My husband and I are planning our first trip to Italy for 2 weeks this October. We fly in to Milan and out of Rome. Below is my tentative itinerary, but I would love some advice on recommended changes or things to see. Also, I have some guidebooks to look thru, but if you know of a great hotel, please let me know (we will stay in mid-priced hotels most of the time, but may splurge in Rome and Venice).<BR><BR>Lake Come Area - 2 nights<BR>Venice - 3 nights<BR>Florence - 3 nights<BR>Cinque Terre - 3 nights<BR>Rome - 3 nights

A few more details that may be helpful:<BR>We are in our 30's, interested in restaurants, outdoors, scenary,art. We plan to get around by train<BR>My definition of splurge is around $250/night.

Less time in Venice (3 days is a lot), more in Rome and Florence. Florence and Tuscany for scenary and art. Maybe a half day from Florence to Pisa. In case you can't tell Florence is my favorite. Favorite place to eat in Florence..Tredici Gobi. If you are planning to see the Last Supper before leaving Milan book ahead you can't always just walk in. Also love Rome and 3 days will be tight but doable.

I would suggest if at all possible to include the Amalfi Coast. It is absolutely Beautiful.

My husband and I just returned from 18 days in Italy and thoroughly enjoyed the Cinque Terre and Lake Como. We had visited Florence, Rome, etc. on other trips. We stayed outside of the Cinque Terre in Santa Margarita Ligure and enjoyed the Hotel Jolanda there. The room was nice and the location great (but not on the water). We took the train to the Cinque Terre and hiked, etc. It was nice because Santa M. was larger and had more choices of things to do in the evenings. <BR><BR>In Lake Como, we stayed at a fantastic place for about 155 euros per night - we didn't have a view room, but could see the lake from our small balcony. The location was great and the people there were the kindest and most friendly of any of our Italy trips. It is Hotel Du Lac in Bellagio, another very beautiful place and highly recommended. Make sure and eat at the La Punta restaurant (hotel's suggestion) - the food was great!

Assuming that all of those places are "must-visits" for you on your first trip to Italy, your itineray looks excellent. Having spent seven wonderful days in Venice (which still wasn't enough) this past April, I have to respectfully disagree with Doug that three days in Venice is a lot and that you should spend less time there. <BR><BR>While certainly not everyone loves Venice, I'm willing to bet that, of all the places on your itinerary, you will find Venice to be the most unique and enchanting.

I agree completely with Capo, Venice is unique, there is a lot to see , and you can also go to Murano and Burano islands. There are also good stores and very good food.

I like your itinerary. The only change I would make is to stay outside of Florence and include the Tuscan hill towns--especially Siena. But, I suspect you are doing this by train. That is a big variable. Good luck !

In case you are not doing it by train, use your car to drive fromComo to Ossuccio and have lunch or dinner at "Osteria del Giuanin". You will be eating good food on a terrace in front of the lake.<BR><BR>Osteria del Giuanin<BR>Via Santuario 8<BR>Ossuccio<BR>34455241

Hate to state the obvious, but it depends on the individual. After 3 days in Venice, my brother thought it was lovely but was ready to move on, and went ahead to Florence without me. I lingered another 2 days in Venice and wished I could have stayed longer. Because of my extended stay in Venice, I had only 2 days in Florence, but thought the trade-off was well worth it. The big difference between the two of us is that my brother is a true lover of the arts, whereas I enjoy settings and scenery more than anything when traveling. I've been to Europe on eight separate trips, to Australia and NZ, lived in Spain for a year, and I think Venice is the most wonderful place I've ever been. But then again, that's just me.<BR><BR>PS: IMHO, as long as the hotel is decent and centrally located, I don't bother to splurge on a hotel (unless you could get a room facing the Grand Canal in Venice, but the prices tend to be astronomical). My suggestion is to stay in more moderate places and splurge on things like buying something extravagent that you wouldn't otherwise, taking a gondola ride, or dining in a fine restaurant. But then again, that's just me. Even when I'm staying at really nice hotels (on business), I spend little time there and all my time out and about.