5 Days Venice and Bologna - possible?
 

Hello Fellow Travelers,
We have five days before a wedding in Sorrento this October (and then a week in the south). It looks like we're flying into either Bologna or Venice. I've been to Venice, he has not. Can we explore the surrounding areas in Emilia Romagna AND do Venice in 5 days?? We would fly to Naples. It's cheap and fast.
(I'm lucky enough that I've seen Florence and the Tuscan region, Rome, Umbria, Sorrento/Positano/Pompeii, and Cinque Terre. Yeah, I love Italy.)

We land very late in either city. So, wake up Day ! - check out Bologna, stay Bologna. / Same for Venice
Day 2 - Bologna, rent car; go to Parma and/or Modena, stay idk./ Venice: stay put. stay in Venice
Day 3 - Bologna return car, go to Venice, or...stay another day in region? / Venice/ Murano, etc?
OR - swap cities on Day 3....and spend Days 4 and 5 in the other place, then get to Naples.

**Which brings me to a central question - More time in Venice or Bologna? And, which should be first?**
Thanks everyone. Life is good !

Fly into Venice, stay a few days.
Train to Bologna, stay a couple of days.
Train to Naples, an easy 3 3/4 hours city centre to city centre. Flying will take longer.

I agree with Peter.

I wouldn't rent a car. All of the towns you mention have ZTLs, renting and returning a car is not always quick, and you don't really have time for leisurely rambles on back roads in the area.

Venice to Bologna by train takes about 90 minutes. Day trip: Bologna to Parma (50-60 mins.) or Modena (20-30 mins.).

IMO Venice and Bologna have more to see/do than you can accomplish in the little time you're giving to both. I'd forget Parma on this trip but perhaps go to dinner one night in Modena.

So far great comments. No car needed. Got it. We have committed to the flight to Bologna (instead of to Venice) because it arrives early evening instead of near midnight. Because the spouse has never been to Venice, I feel he should see it even if we're not going long enough.
Revised Itinerary:

Day 1 ; arrive in Bologna 6:30 pm, have dinner, passeggiata, sleep.
Day 2 : Bologna, 1/2 day, then after lunch head to Modena for dinner and 1/2 day. (maybe. Or, lunch in Modena, back to Bologna for dinner and stay)
Day 3 : Bologna 1/2 day, train to Venice. Eat and stay
Day 4 : Venice
Day 5 : Venice and fly evening to Naples (maybe Rome, just gotta get to Sorrento villa)
There's a tiny chance that we can stretch one more day. I think for Venice.

Husband still wants to do both. I personally could settle for one or the other...ah, compromise.

Comments? Thanks again everyone!

If you want a car then do a car - if that's the way you like to travel then the only thing you need to be aware of is what you already know and that's there are no driving in venice.
Seems to me that you can start in venice then travel in any mode that you prefer until the wedding but to me that sounds like a car gives you the best freedom to do what you want.

people will give you advice based on how THEY like to travel. 2 nights in Venice, 2 nights in Bologna and 1 night somewhere else of interest on the way to Naples to break up the driving would be a wonderful experience with your partner if you've done those places but he hasn't.

But sounds like you may have already booked in arrival to Bologna. If so then plan to arrive in Venice late in the afternoon but otherwise your itinerary sounds great (if you can't start with Venice instead)

If it was me -- 2 nights Bologna, 3 nights Venice and either fly from Venice to Naples or train. Flight is about 1.5 hours and train is just over 5 hours. But with the hassle of getting to VCE etc -- the train would only take about 1 to 1.5 hours longer.