I've planned out our day by day itinerary for our upcoming April Italy trip. I'd appreciate any comments, suggestions, etc.
I have the first day of each City dedicated to orienting ourselves to the city.

Day 1: Arrive in Rome/Orientation
Day 2: Day Trip to Pompeii (booking a Walks of Italy tour for this which is only available on our second day)
Day 3: AM Colosseum/Forum/Etc; PM Borghese Gallery
Day 4: Vatican City
Day 5: Transfer to Florence/Orientation
Day 6: Duomo/Uffizi Gallery
Day 7: Side-trips to Lucca and Pisa
Day 8: Transfer to Venice/Orientation
Day 9: St. Mark's Basillica/Doge's Palace
Day 10: ?? Venice ??
Day 11: Transfer back to U.S.

We have our accommodations and flights already booked. Very excited

It may be too late, but I would attempt to get reservations/tickets to tour the scavi/excavations under St. Peter's in Rome.

http://vatican.usembassy.gov/vatican/scavi.html

Have you made reservations for the Borghese, Uffizi and St. Mark's?

I hope your limited days in Florence do not fall on a Sunday and Monday when many museums and other sites are closed. You can check open days/times here:

http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/en/index.php

This website is also helpful for Florence but not "official" in terms of days/times:

http://www.museumsinflorence.com/

Day 3: Purchase tickets for the Colosseum and Forum in advance to save waiting in line. Get tickets for the Borghese Gallery in advance, as you won't be able to get them on the spot.

Day 4: Get tickets (or reserve a guided group tour) of the Vatican Museum in advance. Look into Scavi reservations.

Day 7: Wouldn't recommend that as a day trip… would rather go to Chianti and/or the hill villages of Tuscany.


Might eliminate Day 10 in Venice and add it to Rome where there's SO MUCH to see.

Thanks, Jean! One of our Florence days does fall on a Sunday but that's the day we planned our side-trips to Lucca and Pisa as it looks like the Leaning Tower, etc is open on that day.

Make (timed) reservations for the Leaning Tower. If you plan to carry anything that day like a small backpack, tote bag, etc., arrive early because you'll have to check them.

In my opinion, almost your entire itinerary is devoted to the most popular tourist spots, which are mobbed by tourists in the summer. I would suggest cutting half of the "must-sees" in order to be able to spend a little time just experiencing the destination. April is already high season, so don't expect these tourist sites to be pleasantly uncrowded. Will you be going in the week after Easter? If so, expect crowds everywhere.

For example, you really have only two full days in Rome, and almost all of your time will be spent at the Colosseum, the Vatican, and the Borghese Gallery. I would drop either the Vatican Museums or the Borghese Gallery, and either visit a smaller, less well known museum, or walk in a park, or enjoy a neighborhood that's not on a top-ten list.

The same is true of Florence. Unless you're truly passionate about Italian Renaissance religious painting, you probably would enjoy another museum better than the Uffizi, or perhaps a walk that includes a few churches known for the art on their walls. For instance, San Marco, the Brancacci Chapel, or Santa Maria Novella. If it's still open in April (it's closing for amplification in the spring) the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo is a great museum, and never crowded. The Bargello or Pitti Palace are also less overrun than the Uffizi.

If you're planning to visit Lucca (which merits more than a race-through) on the same day, don't consider climbing the Leaning Tower in Pisa. It looks better from the ground, anyway. Just have a look and a photo, then leave for Lucca.

My last word is: See less, enjoy more.

I like the idea of an orientation day, use that to go see all the things most tourists don't get to see.

I would recomend walking to the top of the "Typewriter" in Rome. Fantastic views of old Rome though the lift to the top is not worth the queue. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altare_della_Patria It is close to the forum/colosseum so drop by while you are in the area.

>>>Day 2: Day Trip to Pompeii (booking a Walks of Italy tour for this which is only available on our second day)<<<

If arriving on an overnight flight, I wouldn't want this busy of a day on my second day.

>>>One of our Florence days does fall on a Sunday<<<

Monday is when many sites are closed. The Borghese in Rome is also closed on Monday. If you are traveling over Easter, Easter Monday is a holiday so you might encounter reduced train schedules and closings (or large crowds).

>>>Day 5: Transfer to Florence/Orientation<<<

The historic center of Florence is about a 20-30 minute walk side-to-side. Not sure you need much orientation if you have a map. You could plan some things for your arrival day unless you depart Rome very late.

Lots of things in Florence are closed on alternate Sundays, too. Or you'll have a few things you want to see, but they're only open in the morning on Sunday, making it impossible to get to everything in the limited time available. You really have to check each site's days/hours and plan your time carefully.

If it was my trip, I wouldn't do Pompeii at all but leave it for a future trip covering points in southern Italy. You can never have too much time for Rome. However, you can easily make this trip on whatever day is most convenient without joining an organized tour. I definitely wouldn't go if rain is predicted.

In addition to Easter and Easter Monday, Liberation day is April 25th. Because it falls on the Friday immediately following Easter Monday, lots of Italians will be traveling that week.

You do not mention the Accademia in Florence with Michelangelo's David. It is the first thing I would be sure to see in Florence. Make reservations in advance to avoid the long lines - go in the late afternoon. This might be something for your orientation day.

Wow! Thanks for all the great point and feedback. We will be arriving in Rome on April 7th (our Day #1 above) and will be flying out before Easter weekend,. We will most certainly go to see David. And, we are planning on a long stay in Lucca and the a shorter stay in Pisa on the day.

I know that I should assume I will go back, but I really would love to see Pompeii. It's actually on my personal must see list

I'll also take a look at my Florence orientation day as well.

I'm looking for some good night time suggestions... Any theaters, shows, music recommended?

I am quirky, be forwarned... In Rome, I suggest cutting the Coloseum. Not worth the huge lines. Do not cut Borghese Gallery. I suggest adding the Capitoline Museum, the sculpture one only. There is an IMMENSE amount to see in Rome. If Pompeii is a "must" for you then follow your heart.

In Florence, do not cut the Uffizi Gallery. It is one of the top museums in the world, crowds and all. But Bargello is worth seeing, for me higher than the Accademia and David. The Duomo museum is wonderful too.

Thought they are sure worth seeing, I would cut the Lucca/Pisa trip and add one day to Rome. Maybe even swap day 10 from Venice to add to Rome. Rome is in a category all its own.

Buy the colosseum ticket at the other entrance across the street up towards the Forum, this cuts the queue time significantly

Yes, as bilboburgler says, buy a combo ticket for the forum/colosseum/palatine hill at either the forum or palatine hill. There are much shorter queues. Then when you get to the colosseum keep to the left of the long, long queue of people waiting for tickets and go straight to the security bag check.

Research Ostia antica, it's not unlike Pompeii but it's only about 30 minutes from Rome.

For me the Uffizi was filled with lots of rather gory religious art. Rooms and rooms of the same. With the exception of a couple of glorious rooms, I was bored to sobs. However I do understand that I'm in the minority.

David at The Accademia however, was amazing and not to be missed.

Uffizi, the first part is frankly ancient Christian images which bored me to tears too. Still about 5 rooms in it gets better and then accelerates in quality until you hit the 1580s by which time artist's eyes and hands seem to be able to work together at last. Goodness knows what happened between 400 AD and 1580 AD? The last 3/4s is fantastic. I'd also recommend the bar at the end, it is worth paying etc and sit down to listen to the "luvvies" chattering around you

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