My boyfriend and I will be travelling for 2 weeks in Italy in May. This is our approximate itinerary so far:

Four nights in Rome
1 night in Perugia
3 nights in Florence
1 night in Cinque Terra
3 nights in Venice

Then back to Rome for one night and flying out the following day. Will this itinerary work in your experience? We will be travelling by train and/or bus, so are the Perugia/Cinque Terra nights feasible?

Any advice is welcome. Thanks!

Personally, I think it sounds good. However, have you looked into open jaw flights (into Rome, out of Venice)? It might be considerably cheaper and save you from backtracking, therefore allowing more time in one city.

If I assume the towns you named are firm selections, the only alternative I can suggest, other than the open jaw, is that you might consider more of a circular route (actually a sort of elongated circle) as follows:
-Land in Rome, train to Perugia same day
-1 night in Perugia
-Train to Venice, 3 nights in Venice
-Train to Florence, 3 nights in Florence
-Train to CT, 1 night in CT
-Train to Rome, 5 nights in Rome

That still adds up to 13 nights. You could have a contiguous stay of 5 nights in Rome if you do it this way. Only disadvantage is that you might be a bit tired when you arrive in Perugia. At least you could sleep on the train on the way there. Good luck.

We've already bought our tickets, so the open-jaw is not an option. We got a very good price on tickets, though (at least I think so). We get into Rome at 7:30am, so the train to Perugia might not be a bad idea. We may be wired from the trip anyway.

The places I mentioned are not set in stone, just a combination of places we want to see and places that were suggested to us. So, if you have any suggestions on other places to visit, by all means, let me know.

We are staying north of Rome, though, I think. I definitely want to see Venice and Rome, but all else is up in the air as far as I'm concerned.

I would consider booking a connecting flight to Venice from Rome when you arrive and work your way south from there.

It looks like a nice trip.

Personally, I would avoid spending just one night in any one place (Perugia and CT on your trip). You don't get much time in that destination and you have exhausted yourself by moving around too much. I would cut one of those trips out and add another night to the remaining destination.

What is the purpose of your stop in Perugia? Can you skip and add a night to Cinque Terra? Or skip both and add a night each to Florence and Venice?

Here's a thought, land in Rome and go straight to Florence and then Venice before ending up in Rome?

Degas: My boyfriend's brother, who goes to Italy every year, highly recommended Perugia. Honestly, I'm not sure why. It seems like a day trip to me, but given my very limited knowledge, I could be wrong.

My idea was to stay in Florence and then take day trips to other towns in Tuscany. I'm not sure how difficult this would be without renting a car, though.

As for going straight from the airport in Rome to Florence and ending the trip in Rome, I've read on this site that most people prefer ending the trip in Venice. I'm open to either, but my boyfriend prefers to just go from the airport to a hotel in Rome and not have to travel more. I figure because we have to take a train from the airport into Rome anyway, we might as well keep going into Florence.

Start in Florence--end in Rome--drop Perugia and add it to CT.

If it were me, I would also want to start in Rome and end in Venice, even if it meant spending one more night in Rome before departure.

I usually avoid one night stays unless I'm traveling by car and its an easy stop in the countryside or right outside a town - saves time and reduces stress from energy draining "bag drags" and often frustrating hotel hunts in unfamiliar towns.

I think Perugia was mentioned because its got good rail connections to Assisi and other Umbria towns. I'd skip it in order to focus more time and energy on fewer, but more rewarding places.

Continueing on to Florence is smart in my book since it saves you a one night stay in rome at the end of your trip. As you said, you have to switch to a train anyway so why not just press on a couple of hours more? Check and see if you can catch a train at the airport and go to florence and avoid having to go into Rome and switch trains.

You need at least two nights to fully appreciate Cinque Terra.

I agree that going to fewer places for longer periods of time is best. It's how I prefer to travel, anyway.

I like the idea of not having to come back to Rome at the end for just one night. I did that when I travelled in Spain. Went from Seville straight to Barcelona for one night. Left me very exhausted!

What about the theory, though, that Venice is nice to end things with because it is a relaxing city to visit. Rome is more energetic and therefore should be done at the beginning?

I'd really consider renting a car for the flexibility you'll have and the great things you can see! I'd get it leaving Rome, Go to Perugia as a base for 2 nights and explore around that area (SPoleto, Todi), then stay outside of Florence (near Siena?) for 2 nights, last day turn in car in Florence, tour around, then train to 5 Terre. If you stick to the train, great day trips from Florence include San Gimignano and Siena. Enjoy!

ksosnow,

Just to play devil's advocate on your "Venice first or last" question:

Why do you need to relax at the END of a vacation? I went to Venice first, and it was great because I got to unwind for a few days from the stress back home at WORK.

Are you going to run yourself so ragged during the rest of your trip, that you will need to "unwind" from 10 days in Italy by relaxing in Venice? I'd hope not. Part of the fun of visiting any part of Italy is relaxing in outdoor restaurants in pretty plazas eating gelato or drinking wine.

So, although Rome is more "energetic" as you call it, I don't see why you shouldn't do it at the end. Besides, there is plenty to do in Venice for 3 days, it's not like you'll just be sitting around looking at canals (or maybe you will, I don't know).

Karen

Thanks everyone for your input! It looks like we're leaning towards flying into Rome, going straight to Florence, then on to Venice, on to CT for two days, and then ending in Rome.

Good plan ! Have fun.