three days in Florence or Rome, where would you go?
 

Just wondering where my fellow fodorites would spend their time if they had three full days.

Depends. What are your interests? If Renaissance art & history are your thing, then go to Florence.

Ancient civilization? Rome.

Do you prefer big cities like New York & London, or smaller (tourist-laden) destinations?

Rome & Florence are very different, both spectacular in their own way.

Definitely Rome. IMO, 3 days is 2 too many to spend in Florence. The last 3 times I went there it was so crowded it gave me a headache.

I guess I'm one of those people who doesn't "get" Florence. I love Rome and Venice though, and the village of Montalcino the best.

I am planning out my trip, i got down the direction i am headed, but i need to figure out the time frames. Heres what i have so far

Dec 12 Land 8:00am milan
Dec 13 milan
Dec 14 Arrive Venice (morning)
Dec 15 Venice
Dec 16 Arrive Florence AM (morning)
Dec 17 Florence
Dec 18 Florence
Dec 19 Arrive Rome
Dec 20 Rome overnight to Innbruck
Dec 21 Innsbruck
Dec 22 Innsbruck / Salzburg
Dec 23 Fussen
Dec 24 Stuggart
Dec 25 Stuggart
Dec 26 Munich
Dec 27 Munich overnight train to amsterdam
Dec 28 Amsterdam
Dec 29 ?
Dec 30 ?
Dec 31 Amsterdam
Jan 1st amsterdam fly home

In Italy are you driving or taking the train?

Jeez, makes me tired just reading it. Why all the moving around? Will you never return to Europe?

19 days ... pick 3-4 of your destinations and enjoy!

I am taking the train, just me and my backpack. I know i am covering alot of ground in a short period of time, but i did something similar last year and it was great.

I wasn't crazy about Fussen but if it's on the train route I guess you don't have much choice. I would have preferred to stay in Reutte just across the Austrian border. And you have only one full day in Rome - Rome needs at least 3 days in my opinion. Why are you going to Stuttgart - just wondering if you could save some days somewhere. Also the Mosel Valley in Germany is wonderful. And to be honest I wasn't crazy about Salzburg but it was very very cold in May of last year!

I agree with Nina - I don't really get the whole Florence thing either. We spent a day there and it was plenty for both my husband and me. And Lily's right, you need more time in Rome. It'd be a shame to just pass through.

I think 3 days in Florencre is too much and I agree you need more time in Rome there is so much to see and enjoy. Stuttgart, I have been there many times but I think what ever you are gonna see and do you can do it on the same day. Fussen to me is beautiful, I have been there twice but have not stayed overnight I think with a few hours you can see both castles and sorroundings and spend the night somewhere else.

Thanks for the input!

Hi, Yet, another suggestion. I like Amsterdam very much and there are some nice day trips you can take from there, such as Haarlem, Delft, etc. But, I agree that you need at least three days in Rome. You can see much of Amsterdam in two days so maybe consider changing your timing at the end of your trip???

Libby, I was thinking that, I was in amsterdam last year, and went to most of the major sites.

The beauty of traveling alone with no set plans is that I can stay as long as I like or leave whenever I want.

That said I the planner in me still needs some sort of outline :)

Is there some particular reason for staying in Milan 2 days? If not, I would head to Venice mid-day on the 13th, giving you a full 2 days in Venice. You won't regret it.

I, too, would add time to Rome, perhaps by leaving Florence the afternoon of the 18th. Then take a day off the end of the trip and do your overnight out of Rome on the 21st---now you have 3 days in Rome. If you have doubts about Rome, I was the same way before going earlier this year. We ended up loving it and can't wait to go back!

Hi L,

Given a choice of 3 days in Florence or Rome, I would choose Venice.

((I))

Hi L,

Are there reasons for giving as much time to Milan and Stuttgart as you are to Venice?

((I))

Ira, I was actually rethinking the Stuggart time.

My thoughts on Milan is that It will be a good place for me to ease myself into the culture. But i could just spend the day there and check my bag at the station and move on to Venice that night.

This morning I was actually thinking I should skip Fussen and Stuggart and head east to Nurenburg and give extra time to Rome.

Hi L,

Your itinerary is improving.

Milan is a big, bustling city. Venice is calm, laid back and more user friendly. It's not called La Serenissima for nothing. :)

((I))

If you skip Fussen you will miss the castles so it depends what you want to see in Nurenburg. Ira's right - more time in Venice, less time in Milan. And if you were in Amsterdam last year why are you spending so much time there? I love Amsterdam but there are so many other places to see. Just a thought. And you don't need to ease into the culture of Italy becauses it simply embraces you. Whatever you do, sounds like a wonderful trip!

I don't think you should skip Fussen, the castles are beautiful and the sorroundings are too I am sure you are gonna love it, at least spend a few hours there that's what I did and got to see a lot.