Paris/Italy Itinerary-Suggestions needed on how to split time
 

Hello,

My husband and I are planning a trip to Paris and Italy in early June. We have 13 nights in Europe (not including travel to and from US). Right now we are looking at the below itinerary by city. I would like input from people who have visited these places if we are spending enough time in Venice and Florence. Neither of us have been to any of these destinations.

Paris - 5 nights
fly to Venice
Venice - 2 nights
train to Florence
Florence - 2 nights
train to Rome
Rome - 4 nights

On a side note: I would also love to see NIce and the Amalfi Coast, but have removed it due to time. Would you suggest a different itinerary that would include one or both of these stops?

Thanks for your help!

It depends on your priorities as to whether 1.5 days in each of Venice and Florence are enough. Since you really only have 3.5 days in Rome, you cannot take any time from there. So if you decide you want to spend more time in Venice or Florence, then you will have to take a day from Paris, or drop either Venice or Florence. You do not have enough time to see Nice or the Amalfi Coast. If you dropped Venice or Florence, then you might be able to squeeze it in, but likely almost an entire day would be lost in transit.

Definitely no time to add Nice or the Amalfi Coast.

Your plan is a little rushed but not unreasonable. If it were me I would cut either Venice or Florence (assuming you already have your airline tickets booked into Paris and out of Rome). Or just limit the trip to 3 cities (so you have one 5 night stay and two 4 night stays).

But your current plan is certainly doable and will give you a taste of things.

You really don't have enough time to adequately cover the 4 destinations you have already chosen. You would have to drop one or two of those to fit in the Amalfi Coast or Nice. If this is your first trip, I would stick with the itinerary you have already indicated even though it is a rushed trip. All of your destinations are worth more time but you can get a taste of each and decide what you want to return to next time.

Your first day in Paris will likely be jetlagged/a bit disoriented. So you realistically have 4.5 days (or less) free there, a bit over 1 day in Venice, 1.5 days in Florence and 3.5 days in Rome.

This is doable but rushed. If you think you can handle the hectic pace, it is definitely reasonable. But if you want a slower pace and to see more in each city, unfortunately you probably have to drop either Venice or Florence.

Thanks all!

Is a day trip from Rome to Florence doable? Or from Rome to Siena? If so then thinking about:
Paris - 5 nights
fly to Venice
Venice - 3 nights
train to Rome
Rome - 5 nights

Or thinking of cutting a night out of Paris. Thoughts on this option:
Paris - 4 nights
fly to Venice
Venice - 2 nights
train to Florence
Florence - 3 nights
train to Rome
Rome - 4 nights

Thanks again!

Hi Jenn --

I am doing a very similar trip with my husband and am looking for some advice as well because I am not at all familiar with traveling/staying in Europe. We will be there about the same amount of time as you; maybe what you see below is something you could consider it you want to make it to Nice? (...depending on the responses I get!) Here is our itinerary so far:
Paris: 3 nights, leave for Nice (by train)
Nice: 2 nights, leave for Italy (Cinque Terre) (train)
Cinque Terre: 2 nights, leave for Florence (train)
Florence: 2 nights, leave for Venice (train)
Venice: 1.5 days (leave for Rome on the evening train)
Rome: arrive in Rome in the morning and stay 1 night, leave the next day for home!

We will travel by train the whole time -- does it make sense to buy a France-Italy pass or just by point to point passes?? Help! :)

Thanks all --

<B>explore2012:</B> Welcome to Fodors. You might want to start your own thread w/ your specific questions. First of all - your post may get lost in the shuffle since most will be answering the OP. And second, your trip may look similar to the OP's - but it really isn't and has some definite issues of its own.

<B>Jenn_CardozaWhipple:</B> I personally wouldn't cut a day from Paris. You will be pretty exhausted after flying overnight, getting to your hotel and acclimating. In your calculations - 2 nights nets you about 1.5 days if you are lucky. So 2 nights in Venice may be less time than you imagine.

I agree with janis, cutting a night out of Paris would be spreading yourself too thin.

It's possible to go to Florence on daytrip, but imo it's not a daytrip sort of town- the crowds are at their very worst in the middle of the day.

I would sacrifice it completely to focus on Paris, Venice, and Rome. (or sacrifice Venice in favour of Florence- only you can decide which is more important).

Another thought would be to stop off in Florence en route from Venice to Rome. Get an early train leaving Venice for Florence's Santa Maria Novella station, store your bags at the station, walk around town, then, say late afternoon, pick up your bags and continue to Rome.

I prefer Venice to Florence. The latter's best for fans of Renaissance art and architecture. Whereas Venice is amazing and it may sink soon. Better see it now.