Hi AL,

We have been to Venice many times, Florence, the AC and Naples.

We will be visiting the Lakes region in the Fall.

Rome is way down on our list.

((I))

PS,

With 10 days, I suggest:

Fly into Venice - 4 nights
Train to Florence - 5 nights.
......Day trips to Siena and Bologna.
Fly home from Florence FLR or Pisa PSA

All I can add is on our first trip to Italy for 3 weeks we never left Rome as we had planned. Venice and Florence had to wait for the second trip

I think you would be wise to stick to Venice, Florence, Siena and Pisa for your first Italian trip. As others have noted there are many other day trips you could consider.

Rome is an amazing city -- I would call it a "must see" at some point in your travel career--but it is hard to really enjoy and appreciate if you only have a few days there.

Ah,yes.....................

If you have to ask the question, it isn't.

For many people, Rome's importance as the centre of Western European civilisation, and of much of Christianity, makes it the ultimate city to see. For rather fewer, its Baroque art and architecture and post-1945 Italian cinema make it unmissable too.

But if these aren't your cup of caffe - and there's no reason they have to be - it's just another interesting European city, only hotter and more crowded than many. And full of bombastic churches and overwrought pilgrims.

BUT, if Rome's art doesn't mean anything to you, it's hard to see why Florence would be high on yur list of priorities. It's essential if Renaissance art matters to you. If it doesn't, don't go within 50 miles of the place: it'll turn you off High Art for life.

Italy crams more STUFF into its 100,000 sq miles than anywhere else on earth. You wouldn't see half of it if you lived to 100 and spent your entire life touring.

Forget about must-sees. Invest time in some decent guide books, and visit ONLY your want to sees.

Dear Ali,

I guess I fall in the camp of finding Rome hot and crowded and busy. Lots of amazing things to see, but it felt a bit like work sometimes. We spent 8 days there and never ran out of things to do but it was a bit tiring.

Venice and Florence were just a lot more relaxing and manageable for me. Of course, I saw those both at a better time of year in terms of being less crowded so I accept that Rome may be more to my liking in the winter when not so crowded.

I think you should follow you intuition and do what is calling to you right now.

gruezi

Gee. I saw Italy's great art cities in the following order (on different trips): Venezia, Firenze and Roma.

Renaissance Firenze is just totally differt in feel from Rome -- even the places there with spectacular Renaissance construction. They are just completely different cities. So if you don't want to be in Rome, you might thrill to be in Firenze.

I don't think the original poster was saying Rome's art didn't mean anything to him/her. It was just an effort not to jam too much into 10 days.

Ali_Isky
There is nothing wrong with your current plan - If you try and do too much, you will dilute your "Italian experience" to the point where your trip becomes a series of tasks, rather than a break.

If you go to Venice and Florence and hate them both, then you probably wouldn't have liked Rome either.On the other hand, Italy has the habit of ensnaring people - You go once, and yearn to return.

Yes, Rome is a "Must See", but it has been there for 3000 years or so, so it will hang around for a little while longer.

Thank you to everyone for all of your replies.
I think I might just stick to Florence & Venice. I thought about flying into Venice and then flying out of Rome. At least giving myself the day to check out what I can before flying home. Maybe even spending 1 night there.
But most of my time would be around Florence and Venice.
What are some day trips to take out of Venice? Also where is the best place to get a hotel in Venice? Near St. Marks?
Thanks again to all.

IMHO Rome is the ONE must see in Italy.

But that's for me and my interests.

It depends on what YOUR interests are.

(We didn't get to Venice until my third trip to Italy. And I love Venice - but in no way does it compare to Rome - which ruled the world for almost a thousand years!)

I live in Rome and find it odd that everyone should say it is crowded. Every time I go to Florence or Venice I think they are really crowded! I suppose it's all a question of what you do and at what time of day!
My answer to the OP would be IF you can afford to stay longer than 10 days then do try to make it to Rome. California is a long way away and Rome is only 2 1/2 hrs from Florence.

10 days for Rome Florence, and Venice is a lot of intra-city traveling.
Try a different approcah. Get to know a couple areas very well. Like: Florence, Verona, and Venice. If you get a couple of extra days, add Bologna. In that fashion you will see a great deal of the areas that naturally flow into each other. September should be beautiful.

Hi Al,

>At least giving myself the day to check out what I can before flying home. Maybe even spending 1 night there.<

Well a night is better than just a day, which I wouldn't recommend at all.

Why not save Rome for your next visit?

You will go back.

((I))

Answers to Ali's new questions:

I think I might just stick to Florence & Venice.
--You could fly into Venice and fy home from Florence of Pisa airport.

What are some day trips to take out of Venice?
--Venetian islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello; Padua (Padova); Verona; Vicenza

Also where is the best place to get a hotel in Venice? Near St. Marks?
--Anywhere in central Venice, NOT Venice Mestre or Lido. I prefer to be away from the San Marco crowds.

I did not visit Rome until my third trip to Italy. There is plenty to do in Firenze and Venezia. Rome is fabulous and it will still be there for your next visit.

One question - have you looked at travel books (especially ones with plenty of large color photos!) to see what grabs your attention? That always helps me formulate my own personal 'vision' of what I want to see on a trip to a new place. That and lots of browsing through books, reading things on-line and/or in the travel sections of newspapers or travel magazines.

That said, I agree that you have enough planned for the time you have.

My first 4 trips to Italy all included Rome, so my first impressions of Italy were based on Rome - I liked it! The next trip didn't include Rome and that was just fine. The last one included, among other places, Venice and Florence and Rome. Over these trips, I find myself leaning towards Venice and Rome for people, atmosphere, wandering and food, but I love the art in Florence.

It was insightful to see the reactions of friends with me on that last trip to Italy - it was their first trip.

They loved, loved, loved Venice and the Cinque Terre, as well as the Umbrian countryside & Siena.

They were mixed on Florence (one not a big art lover and just didn't warm up to the city).

Also mixed on Rome. One loved it, and spent hours walking and exploring. The other felt completely overwhelmed by the layers of history (which I adore) and the scale.

So, what is a 'must see' depends on who you are and what you like.

re: your 'where to stay in Venice' question. Agree that you absolutely don't want to stay in Mestre (across the lagoon from Venice proper). I've stayed near San Marco, in Canereggio, and in Dorsoduro and would recommend the latter two over San Marco.

I did not step into Rome until my 8th trip to Italy, but then gave it the week it deserves.

My wife and I spent three and a half weeks in Italy two years ago. We flew to Rome, flew immediately to Venice, spent six nights, and then stayed in Verona, Como, Florence, Assisi and finally Rome for three nights. We took a trip to Siena from Florence, and a trip to Spoletto from Assisi, and I think it was one too many towns – Como could have been omitted without too much angst, as it was pretty dead in January. It was my wife’s first trip to Italy (my second, after a visit in 1975), and I was really keen to start off in Venice. Venice is very user friendly, and arriving there is just magic.

You might consider flying in to Venice, and then out from Rome, visiting Florence en route by train. That would be plenty for a ten day trip, probably too much, and in a way you lose a full day each time you change towns. Click on my name, and you’d find my trip report from my visit to Venice a few weeks ago. It’s a bit verbose.
I'd avoid hotels near San Marco in September - it will be very crowded. Think Dorsoduro.

If Rome isn't high on the list of places you've always wanted to go, save it for another trip.