annhig

I'm in the Venice and Rome camp. Venice is utterly unique, has quite enough to interest you for as long as you want to stay, AND may not be with us for that much longer. Stay 4 nights [gives you 3 days there] and then get the early morning train to Rome - you'll be there by lunchtime.

Florence could then form the base for another trip all by itself as there are a multitude of places you can visit by way of day trips, as well as the numerous things to see and do in Florence itself.

EYWandBTV

You might want to add a small town to the two or three blockbuster cities you may eventually visit. Rome, Florence, Venice, and Naples are so jammed with magnificent sights that one's brain (mine, at least) shuts down after a certain point. A night or two in a small town like Orvieto, wandering the streets in late afternoon or early evening after most day-trippers have left, getting up early and watching the town come alive...it gives you a different experience of Italy. And these small towns (Orvieto, Arezzo, Ferrara, Modena, even a small-ish city like Padua not too far from Venice) usually have a certain amount of magnificent art as well.

cmstraf

Another argument for doing Florence (and the beautiful Sienna) on a separate trip. Padua is a 1/2 train away, has very cool Giotto fresco. In Venice itself, there are many quiet areas as you get farther and father from the Piazza San Marco.

august77

thank you all...
i ust viewed some pictures of Venice online and it was breathtaking...
sounds like arriving to Venice ad depating from Rome is most highly recommended.
i will have to look into airfares soon. any recommendations for hotels in Venice?

cmstraf

Pensione Accademia. We have stayed there many times and I listed it on my profile as my favorite hotel in the world. We spent my honeymoon there and many special events since including Thanksgiving of 2010. It's time to return.

The Accademia has 30-40 rooms. It is on an angle of a side canal and the Grand Canal in the sestiere of Dorsoduro. It is a 3 minute walk from the Accademia museum, maybe 10 minutes to the Museo della Dogana and the modern art museum, just down the lane from where they build Gondolas, and a 5 minute walk to the Zattere, where Venetians take their passeggiatas.
It is about 15-20 minutes to the Piazza San Marco, not too close, not too far. We love the location.

The Accademia itself is an old mansion which used to be the Russian Embassy. It has a large courtyard in front where you can breakfast when the weather is good and a lovely garden in back
--something very unusual in a city filled with water, stone, and light. There is a good breakfast, no restaurant, but light snacks at bar, excellent trattoria across the street and bar with great sandwiches at the corner. Also near Campo Santa Margherita and University area.

It is high priced for a 3 star, but well worth it. It also books up. I would reserve now. For a standard room, we like #43. Last time we got a last minute deal on a deluxe room, high up with beamed ceilings, can't remember the number. Staff is wonderful.

What $$ range are you looking for? We also have a favorite hotel in Rome, another small charming well located three star called Due Torri.

august77

thank you very much cmstraf.
i am saving money for this trip so could do up to 250 a night. walkability is really important to me so your choice fits mine.

lookig forward to hearing about your favorite in Rome.

S

cmstraf

I just checked the Accademia's website. I plugged in May 15-20 5 nights) and came up with a single room with view of canal and breakfast for 800 euro. That is 130 euro a night. The room will be small but the hotel is lovely with nice private space. I think they only have 2 or 3 singles--I'd jump on it. I did not count the 775 nonrefundable; I never do those--too superstitious.


The Due Torri is on a small dead end street between the Piazza Navona and the Tiber River. It is a 5 minute walk from the piazza, a 20 minute walk from San Pietro. We walked everywhere in Rome from there. On the 5th floor, next to double 501, there is a small single room (really small) with a huge terrazzo that looks over the rooftops of the city. It too has lovely public space, an excellent breakfast and a great staff. We are regulars. Just checked $715 US dollars for a single room, $1000 for a double room with breakfast for May 21 for 5 nights. Some kind of special offer. The singles are tiny--our favorite double 501 is tiny, but I love the angles and the terrace.

If you have a choice, spend your Sunday in Venice not in Rome. Although Rome is the city of churches, I would want to go to 9:00 mass at Catedrale San Marco. It is a zoo during the day has beautiful mosaics, and you can see it doing its job and all the mosaics lit up for the price of quiet, patience, respect and several euro for the offering.

If your Sunday is in Rome, go to Santa Maria di Trastevere for mass, my second favorite church in the world. Also with mosaics, intimate, small. St Peter's is not my favorite. I go at 7 am or 5 pm to avoid mobs. Michelangelo's Pieta there is spectacular.

I smile to think of your trip. Oh--also Due Torri has a trattoria close by with reasonable prices and very good food. I'd be glad to answer any questions if I can.

august77

cmstraf ( and all),
i just got my tickets. i believe i have a 24hr cancellation. here it is:


Flight summary

Flight: Seattle - Venice - Return USD 1,607.71
Wed 13 May 15 - Thu 21 May 15



Departure: Seattle - Venice
Wed 13 May 15 13:43 Seattle (Seattle Tacoma, Washington, USA)
Thu 14 May 15 08:30 Amsterdam (Schiphol, Netherlands)

Class: Economy
Flight number: KL 6032
Aircraft type: 333 | view seat map
Operated by: Delta Air Lines
The waiting time until the next flight is 3h05

Thu 14 May 15 11:35 Amsterdam (Schiphol, Netherlands)
Thu 14 May 15 13:15 Venice (Marco Polo, Italy)

Class: Economy
Flight number: KL 1653
Aircraft type: 73W | view seat map
Operated by: KLM

Total travel time 14h32


Return: Rome - Seattle
Thu 21 May 15 06:20 Rome (Fiumicino Airport, Italy)
Thu 21 May 15 08:50 Amsterdam (Schiphol, Netherlands)

Class: Economy
Flight number: KL 1596
Aircraft type: 73H | view seat map
Operated by: KLM
The waiting time until the next flight is 1h10

Thu 21 May 15 10:00 Amsterdam (Schiphol, Netherlands)
Thu 21 May 15 11:10 Seattle (Seattle Tacoma, Washington, USA)

Class: Economy
Flight number: KL 6033
Aircraft type: 333 | view seat map
Operated by: Delta Air Lines

Total travel time 13h50

annhig

looks great, August, though the time to change planes at Schipol on the way home is a bit tight; the aircraft staff should help you though and you have time to suss out the airport a bit during your 3 hour wait on the way out.

Buon viaggio!

cmstraf

Sadly, $1600 is quite reasonable for shoulder season now and I think KLM is really a good airline. Hope you took it--I've been offline for a few days. I agree with annhig, it's a bit tight on the way home, but their airline is good.

I'd try to get an aisle seat as close to the front as possible to aid speed in transition.

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