We're planning a 1 week trip, leaving Detroit Friday October 2nd and returning Sunday October 11th. The plan is to visit Venice and Florence. We already went to Rome a few years ago.

Does it matter what order we visit these cities in, is one order better than the other?

How should we split up the week? We'll have 8 days, including the first jet-lagged day.

Our interests are history, art, museums and cultural sites, and just walking around. Not foodies and don't care about nightlife.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Where do you plan to fly into? Can you fly into one city and out of the other?

Will you be returning through Venice, as well?

Some thoughts in no certain order:

•Consider purchasing the Veneziaunica card, which provides both bus and vaparetto passes. In 2012 we purchased the same thing called something else and it provided bus transportation to Piazzale Roma in Venice and then we used the pass on the vaparettos for the remainder of our stay.
http://www.veneziaunica.it/
• We prefer to stay in the Sestiere (quarter) Canneregio, where the Stazione St. Lucia train station. We like this area because it is close to transportation and we do not need to hump our luggage too far. The vast majority of bridges in Venice have steps and not ramps, which makes walking with luggage very difficult. We always stay at the Hotel Abazzia located on a quiet calle (alley). It is a former Carmelite Monastery and very nice.
• Upon arrival you could either stay in Venice or go directly to Florence on one of the fast Freccia (arrow) trains and deal with your jet lag. However, a cogent strategy would be to spend your last day or days in Venice if that is your departing airport.
•In Florence try to make as many online ticket purchases as you can. The lines to enter the Accademia and the Uffizzi can be LONG.

Buon viaggio,

>>Does it matter what order we visit these cities in, is one order better than the other?<<

I don't think so, if it's just those two cities. With people going to Rome and Venice, I always used to advise going to Venice last, just because Rome is kind of hectic, with traffic and all, and Venice is a nice contrast and a good way to end the trip. But Florence doesn't strike me as hectic, so I don't see the order being a big issue. I'd look for the best, most convenient airline deal, and base the order on that.

>>How should we split up the week? We'll have 8 days, including the first jet-lagged day.<<

The eternal question. Let's say you do Florence first. Split the time 4-4, with one jet-lagged day at the beginning in Florence. That'll give you three full days in Florence, which if you're not doing day trips outside the city, will give you ample time for the highlights -- Ufizzi, Acaddemia, Duomo, etc. -- as the city is compact and easily traversed. Four days in Venice will give you a good taste, with maybe one day for a ferry trip to Burano.

>>Our interests are history, art, museums and cultural sites, and just walking around.<<

Then you've picked two good places.

I'd probably do Venice first . . . Fly into Venice and home from Florence. Reason being is most US bound flights from Venice leave VERY early in the AM which complicates transport to the airport.

But if you can find a flight out at a decent time, then it really doesn't make much difference which you do first.

Depends on available flights. If you can fly into or out of Florence and into or out of Venice, then get the best flight times for you.

If you must fly into or out of Rome for one leg of the trip, then fly into Rome. As soon as you land, catch the train to Florence. The reason is if you flew out of Rome, you would need to spend the last night there and that would mean another hotel and time moving to it.

So, perfect would be into Venice, out of Florence.
Next would be into Florence, out of Venice.
Third, into Rome, out of Venice.

Thanks to all who have responded. The tentative plan is to fly into one city and return from the other and take the train in between.

Fly into Venice. Venice is the perfect place to get over jet lag. Wandering around dazed and confused, getting lost, is appropriate sightseeing in Venice.