robbyuws

In early September, will be flying into Florence on a Wednesday morning and out of Venice the following Thursday. The only fllghts i could get with frequent flier points.
Would like to go to Rome as i am traveling with someone who has not been there ( I have). Suggestions on how to parse out: 2 days Florence, 4 days Rome, 2 Days Venice? Any way to try to include Amalfi? Thanks.>>!

Peter_S_Aus

I can’t comment on the Amalfi Coast – was there last in 1975 - but it is a long way from Rome.

I’d suggest:
Arrive Florence. Take train to Rome straight away – two hour train trip, and you’ll be a bit jet lagged anyway.
Stay in Rome for some nights.
Train to Florence for some nights.
Train to Venice – two hours plus a bit on the train.
Some nights in Venice, and fly out.

The split of nights is so determined by what you and your friend are interested in. Antique ruins – Rome. Art – probably Florence. Streets full of water and a pretty amazing place – Venice. If it was me, I’d do three nights in Rome, two in Florence and three in Venice. But that’s just me, and I’m not a huge art enthusiast. Try and avoid single night stays anywhere – they eat up a lot of time, finding a hotel, unpacking and so on.

Train travel is very good in Italy, and most reliable.

annw

I like the idea of using that dead zone after transatlantic flight on train travel but an alternative is 2 nights Florence, the two hour train to Rome for 3 nights, then 4 hour train ride to Venice-- since you are probably out early the last day from Venice I would stay there at least 3 nights. So personally I'd give up a night in Florence for another in Venice but opinions definitely vary.

I think Amalfi Coast is pushing it, but you could theoretically give up a night or two elsewhere to go there. Depends on your and your friend's interests. You could get the train from Rome to Sorrento in 3-4 hours, but not sure how much of AC you'll see doing it that way (when we went it was the other way and we drove up from the south). Much as I love train travel that's a lot of to-and-fro in a short time.

Have a good trip whatever you decide.

chazzarelli

I don't think you could squeeze in the AC at all on this trip. Just not doable or enjoyable given the time you have.

zeppole

When is this trip? The Amalfi coast is not enjoyable at all times of the year.

It's really impossible to advise given how little you've posted about your and your companion's interests. It's tempting to think there is something intrinsically logical way to divide the time -- like, Rome has X more guidebook recommended sights so I guess it takes X more hours to see -- but I think that's not a fun way to go, since you have so little time.

If you really want to see the Amalfi, of course you can. You just can't be in 2 places at once. The last thing I would do is what annw is recommending -- spend 5 hours on a train during such a short trip and skip Florence -- but guess what? I'd have little interest in hanging around Venice, but as annw notes, opinions vary.

So you have to decide with your friend, and ignore your conscience if it tries to scold you for playing in the Amalfi when you should be closely examining an art city. Like Venice, the Amalfi to me has became mainly a tourist amusement colony, so spending time there is not for me, but that's up to you.

I will toss out that if your friend is not burning to tour Rome, but does love Italian painting, a trip to Florence, Verona and Venice might be relaxed and fun, and Verona's wonderful Roman arena and other Roman sites can stand in for the ones in Rome (likewise a short trip up to Fiesole above Florence, for its Roman ruins, and the smell of the olive trees).

ira

Hi robby

>Would like to go to Rome as i am traveling with someone who has not been there <

Lots of people have not been there. It will be there on your friend's next trip.

Why mess up what could be a very nice visit to Florence, rural Tuscany and Venice by backing and forthing to/from Rome? That's at least one day lost to train travel.

Going from Rome to the AC and back is going to cost at least another day.

I would spend 3 nights in Florence; rent a car and drive through Tuscany for 2 nights and then visit Venice for 2 nights.

Enjoy your visit.

annw

<<spend 5 hours on a train during such a short trip and skip Florence >>

I am not recommending what you are saying here, zeppole.

The OP wants (due to friend) to go to Rome; if so, the 4 hour Rome-Venice leg is ultimately unavoidable since the OP **is departing from Venice**. Nor did I advise to skip Florence--OP is **arriving in Florence** and clearly will not be skipping it.

Were it my trip, I would do as Ira suggests and stay in the north. I would put my friend on an express train to Rome for a day or two and stay in Florence/the north.

The AC is doable just not advisable as most of us have suggested.

kfusto

I also would leave the AC out this trip.

For me, the two cities on your list that I enjoy most are Florence and Rome. Though I like to end my trips to Italy in Rome, your air routing does not make that practical. I would head to Rome on arrival and spend 4 nights, then head to Florence for 3 and overnight in Venice the night before your flight home. But I freely admit I am not a big fan of Venice and really enjoy both Rome and Florence much more.

It really depends on your interests.

I also suggest you check on flights again closer to arrival as I use FF miles often and seats open up close to travel time. I have often gotten my preferred flights closer to travel dates and the $100 per ticket fee to change flights has been worth it to me. Are you flying via CDG or FRA to get to Florence?

Holly_uncasdewar

Well, here’s another perspective. Since I started checking luggage on the plane, I now spend 2-3 nights at my landing destination just in case the bag doesn’t make it with my flight, and just in case it doesn’t make it the next day, either. Not likely to happen, but it does happen. For that reason, I would start with 3 nights in Florence.

Then take the roughly 2-hour train ride to Rome for 2 nights. You can leave Florence early enough to be in Rome, checked into your hotel, and back out before noon. Which leaves you the entire rest of the day plus the next day to hit the main sites and get a taste of Rome.

Then an early train to Venice, and get checked into your hotel there by 1 pm’ish and spend 3 nights in Venice. Forget Amalfi for this trip. Save it for the next one.

robbyuws

thx for recommendations..am flying direct from JFK ...will look again at being able to fly into rome directly(with points) closer to trip..really enjoy just walking around, some art (not huge), churches, cathedrals, etc..and think must see the main rome attractions..if am able to change a leg of trip to fly in/out (if avail), would you fly into rome or out of rome? also is more than 1.5 days in venice too much? really am a foodie and in past --how is it getting from florence airport (PSA) to florence?

zeppole

Sorry, annw! I read too fast. (I thought you were saying "give up Florence")

robbyuws,

Getting to the center of Florence from the airport is a cinch.

HOWEVER:

If you are a foodie, like walking around and you haven't booked your tickets, why aren't you going to Bologna -- and Napoli?

Check into the possibility of flying into Napoli (if that's possible) and if not, fly into Rome and go directly to Napoli by train. If you get a nice day, take a look at the Amalfi coast.

Head up to Rome.

Finish up in Bologna (you can day to Florence if that's a must, or see it enroute).

Fly out of Bologna.

If you want to stay in Bologna, you need to book a hotel as soon as possible.

Anyway, I would linger in food cities if you are a foodie. Florence is not that.

kfusto

Florence Airport is Peretola, not Pisa. It seems you are flying into Pisa which is quite different.

If I could plan it, I would fly into VCE and spend that night and another there, head to Florence for a few nights and then leave from Rome. Venice is a nice place to start a trip as it is more laid back than Rome, which makes for a perfect finish IME.

While I agree that Bologna is a great city, and especially for foodies, it would change everything you have planned to this point.

k9korps

Like others, I'd rule out the Amalfi trip. Here's a suggestion, though (and keep in mind that I never said "great suggestion"): If you want to see the coast, and the time of year is right, you might consider heading over to Cinque Terre from Florence. You can decide whether to drive or take the train. Not saying it's the same as Amalfi, but it is a coastal diversion and a bit of change of pace from the usual F-R-V itinerary.

zeppole

If you are flying into Pisa, it is quite simple to take the train up to le CInque Terre as your first stop. But the better food is in charming Sestri Levante, only a few train stops further. (You can easily daytrip to le Cinque Terre from there.)

annw

If you can change tix "open jaw" style would greatly help, either flying into Venice and out of Rome, or keeping the departure from Venice and fly into Rome, which would mean only one ticket change--and this way you could avoid the redundant travel/doubling back on such a brief trip.

If Rome is done as a day or overnight trip by your friend (or both) out of Florence really that isn't that bad IMO; I took the train to Rome for the day out of Florence and happened to catch the new Pope's first Wednesday audience. (Unfortunately, I also caught food poisoning, but that is a whole other post).

Really only you and your friend can make the call based on your preferences.

annw

I would add, take care with the schedule regarding the weekend, i.e., train schedules, what's open, ditto Mondays or any museum closures if you are going to them.