I didn't find Rome "scary" or "overwhelming" in the least so don't be afraid to visit. It's a delightful and amazing city and not as overwhelming as many believe, especially for someone from NYC.

I too agree with doing it on your own. I would probably choose either two cities and take a few daytrips outisde of them, or perhaps combine a city (ie Rome) with a week in Tuscany.

Happy planning!
Tracy

Do your 10 days include travel time? Your proposed itinerary is very agressive and will no doubt wear you out! You can enjoy a lot of Venice in 2-3 days; Rome needs a minimum of 4, which includes a must do trip to Pompeii; Florence and or Tuscany could take up as many days as you have to give them...but I don't really recomend touring Tuscany yourself. I think you'd need a guide. For one thing, no one speaks English and the driving can be tricky. I'd suggest finding a guide from Florence to drive you to a couple choice spots, like Sienna, or San Gimiano (sp?).

Mikki,

You are getting good advice from experienced, seasoned travelers.

#1) fly opened jaw, the additional expense is minimal and you get another day to sight see.

#2) This website is primarily visited by independent (non tour) travelers. With independent travel you can pick a hotel that offers the chance to see the piazzas of Florence or Rome at night, at your leisure, instead of being 'out by the airport'. You get the opportunity to experience more.

#3) Since Florence is in Tuscany, you can 'kill those two birds with one stone'.

#4) It is hard to resist the temptation to cover all of Italy with ten days. There is no pointin trying. Italy will still be there for a second trip. (The old bridge will be the old bridge for centuries to come.)

#5) Do try and see some of small-town Italy. Day trips will do and Tuscany and Rome are great for that.

#6) When you don't have enough days in a city, consider buying a half day (or full day) tour. They will help you tick off more of a city's major sights.

Sorry -

And I know some people disagree - but Rome is not scary at all. To anyone used to sizable cities Rome is very manageable and easy to deal with. The tourist/historic area is quite small and easily doable on foot - or cab if your feet give out. We didn;t find anyplace (including small local restaurants, cafes, shops and groceries) where someone didn't speak at least a little English (to supplement our bad Spanish) and in most places people spoke very good English.

Planning this trip would be a piece of cake. Just book flights (into Rome and out of either Florence or Venice), reserve hotels and get a couple of guide books. You can do most things your self - or pick up day tours on the spot if you really want. The only thing I would reserve in advance is the Sacvi tickets for the Vatican.

Then, just go, relax, and enjoy.

For Rome, in addition to the Scavi tour under the Vatican, I would also reserve Borghese Gallery tickets in advance, as those are impossible to get otherwise. I would also book a Vatican tour that cuts out the waiting in lines, which apparently has gotten much worse. The details of how to do that are somewhere on this board.

For Florence, I would book Uffizi and Accademia in advance.

Hi,

I agree with Pegden--take into account your travel time. If it's your first time going that far, you don't know how the jet lag will be. For me, personally, it takes a few days to adjust. You don't want to spend two days in Florence ... moaning on the hotel bed or busting out in tears (me!).

Snag some melatonin, relax, and listen to these savvy people. You'll be great!