Hmm... its definitely doable but my fear is that you will feel overwhelmed with having florence and rome back to back. Florence and Rome are cities which have lots of sights and many famous must see museums. I was glad that we took a break between the two cities by spending two nights in tuscany. Of course maybe your priority is not to see museums in either city and just to walk around and get a feel. I like that you are ending with Venice. Venice to me is more relaxing. You can get lost as others said and enjoy walking through Venice's many neighborhoods. Avoid the crazy amount of day trippers by only going to St. Marks Square and the Rialto Bridge at night. Since you don't have much time do not waste time going to the Islands. If you do want to keep florence then perhaps just walk around and get a feel for the city instead of spending an entire half day at the Ufizzi. Florence is an outdoor museum so you can marvel at everything as you walk around. Do make sure to cross the Arno to go to Oltrano, my favorite part of Florence. If you must go to the museums then make sure to book in advance. However honestly what I would do is either do Florence and Venice or Florence and Rome, with a preference for Florence and Venice. You can then spend equal amounts of days in both and take a day to see the rest of tuscany and the veneto region in Venice. That way you will get a feel for Italy outside the major cities. These small towns are just as lovely to visit and will give your mind a little break as you relax and admire the scenery. I would then leave Rome for a seperate trip with the Amalfi. Or of course you can do Rome and Florence and use the extra days to see tuscany.

Stay two nights in Florence and though more would be better, one full day can see a lot as many thing concentrated in historic city center. Not idea but just to see Florence is a joy and come back later for more. I think your proposed itinerary is nice if a bit hurried. I'd leave Rome early in morning to maximize time in Florence. There are plenty of hotels near Florence station to make it easier.

Your current schedule works well, considering your limited time and desire to see all 3 cities. I personally would not have you skip Florence, but understand why you would consider it. Venice is easier to "see" than Florence in a day and a half. The train to Florence is fast and gives you a chance to arrive early enough to get a rather full day in.

Your trip, your call, but for me, that would be WAY too rushed. Again, I encourage you to use a calendar to help plan your trip -- see post # 2 upthread.

Good luck!

I would leave it as it is. The amount of time you take for Florence depends on what you are interested in. The time you've allotted would allow you to visit one museum (or two of the smaller ones), several of the churches with amazing Renaissance art inside, and take a stroll around the beautiful center of the city. If you find you've seen enough of Rome by the last full day, you can take a very early train to Florence. Likewise, you can play with your departure time for Venice.

Since you're interested in art and history, I encourage you to visit at least a few churches, to see some of Italy's best Renaissance art.This has three big advantages: you see the art in its original context, and get a better appreciation of its historical significance; it's not a huge time commitment to visit a church; and walking from one church to another lets you see a bit more of the city.

Italy is a country and fabulous cuisine, gorgeous cities, towering mountains and beautiful beaches, and ancient historical sites. For first timers to Italy, Rome, Florence, and Venice usually make the must-see list. Nine days, you have just enough time to visit.