Rough Venice-Florence-Rome Itinerary
Nov 19th, 2006, 10:44 AM
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Rough Venice-Florence-Rome Itinerary
Any thoughts on this itinerary? Hope to book the flights on Tuesday, pending vacation approval at work.
We were originally going to book a package through europeandestinations.com but were unhappy with the hotel choices.
We'd like to spend 3 nights each in Venice, Florence, and Rome. (Liz has BRIEFLY been previously to all three on an escorted tour, Tim has never been.)
Open jaw tickets for March are around $850pp. We considered flying into Rome first and out of Venice but the flight times are really bad (6:10am departure from Venice) or too expensive.
So, here goes:
Tuesday, March 6: depart 9:20pm
Wednesday, March 7: arrive Venice 4:30pm
Hoping to stay at Ca Bonvicini
Thursday-Friday March 8-9: Venice: Secret tour of Doges Palace, St. Mark's Square, relaxing, wandering, shopping, eating, drinking, etc.
Saturday, March 10: late morning train to Rome
Could we stop at Pisa on the way? Tim recently read "Galileo's Daughter" and would like to stop there if possible.
Hoping to stay at Alloro B&B in Florence
Sunday, March 11: Uffizi and Academia (make res. in advance), Duomo
Monday, March 12: accidentaltourist.com cooking class in Tuscan countryside
Tuesday, March 13: early train to Rome
Hoping to stay at Daphne Inn Trevi
Wednesday-Thursday March 14-15: Scavi tour (fingers crossed), Vatican, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, etc....
Friday: fly out at 10:25am
A little about us: we're in our late twenties, like history and art (though we aren't experts by any means, we're both in healthcare), love to eat good food and drink wine, love cities but want to get out to the countryside at least once (with cooking class), don't speak Italian but are polite and will learn the basic phrases to get by.
Any comments?
Thanks in advance!
We were originally going to book a package through europeandestinations.com but were unhappy with the hotel choices.
We'd like to spend 3 nights each in Venice, Florence, and Rome. (Liz has BRIEFLY been previously to all three on an escorted tour, Tim has never been.)
Open jaw tickets for March are around $850pp. We considered flying into Rome first and out of Venice but the flight times are really bad (6:10am departure from Venice) or too expensive.
So, here goes:
Tuesday, March 6: depart 9:20pm
Wednesday, March 7: arrive Venice 4:30pm
Hoping to stay at Ca Bonvicini
Thursday-Friday March 8-9: Venice: Secret tour of Doges Palace, St. Mark's Square, relaxing, wandering, shopping, eating, drinking, etc.
Saturday, March 10: late morning train to Rome
Could we stop at Pisa on the way? Tim recently read "Galileo's Daughter" and would like to stop there if possible.
Hoping to stay at Alloro B&B in Florence
Sunday, March 11: Uffizi and Academia (make res. in advance), Duomo
Monday, March 12: accidentaltourist.com cooking class in Tuscan countryside
Tuesday, March 13: early train to Rome
Hoping to stay at Daphne Inn Trevi
Wednesday-Thursday March 14-15: Scavi tour (fingers crossed), Vatican, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, etc....
Friday: fly out at 10:25am
A little about us: we're in our late twenties, like history and art (though we aren't experts by any means, we're both in healthcare), love to eat good food and drink wine, love cities but want to get out to the countryside at least once (with cooking class), don't speak Italian but are polite and will learn the basic phrases to get by.
Any comments?
Thanks in advance!
Nov 19th, 2006, 11:01 AM
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Hi, your itinerary looks wonderful. And how smart of you to fly into Venice and home from Rome. Those early morning flights from Venice are terrible!
Your cooking class on Monday is a good decision also as most of the major museums in Florence are closed on Monday.
Regarding Pisa, it is not on the way from Venice to Florence. Pisa is west of Florence. With your schedule you would need to go to Pisa Saturday afternoon and I wonder if you will want to do that after arriving in Florence. The train trip from Venice to Florence is a little under 3 hours.
I hope your vacation time is approved. You will love Italy I am sure!
Your cooking class on Monday is a good decision also as most of the major museums in Florence are closed on Monday.
Regarding Pisa, it is not on the way from Venice to Florence. Pisa is west of Florence. With your schedule you would need to go to Pisa Saturday afternoon and I wonder if you will want to do that after arriving in Florence. The train trip from Venice to Florence is a little under 3 hours.
I hope your vacation time is approved. You will love Italy I am sure!
Nov 19th, 2006, 01:52 PM
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I'm not sure if this will help but....I am also planning a trip to Venice/Nice. I was going to use tourcrafters.com but then I got slightly better rates doing each location individually. I would keep checking prices but be careful because 3 star hotels in Europe can seem like 2 stars for America.
Anyway, also check www.tripadvisor.com
they give tourist reviews of hotels, etc..
Hope that helps!
Anyway, also check www.tripadvisor.com
they give tourist reviews of hotels, etc..
Hope that helps!
Nov 19th, 2006, 02:20 PM
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I think it sounds fine. We did three nights each in those cities last May. It is enough, but just barely. Especially in Rome, the time flies because there's so much to see. I think Pisa would not be an especially necessary side-trip from Florence. Better to see Florence, then do your cooking class in Tuscany for a feel of that region.
I posted trip reports on the Big Three and you can find them if you click on my screen name above. I list specific mid-range restaurants that we liked, as well as outings and our hotel recommendations.
Have fun planning!
>-
I posted trip reports on the Big Three and you can find them if you click on my screen name above. I list specific mid-range restaurants that we liked, as well as outings and our hotel recommendations.
Have fun planning!
>-
Nov 19th, 2006, 02:28 PM
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Hi Tim and Liz,
Your trip sounds great. I think three nights in each town is just enough to whet your appetite to come back again.
Pisa is going to be out of the way so you might want to save that for another trip.
As far as the scavi tour of St. Peters, go to the vatican website and email your request ASAP. You might also consider going to the Borghese Gallery while in Rome. You must get a reservation for them also but I believe you can do it on-line also.
As for speaking Italian, you won't need to but some polite phrases are smiled upon. Start booking hotels right away in order to get good ones. You might want to try venere.com if your other hotels fall through.
Donna
Your trip sounds great. I think three nights in each town is just enough to whet your appetite to come back again.
Pisa is going to be out of the way so you might want to save that for another trip.
As far as the scavi tour of St. Peters, go to the vatican website and email your request ASAP. You might also consider going to the Borghese Gallery while in Rome. You must get a reservation for them also but I believe you can do it on-line also.
As for speaking Italian, you won't need to but some polite phrases are smiled upon. Start booking hotels right away in order to get good ones. You might want to try venere.com if your other hotels fall through.
Donna
Nov 19th, 2006, 03:03 PM
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Tim & Liz:
Like you, we only had 2 full days in Venice. We hated leaving, even though it was really cold (last February).
One suggestion---I know many will disagree with this. We enjoyed the Secret Itineraries tour, but wish we'd skipped it and seen more of Venice. The damp cold from the floors seeped into our feet until they felt like stone, too! Frankly, despite the winter weather, it was considerably warmer outside than in the palace. It was an entertaining tour, but there are other things we now wish we'd done/seen instead.
Like you, we only had 2 full days in Venice. We hated leaving, even though it was really cold (last February).
One suggestion---I know many will disagree with this. We enjoyed the Secret Itineraries tour, but wish we'd skipped it and seen more of Venice. The damp cold from the floors seeped into our feet until they felt like stone, too! Frankly, despite the winter weather, it was considerably warmer outside than in the palace. It was an entertaining tour, but there are other things we now wish we'd done/seen instead.
Nov 21st, 2006, 05:13 PM
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I really appreciate all of your comments...
AND vacation was approved!
AND we found a better flight leaving Venice.
Now we arrive in Rome at 3:30pm on Wednesday March 7th and depart Venice at 12:05pm on Friday March 16th. I think Rome-Florence-Venice is a better order.
We have reservations at Daphne Inn Veneto in Rome and have requested Locanda Orseolo in Venice. We need to figure out where to stay in Florence.
I also requested the Scavi tour and received the automated reply immediately. Hopefully the reservation confirmation will follow in a few weeks!
We're thrilled!
AND vacation was approved!
AND we found a better flight leaving Venice.
Now we arrive in Rome at 3:30pm on Wednesday March 7th and depart Venice at 12:05pm on Friday March 16th. I think Rome-Florence-Venice is a better order.
We have reservations at Daphne Inn Veneto in Rome and have requested Locanda Orseolo in Venice. We need to figure out where to stay in Florence.
I also requested the Scavi tour and received the automated reply immediately. Hopefully the reservation confirmation will follow in a few weeks!
We're thrilled!
Nov 25th, 2006, 07:14 PM
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You might look into a flight from Venice to Rome & save @ three hours. MureenB is right, time flys, not only in Rome but Venice too. Pisa was a disappointment, except for the Leaning Tower. You may want to immerse yourselves in Florence. We particularly enjoyed the hop-on, hop-off tour bus, it helped us plan our 2nd & 3rd days. Don't worry @ not speaking Italian, most Italians speak English. They respond well to politeness & appreciate any feeble attempt at Italian Phrases such as, Boun Giorno, Bona Sera or Parla Inglese. Arrivaderci!
Dec 3rd, 2006, 09:42 AM
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I wouln't choose plane to go from Vence to Rome, considering the extratime needed to go to/from airports from both cities, and also the lenghty security procedures currently in use in airports.
Venice-Rome with an Eurostar train is roughly a 4h40min trip. That means leaving from Venice central station and arriving at Rome central station. Moreover, you pay less.
Venice-Rome with an Eurostar train is roughly a 4h40min trip. That means leaving from Venice central station and arriving at Rome central station. Moreover, you pay less.
