PAL53

I am flying into Venice and staying there for 2 nights. also going to Florence for 4 nights and plan to use Florence as a base to visit the various areas like Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa, Cinque Terra, Santa Margherita, etc. Between Venice and Florence we are planning to go to either Lake Garda or Lake Como and were not sure which one to pick and if 1 night is enough for if we should stay 2 nights. From Florence we plan to go to the Amalfi coast for 4-5 nights and then to Rome for 4 nights. If we stay at one of the Lakes for 2 nights then I would have to cut the Amalfi to 4 nights or cut a night somewhere else. Would appreciate thoughts on this. First time to Italy and going at the end of May.

Rubicund

You are definitely trying to do too much here. Two nights in Venice is really only one full day and gives you very little time to see the city. I would have thought that three nights would be a minimum. Four nights in Florence gives you little time to use it as a base to visit all the places that you mention, as you need at least two full days in the place alone. You could see Pisa and SML on one day as a day trip.

This is a mistake that many people make and you are trying to pack too much in to a shortish stay. I'd limit my time to Venice, Florence, the Amalfi coast and Rome, divided as equally as you can between them. Don't forget that you need to allocate time in all this to moving from place to another, at least half a day each time.

mnag

We preferred Lake Garda over Como. We admittedly did have better weather in Garda but overall our impression is that Como was simply too touristy. Lake Garda has tourists as well (more from Europe than the US) but it feels more serene/relaxing. Throughly enjoyed a day trip to the town of Limone. I think you would need a min of 2 days.

HappyTrvlr

Two nights is too,little for Venice and only one night in either Lake Como or Lake Garda is a terrible idea. You would barely check in before leaving again.
Dour days in Dlorence also does not give you enough time for those wide spread day trips. Stick to Tuscany. We have been to Italy six times and only have been south of Rome once. Younare trying to do way too much, too many locations.

scrb11

Santa Margherita Ligure? That is pretty far from any of the other destinations.

It takes about 2 hours by train from Pisa to SML.

Cinque Terre is much closer to Pisa and that's about an hour by train.

mels

I booked 2 nights in Venice as well......it is enough for me. I was advised too, that it is very short stay, however several friends told us that it is fine. Depends on how you like to travel and what you really want to see or do. I like being on the move. We do not leave until September. Do the research on what your want to see and do and see how it fits your schedule.

MissPrism

I agree about Lake Como. I stayed in Belaggio in May and apart from shop assistants etc. everyone seemed to be speaking English. The scenery is spectacular but it didn't really feel like Italy. Garda has tourists, of course, but there seem to be more Italian families there.

bobthenavigator

How many nights will you sleep in Italy?

Lake Garda should come after Venice.

annhig

I booked 2 nights in Venice as well......it is enough for me. I was advised too, that it is very short stay, however several friends told us that it is fine.>>

have you been to Venice yet, mels? if not, you really aren't in a position to advise the OP on how long they need in Venice. Your friends may have very different interests from the OP [and from you, for that matter].

but wherever you go, the problem with this "fast pace" of travel "on the move'` is that you get very little time actually to do or see anything other than the inside of a train carriage. Every time you move, you lose approx half a day. so if in a 10 night trip you move 4 times, you've lost 2 days to travel, i.e. 20% of your holiday. you also waste time checking into and out of hotels, finding your favourite bar/cafe, the best place to buy fizzy water &/or blister plasters, how the transport system works, etc. etc. etc.

IME the longer you stay somewhere, the more you find to do there.

tuscanlifeedit

I think that mid lake on Como is prettier than Garda. I'm not sure I'm going all the way to Italy just to avoid other non European tourists.

I might skip the Amalfi Coast in favor of the Italian Riviera, since you are interested in Venice, Florence, the lakes, Tuscany and the Riviera towns. That seems like a more sensible way to move through a large swath of Italy.

How many nights do you have?

I have a friend that didn't like her quick visit to Venice. Didn't want to deal with water transportation, learn the system even a little bit, didn't go to any museums and I'm not sure she went inside San Marco.

I like Venice and make return trips. Still haven't seen everything. As annhig says, the longer you stay somewhere, the more you find to do there.

scrb11

So I see a total of 12-13 nights?

Considering the distances, it would be better to concentrate on 2 or 3 areas, like Venice/Veneto, Florence/Tuscany.

I've seen tour operators offer day trips to Cinque Terre but it sounds like a 12-hour ordeal. Then Santa Margherita is about an hour north of Cinque Terre and if you go to SML, why wouldn't you go to Portofino?

mels

@annig......my post does say I will be traveling in September. And PAL53, may have different interests from you as well, and from other posters.

annhig

@annig......my post does say I will be traveling in September. And PAL53, may have different interests from you as well, and from other posters.>>


What I meant was that it looked as if you haven't been there before, but perhaps that was not well-phrased; I don't think that the month makes much difference.

Whenever you travel, and whatever your travel "style" or interests, getting from one place to another is still going to take the sort of time i and others have spoken about. Unless you have a tardis.