Help! Seeing Italy for the first time but only have 6 days!!
 

I'm meeting my daughter in Italy, it will be the first time for both of us. We have agreed that we are more interested in seeing the Romeo and Juliet side of Italy than the Gladiator side. Of course we are going to spend one night and day in Rome. Beyond that we are so torn.
Anyone have thoughts on the choice of Venice and Verona vs. Siena and Florence?
Any thoughts would be appreciated!

You need to be a little more specific. Do you mean that you're not interested in Ancient Rome, or not interested in gladiators? There's much more to Ancient Rome than what you might see in any one movie (or Shakespearean play, for that matter).

What time of year will you be traveling?

With 6 days (how many nights?), I would suggest that you stay in Venice the entire time, with a day trip to Verona if you like (of course, this ignores the fact that you're going to "of course" going to spend one day and night in Rome). Or the entire time in Rome. You could spend 6 days in Rome and have plenty to do and see without even making it to the Forum or Coloseum (though personally, I think they are not to be missed). Visit Siena and Florence if you're more interested in Renaissance Italy.

I can guess what the Gladiator side is (assume you're not interested in Roman antiquities), but what is the Romeo and Juliet side? Are you looking for star-crossed lovers, warring families, romantic balconies, deadly potions, or what?

Venice and Verona would be lovely. You will go back to see Rome and Florence, but you could easily stay for 2 nights in Verona and the rest in Venice and be totally thrilled with your choice. (Check out the current Venice report: "How do you know They are not Killers" and you will know you've made a good choice.)

I know what you mean by Romeo and Juliet vs Gladiator. Indeed, Venice and Verona can be much calmer and easier to digest than busy Rome and Florence. At least, that would be my choice were my daughter and I to have to choose between the two.

...I meant Siena and Rome....but you probably figured that out already!

My apologies for my ignorance in how to most successfully ask for help.
uhoh_busted, thank you so much for understanding even though my information was too vague. I can see why it would be difficult to help me based on what I wrote.
My daughter will be coming via ship, and I'm flying into Rome. We will meet in Rome July 2nd.
I've heard this is not a good time to visit Rome and I feel to do it true justice we would need much more time, however, we must make do with what we are blessed to have. We will return to Rome for our final night and day together to at least get a "taste of Rome". She will have another day beyond that in Rome as well. With that being said, I do not wish to spend all my time standing in long lines and fighting crowds, and I realize this timing is tourist season and potentially hot temperatures. We would love to see more of the country side, smaller towns, experience the culture, food, wine and people of Italy today. Better?

How many days do you actually have on the ground? (You can;t count the day you arrive and the day you leave.)

Even with 6 full days I would tend to stay in one place and do one or two day trips.

For me the obvious choice would be rome - since I'm a history buff. Venice is more about art and the culture of a unique city state. But you can do fascinating day trips from both. (BUt whatever you do - do not ignore ancient Rome - a civilization that ruled a large part of the world for a thousand years isn't just about gladiators - any more than the US is about professional wrestling).

You are so right nytraveler. No offense meant by the Gladiator comment. My two daughters would be reeling as one is a history minor and the other completely fascinated by the Roman Empire.
Okay, so everyone forgive me, not trying to disrespect Rome.

Six full days not including arrival or departure.

Having visited all the places you've mentioned (and returning this fall to spend more time in Rome) I think you are smart to focus the most of your short time to Venice (totally unique in the entire world) and Verona (which I loved for its scale, sophistication and "romance" -- even if there wasn't truly a feud between Montagues and Capulets (!) ). You will get a small taste of Rome, but unless you want to spend your entire time there -- you'll need to make a choice as to what you do want to see. You can easily catch a train from Rome to Verona and then Venice (or visa versa) and back to the airport.

Everyone I know who has ever visited Italy has decided they "need" to go back. But this is one short trip with you and your daughter.

In Verona there is a gorgeous colosseum that is still covered in beautiful, white marble. It is still used for entertainment. In fact, when my own daughter was "backpacking" through Europe with a couple pals several years ago, they lucked out and got to see a production of an Opera. Seeing that venue, and sitting on those marble seats, made it easier for me to see what the Roman Colosseum must have really been like before it was stripped of marble.'

Do head to the library and take out a couple of guide books that cover Rome, Venice and Verona to make sure you are picking the right places for your quick taste. But I think you know what you want from this trip.

Next, see about finding hotels to stay in. You will want to stay IN Venice, and in the old centro historica in Verona. Similarly, you'll want to be someplace near all the action in Rome.

Search here and on TripAdvisor for suggestions of hotels...I like venere.com but you can also find most all the same places on Hotels.com or even Expedia or Travelocity. Figure a half day to travel between locations each time.

Truly, I think that on a first trip to Italy, it is easier to get into the Italian "flow" by seeing other places first, and finishing up with Rome. By then you are ready to take on the city in stride.

We went to Verona to see/hear the opera and it's quite a treat, even if you aren't opera fans.

If you like to eat, the best meal I've had to date, over a course of Italian trips, was in Verona at Trattoria al Pompiere.
I'm seriously debating a detour on our upcoming trip this summer to eat there once again.

If you are going to Italy this July you had better get your hotel reservations ASAP!!! I suppose you have your Rome days already committed. I would head straight for Verona and stay there the rest of the time because you will have more luck finding accommodations there now. You can go to Venice for a day trip.

However, if you can find lodging in Venice, you might enjoy being there in the late afternoons and evenings when the cruise ship mobs have departed. Venice is going to be jammed with tourists in July. You could take a couple of trips out of town during the day when it is so crowded, and come back in the evening.

Thank you to everyone that commented! I think we have a plan now.
All the best

One other point - unless you love the heat be sure your hotels have real AC that can be regulated in the room. Italy that time of year tends to be both hot (well into the 90s) and humid so for be the 2 keys to choosing a hotel are location and great AC.

Strongly agree take your time and enjoy being in one location for accom, with side trips by train/bus. Travelling between locations and settling into accomm etc takes valuable time. Agree with several respondents - why not just Venice with trip to Verona, and make sure you get ferry trips to the islands of Venice - best to get Ferry ticket for several days and you can hop on and off at whim, just wandering around where you want to discover little squares, etc, then hop the ferry back to your hotel stop.
Such a lot to see and lovely to be able to enjoy it all rather than cramming everything in to short times, quite stressful as major attractions have queues starting early.
Best times in morning and afternoon, and avoid St Mark's square around the middle of the day when the ship daytrippers arrive and crowd it out.
Enjoy it.

Wow -- don't know your dates, but I just checked venere.com for Venice for July 8 - 11 and found Hotel American Dinesen, which is wonderfully located AND air conditioned, which has a double for $226/night if you stay 3 or more nights. That includes breakfast, and being located in Dorsodura, walking distance to nearly everything. Note that most doubles in Italy are actually two beds joined together at the headboard. If you want a Canal view, the price jumps to $335/night. There are a number of other choices listed, so you should have a good chance of finding something with AC, well priced and well located.

I do know people who have stayed at this hotel, and remember seeing it when we were in Venice and thinking it was exactly the kind of place I'd stay!

Enjoy your planning!

Venice is magical, you will love being there with your daughter. My favorite places to stay are Locanda Orseolo and Hotel Flora - they are both simple and lovely.

I'm of the "Venice is magical" camp, so I'd vote Venice, Verona, a couple days each place. It's a little spread out to me (personally I'd stay just one place the entire time since it's so short) but you seem OK with that (just a taste of Rome).

Are you doing the trip by train? Car?