Hi, my wife and I will be in Italy for 12 nights (July 8 to july 20). We would have take more time, but since we leave the kids with the grandparents for that trip we dont want to exagerate ! We know that july will be hot, but being french teacher (and school psychologist for my wife) doesn't leave us much choice.

We want to enjoy at different pace we would have done with the kids. We want to have good late meals, good wine, see museums, get to historic places ...al things we wouldn't have done with kids, or less done.

It will be our sixth trip in Europe, but the first time in Italy

We have figured and plan this :
5 nights in Rome (our flight arrive at 11:20 july 8). We have found an airbnb in Trastevere (http://fr.airbnb.ca/rooms/2265519) .

For Rome we have plan to : get over jetlag on the arrival day, monday see a bit of centro storico and do a food tour of trastevere (Twilight Trastevere with eating italy food tour), see the colesseum and forum on tuesday ( we have to buy advance tickets first monday of june I think). For wednesday and Tuesday, maybe Ostia antican and Vatican.

Fast train on friday to Florence
4 nights in Florence. Once again Airbnb (http://fr.airbnb.ca/rooms/7070194)

We dont have precise plan for Florence, but we probably do a daytrip to Siena

fast train to Venice (stop for 4-5 hours in Padova to see a friend)

3 nights Venice (http://fr.airbnb.ca/rooms/12013950).
No exact plan for Venice. Our flight home leave at 13:20 on july 20

Does that plan sound ok ?

Just about trains if don't know - book far in advance on Acquista il biglietto con le nostre offerte - Trenitalia or www.italotreno.it/en - two competing rail systems using same tracks and stations - for serious discounts over buying once there - www.seat61.com has loads of sage advice on doing that - general info on trains and what to expect BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. so book your own tickets on line.

It sounds like a good plan! Get your museum/ historicsite tickets for Rome and Florence ASAP.

I'm no expert on Italy, but I think it sounds pretty much perfect!!

looks good, in Venice try and walk around in the early morning and late evening, especially nice.

Looks just fine to me!

Thanks everyone, our train is already reserved !

IT,s cool to read that we have done our homeworks the right way !

With 4 days in Florence I recommend you look into the Firenze card. It is staggering how many interesting and valuable museums and sites there are in Florence. Well worth your time to do some forward planning. Have used thr Firenze card twice now when we visited, most recently last summer. Will save you time standing on line in the hot sun at many destinations. Also if you have an interest in climbing the duomo or seeing David, you will get a specific date/time for that and/or skip the line. May very well be booked up at this point, but worth a look! Enjoy

Oops! Almost forgot Padua. If you have a chance pop into the Scrovegni Chapel for a quick visit. Again, you must make timed reservations. It is stunning!

Florence - try to get up to Fiesole for a lovely view of Florence nestled far below and also some great Roman ruins. Short bus ride.

I agree!

Of course the Piazza Michelangelo, right in Florence also provides a classic view of Florence from a much closer but still high up venue - though crowded with tourists still make this a must IMO - Florence's sea of burnt-sienna-hued tiled roofs to me was mesmerizing. Not a bad walk from town center but buses go there too:

https://www.google.com/search?q=piaz...w=1920&bih=949