suze

10-11 day direct flights to Italy... why not????

I would probably pick just 2 cities, not 3 though, just to streamline your time a bit.

Venice/Florence
Florence/Rome
Venice/Rome

PalenQ

Venice is the most mobbed because of small area where tons of tourists gather.

Yes like suze says maybe just 2 - Florence and use it as a base from which to make forways into rural Tuscany and its hill towns -like short bus ride to Siena -one of the best and stay there for a few nights and take a bus to another hill town?

suze

Just depends on interests. I could easily (and happily) spend 10 days in Venice alone.

massimop

"What is hot is to be standing in the sun -- but there is plenty of shade in the cities of the coast.>

Bring an umbrella? Or wide-brimmed light-hued large hat?"

???

The historic cities & towns of Italy are a tangle of shady, breezy streets. In the heart of ancient Naples & Salerno there are alleys where the sun never shines, and the seaside cafes have huge umbrellas & awnings. The evenings are sublime.

The underpinnings of Naples, Salerno + Paestum go back to antiquity/Greek colonization. A first trip to Italy that includes Naples, Paestum & Pompei -- plus volcanoes & sea ports & pasta -- is quite an introductory course to the history of not only Italy but the whole Mediterranean + Europe.

The "Big 3" of Rome, Florence, Venice is an outmoded concept, a hangover from when the train connections between those 3 cities was the only easy "tour" of Italy that was easy to execute. Of course hey are stunning cities, and if one has a keen desire to see them, one should. But there is a very good case to be made that a "first trip" to Italy should explore some of southern Italy, for reasons of chronology & and he abundance of sights of anitquiy. For Julu & August, why not join the Italians at e seaside?

massimop

I am sure there are people who would be happy to stay in Venice in July/August for 10 days, but because of crowds, mosquitoes, humidity & heat,I'm sure just as many would not.

If I were traveling with kids in Italy, I would take them to Venice, even in July or August, because Venice is fun for kids usually. But if I had a chance to travel without kids to Italy, I'd pick some kid-unfriendly place.: Naples is definitely (so is Florence for its emphasis on museums -- but Florence carries he risk of 110+ F weather for july/august

Sassafrass

A few years back, I would have said differently, but now I agree with Massimop. Even when it is super hot, the coast does have breezes, an amazing amount of things to see, and the food is great. I love Venice and have been several times, love both the art and architecture in Florence and the wonderful places to walk and buildings in Rome. However, the Bay of Naples and the Amalfi Coast is a stunning visual experience and is, though in a very different way, just as romantic as Venice. Naples is still not filled with tourists and the archealogical sites are world class.

I also would not base it on possibly never getting back. None of us will ever see everything we would like. Get the best experience you can on each trip and enjoy it. If there is one place you have always dreamed of seeing, then go for it. If art is your major interest, then make that the focus, etc. rather than going to some place just because others say it is a must.

ElendilPickle

We spent 12 nights in Italy in 2015, flying in and out of Milan. We didn't go to Venice, but we saw some of Milan, Rome, Siena and other spots in Tuscany, and Florence.

Here's a link to our trip report: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...y-may-2015.cfm

Lee Ann

tasmangirl

Take the opportunity to have the kids looked after and just go! This time next year of the grand parents may have a serious health issue and they can't look after the kids.
I'd do Italy from New Zealand for 2 weeks if I thought I would never have another opportunity.

tostaky

THanks for all those answers, that gives me a lot to think about !

Of course we could have the chance to go back to Italy one day, but we all know that we don't what tomorrow is made of.

The only sure thing know is that we would take a direct flight to Rome (or venice) and come back from venice (or Rome).

We are not very much into art musueum, of cours if one is a must see we would go with pleasure but it's not on the top list. The same goes about the beaches, we really are not beach type people.
The top list is:

- Food. We like food, try restaurants of all budget and discover
- history. I'm an history teacher so everything related to the roman empire is something thathave a particuliar interest.

We are not into nightclubbing since many years so nightlife is not a major need, of course without kids we would probably enjoy some nights out !

Hot weather can be a letdown, but without kids we could adapt our daily planing to avoid the big afternoon sunshine.

dwdvagamundo

tostaky--Your interest in the Roman Empire changes my recommendations.

I would then go to Napoli and see Pompeii, Herculaneum and the National Archaeology Museum. There are a number of other historical attractions around the Bay of Naples that you would probably find fascinating.

Also, take a day trip from Rome to Ostia Antiqua, to see some Roman ruins better preserved than those at Pompeii.

In my opinion, Napoli is the 4th of the "Big Three," or perhaps better put, the Big Three are in my opinion the "Big Four" with Napoli as the fourth.

Venice and Florence will not have much to do with Roman ruins--most are in the south; however, there is a lovely Roman amphitheatre in Verona, a very interesting and historical city on its own.

Buon viaggio!

PalenQ

Really nice Roman ruins an easy day trip from Rome - Hadrian's Villa - by bus: https://www.google.com/search?q=hadr...w=1745&bih=863

So many options so little time.

Florence is the Renaissance not classical Roman relics.

bvlenci

In Rome, if you're interested in ancient Rome, Ostia Antica is very highly recommended. I've been there four or five times, and would like to return for at least one more visit.

http://ostia-antica.org/

Also, in Rome:

The Baths of Caracalla

The Domus Romane (the excavation of a Roman upper-middle-class dwelling, with an excellent sound-and-light show that demonstrates what it probably looked like in Roman times. It must be reserved; there are English language tours.)

The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (part of the same complex as the Colosseum, but many people skip these, which are really much more interesting from an historical point of view.

Trajan's Market. This was really an administrative building, with shops on the ground floor; some people mistakenly describe it as an ancient shopping mall. One of the interesting things to see inside is the Via Biberatica, a very intact ancient Roman street, lined with shops.

The Case Romane on the Celio (Caelian) Hill. This is a complex site, which changed many times over the centuries. It would be best to take a tour that explains the many layers.

And, although you don't care for museums, there are some excellent museums in Rome featuring ancient art and culture. The National Roman Museum at Palazzo Massimo alle Terme is one of my favorites, with ancient sculptures, mosaics, and rare ancient wall frescoes, as well as Roman jewelry, coins, and household items. Another site of the same museum, the Museum of the Baths of Diocletian, is just a short distance away; it has an interesting permanent exhibit about the early history of writing in Rome.

The Capitoline Museums are just above the Roman Forum, and have great views of the Forum from a balcony inside. They also have an excellent collection of ancient sculptures, including the Capitoline Venus. Also the foundations of the ancient Temple of Jupiter, part of the Annals of Rome, carved in stone, and many other artifacts.

The National Etruscan Museum in Villa Giulia, at the northern end of the Villa Borghese gardens.

johnnyomalley

For flights - if you are looking at Air Canada. Montreal - Rome is mainline Air Canada. It's an easy flight.

Montreal - Venice is Air Canada Rouge, the low cost carrier (and the low cost is not low cost to the passenger but rather for AC) Rouge planes are not comfortable. If you want to stay on Mainline, you could do Venice - Franfurt-Montreal and that would put you on a 787 for the flight across the Atlantic.

For Ancient Rome, I follow Darius Ayra on social media.

http://www.dariusaryadigs.com

http://www.romanculture.org

sundriedtopepo

Might be Air Transat johnnyo.

If Florence doesn't appeal, then take a few days in Naples before heading for Venice. Naples is in a beautiful location, so you could enjoy some of Italy's wonderful sea views after the hot pavement of Rome. And for all the reasons others have given above.

I always feel disappointed for people who just want to visit cities and never get to experience the natural beauty of Italy.

Many friends of ours that visited Venice in summer have said they did not like it because of the crowds and the smell, which is worse in the heat. Just something to consider.

massimop

There is nothing wrong with visiting cities if you would be thrilled to see what's there. I wouldn't worry about disappointing people on the internet or cramming in too much because you are interested in history & have taken the trip that would most interest you. Italy has many spots of natural beauty, but then so do most places on the planet, and there is an argument to be made that it is disappointing so many people junk up the planet with air travel so they can go hiking.

PalenQ

ditto to what massimop says!

lynda_berlin

We went to Venice for the day one August, when spending a week in an agriturismo near Vicenza, and my husband absolutely hated it so it's taken 15 years to get another trip booked, for October this time! And as to Florence....I much prefer Siena, which I think is magical.

Bologna is conveniently situated between Venice and Tuscany and all points south, and the whole region is known as a foodie destination, even in a country where everyone is keen on good food. And the towns are beautiful too, without the crowds you get in Tuscany.

The Veneto has lots to offer too, Verona, Vicenza, Padova and lots of smaller places as well as Venice.

bvlenci

I've visited Venice in the summer several times. It's definitely crowded, but the crowds are concentrated in several "must-see" hotspots. It is often hot, but not anywhere near as hot as Bologna or Florence, or as most cities in the Po valley. I've never noticed any unpleasant smell.

Last year, we took my granddaughter to Venice in July. Our lodging (a guesthouse in a former convent) was near the Rialto bridge, but the crowds were nonexistent until we approached the bridge. We visited the Scuola di San Rocco and the Basilica of S. Maria dei Frari, which both have important works of art. There were hardly any other visitors at either.

sundriedtopepo

To each their own of course. But nothing wrong with seeing some natural beauty between or in conjunction with cities, great art, etc etc.

Just thinking of some of the comments above. Our first trip to Europe included Rome, Florence and Venice. And while we enjoyed those 3 fantastic cities, we really enjoyed some down time in Le Cinque Terre, next trip on the Amalfi coast and so on.

Tostaky I'm certainly not suggesting you should do what I would do. Just throwing it out there.

thunt

it's good idea...from Rome to Florence and from Florence to Venice you can take a car with driver... regards