We are going to Italy in August for 3 weeks before DD begins school in Perugia. We will fly into Rome and immediately take a bus to Perugia to drop off school luggage and recoup for a day or two. After Perugia, this is our plan:

Venice 3 nights > Lake Como 2 nights > Cinque Terre 2 nights > Florence 4 nights > Siena 2 nights > Rome 4 nights

DD will meet her school group in Rome, and I will depart.

Does this seem like a reasonable itinerary? Would you allocate your time differently? Wondering if we should skip Cinque in August? I was hoping to see a little more of Tuscany. Thanks for your ideas.

Even if you don't do the hikes, please don't skip Cinque Terre! It's the most beautiful place! I found we got a ton of sightseeing done in Rome and Florence in 3 nights each and we only spent one night in Siena. We enjoyed Volterra and Montalcino more.

Hello Maire, it sounds fine to me. I personally would stay just one night in Siena and add an additional night to Rome but that is only because I really love Rome. Recouping for a day or two in Perugia sounds good and I think you will really love this city.

Oh good, you got the luggage problem solved! I think your itinerary sounds like a nice overview.

Thank you everyone!

Suze, I didn't get problem solved yet, but figured somehow/someway I will find someone to store it in Perugia for us (waiting to hear from hotels), and it will be nice to have luggage waiting for her there.

I'd take 2 nights from Florence and give one to Cinque Terre and one to Lake Como. I tend to like natural beauty over art. But that's me. And I don't find Florence all that appealing. I much prefer Venice and Rome.

I agree with Guy--especially in August.

I agree with Guy and Bob as well. Florence in August would be hell for me. I would much prefer to be on the Coast in CT.

Since you starting from Perugia, have you considered Lake Trasimeno instead? Everywhere you go in August, and esspcially Cinque Terre, you are going to find hordes of vacationers. Moving around so much is going to be very difficult, and where it isn't blisteringly hot, it is probably going to very muggy, especially Venice.

Look at a map and consider renting a car in Perugia and heading for Tuscany. Find a villa with a pool or lakeside, and do day trips from there, as the heat and your energy permit.

With 3 weeks, I would suggest two different locations: One in Tuscany and perhaps one on the coast. Look into Portovenere, Lerici or Levanto, or perhaps Chiavari (not expensive). Take boats or other public transportation to Cinque Terre.

I apologize for not doing the preliminary research about trains for this suggestion, but Florence is going to be very, very hot and very, very humid in August, and it would be nice, I think, if you could escape to Cinque Terre <b>after</b> Florence rather than before.

I'd perhaps give Venice 4 nights and Florence 3 nights: a) because I much prefer Venice to Florence; b) because Venice may seem just the tiniest bit cooler than Florence, which sits and steams in a declivity.

Hi M,

&gt;Florence 4 nights &gt; Siena 2 nights &gt; &lt;

Florence and Siena are about 1:30 hr apart. Do you really want to pack and unpack when you could visit one fro the other?

Alternatively, how about renting a car and spending 6 nights in Tuscany?

Have a great visit.

My only concern with your itinerary would be the travel days. I'm not sure how you plan to get from one place to another but it can take a whole day or the very least a half day . I just got back from 3 weeks in Italy and we were in Rome, Pienza, Cinque Terre, and Venice. To get from one to the other was tiring. Just my 2 cents.

Venice offers no relief from the heat and humidity in August. And if you are sensitive to smell, you might very well prefer the Tuscan countryside.

The weather round up for August in Venice:

&quot;Weather:Climate and current weather information for Venice Italy: Venice is an extremely hot port of call for those visiting in July and August, Climate and current weather information for Venice Italy. Outside these months, however, you will find the weather is very comfortable. Due to it's location, the Adriatic Coast brings frequent thunderstorms and rain showers. Venice is always humid. Keep this in mind, as the cold temperatures will feel colder, and the hots will feel hotter. The water that makes the city so unique also keeps the humidity level at about 90%. while in the summer the temperatures can soar to a dizzy 96°F/35°C . In December, January and February, the average temperature is 32-37°F/[-3] between 0°C. Fog and wind often roll in with the coldest months. In the summertime, the humidity can become very uncomfortable. The hottest months are July and August with average temperatures ranging 86-91°F/30-33°C. Although the climate is variable with influence of the nearby Alps and warm winds sweeping in from North Africa, the humidity remains high all year round. Because of the water that makes Venice so unique, the cooler temperatures feel colder and the warmer temperatures hotter. During the fall and winter months Venice can suffer from flooding, that in November seems to occur almost on a daily basis. The flooding of Venice is directly related to tides in the Venetian lagoon. So high water &quot;aqua alta&quot;, normally only lasts a few hours a day.&quot;

Wow! Thank you ALL for the great suggestions. I will consider everything you all said, including altering my days, and checking out other the other towns you mentioned. I really, really appreciate your input.

P.S. We will be traveling by train and/or bus. Possibly might rent a car if we're in Tuscany area long enough.

ttt...just trying to get as many opinions as possible before I start booking my hotels. Thanks.

Hi Maire,

If it were me, I would take 2 nights away from Florence and add them to either Venice, Rome, or even Cinque Terre. Florence was my least favorite city/town in Italy and 2 nights was enough. I would go back, but only if I stayed in Friesole (SP?) and took the bus down the hill into the city.

Hi, a couple of thoughts....

First of all, if Venice is absolutely necessary, then of course go there. But August is not a great time go, as the crush of tourism will be upon the small city. If you drive directly to Como, stay there and then go down to the CT, it would save you quite a large amount of road time. From Como, you could come through the beautiful wine country of Piemonte( even staying a few days if you like, August is a lovely month in Piemonte), drive past Genoa and then straight down the A12 to the CT. Sure, the CT will be crowded, but you can always stay in either Lerici or Portovenere on the Golf of Poets and take the boat into the CT if you like. Both small cities are Ligurian jewels. I agree with the poster who suggested only one destination from which you can visit both Sienna and Florence, the two cities are close enough in proximity to make a rental in, say, Greve a nice possibility. Then finishing up in Rome.

While seeing Venice might be high on the priority list, taking it off the intinerary this time might open your trip up to some less touristed areas, and will save you some travel as well.

Diana

Just want to point out that when you visit Lake Como, it is not necessary to stay in the town of Como. Midlake, Varenna, Bellaggio, Menaggio are nice small towns with easy access to the ferries that cross the lake.

Thank you to all who have responded. Please forgive me if I missed your posts earlier…don’t know how I did that.

Michellen—
Thanks. I don’t think we will skip Cinque, providing we can get a hotel. I just keep hearing how beautiful it is. I just decided today that we’re going to get a guide to give us a tour in Tuscany, rather than rent a car. I’m hoping we can see the towns you mentioned. I really want to see Montalcino. Did you sleep in Volterra and Montalcino, or just do day trips? Thanks.

LoveItaly—
We may be getting into Perugia late Saturday afternoon (and we’ll be exhausted). So, we’ll rest and see what we can on Sunday and Monday (including, I hope, a tour of the Perugina chocolate factory). Do you know if that’s enough time to allot to Perugia. Thanks.

Suze—
Update on the luggage problem. Got an answer from the Perugia hotel: “For leaving your luggages we have a deposit free of charge.” So I think that means yes.

Very_Bad_Man, Guy18, Bobthenavigator &amp; Crazy4Travel—
Thanks. I think I will reduce time in Florence and add elsewhere. Still deciding on how many for Rome and Venice.

Nessundorma &amp; Ira –
Thank you. I’m really dreading the probably hot weather. I was concerned about the hordes in CinqueTerre. At one time, I was considering renting a car to drive around Tuscany for a couple of days, but just today decided to go with a guide. But your suggestions to stay in Tuscany sound very appealing—so many decisions; I have to think and re-think. I will check out all those towns you mentioned, Nessun.

Eloise –
Going to Cinque after Florence sounds like a great idea. My plan was to go from Rome to Perugia to Venice and counter-clockwise from Venice back to Rome. But it might be better to go clockwise. It would mean a longer train trip back from Venice to Rome, but I guess that’s not a big deal.

Tlegray—
We’ll be using trains and/or buses. Maybe we’re planning too much.

Dayle ---
Thanks. Did you not like staying in Florence because of the crowds or noise? How long would it take to get from Friesole to the city by bus? Thanks.

Bellacqui—
Yes, Venice is a must for us. I’m hoping by walking a lot, we can escape some of the crowds, and I’m also hoping for some cooler-than-usual temperatures. I’d rather reduce our time there than not see it at all. I will check out Piemonte; it sounds wonderful. And also Lerici and Portovenere. Do you know if those towns will be extra-crowded in August due to both tourists and Italian vacationers? Thanks.

Mimar—
Thanks. We are looking at Varenna.

Again, thank you all for your help.

Before you make your final plans, and/or take days away from Florence, map it all out on the calendar. The Academia and Ufizzi are closed on Mondays. Several of the &quot;must see&quot; churches and other places have mind-numbing schedules like being closed the first and third Sundays, or the first and third Mondays, or are only open from 8:30-11:30 and the like. Make sure that what you want to see is actually open when you plan to be there.

There are two places in Florence we want to visit that are quite close to each other. But one is closed the first Sunday of the month, and the other is closed the first Monday of the month. We are visiting the first Sunday and Monday of the month, so we cannot see them both on the same day!