(1) Based on your lodging budget at the lower end, bring your own bedsheets and towels.

(2) Consider a car hire. Even if Italian trains ran with German efficiency, the likelihood is you'll have some hiccup on the rails and this will make you miss something in your trip plan.

what happened to Prague?
Like most have replied above, you are trying to do too much.
Stay at least 3 nights in each place. If not when you have a conversation about a place, you wont have anything to say..
Except what the train station was like..BORING !!

OK -- you dropped all those other countries -- but now have <B>eight</B> destinations in Italy. This is not an improvement. The distances are shorter than some in your original trek -- but you have added one more stop over.

So this is just as bad (or worse) than Plan A . . . .

My first plan involved much bigger cities than Civita, Assisi, Siena, Vernazza so i do think this is an improvement. Milan is our leave point and didn't expect but to get in the must see places (if that). I might make Vernazza/Pisa a day trip from Florence and leave from Florence to Venice to cut down on train time. Also, Assisi is sort of out of the way as far as trains go so we might take a bus to cut this time down. Otherwise the trips are short. Rome for 5 days and I am sure there is plenty to do in those five days but I am not a big city person and would rather move on after 3 and no more than 4.

Can you clarify what you mean by Civita? Civitavecchia (the port for Rome)? Civita di Bagnoregio?

You need to eliminate some places. Your plan is just too hectic. Selecting smaller cities is really not a plus because transportation from and to these places is usually less convenient. It seems like you just want to tick off cities and say you went a lot of places instead of actually seeing anything.

I am also confused by the overnight in Civita. Do you mean Civita Castellana SE of Viterbo? If so getting there seems to involve a lot of backtracking by train via Orvieto (I have not double-checked the schedule you report). Orvieto would be much easier, a short train trip from Rome, and is a beautiful city.

Civita is a short bus ride from Orvieto (20 Min).

No, I do not want to tick off cities and say "I WAS THERE". If a small town takes a day then why stay longer.

<<If a small town takes a day then why stay longer.>>

Not sure what "takes a day" means but it does not sound like you are one who wishes to really experience a place, just do a drive by. That's is fine if that is your style.

<<i do think this is an improvement>>

It does seem you have already made up your mind to do a whirlwind tour and are really not too interested in the advice of others as to your itinerary if they do not agree with yours. When you ask for advice on this forum, you are going to get personal opinions.

My personal opinion is that your trip sounds more like The Amazing Race than an enjoyable visit to some lovely places. But I am not an amazing race kind of person and like to experience the places I visit - each to his own.

I agree with kfusto. Change your name to DRIVEBY.

If you think somewhere is only is worth one night.. DONT GO.
To spend less than 3 nights in any location is a waste of time and money.Unless, as my Mom you to say..
"They have more dollars than sense"

My I ask How many time eaither have been to Italy? Just curious...

JETSETj - How long was your last vacation?

we have taken peoples advice whic is why we are focusing on Italy as compared to our original trip plan.

Also, looking at the train schedule has made us re-think these plans because who really wants to spend that much time on a train.

Yes, I am aware of other opinions but I am also aware that people in chat rooms (not all) can be many things thay are not. If you know what I mean.

The people trying to give you advice (which you rather plaintively asked for) are, in my experience on this forum, extremely knowledgeable and practical.

You put forth for comment two fairly ridiculous itineraries and then didn't like the advice given. Why not then just carry on with your plans and best of luck to you. A few, at least one if I remember, agree with your whirlwind tour. No need to disparage those who think it's bonkers.

I have been to Italy 18 times and 25x overall to Europe - since 1974. We are headed back in November.

looking4advice, we are just trying to give suggestions. Is that not why you posted on a travel website? Most of us who responded have been to these places and understand the time involved in getting there and in seeing the sights.

Instead of so many 1-2 nighters I would pick a base or two in the countryside and just do daytrips from there. For instance, if you want to see Civita (which is very neat, by the way, but imo I wouldn't spend the night there as its tiny) I would base myself in Orvieto and take a daytrip to Civita. Orvieto is a really neat hilltown, definitely worthy of some time. You can also daytrip from Florence to Siena to cut down on another separate hotel stay.

Good luck!
Tracy

"<i>I am also aware that people in chat rooms (not all) can be many things thay are not. If you know what I mean.</i>"

most of the folks who are helping (or trying) have been to Italy and/or other parts of Europe more times than they can count. You don't agree w/ their advice so now you have the idea they may be making things up on this anonymous "internet thingy" . . . .

Sheesh. Ridiculous! They are taking time to try and help/convince you to fix this mess.

It is your choice to take our advice -- or not. But your plan is a list of places -- it isn't a plan to see/enjoy Italy. Remember - 1 night someplace doesn't give you 1 day there. You have to subtract travel time, checking in/out, packing/unpacking. And 2 nights only gives you maybe 1.5 days free for sightseeing.

I have been to Italy 4 times. 1999, 2001, 2003, 2006

On our last trip, My sister and I were in Italy for 16 nights.
We stayed Venice 4 nights
Cinque Terre 4 nights
Amalfi Coast 4 nights
and Rome 4 nights...

My next vacation is in Sept.
We will be on boat in Holland for 7 nights. then Paris for 4 nights then back to Amsterdam for 4 nights.

Hi Looking4advice,

Planning a trip is always tough when there are so many things to see and you have to leave some out that seem interesting. When I am taking friends on a trip, I absolutely agonize over how much to do. I lived in Europe for three years and have been to Italy seven times, along with several other countries. From my experience, people on this forum really are trying to help and many are extremely well traveled. Though it may come across as a bit harsh, they want you to have a good time.

What their advice comes down to is for you to try to consolidate so you can see more things from one base. It saves money & travel time. You see more in the time you have. The thing with Italy is there is so much to see - everywhere. It is nice to experience day and evening in different places, and if you were a teen-aged backpacker, I might say different, but it is so much easier to stay in one place for awhile and see as much as possible from that base.

You might stay in Orvieto for two or three nights and day trip to Civita & Assisi, if those are two must sees for you. Since you would like less of cities, you might stay in a B&B or hotel away from the city center in Florence for four nights and do day trips to Siena and Pisa. I am not saying to go to any of those places, just ideas for making things less hectic. With four days in Venice, you could go to the islands, visit Padua or Verona, etc.

Are there specific things your wife wants to see in any particular place? What things are on her dream/wish list of places to see? Maybe that would help with the advice.
Don't get discouraged.

I never said i didn't like the advice given I just want to make sure that who is providing the advice actually knows what they are talking about. Thanks for telling me how many times you have been to Italy because this provides credibility to your statements.

Sassafrass - I would also like to thank you for your response. My wife would like to see Rome, Florence, and Venice and the area of Tuscany as her must go places.

Is she most interested in art, architecture, history, natural scenery, major tourist sights, food, shopping, sitting in a cafe?