Rome 3 days
Florence 3 days
Drive Around Tuscany 2 days

5 Terre 2 days
Venice 3 days

Here is our 2009 trip to Rome and 2005 trip to all over Italy in words and photos (restaurant and hotel info might be outdated, but the sights and method of traveling remain pretty much the same). This should give you plenty of ideas. Have fun.

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/Tom_%26_Tracy_Home/Italia_2005/Italia_2005.html

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/Tom_%26_Tracy_Home/Rome_2009/Rome_2009.html

If the poster is from the US and is posting the dates the first timers from the US usually do, Aug 29 may be the arrival date in Italy and Sept 10 is the departure date from Italy, then the OP probably has 11 full days: Aug 30 thru Sept 9. If this is the case, I think the OP has one destination too many to have a laid back trip.

greg yes those are our exact dates which destination would you give up or shorten? We are planning on having a car in Tuscany...did I already say that? Thanks!

maitaitom I'm going to read your info tomorrow. Would you mind a newbie asking questions??

"maitaitom I'm going to read your info tomorrow. Would you mind a newbie asking questions??"

That's what this Forum is for. There are lots of people who will help. Ask away...

Make sure you have a full day at Cinque Terra, lots of waking or train travel to see it all. If you are in the area, would suggest a half day in Lucca (just north east of Pisa.)

More details....so hopefully more advice 8/29/13 "NEVER been to Italy" husband and I arrive in Rome from Houston, Tx 8:30am. Whole day to ourselves. Next day, 8/30/13 travel companions who are frequent travelers and who will also be returning to Italy in 2014 arrive 8:30am. Husband and I are in country until 9/10/13 and travel companions in country until 9/8/13. We are both departing from Venice. We all love wine and want to spend some time in Tuscany where we plan to have a car. I am giving myself an ulcer trying to prioritize "not to miss" activities. 8/30 and 8/31 will be spent with a guide getting us to the Vatican, Sistine chapel, Forum, Colosseum and all of the biggies. We want to stay in Rome until possibly 9/1 morning which is a Sunday. Trying to decide next stop Florence or Tuscany and to complicate matters more... Would like to spend 1 night in Cinque Terre. Is that a viable option or should we save that little side trip for the next time we come. On to Venice....we don't want to arrive before 9/6 evening or early 9/7. Friends leaving 9/8 mid morning, we hubby and I will have all day 9/7, 9/8, 9/9 in Venice. Might be too long? Tuscany- want to stay in Monteriggioni and visit villages and wineries on our own by car. Would love to hear from experienced travelers...thanks sooo much!,

Re: Cinque Terre is it better to go from Florence or at the end of Tuscany or just before Venice? Train to Venice from CT is approx 5-6 hours which passes they Florence I believe. Trying not to backtrack IF possible. Thanks!

Leaving Rome on 9/1, seeing Tuscany, the Cinque Terre AND Florence before arriving in Venice the evening of 9/6... too rushed for my liking.

But you should set forth your itinerary in real time so that you understand the travel times involved and how much actual sightseeing time you'll have. Maybe it will sound OK to you.

8/29 Thurs. Arrive Rome. Spend afternoon seeing things the friends have already seen.

8/30 Fri. Meet up with friends for lunch. Afternoon sightseeing.

8/31 Sat. Rome sightseeing. (This is your only day not interrupted by arrivals.)

9/1 Sun. Pick up car at Termini train station and drive to Tuscany base. (Rome-Monteriggioni would be 3+ hours.)

9/2 Mon. Explore Tuscany. (This is your only day not impacted by car rental/return.)

9/3 Tues. Explore Tuscany, drive to La Spezia, arrive by 6:00p, drop rental car and train to CT base.

9/4 Wed. Explore CT. Train to Florence in late afternoon (2-3 hours depending on train selected). Late dinner in Florence.

9/5 Thurs. Sightseeing Florence. (This is your only day not impacted by arrival/departure.)

9/6 Fri. Sightseeing Florence. Train to Venice in late afternoon (about 3 hours door-to-door). Or stay another night and train to Venice the next morning.

9/7 Sat. Sightseeing Venice.

9/8 Sun. Adios, amigos. Sightseeing Venice.

9/9 Mon. Sightseeing Venice.

9/10 Tues. Fly home.

You can see that you'll have more time in Venice than anywhere else. If it were my trip, I'd want additional time in Rome and Florence so I'd drop either Tuscany or the CT.

Train to Venice from CT is approx 5-6 hours which passes they Florence I believe>

I believe there are a few trains going directly from near the CT via Parma or around there directly to Venice without having to backtrack to Florence.

ttt

thanks for replies. I dropped CT, agreed too much travel time. Added 1 day in Rome. How does this sound?
8/29 am arrival Rome
8/30 Rome
8/31 Rome
9/1 Rome
9/2 Rent car and go to Orvieto then to Assissi and end up in San Gim
Spend 9/2, 9/3 and 9/4 nights in San Gim- go to Siena, Greve, Pisa, Catellina, etc.
9/5 early morning drive to Florence and drop off car
9/6 Florence
9/7 early morning Train to Venice
9/8 7am mass at St. Marks - friends depart, we go on to Murano, Burano, Torcello
9/9 day trip train to Padua and/or Verona? What about opera?
9/10 return to Houston late morning
Would love hotel advice for Florence and Venice