thank you so much for these comments. it seems as if it will be cheaper to fly ryan air to pisa then get tickets for rome, sienna, venice, pomp and vienna. any one have any tips on accomodation in these areas ???

pdawn1969
goodluck on your trip. i am going last week of october, what about you ?

You might look at Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree forum: www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree. It specializes in backpackers, staying in hostels and trying to get the most out of their money.

From one Tina to another, I have made dozens of trips alone both to the Orient and Europe. I have never had any regrets and even though I am a very senior citizen I am now planning a trip to Canada and next years trip to Italy and France.
I feel that part of the fun of traveling is dining in nice restaurants so I always eat out and have never regreted doing so,
I too would limit the cities to go to. I would stay in Rome and do ONE OR TWO day trips. Definitely Florence and perhaps one other. However there is so much to see and enjoy in Rome you may not want to spend too much time away from this city.
I also would definitely not buy any railroad pass. Easier and cheaper to buy a ticket when you need it.d
Have a great trip and hopefully this will be the first of many more trips.

Where ever you end up going make sure you have COMFORTABLE WALKING SHOES! I cannot stress this enough!!
And have a wonderful time!

With only six days, I think that limiting youirself to just two places makes sense.

If you stay at the Youth Hostel in Venice, remember that it is on Guidecca, and so it is a ferry ride to get to "Downtown".
In Venice, the student population hangs out in Campo Margherita. They drink spritzes - which cost about two or three Euro. White wine, soda water and a slug of Campari or Aperol.

Have a great trip.