we are planning to go rome for only 4 days do not have more time . should we spend all the time in rome or should we spend a day in florance or venice? is the transportation easy from rome to other cities and more importantly how many days will be enough for rome and for other cities??? thanks...

4 days is definitely not enough to see 3 cities - you will lose about 1/2 a day changing locations as it is. Not to mention if that includes your arrival day and departure day which will only really be half days. To see all three you really need a minimum of 10 days, I think that is even too short.

4 days is barely enough for Rome alone. I would stick to your original plan of 1 location.

Lots of people do those three cities in a week's time as I did the first time I went to Italy.

With only 4 days I would sty in one place.

Spend the 4 days in Rome. Splitting your time will require a day of travel getting to and from the second city. Four days is really about the minimum time required to get a good idea of Rome. But find a time to return to Italy - Florence and Venice are both fabulous!

I think you need at least 4 days for Rome - however, if there is something in particular that you want to see in Florence, and you can forego missing things in Rome, you could manage Florence on a day trip - leaving early morning from Termini to Firenze SMN (it is a bit under a 2 hour trip) would give you a decent day in Florence, with a late afternoon / evening return to Rome.

I agree with bendigo.

4 days is a bit short for Rome. But Venice ranks ahead of Rome, as far as I'm concerned. lorence is another matter. If you are big on art museums, go. If not, it isn't all that great a place.

Hey H,

You don't want to do a daytrip to Venice from Rome. It will be a rushed, crowded and unpleasant day.

You could consider a daytrip to Florence.

It will take about 1:30 hr to get there by train
www.trenitalia.com

A DAY IN FLORENCE:

Train to Florence SMN:
The Luggage Office is to your left as you leave the train.

From Piazza d' Stazione, walk up via Nazionale to via d'Ariento and the Mercato Centrale, wander through.

Take any street going NE to Via Degli Alfani and go right to the Accademia for The David.

Take via Ricasoli SE to the Duomo, the Baptistry and the Opera Museum (Originals of the bronzes on the doors)

From the Campanile, take via Calzaiuoli S (do some window shopping) to the Piazza d' Signoria. Look around, take a break.

Continue S to the Uffizi. Visit.

From the Uffizi, walk W along the Arno River to the Ponte Vecchio.

(You can walk up to the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens if there is time. Great views of Florence from the top of the Gardens)

If you have time, walk E along the S bank of the river to Ponte alle grazie and cross over to visit Santa Croce.

If not, go W along the Arno from Ponte Vecchio to Ponte S. Trinita and go right. Go left on Via d'Spada to via d'Fossi and go right to Santa Maria Novella. Look around.

SMN is across the square from the train station.

If you have time, take the no. 7 bus (you can find it at the SMN train station) up to Fiesole (0:20 hr 1E) to watch the sunset from the terrace of the Bar Bleu.

Be sure to have lots of gelato (in a cup, not a cone), take some wine breaks and a light lunch.

Train schedules, prices and tickets are at http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
Call center from outside Italy is 39-06-68475475

Bus routes are at http://www.ataf.net/
Buy your ticket before you get on the bus. Stamp it in the yellow box on the bus.

Uffizi and Academia Museum Reservations
You can purchase tickets online at http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/english/musei/uffizi/
Or call the museum booking line on +39 055 294883, open during Italian hours from 8.15 am to 5.50 pm Tuesday to Sunday for the English-speaking operator.

Have a nice visit.

Florence... "it isn't all that great a place." I completely disagree. But, to each his/her own.