We are planning our trip in October 2014. We are planning 7 nights in Rome, 2 nights in Florence and 2 nights before we head to London. We like staying in B&Bs. We prefer staying in quieter locations but still in the area to enjoy the city.

We are considering the following locations:

Rome - QuodLibet
Florence - Mulino di Firenze
Bologna - not sure yet - Palazzo Trevi, Antica Residenza d'Azeglio

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much.

For starters, I'd add a night to Florence. Two nights mean only one full day - not nearly enough for this fabulous city.

We stayed here quite a few years ago: http://www.miramonte-bologna.it/

It's definitely quiet, close to the university area. I do not think that it had AC.

If it were my trip, I'd take two nites from Rome, add one nite in Florence, and add two nites in Venice. While Bologna is interesting, Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Hello again, Fodorites.

As mentioned, we are spending two weeks in Italy. Specifically Rome, Florence and Bologna. Our accommodations are booked.

We are now seeking your advice on restaurants. We are looking for those special finds as you call it. Any suggestions would be appreciated in these three cities.

As well, given we are going to be there in early October, we were wondering about your experiences with the Vatican. Is it best to see during the day? We heard that there are night tours with limited numbers of tourists. Any thoughts?

Thanks everyone. You are always very helpful.

A couple of companies have private after hours Vatican tours. Those tours run about 350€ per person.