It can't be helped: We have only five days between Assisi, Rome, Florence and Chiantishire. There are four of us including a 66-year-old mother-in-law, whose desire to see Assisi, the Vatican and Catacombs is the reason for this trip. Art museums are not a priority; instead, alternating heavy touring days with more relaxed ones is key.

This is the schedule we're discussing with Vatican Tours and Beyond. I'd appreciate any and all insight you're willing to provide!

Day 1 (Saturday, April 30): Mother-in-law arrives from the U.S. at 7:30 a.m. Take a day trip to Assisi so she can rest in the car.

Day 2 (Sunday, May 1):
Mass in AM and papal appearance, if it happens
2 p.m. Tour of Imperial Rome
Evening - see Trevi Fountain, Spanish steps on our own

Day 3 (Monday, May 2):
Morning - Catacombs/Appian way tour
2 p.m. - 3 hour Vatican tour
Evening on our own for shopping
(or quick Borghese visit?)

Day 4 (Tuesday, May 3): transfer tour between Rome and Florence with stops in Orvieto and a few Chianti wineries (a priority for me and my husband)

Day 5 (Wednesday, May 4): Florence - David, Duomo, maybe Uffizi and the rest at leisure

On Day 6 we catch the train to Venice to meet up with friends.

Among the variations I've considered:
*Transfer tour from Rome to Florence via Assisi on Day 4; tour Rome instead on Day 1

*Spending Day 4 in Rome. Catching early morning train to Florence on Day 5, doing 1/2 day Florence tour in morning, 1/2 day Chianti tour in afternoon.

As for hotels, I've reserved:
April 29: Euro House Inn by airport (so we can do early morning pickup after arriving at 11 p.m. the night before)
April 30-May 2: Hotel Giuliana
May 3-May 5: Hotel Porta Faenza

Thanks!

Dear K,

Have you been to Italy before? Honestly, you will only have time for 1/2 the things you plan. Assisi isn't that long of a drive from Rome. Your mother-in-law won't get much rest.

In five days you won't have time for alternating "rest" days.

Buona fortuna....

Sorry - the previous poster is correct - this will never happen - you will spend all your time either driving, training or sitting on a bus. And you MIL will spend most of her time in bed IMHO - with either exhaustion or an MI.

Poor Mother!! I hope that she is taking a good dose of vitamin B100...
This is not an fun trip but is a Marathon..

you may want to rethink this-please!

days 2 and 3 seem reasonable, but the rest is just mission impossible. also remember that a 66 year old w/ jet lag will not have her normal strenght/stamina. i don't know if i could keep up that pace...

maybe just do rome w/ a trip to assisi and orvieto. skip florence and take the night train to venice. that would seem more doable. 3 days rome, 1 orvieto, and 1 assisi.

If the key is alternating heavy touring days with more relaxed ones, you have missed the key! I don't see any relaxed days in this schedule.

Hi kb,

I fear I must agree. This is not a vacation, it is a trek.

>...a 66-year-old mother-in-law, whose desire to see Assisi, the Vatican and Catacombs is the reason for this trip.<

>...stops in Orvieto and a few Chianti wineries (a priority for me and my husband)

Day 5 (Wednesday, May 4): Florence - David, Duomo, maybe Uffizi and the rest at leisure

On Day 6 we catch the train to Venice to meet up with friends.<

ERROR! ERROR!
THIS DOES NOT COMPUTE.

Are you dragging MIL on your trip or are you accompanying her on her trip?

Thanks for all the feedback; it's what I feared.

With the recent death of a dear friend, we're very much in a "carpe diem" mindset. Since my mother-in-law has always wanted to see the Vatican, we thought no time like the present.

My husband and I have been to Venice but nowhere else in Italy. So we hated the thought of coming to Italy for a 2nd time and not seeing Florence, even if it is for a day.

Thanks once again for all your feedback. Here's my 2nd go at a schedule:

SATURDAY, APRIL 30
7:40 a.m. flight in; transfer to Hotel Giuliana
Afternoon: Ancient Rome tour


SUNDAY, MAY 1
Morning Mass
Pope at window - 12
Afternoon: Catacombs tour (three hours)
Spanish steps/trevi fountain on our own

MONDAY, MAY 2
Vatican tour – five hour tour (since this is the reason we're coming, might as well do the longer tour.)
Evening free

TUESDAY, MAY 3
Transfer trip to Florence via Assisi

WEDNESDAY May 4
Half-day Florence tour, half-day drive in Chianti


THURSDAY May 5
10:40 a.m. train to Venice

I like the fact that you're not going to do the Assisi roundtrip as that would be wasting precious time. Your mother-in-law might not find driving in Italy to be restful, even as a passenger!

This new plan seems better except for the brief time in Florence. Could you leave on a later train to Venice and give yourselves another partial day in Florence?

You might want to consider moving your Vatican tour to Sunday afternoon (you'll be right there), doing the catacombs tour Monday morning as they are a bit more on the "outskirts" of Rome, and then heading for Assisi. You could spend the night in Assisi (its nice when the crowds leave) and then head for Florence the next morning.

Another thought: catacombs tour the afternoon your mother-in-law arrives. (I guess I didn't find them that interesting and figure they'll be OK in a jet-lagged state.) You could do the Imperial Rome tour Monday morning and head for Assisi later that day.

These are just my musings. Of course, I've left out the possibility of relaxation but am trying to fit in all of your other requirements.

One last thought. You probably won't be able to check into your hotel early Saturday morning but perhaps some of you will already have been there the night before?

Good luck!

Unfortunately, Sunday May 1st is a national holiday, so the Vatican museums are closed that day.(I think they're usually open only a half-day on Sunday anyway.) I also am considering doing the Catacombs tour the day of our arrival, since that will require less walking than during the Ancient Rome tour.

Hi kb,

Much, much better.
May I suggest:

TUESDAY, MAY 3
Transfer trip to Assisi
2:30 hr by train

WEDNESDAY May 4
Transfer trip to Florence
2:30 hr by train

THURSDAY May 5
10:40 a.m. train to Venice

You won't get to drive through Chianti, but you will be able to see the highlights of Florence.