Florence or Venice for one day/night
 

Hello Fodorites:
We will be in Rome for seven full days and thought we could take a day/night trip to either Florence or Venice. Is this do-able? If so, any suggestions for reasonable accommodations for just one night in either city?

Also, can one do Pompei as a day trip from Rome?

thanks for your help.
Twilightny

Hello,
Florence is more doable as a day trip than Venice. Venice is 4 hours by train, Florence is about 2. Because it is so close you will not need to waste money on a hotel. Pompeii is a great day trip to make. You take the train to Naples (2 hours) and then go downstairs to take the circumvesuviana train (commuter train) to the Pompeii scavi stop (half hour). The roundtrip ticket is about 30 euros. If you leave early (7-8 am) you will have hours to spend exploring Pompeii and can still be back in Rome by 8ish. I have done this exact same trip several times. It is very easy. Just take a book or magazine on the train and relax.

Well, Rome is in the south, Venice is in the north, and Florence is in the middle. So it would be easier to visit Florence more than it would be to visit Venice for an overnight trip. Venice would be, to me, better seen for longer than an overnight stay.

Hi CG,

>We will be in Rome for seven full days and thought we could take a day/night trip to either Florence or Venice.

>Also, can one do Pompei as a day trip from Rome?

You only have a week. If that includes flying into/out of Rome, you have 6 days, at best.

I would save Florence and Venice for another visit.

You could skip Rome and spend a week in Florence and Venice.

((I))

We will probably do Florence or Pompei, depending on transportation. Should we stay overnight in Florence? Any recommendations for reasonable places?

I know that one day is not doing it justice, but it gives a small taste and a desire to return. I know, too, that there is more than enough to see in Rome, but I thought a brief change of pace would be good.

BTW - our 7 days in Rome does not include our two travel days in/out.

Venice is actually closer to 5 hours from Rome on Eurostar. If you have 7 full days I could see doing a trip with a night over to either Florence or Pompeii/Amalfi. One possibility if the costs are ok would be to take the train to Naples one morning, and have a car/driver meet you at the train station to take you to Pompeii. After Pompeii you could than be driven to a hotel in Sorrento where you could spend the night. Have the car and driver pick you up early in the morning the next day for a tour of the Amalfi than deposit you back to the train station for a return trip to Rome. I am not sure I would do Amalfi
with traffic in August and maybe July but otherwise this might make a nice change from Rome.
I have no suggestion for hotels as I do not know what reasonable means to you.

I should have been clearer - this trip is in mid-February (if that changes things). Also, for this side jaunt I would consider up to 100E reasonable for the one night. We would be looking for basic, clean, b & B type accommodations.
thanks again for everyone's suggestions and ideas!