Actually, I think the Amalfi Coast area deserves at least 6 days, so I don't think its as good an option as Venice. Just my opinion.

Agree with kja (as usual, hee)--I have not been to Venice yet but think three days would be a minimum. I spent time on the Amalfi coast last year and easily could have spent weeks there. I know Sorrento is not on the AC but close by and usually used asa base for Pompeii, the AC, and Naples. If you are excellent at prioritizing then maybe it would work, but I feel like you would be so torn as to what to leave out it would be difficult.

( @ yorkshire: :-) )

The B&B in Venice that was suggested is booked. Any other ideas for hotels in Venice? Thanks.

Have you looked at booking.com? Be sure to pay attention to the cancellation policies.

I am not sure how long it has been since some people have been to the city of Venice, but I think it is misleading to describe it as a small town and peaceful in May. it is true that the city doesn't have cars but it is filled to capacity with very busy-minded tourists. One has to go well away from San Marco to find quiet places.

I also think it is misleading to suggest the Amalfi Coast is someplace to go for a minimum of 6 days. The original request was for a small town, not a city, where the family could spend good time together, walk a lot and eat good gelato and pasta!!!

If that doesn't describe the Amalfi coast or Sorrento, I don't know what in Italy does. It is a place to hang out and see jaw dropping views, catch the sea breeze, and enjoy wonderful southern Italian food.

Not everybody has to sightsee Venice just because they happen to be in Italy and haven't been to Venice yet. Not everybody has to spend all their time in southern Italy visiting Pompei and town hopping and island hopping.

Some families have a great time in beautiful small town Italy spending good time together, walking a lot and eating good gelato and pasta!!!

I just don't see how Venice qualifies for much of what was being asked for. I realize people are free to express opinions that they think the Amalfi coast should be a big time sightseeing agenda. No doubt people are advising with the best intentions, but the OP deserves to know that millions of visitors to Italy would never pick Venice as a place for pasta, gelato and just kicking back, and millions of visitors to Italy are really thrilled with a weekend in the Amalfi coast doing nothing but having fun with each other amid spectacular views.

<< I think it is misleading to describe it as a small town and peaceful in May. >>

You don't like Venice so it would never be peaceful to you.

It is peaceful to me. And it is charming. And it is beautiful.

<I>" I realize people are free to express opinions"</I>

Really, sandralist? You could have fooled me! Do you ever look in a mirror? You spend so much time tearing down other poster's comments- what a waste of time.

If you have something positive to contribute to the OP, then why can't you do just that, without trying to make other posters feel like their opinions are crap?

Instead of, "I just don't see how Venice qualifies for much of what was being asked for", can't you just write, "I think Sorrento would be a lovely place to go for a relaxing time in a small town."

To the OP, I hope you find what you are looking for, too. Have a wonderful trip!

"millions of visitors to Italy would never pick Venice as a place for pasta -- I have to agree with that. Venice is not known for its pasta.

If she has an iPhone 5 it is unlocked and she can buy a SIM card in Italy from TIM for example and replace the US SIM with a local one. Under no circumstances use the US SIM iPhone for anything other than wi-fi or iMessaging as you can easily run up a fortune in charges.

Go to Venice and Bologna; short travel distances, good pasta in Bologna and good seafood in Venice. Try Oltre il Giardino in Venice, a charming little hotel out of the usual tourist paths but still conveniently located. You may or may not like Venice (I love it and will be there in May) but it is unique. You should see it.

sarge56,

This is not at all about me. It is about someone else's trip with their family.

Not a single one of you objected when I pointed out to the OP that she was being misled by the person who told her that she shouldn't go to Venice for more than a few days. Why didn't you attack me personally then for pointing out to the OP how ridiculous that was?

I am trying to help the poster find what she wants. Your only post in this entire thread is to louse it up by turning the thread into an attack on me. If childish insults is your idea of a positive outlook, then I will reply in the way you like: "Go look in the mirror."

shellio,

It is not a short train ride between Venice and Bologna and the OP has said very plainly that for her short trip she would prefer one place that is NOT a city. I think it is a pity that the OP phrased her first post by asking: "Where should we go for three nights?" because it invited in a lot of people who feel that going to Italy (and advising others about it) is all about "SHOULD" and "MUST".

By her second post, the OP had made it clearer that she did not want a sightseeing destination. But all of you Venice-pushers keep insisting she SHOULD SEE IT. IT IS UNQUE SIGHTSEEING. The OP isn't looking to check off a MUST SEE. She has asked for a different kind of help.

adrienne,

It is irrelevant whether you or I think Venice is "beautiful" or "peaceful." The OP deserves to know that 20 million people visit Venice every year, mostly between April and October. It is the single busiest tourist city in all of Italy. She also deserves to know that very, very, very few of those people go there to relax. Most people get to Venice and feel it would be a crime not to take an interest in the art, the history and the sights, even if they don't go into museums. But they don't look at it as a beautiful place to eat gelato and pasta, and that's it.

The OP has provided a description of what she is looking for Italy probably because she believes other people know the country better than she does and can point her to places that fit the description she gave. Instead, several of you have pounced on her open-ended question "Where should we go?" to push your own agenda about how to travel to Italy. I would object just as strongly if she indicated she wanted to go to Venice and someone told her not to go for such a short trip because it "deserved more time." In fact, I did object to that --- but the rest of you are just so determined to attack me personally whenever you can you can't be fair, either to me or the poster.

I thought the gelato/pasta question was about finding a town to stop on the way to Venice, not about whether Venice was a place to stop, relax and eat gelato and pasta. Here's her comment:

"Is there anywhere between Venice and Rome where we could spend a night or two? Easily accessible by train? Doesn't have to be a big city. We just want to spend good time together, walk a lot and eat good gelato and pasta!!!"

Could be Vincenzo! Although later the OP expressed interest in going to Sorrento or the Amalfi coast.

Just for the record, here is a thread where I advised a family to include Venice in their trip based on what they said they were looking for. Different family, different trip, different advice. No EVERYBODY SHOULD SIGHTSEE MY FAVORITE and no number formulas for X-PLACE MUST HAVE X DAYS OR LESS OR MORE. Just trying to deal with what people come here asking for help about for their individual situations. I haven't got anything for or against Venice.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...elp-pronto.cfm

Sorry-It was not my intent to create a problem. I have been to Venice before, my kids have not. A few years ago we all went to Rome, Florence, drove through Tuscany and went to Bologna. My Daughter will be in Rome and Florence for one week each and then will be in the Marche for three weeks. I don't feel compelled to go and be a tourist-I just want to spend time with my young adult children (I am thrilled that they want to be with me!) and enjoy Italy. I would be happy going to the Amalfi coast or Venice. Unfortunately, we are going in about 6 weeks and don't have hotel reservations yet. Are there any nice hotels in Sorrento or AC that aren't outrageously expensive or is that an oxymoron? I will also be spending one night in Rome with one of my daughters and stopping in London for two nights on the way home. Any hotel recommendations are appreciated. Thank you everyone!

You did not create a problem, neglex!
I hope you find a destination that suits your goals.

The Hotel Mignon Meublè is a budget hotel in Sorrento, in a position with great sea views. A friend of mine stayed there maybe eight years ago, when it was called the Loreley et Londres. Then it was remodeled and renamed, but it still has the same owners, I think. My friend called it "quirky".

Sorrento and the whole Amalfi Coast will already be very busy in June, and Venice is almost always extremely busy, although it's not difficult to get away from the tourists, who mostly stick to the overly beaten path between St. Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge.

Another town that hasn't been mentioned, unless I missed it, is Ferrara. It's a lovely small city, where nearly everyone travels by bicycle. It has a magnificent ducal palace. Ferrara and Lucca are two small Italian cities where I always think I wouldn't mind living. I think you might enjoy renting bikes and spending a few days in Ferrara. It's an easy train ride from Bologna. I also enjoy Bologna, another university town, but it's much more frenetic than Ferrara. There are great shopping possibilities in Bologna, if you have a little money to spare!

Where will your daughter be studying in Le Marche? That's the region where I live.

She will be in Castelraimondo.

<I>" She also deserves to know that very, very, very few of those people go there to relax."</I>

Funny. I'll be arriving in Venice this Saturday and that is precisely what I intend on doing. (And this is my 5th trip there- the 4th in April.) Just sayin'...

@ sarge -- enjoy! I know I would. :-)

"we are going in about 6 weeks and don't have hotel reservations yet"

Even if you haven't decided, check booking.com and book something! If you pay attention to the cancellation policies, you can change your mind later. You can even hedge your bets and reserve rooms in several locations.

I've used booking.com for years without problem, and if you look, I think you'll see that many other Fodorites also recommend it. AND you'll see that many rooms come with the option to cancel up to 24 hours in advance - which is why I recommended that you check the cancellation policy (because if it DOESN'T say that, you need to know what your cancellation options are!). The reviews on booking.com are limited to those who actually reserved through the site, and so they have a degree of credibility that is worth keeping in mind. (I always look at tripadvisor reviews, too, but with a heftier degree of skepticism.)

The fact is, you don't have a BAD option. And if you follow the best tip I know for packing -- which is to bring your sense of humor -- you'll have a great trip no matter what you decide and no matter what anyone else says! :-)