. Eight full days is not very much time to see Venice, Tuscany and Rome. Would consider 3N/3N/3N or 3N/2N/4N. I do not think you have enough time to rent a car and tour Tuscany as you are not giving yourself much time to see Rome. In any case the fall is a lovely time to be in Italy and I am sure you will enjoy your trip however it comes off.

Melissajoy

Here's my vote: Venice is romantic and one of the most unique cities on the earth, plus you are starting in Venice so you lose some time due to fatique, jet lag, etc. So 3 nights in Venice.

Florence to me was an annoying city housing some really incredible art, like Michelangelo's David. I couldn't wait to get out of Florence due to crowds, smog, traffic, and big tall buildings all around me. So my vote is 2 nights in Florence, or instead 3 nights in the more tranquil city of Siena with the medieval atmosphere, and do a day-tour of florence from Siena. But Florence eats up your time somehow...we had 3 nights in florence and only had time to see the Accademia museum (David), the Uffizi Gallery, the Duomo, and we had about 2 hours to glimpse the Boboli gardens...That's it! Plus midnight walks along the Ponte Vecchio...in summer that's a lovely time on the Arno, but I dont know what sept/oct is like.

Rome is exciting, St. Peter's is awesome and stunning, you need 4 nights in Rome if you want to see the Vatican Museums with the Sistine chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, (climb the dome of St. Peter's), the Ancient Rome area including the Colosseum, Roman Forum, plus don't miss the Pantheon and the Trevi fountain.

Plus Rome has the best restaurants in Italy!