Need some Italy travel advice..
 

Please help!
My wife and I will be in Italy from August 7th - August 15th. We have to be in Rome the 11th - 15th.
We want to see Florence and Venice as well and were thinking about setting up shop in Cinque Terre. Then traveling via train on day trips to Florence/Pisa and Venice. This will give us one day in Florence and Venice. As well as a day and a half in Cinque Terre.
Is this possible? Or will it be way too much?
Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated..Thank You!

No I don't think that plan works. I think the distances are too far and transportation too complicated to base in Cinque Terre for day trips to Venice and Florence.

Suze,
Thank you for your reply. Any suggestions? This is our 1st trip to Italy and I hate to not see Venice.

You can't 'day trip' from CT to Venice. It's 5-6 hours each way by train. Even CT to Florence is 2.5-3.5 hours each way by train.

Pick one destination from your three.

You can see how long the train journeys are by searching timetables here:

http://www.fsitaliane.it/homepage_en.html

Could you fly into Venice?

yes. we can fly into any of those cities.

You could fly into Florence and see Venice one day, CT and Pisa for two days. Your schedule is a bit busy to fully take in Florence, but at least it will be more central than to base in CT. We are planning to do this trip in October, but will rent a car and base in Lucca.

With respect, I wouldn't do what Maria suggests as it is way too busy. Stop and smell the roses a little. I would fly into Venice, spend 2 or 3 nights there, train to Florence for the other 1 or 2 nights and then train to Rome for your last 4 days that you need to be there.

And fly out of Rome of course. I forgot to add that.

Maria's plan does not account for the time needed to travel between these destinations.

Fly into Venice. The fast train to Rome takes just under 4 hours, and there are many departure times to choose from.

Plan on doing 3 trips now since you will return.
We have 16 times.

RP,

jamierin and Bob's advice is perfect. Do exactly that. You will have a lovely trip and want to return.

Buon viaggio!

Jean and Suze are correct and Jamierin's suggestion is excellent. Both Venice and Rome will be super hot in August. Of course, Florence also. Just plan on some lazy afternoon times. Open Jaw into Venice and out of Rome is best.