Good day to all! I am planning for a trip to Italy (and a side trip to London) in autumn and here is my itinerary. I know they are very short stays in those great cities but that is the only time I've got! Please comment. <BR> <BR>Rome - 4 days <BR>Florence - 1 day <BR>Pisa - 1 day <BR>Venice - 3 days <BR>Milan - 2 days <BR>London - 4 days <BR> <BR>Cheers, <BR> <BR>Erwin

I've been told you could skip Milan. If possible spend the extra 2 days in London or perhaps take the time to go to Sorrento, Italy and over to the Isle of Capri. The blue grotto is lovely. <BR>

I've also been told that though Milan has some charms, it is skippable, particularly when time is short. I could suggest perhaps only one day there if you want to see the Duomo and the Last Supper, but that's another bout of packing, unpacking, check in, check out, and more time lost. <BR>If it were me, I would skip both Milan and Pisa on this trip, just to reduce the wear-and-tear on myself, and to reduce lost time. Tack some extra time onto Florence and/or London. <BR>You'll get to Milan and Pisa on another trip, I hope. <BR>Of course, the suggestions depend on what YOUR priorities are. <BR>Getting from one place to another eats up a lot more time than you hope it will. <BR>good luck

Skip Pisa, cut Milan down to one day and add two days to Florence. To spend only one day in Florence is a tease.

Erwin, <BR> <BR>I agree with the previous postings. I think I would do: <BR>Rome 4 days <BR>Florence 4 days <BR>Venice 3 days <BR>London 4 days <BR> <BR>Unless you're flying into Milan - then 1 day there - but I wouldn't make an extra trip in this short timeframe. <BR> <BR>Have a great time... <BR>Dona

I'd try to add a day to Florence, especially if you want to see the museums. It's my favorite city in the world. I am in the minority here but I think two days in Venice would suffice (particularly if you are on a budget.) Skip Pisa. I'll e-mail you a picture of the Leaning Tower if you want. That's about all there is worth seeing (says me) and it's worth 15 minutes, unless you want to browse the kiosks near the grounds with their wide assortment of postcards and plastic Pisa towers. <BR> <BR>With that in mind here is how I would structure the trip <BR> <BR>Rome-4 days <BR>Florence-2 days <BR>Venice-2 days <BR>Milan-1 day <BR>Londan-5 days <BR> <BR> <BR>

Unless you really want to see the Last Supper, skip Milan altogether; you have to make reservations and buy tickets ahead to see the Last Supper. <BR> <BR>If you want to do Pisa as a drive-by, it might be worth it. Don't go out of your way (I like jwagner's offer to email you a picture of the tower) and miss time in Florence or Venice (much prettier and more interesting cities).

I would definitely skip Pisa, but I think the duomo in Milan is worth seeing. One day in Milan should be enough. I had a great meal in Milan - email me if you are interested in a reccomendation. Plan ahead if you want to see the Last Supper, they are very strict about how many people they let in. Florence deserves two days (at least), so much to see! If it were me I'd add a day to Venice. Have fun!

Drop Pisa and Milan. Add one day to Rome and two to Florence.

Pisa's Duomo, baptistery, and bell (leaning) tower you have too admit are very beautiful! If that tower had *never* leaned I think that we'd be telling posters that if they have a chance, stop by Pisa and visit a beautiful 12thCen. church/baptistery/tower that's overlooked by the vast majority of tourists). Erwin: I would try to spent more time in Florence and just do Pisa as a afternoon daytrip (1hr by train then bus or walk) or take a bus tour they leave Florence ~2pm and return ~7pm with a ~2hr guided tour of Pisa. HTH Regards, Walter <BR>

Walter's idea is a good one. Make Pisa a day trip if you want.

I agree with Dona's suggestion above. Spend more time in the big cities and you will enjoy the trip more and remember more. Do Pisa and Milan on another trip. Pisa is a simple stop and photograph, plus the entire tower is now help up by ugly cables and has a construction fence around it. We were there in October. Milan: Sign up for the Last Supper if you must and them travel on. The other cities are worth the time you would be wasting in Milan and Pisa.

Drop Venice, Milan and London and spend more time in Tuscany. Florence is OK, but Siena, Lucca, Pisa, Volterra and a few others are GREAT cities. With the itinerary you give, you will be tired and NOT satisfied when you get home. You may have seen a lot, but will probably not have enjoyed your trip. Think about all the packing/unpacking, transportation, getting settled in every new city, etc. Base yourself somewhere centrally in Tuscany, rent a car and you will have a great, relaxing time! <BR>

I think you should definitely go to Venice, assuming you've never been there before. It's definitely one-of-a-kind. I'd chop two nights off of your Venice stop, eliminate the overnight in Pisa, and use that time in Florence. One day in Florence is not enough, particularly if you need time to decompress from the chaos of Rome. I thought Pisa was a fun day trip from Florence, but that was way back when tourists could still climb to the top.

Skip Milan and Pisa. I think 2 days each are sufficient for Florence and Venice. Add in Seina (an easy bus ride from Florence) and Orvieto (between Rome and Florence)and you would get yourself a good mix of big and small ciites. Have fun!

IMO it's very difficult to comment on an itinerary plan without further info on the traveller's priorities. Without any feedback, Erwin, all you'll get are posters' personal preferences (which may be diametrically opposed at times). <BR> <BR>In trying to "wear your skin" the only relevant info is your proposition ... you have 11 days in Italy and then off to London (eventually on a flight out of Milan - could also be out of Venice). It appears to be your first visit to Italy. For a first, 4 days in Rome sounds very reasonable (really doesn't matter what your main interests are once Rome has it all ...). For a Venice first, 2 1/2 days (3 nights) also sounds right. This enables one to get lost in a couple of sestieri (1st priority), visit some sites and spend a 1/2 day in the lagoon. That leaves you with 4 days. I take it that you did some research ... It would be interesting to know the reasons that prompted you to reserve for a day each, in Florence and Pisa and for 2 days in Milan. BTW, how old are you &lt;g&gt;? <BR> <BR>Depending on your interests, there's nothing wrong spending a single day in Florence ... after all, there are tourists that visit Florence on a day trip out of Rome, aren't there? If all you're interested in Florence is the Uffizi and Michellangelo's David, one day is more than enough. You'd still have time to vist a couple of nice churches. On the other hand, depending on your interests a week wouldn't do it! <BR> <BR>Pisa ... probably the city in Italy that generates the biggest polemic. It's pictured in all guides as a must see city ... but it's included in all overrated cities of the world lists (specially here in this Forum). If you're going to Pisa just to see the tower, forget it ... it's a dissatisfaction guaranteed situation! The tower's just a complement to the marvelous Campo dei Miracoli, unique in the world. As Walter (unfortunately, you're one of few &lt;g&gt points out, the Baptistery and Cathedral are superb and the Camposanto is very interesting (IMO the site in Italy where one can best watch how restaurations works are developped - you may actually discuss the subject with professionals involved in such work). This certainly warrants at least a side trip from Florence. While one's at it, why not also make a 2-hour stop in Lucca? Now, if you like staying up till late (or if your in your 20's or 30's) Pisa is one of the best cities in Italy. Just walk through the maze of narrow alleys in the old town in the late afternoon/evening, stop for dinner where it pleases you and continue your explorations ... I may bet you'll find an "unusual" free event going on (music, theater, whatever!). Pisa is the Italian city that must have the biggest students/population ratio, which makes it very alive at night (with almost no tourists whatsoever). <BR> <BR>I love Milan ... but I must agree that it isn't tourist friendly. Once again, if your only interest is visiting the Duomo/Las Supper it'll probably not pay. Now if you're interested in a concert or opera in the La Scala and are able to get tickets the story may be competely different. <BR> <BR>Summing it up, Erwin, without further input (considering you as a typical 1st time vistor to Italy) I think that Dona got it right. With 4 days in Florence you maintain your option to visit Pisa/Lucca and/or SanG/Siena on daytrips should you wish.

Erwin, you don't say are you flying in and out of Rome? Are you going to have a car, or are you training? You don't need a whole day in Pisa. Are you going to see the Leaning Tower and Baptistry? I stopped on my way to Florence (by train) and spent about 3 hours and that was plenty. I'd spend the extra time in Florence, a fabulous city. Even though I enjoy Milan alot, we have friends there, I wouldn't spend two full days. The Duomo is spectacular and not to be missed, but I would either rent a car, or take the train for a day trip up to the Italian Lakes for a day trip. It is well worth it.

Thanks to all who responded to my message. <BR> <BR>I am sorry I was not able to send my reactions to your suggestions because I forgot about this. I was so busy with my work. <BR> <BR>Anyway, I am 27 years old. <BR> <BR>Then my itinerary is : <BR> <BR>1. fly into Rome (from a Singapore-Paris flight via Air France) and stay there for 4 nights <BR>2. take a train to Florence and spend 2 days and 1 night <BR>3. take a train to Pisa and spend 2 days and one night <BR>4. take a train to Venice via Florence and spend 2 nights and three days <BR>5. take a train to Milan and spend 2 nights and three days <BR>6. then take a train back to Rome and fly back to Paris same day <BR>7. from Paris take the Eurostar to London and spend 3 nights and four days <BR> <BR>Well, since most of you want me to skip Milan and Pisa, I might have to change my itinerary. <BR> <BR>Thanks again.