Thank you ellenem for the Florence day-trip information. VERY useful. So useful, that I'm pretty sure I've talked Mr. TeaLover into it, so many thanks!

Thank you senozkadir for the train information.

I don't think you will regret more time in Italy. It is very easy to enjoy Italy on a modest budget, even a shoestring. You can save huge amounts of money if you book your train tickets in advance.

TeaLoverDenise,

It appears to me that many of the rooms at the Hotel Galleria do not have private bathrooms.

If you could get each of your train tickets between Rome and Venice for 29 euro or 49 euro instead of 80 euro, would that be a significant savings for you? If yes, than consider booking ahead. Different trains at different times of day will offer better different savings. Check discounts available at the link below. You have to select a particular train and the next window will show if any economy fares are available.

http://www.fsitaliane.it/homepage_en.html

However, depending on the level of discount, the ticket will have greater refund restrictions, which might be of concern since you are flying in that day. If your flight is late, you might miss your train and lose the ticket.

I'd hate to see you lose a day in Venice. And a night. Unlike Bilbo, I like the nights there, when the daytrippers have gone. Supremely romantic. Maybe you could save your island trip for that last day. You probably won't see too many cruise people on the vaporetto to the islands.

Re: Murano. It's been years since I made this trip, but the experience and the glass were pretty commercial. However when we were there watching glass being blown, the artist (who directs, doesn't blow) was from our home town of Seattle. Which is also the home town of Dale Chihuly. So I'm very familiar with his work. Not at all what we mostly saw in Murano. (Did you see the film of Chihuly's "chandeliers" hanging over canals in Venice? Or the exhibit at Kew Gardens?)

But there's a glass museum in Murano that might be worth visiting (we missed it), and there's a superbly skilled Italian glass artist, Lino Tagliapietra, who exhibits at a gallery in Venice. Check out galleries at this web site: www.linotagliapietra.com.

Thank you annhig for the train information, especially the tip about validating our tickets; would not have known that. (I still need to check that seat61.com website.)

Also appreciate the itinerary suggestions, all of which have been noted. Things like this are so helpful!

Thank you Caenis and nice to 'meet' like-minds! I'm looking forward to reading your Rome blog.

That cappuccino picture with the heart has convinced me that I just might be able to deviate after all from tea to coffee for 10 days (after all, I used to be a coffee drinker before I fell in love with tea.)

Thank you jamikins for the Venice B&B recommendation. Quite a popular place, and for good reasons. Great reviews.

Thank you pizzocchieri for both replies, and especially the tea tips/links!

Thank you bendigo for information about Hotel Marconi. Very nice place!

Thank you adrienne for the link to the virtual tour of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls. (Here in London, we have St. Martin's In-the-Fields) :-)

Thank you sassafras for the itinerary and other suggestions. The more I think about it, the more I think we might skip Murano.

Thank you zoecat for all the Venice hotel links! We did look at every one.

Thank you caroline65 for information about Hotel Sonya in Rome. Will definitely take a look at that, although I kind of have my heart set on a convent stay. :-) (Get thee to the nunnery, TeaLoverDenise. lol)

TeaLover, we stayed at the Hotel Riva a few years ago, and liked it a lot for its location, charm and value. We received a discount because we mentioned Rick Steves' book.

We had room #1, because we'd paid a tad extra for a canal view. This is a corner room, with windows overlooking two small canals and their confluence. It was worth the extra cost (which was probably equal to the Steves' discount). The breakfast room is lovely, overlooking a canal. Food is simple, but great coffee.

Book directly with the hotel for the best price.

In Rome, we liked the Domus Julia.

Arghhh....now he's talking about skipping Venice altogether - which is so disappointing. But it's already adding up to $450-500 just for 2 nights hotel and return train tickets from Rome to Venice. And that's not taking into account water taxi's, eating, etc.

I have a feeling we're going to end up in Rome/area for the full 10 days.

Perhaps Venice another time.

pizzocchieri yes, but we were planning on one of the ensuite doubles with canal view, which were coming in around E160-170 for the smaller doubles.

Thank you mimar. We love Chihuly! His work hangs in the tearoom area of Claridges here in London, and in the V&A.

Not long ago, there was a very, very large collection of his work for sale in a Bond Street gallery and boy oh boy, we really enjoyed looking at it (but not buying!).

We've seen the Kew Gardens documentary, but were living in the States when the actual exhibition was on. And no, I did not know about the canal film - will definitely look into that. Thank you!

Realise that Murano is not Chihuly and vice-versa - but I find glasswork fascinating in the whole.

PeaceOut Thank you for the feedback on Hotel Riva. Overall, it seemed the best value for money in our price range.

Will take a look at Domus Julia.

Thanks again.