Rosee13

Hi All,

My husband and I are planning a trip to Italy this May. Assuming we have ten full days (i.e. arrive in Rome on a Friday morning and leave 10 days later on a Monday), I'd like to get some different takes on what we might possibly do. This will be our 2nd anniversary and a belated honeymoon Flight is not yet set in stone, so we can fly into anywhere, really. Here's an open itinerary:

Friday 5/9 - Arrive in Rome in morning
Sat 5/10 - Rome
Sun 5/11 - Rome?
Monday 5/12 - Travel to Florence in morning
Tues 5/13 - Florence
Weds 5/14 - Tuscany
Thurs 5/14- Tuscany
Fri 5/16 - Tuscany?
Sat 5/17 Tuscany or Venice?
Sun 5/18 Tuscany or Venice?
Monday 5/19 - Head back home.


We'd like to spend some time in Rome & Florence for sure. I figured 3 days in Rome, 2 in Florence, and 4-5 in the smaller Tuscan towns.

My question is, are we foolish to spend that much time in Tuscany, or should we consider splitting those 4 days between Tuscan countryside and Venice? I don't know much about Venice - is it worth the trip? Is two days enough?

More about us:

I'll be 33, he's 38. He's a history buff. I love art, wine, and just being submersed in a different culture. We'd love to sight see, but frankly, we could just use some R&R and romance as well, rather than being on a tight "must see everything schedule", which is why I had hoped to spend half the trip in Tuscany, which sounded a little more slow-paced. Tuscany has always been my dream - visiting wineries, possibly taking an afternoon cooking class, visiting a Tuscan town like Siena or Lucca. I'm slightly worried that my husband might get a little antsy though and perhaps we're missing out on Venice. I don't know much about it. Yes, I realize I can read a book. Just thought I'd ask for some first hand advice on here first.

We will most likely return to Italy on another trip in the next decade and focus on Amalfi Coast/Capri and can spend more time in Rome on that trip.

Thanks for your input

Sassafrass

It is fine to skip anything you want; it is your trip. However, Venice is amazingly beautiful and romantic and you do have time for It, but I would reverse the trip, fly into Venice, stay at least two nights, head to someplace in Tuscany (do day trip to Florence), end trip in Rome.

suze

I'm absolutely crazy for Venice, so I'd put a lot more time there than in your original plan. But that's just me.

adrienne

Add an extra day to Rome.

Siena and Lucca are an hour from Florence so you wouldn't want to pack up and move to a new hotel when the towns are so close to Florence. I'd stay in Florence through the 15th and then go to Venice. Plus Florence makes a great hub for wine tours and cooking classes.

Definitely do not miss Venice. It's magical and there is no place else like it.

annhig

Adrienne - dare I comment on how young you are? you will go to Italy again, probably many times once you've got the bug. So you don't need to see it "all" the first time. Which leads me to make a suggestion that may shock you - forget about Rome. You don't need to go there yet. I'd been to Italy over 10 times before I got to Rome.

If you miss out Rome, your wish to find art and relaxation is a lot easier to fulfil -

Fly into Venice, stay 3 nights

Get a train to ???? in Tuscany [would you consider renting a car? this will enable you to stay out in the country or a small town and give you the down time you were thinking about.]
Stay 4 nights

get the train to Florence, stay 3 nights. Fly home.

Rosee13

This will most likely sound terrible, given you are all Venice-lovers. I ask with the utmost of respect and curiosity: What is there to do there for 3 days? The canal ride seems like a tourist must. Other than a day of sight-seeing, what am I missing? Keep in mind that I don't have a travel book on Venice, so hold the tomatoes please Thanks for all of your input

Annhig - I will consider your Rome-skipping suggestion. Just tell me what I should be doing in Venice

Pepper_von_snoot

You need at least two weeks for Venice.

We always stay two weeks, have been to Venice 27 times over the years. My nephew keeps a house in Venice.

Keith and I always spend at least 10 days in Rome at a time.

We like to ride our bicycles in the Borghese Gardens and have martinis at the bar in the Hassler where we usually run into the Nixon girls.

You are taking a tsunami tour through Italy, Miss Thing!

Thin

annhig

Rosee - there is loads to do in Venice, including for your art-loving husband.

3 nights would in any event only give you 2 whole days, during one of which you may be suffering from jetlag, so you shouldn't have too much trouble filling the rest of the time with the following:

Basilica of San Marco

the Doge's Palace [loads of art and a fantastic ballroom the size of a football pitch]

The Church of the Frari - wonderful art and some of the weirdest mausolea that you'll see anywhere

The Scuola di San Rocco [full of the magnificent works of Tinteretto]

The Accademia [main art gallery]

The Guggenheim [modern art]

The islands of Burano and Torcello including its 11C basilica

The Rialto fish and veg markets

etc etc etc

Plus walking around the back streets, getting lost, getting found again, all amongst the most wonderful architecture in the world which is slowing sinking into those canals you mention.

Is THAT enough?

mama_mia

I like Ann's idea of into Venice and out of Florence, assuming you do plan that Rome-Amalfi trip in the future.

Venice can be wonderfully romantic. Its art and history are different from Tuscany--that will keep you and your husband happy. Venetian artists emphasized the application of color and Florentine artists considered design (that's the basic art history line). Venetian history is fascinating beginning with the settlement of its islands, through its emergence as a city state trading with Byzantium and the Muslim world. Being more practical/business minded types, the Venetians were sometimes at odds with the papacy and censured.

If you have time to read before your trip, a couple of books that would give you insight on both places:

Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture by Ross King (this is about the building of the dome over the cathedral in Florence, a significant achievement)
Venice: A New History by Thomas F. Madden

adrienne

You don't need a guide book to learn what there is to do in Venice. You have internet access and every major guide book is on line. Click on the word "destinations" on the orange band above and get some info on Venice.

To annhig's list, above, I would add Ca' Rezzonico. Wander around and look at the architecture. Stop in all the beautiful small churches.

macksix

Rosee - We were in Venice for 4 days before Christmas and LOVED it. Honestly, I was surprised at the beauty and serenity (December is probably much quieter) of the city. It is also very romantic and a wonderful city to wander around in. It seemed like we were never on the same street twice, and we were always coming across some beautiful hidden square.
Go to Venice for 2 or 3 days if you can spare the time. You won't be sorry!

Pepper_von_snoot

OMG, Becky!

So much left out of Venice itinerary!

Absolutely MUST see--

Ca Rezzonico

Santa Maria dei Miracoli

Palazzo Querini Stampalia

Madonna dell' Orto

Ca d'Oro

Campo San Giacomo dell'Orio

Jewish Ghetto-Campo dei Mori

And you MUST take the train to Padova to see the Scovegni Chapel by appointment.


Do this now because all the beautiful precious shining things in life fade fast and never return.

Thin

NYCFoodSnob

10 days always sounds like a lot, until you talk to experienced travelers who love visiting Italy. Cramming four fabulous locations into 10 days is a recipe for exhausting frustration and lost memories, unless you have a serious case of ADD and you enjoy being on the go every minute of the day.

May is a glorious month to be in Italy. For a belated honeymoon, I would pick one or two places, and really try to explore each place, allowing plenty of time for leisurely strolls, relaxed meals, a special cocktail hour, and soaking up the local scene.

junebug0803

It's funny but I came on here to ask a very similar question! We just booked our flights for October flying into Rome and out of Florence. We'll have 12.5 days (counting our AM arrival into Rome as a half day). Having doubts about missing Venice, but we decided to skip for a couple reasons- first, it's the one place my husband doesn't have interest in. I'm not entirely sure why, but since there were so many other places we both wanted to go, it just seemed silly to force it. After taking a couple overseas trips together, we've realized that we prefer not too move around more than every 3 days. Our must dos are Rome (he has been once but loved it and wants to go back), Tuscany, and Cinque Terre, which seems like more than enough for the time we have.

That said, I still have my doubts that we're crazy to skip Venice, so I'm holding out hope that this will not be our only trip to Italy! We're also mid 30s and I'd love to get back to Croatia someday anyway (we spent a week there a few years ago but didn't make it to the northern part of the country) so could conceivably combine Venice with that. So if you do think you'll make it back to visit the Amafi coast in a few years, maybe consider saving Rome for that trip and do Venice this time.

HappyTrvlr

Ten days is not enough time to add Venice which I love, by the way. Enjoy Florence and some smaller cities and villages in Tuscany. Rome needs at least one more day.

annhig

One good reason for doing Venice instead of Rome is that it may not be with us for too much longer.

another is that Venice fits better into a Tuscany/CT + Florence trip.

Rome is a good pairing with Sorrento and the Amalfi - as both need a week at least, IMO.

Rosee13

Thanks for all the feedback. We have a lot to think about. Graci!

keithman

Rosee,

I know this is a bit of an old forum but I am in an almost exact situation as you (age, interests, locations, trip this May). Curious how you made out. We will be flying in and out of Venice (only def going to Venice, Florence and somewhere in tuscany). What parts of your trip did you wish you could extend vs what could you have chopped?

I will say that we aren't going to Rome this trip. Hope you loved it as its one of my favorite cities.