We're traveling to Rome on 12/23, staying for 3-4 nights, then taking the train to Florence for 2-nights (Florence is still a maybe), and then taking the train to Venice for 3-4 nights (traveling back from Venice). Question, someone mentioned "do I really want to stay in Venice for 3-4 days considering it's high-water season?" (this would include the New Year's eve). So now I'm confused. Has anyone visited Venice during the New Year's and is it a good idea to spend 3-4 days there? We are taking our 3 kids, they are all in their early teens. Thanks!

We were not there at New Year's, but in March with our two kids age 9 and 12 at the time. They loved Venice, and I think 3-4 nights would be great. However, I would probably do 3 nights so I could tack on an extra night to Rome. For us, Rome was everyone's favorite!

I think if they have high water, just buy a pair of rubber boots and have fun! How many people get to experience that?!!

I would probably give Florence another night-- 2 nights is not enough, in my opinion. Especially at that time of year. And I agree on Rome, too--another night there, for sure. You can never have enough time in Rome. Happy travels!

Flooding in Venezia is caused by the tides which rise and fall twice a day. The times vary with the phases of the moon, with the highest tides occurring around full moon and new moon. The site below has diagrams; on 31 December this year, there is a high water in the morning and a low water in the afternoon.
www.comune.venezia.it/maree/astro.asp#zip

My teens liked Rome and Venice and Pompeii the best. They didn't care for Florence. But we were there in June 2004, and I'm not sure I'd want to deal with flooding waters in Venice...good luck with your decision! Maybe others will have more info... Perhaps you can look up trip reoports on this web-site written by people reutrning from winter visits to Venice.

One more bit of advice. I love this fodors web-site, and there happens to be another web-site that really specializes in Italy in particular.. www.slowtrav.com

I used both web-sites to plan our Italy trip.

I was in Venice for 4 days over Christmas 2004. For the last 2 of those days we had acqua alta. It mainly impacts the San Marco area but recedes after a few hours. You can buy rubber or plastic boots for about 10e and let the kids splash around in St. Mark's square. It will be cold and probably rainy too. The real hassle I found was that during high water, the vaparetta's may stop running because the water in the grand canal rises so much, they can't get under the bridges.

I much prefer Venice when it's warmer, but if you've never been, you should go. I personally wouldn't spend 4 days there with kids in that season. We found a lot of the shops along the Rialto to be closed.