I also think it is unreasonable to assume everyone who posts a question at 6:23 p.m. expects to have to come back and respond to questions before noon the following day.

A while back one of the travel magazines had an article on "Florence people and Venice people, and I think this thread confirms that.

Actually I agree with Charnee's characterization, and for me, it's Venice all the way. I think October is a perfect time to go. When I organized a trip to Italy for my four sisters and me we spend 3 days in Venice and bypassed Florence--for their first experience, I wanted them to go places where people would generally be nice to them, and staying at a good locanda in Venice we got exactly that. Also they could navigate by walking/by water. Both places get tons of tourists for obvious reasons but Venice was a little more laid back, relatively, than Florence, IMO. I also find it much easier to navigate than Florence.

But I have friends who very strongly prefer Florence and would disagree with everything above!

I can't agree with the "just stay in Rome" perspective. If I had just a few hours, which I recently did between trains, I'd want to spend it wandering in Venice. The fact that it's on the way to the final destination lends even more legitimacy to the desire to see another place that's completely different from Rome. It's Venice and it's right there. How could one not stop?

Unforgettable Venice.

Wow! I finally found out I am not the only one who wasn't as impressed by Florence! I acknowledge that we didn't spend much time there and so agree that it might indeed be a place that "grows on you". Since OP doesn't have time to do that I think a short stop in Venice would be perfect. It is indeed great fun to just walk around and doesn't require the heavier planning experience of somewhere like Rome (which is our favorite italian city). Also, not sure what your traveling stlye is but my daughter and friends stayed in a hostel in Venice and enjoyed meeting other travelers. Since Venice is so compact it didn't matter as much that they were not right in the center like bigger cities, it was cheaper than a hotel, and they met other travelers. I think Venice would be a nice spot for a solo traveler.

I spent three days in Florence and two weeks in Venice. And I could happily return and spend a month in Venice!

I think that with just a day and a half, I’d go to Venice. In that time, you can start to get a feel for Venice, even if you don’t visit the main tourist attractions. You can walk from one end of Venice to the other in a couple of hours, and it is quite a small town.

Just being in a place with no cars or scooters is pretty special, and so different to Rome. The silence is quite something.

No one has asked the logistical question of how you will get from either Venice or Florence to your destination in Switzerland. If going by train, you'll spend less time getting to Florence and onward to Switzerland, rather than Venice.

If this trip is October 2011, you might want to investigate lodging availability in both Florence and Venice, and you might end up making your choice depending on what you find.

FWIW, I vote for Florence.

ahhh. to be in that dreamlike state that no other than Venice can give....

3 times is NEVER enough for me. Cant wait to go back someday.

Thanks for everyone's responses. I think from everyone's posts I can't go wrong but have chosen Venice as the best choice.

Aother vote for Venice, without a doubt this is where I would go.

You made the right Choice, been to both twice and there is only one answer and you got it right

Venice is a permanent tragio-comedy. There is the historic sense of importance, an elegant conquering of the water (and the always possible threat of a re-conquest), and a true sense of romance, but then you have the schmaltz of San Marco, the unabashed tourism, singing gondoliers in their striped shirts and hats, and the gaudy glass work. And at times it all seems rather silly.

Florence is the tourist epicenter of Italy, even worse than Venice. There is the brillance of Brunelleschi, one the finest art museum in the world, and the residue of past grandeur, plus a city where you can visit other Tuscan towns. But the crowds can be maddening.

No stranger can make the decision for you, it is your job to learn about the two and decide.

I agree with Aduchamp1, and I'll add that you can't decide which you prefer until you've visited both.