We are 4 traveling to Italy for 2 weeks. We arrive in Rome and leave from Zurich. Our problem is prioritizing our destinations. Any help is appreciated!
Rome, Pompeii, Sienna, San Gimignano, Florence, Venice, Cinque Terre, Lucca and Como!
Any ideas on what to eliminate this trip and how long to spend in each place?

Need more detail!
What time of year are you going?
Driving or relying on trains?
Any strong likes/dislikes? Museums, scenery, gourmet food, history etc. Small towns, big cities. etc.

Nine places in two weeks are roughly six too many!

I would suggest that you either go with the "Big Three" of Rome, Florence and Venice or two large cities and a little time in the country: Rome; day trips from a central point to Siena, San Gimignano and another hill town such as Pienza, Montepulciano or Montalcino; Florence (or Venice). A variation of that would be Rome, Florence (or Venice) and Lake Como.

If you decide on Rome, Florence and Venice, you can probably fit in a day trip to one of the Tuscan towns. And if you are absolutely set on Pompeii, you can take a long and tiring day trip there from Rome.

We are going in September 9-24 and enjoy good food, prefer small towns but want to see major museums and historical sites, too.

I have been to Venice but my husband has not. I don't prefer to spend a lot of time there this trip but don't want him to miss out on at least seeing the city.

You should group your options by distance/location. For example, Lucca is easily reachable as a day trip from Florence, frequent trains there and back. I only did the big 3 as someone referred to it - florence, rome, italy (with side trip to Lucca) so only have that to recommend. Rome is the only city that "felt" big. Florence and Venice are both easialy walkable to most everywhere. One thing I would recommend is if staying for 3 nights minimum any place is to look for an apartment for 4 of you. try sleepinitaly.com I believe they have listings in florence too but know they have for venice and rome.

If you can leave form Venice or Florence rather than Zurich, then you can free up a day. If you base in Rome and Florence, then you can day trip. You can daytrip Rome to Pompeii to Rome by train (it is a long day tho). Rome to Orvieto to Rome(Appx 1 hr each way by train) is popular.

San Gimi, Lucca and Sienna are doable from Florence.

I think then it is either Lake Como OR the Cinque Terre.

There is only one Venice and you should try to get there.


Rome Arrival plus two full days (pay for a good guided tour) then One day for side trip. Four days

Florence: Travel plus three days. Two Side trips. Cumulative is eight days.

Lake Como: travel plus two days. Cumulative is eleven days.

Venice: travel plus two days. Cumulative is forteen days.

All that you have to do drop some side trips and the CT. Some people are indifferent to Florence (I have never been.)

You probably realize that you have way too many destinations for a two-week trip. I would cut Pompeii and Cinque Terre from your itinerary.What I'd recommend is:

Rome 4 nights

train to Florence

Florence 3 nights with two day trips to Lucca and Siena or Siena and San Gimignano

train to Venice

Venice 3 nights

Eurostar to Milan, then local train to Como (takes about 40 min.)

Como 3 or 4 nights- Bellagio,Menaggio, Cernobbio,or Varenna

How are you getting back to Zurich? It would make the most sense to fly there from Milan, but if this is the case, you might want to overnight in Milan depending on the time of your flight. Most of the towns along the lake are about an hour+ from Malpensa. ( Bellagio is about an hour and a half.)

Good luck!