We will be in Italy for 5 nights in February, flying into and out of Rome. Do you have suggestions for itinerary? Should we go north or south, maybe to Florence/Tuscany for half the time or south for better weather? We'd like a few days in Rome. It's not our first trip, so we don't feel compelled to see everything we can, but we haven't been to Italy for many years. We want to enjoy the country and people. Thanks.

That time of the year, my personal inclination would be to head south, but it is a matter of personal preference, and interests.

--Marv

I love posts like this, because they present a mystery we're supposed to tease out of you. You didn't really buy tickets to fly to Italy for five days without <i><b>any</b></i> plan whatsoever, as to what you will do once you get there, did you?

Since this is your first post here ever - - how did I know that? (click on your own name, a useful, and undocumented tip for locating all of your posts you'll find useful in the next 24 hours, days or weeks) - - the trick here is to offer you some useful information when you really haven't given &quot;us&quot; enough to go on - - and yet not berate you or discourage you with too many questions, so that you choose not to come back.

Does &quot;we&quot; mean a couple? a family? are you from Europe already (i.e., a short flight to get to Italy, and thus no real &quot;jet lag&quot? can you afford, or do you seek higher priced accommodations (without being on the other side of a &quot;barrier&quot; between yourselves and your desire &quot;to enjoy the country and the people&quot?

You say it's not your first trip - - to Europe? to Italy? to Rome? to Florence or other destinations in Tucany? to any of the destinations south of Rome?

Would you like a part of Italy where they don't typically receive travelers from other countries even once a week? (the province of Rieti, less than an hour from Rome would scratch this itch) - - would you get something out of a spiritual quest to Assisi (about two hours north of Rome, in Umbria) - - are you hoping for &quot;early spring&quot; like weather conditions that would permit hiking (Vesuvius,for example)? Or are you more intent on making this a gastronomic getaway?

Five days and nights means choices, inherently. Ten different couples (or families or groups of friends of any size) can come up with ten different answers, and none of them will be wrong, or inherently &quot;better&quot; than any of the others.

Welcome to the forum.

Best wishes,

Rex Bickers
Floyds Knobs, Indiana

In 5 days you will be hard pressed to see Rome.

Hi valle,

I suggest that you start with this thread.

Helpful Information: Italy http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34443340

Thank you for your replies. Yes, Rex, we (my husband and I) did in fact book the trip without any plan whatsoever. We decided to use our frequent flier miles while US Air was still flying and when there were ff seats available.
The thread you suggested, Ira, is quite helpful. I look forward to using it to help plan our little trip. And I am still eager to hear from anyone else with ideas for us. At this point I am thinking a few days in Florence, a day/night somewhere in Tuscany on the way back to our last 2 days in Rome. We do not plan on renting a car.

Hi valle,

May I suggest that you stay in Rome? You could daytrip to Orvieto, Ostia Antica and even Pompeii if it gets too boring.