I am going to Italy this coming March with my best friend. We are budget travelers and would like your advice and or opinion regarding our plan.

Trip is from March 17th to March 27th.

Venice - March 18th to March 19th

Florence - March 20th to March 23rd

Rome - March 24th to March 27th.

thinking about renting apartments with 2 bedrooms rather than hotels since their double rooms are two twin beds connected together (I don't think that would work for us. Anyway, we just need you advice or any insights regarding hotels, food and sights.
Budget for Hotels
120 euros a night

Thank you

The double rooms do not have to have the beds connected together. I traveled through Italy before with a girlfriend and we simple asked for 2 beds. If you tell them you are a couple then they will put the beds together.

So, you will land the morning of the 18th and leave Venice on the 19th or the 20th? One day in Venice is not very ideal, have you thought about taking a day from Rome?

I agree with Sandi that your time in Venice seems short. However, I personally would take a day from Florence as opposed to Rome and add it to Venice. I liked Florence but I thought there was so much more to do in Rome. We've been there twice and are going back in March and still won't get to everything on our list! Regardless, it sounds like a great trip.

We will be in Italy just about the same time as you; we leave on the 18th and come home on the 27th.

Tracy

Sandi,

Thank you for your reply. I was in Venice 2 years ago with my wife and we spent 2 days of walking around and visiting most of the museums and shops. I shortened the trip to venice since I have been there before and can show my friend most of the sights. Regarding the hotel situation, thank you for your insight.

tcreath,

Thank also for your reply. I forgot to mention to my original post that I have relatives living in Siena and they own an olive farm and a small winery in the area. Maybe, you and your companion can meet us and have lunch. We definitely would not mind.

No one could visit most of the museums and shops in Venice in 2 days. A physical impossibility.

No trip to Italy is complete without a couple day stop to Cinque Terre if you can make the time. It's absolutley beautiful! Cliffs hanging over into the ocean, can't beat it. You can easily take a day off of Florence in my opinon. A friend and I did all we needed to in one day and that was in high travel season with long lines which you probably won't have as much of a problem with in March.
About the hotels on a budget...would you consider hostels? Most now a days are for any age group and I ran into plenty of adults in hostels last year. There are actually some REALLY nice ones you just have to do a little searching. Some people hear the word hostel and think that they are dirty. This is DEFINETLY not true about all of them. Some are actually hotels. Just think of how much more money you would have to spend on nicer dinners and such if you only spend about 30-40 dollars a night on a hostel room. Just a thought.

A physical impossibility? A lot of people post replies that do not make any sense. visiting MOST rather than ALL sights are two different scenarios. You can tailor your own activities based on how many days you have allocated to each cities.

eurotravlr, thank you for the kind offer! Unfortunately we will be spending most of our time in Umbria and Rome (we were in Siena and the surrounding area last year) so we probably won't be able to make it, but I do appreciate it. I loved Siena!

Have a wonderful time!
Tracy

tcreath,

you are welcome, we have traveled all over Europe but somehow missed going to Rome and Florence. 2 years ago, we went to Paris then to Lyon to visit a friend then to Annecy and Geneva. Took the train from Geneva to Venice and then to Naples and Sicily to visit more relatives. So as you can see, we missed most of the tourist spots (Rome and Florence)

Next Christmas will be in Scotland then head to Switzerland and Luxembourg with my wife and the girls.