I land in Prague and fly out of Rome but I have yet to decide what to do in between.

I am thinking 5 nights each in Prague, Vienna and Rome but that leaves me with 2 free nights. What are your suggestions?

I like beautiful locations with culture and good food.

Thank you.

It depends where you've been before.

If you haven't been to Europe at all, the screamingly obvious stop is Venice!

Prague to Vienna from €19 (or from €29 in 1st class) by fast Railjet train in 3h59, see https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-ro...ljet-train.htm

Vienna to Venice either on the early morning day train from €29, over the stunningly beautiful UNESCO-listed Semmering route, or by Nightjet sleeper train from €99 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper. Book either option at Austrian Railways www.oebb.at, see nightjet sleeper pics and info at https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/nightjet.htm

Venice to Rome in 3h50 by 186mph Frecciargento or Frecciarossa, from €29 booked at www.trenitalia.com - or use competitor Italo, www.italotreno.it

I agree with Venice, or not that far Florence, Naples or Croatia and take the ferry across to Italy.

Venice or Ljubljana by train. Or maybe Budapest and fly to Rome from there.

I would add a night in Cesky Krumlov and probably another night to Rome.

We have no idea what your interests are (other than, apparently, big cities) or what time of year this trip is, so it's hard to say what the most obvious stop would/should be.

For some, it's Venice and always Venice. I'm less enamored, but, if it's going to be Venice and unless you fly from Vienna, give yourself more than 2 nights (one day) there. In one day you can barely get your bearings and see only the main (and most crowded) sights of the city.

Venice if never been there and look into the overnight train Man in Seat 61 mentions to save daylight travel time- for a look at what night trains are like and trains in general - www.seat61.com -Man in Seat 61's commercial site with so so much great stuff on it -more and more every second it seems; I also like www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

If not Venice then Florence - both right on the way to Rome, where all roads lead to!

Thank you for all the suggestions but I have already visited Venice and Florence. Any other nice options?

I like country side too...my wife even more. We are mid-thirties and will be there next April/May.

Thank you.

As I already said above, Ljubljana and Budapest.

Ljubljana is a lovely little city, and there are nice little towns nearby. You could rent a car and do a day trip from Ljubljana to Lake Bled (or take a bus - much easier and direct, but the car would let you do some scenic drives in between and explore a few more towns).

To get to Rome, take a shuttle via DRD or GoOpti from Ljubljana to Venice Mestre, then take the express train from there.

Thank you for all the suggestions but I have already visited Venice and Florence. Any other nice options?>

Perugia, Assisi, Orvieto and other Tuscan and Umbrian hill towns are along the main rail route of off it on sidelines. Siena is a short bus ride from Florence and then has trains to Rome with a change in Chiusi.

Anyone of those would be sweet for a few days.

Bologna is a really fascinating city too - very underrated I would say -it is really really neat and smack on main rail lines.