Trip to Italy Advice
 

My friend and I decided last minute to go to Italy for 10 days at the end of May. I am excited beyond belief. All we know for certain is that we are spending the first 3 days in Venice visiting a co-worker from our London office. After that, my friend and I want to explore as much of Italy as possible. Can anyone recommend an itinerary? We were thinking of heading next to Florence then onto Rome or Rome then the Amalfi Coast?
My friend and I are from NYC and in our early 30's. So in addition to all that Italy has to offer during the day we would like to see how our counterparts enjoy themselves in the evening. Any suggestions for our trip would be greatly appreciated!

Time Out Rome has a good guide to Rome nightlife for you younguns. :-)
It seems to center on the Testaccio district. Have fun!

Hi lily,

Whooooooa.

You have 7 days after Venice.

This is perfect for Florence 3 nts and Rome 4 nts.

Save the AC for another trip.

If you really want to get to the Amalfi coast you could do it in a day trip from Rome. I have taken a day trip from Rome down to Pompeii and Sorrento. It's a long day, but it can be done. The Amalfi coast is beautiful, but again, you really need a few days there to explore and enjoy Postiano, Capri, Sorrento, etc.

So, I agree with Ira. Hit the big 3 cities and save the Amalfi Coast for another trip. You don't want to rush too much.

Hit at least one small town. Ideally I'd say do a night in Florence, rent a car and spend 4 days touring Tuscany and driving towards Rome, then a few final nights in Rome!
You'll have so much fun!

If a car rental is out, Venice, Florence, night in Siena or Assisi or a smaller city the train can get you to, then end in Rome!

I would include the amalfi coast. We haven't had much of a spring here in NY (until this week), so it might be nice to be in warm weather by the sea for a few days.

It all sounds so exciting. I am a planner at heart but feel pressured with so little time to do research. I appreciate everyone's comments. Would anyone recommend Rome then AC and visit Florence/Tuscany area on another future trip??? Or is Florence a must see. Thank you again for your comments.

Venice, Rome and the Amalfi Coast seem like a winning combo to me. Can you fly into Venice and out of Naples or Rome so you don't have to backtrack? You could save Florence and Tuscany until next time (...and there <i>will</i> be a next time). Alternatively, you could do Venice, Rome and Florence this time and save the Amalfi Coast for your next trip..

After Venice, it is only leaving you 7 days to see a lot of places - am I correct in figuring that? I think it is entirely feasible to see all three places: Florence, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast. Perhaps you could spend Day 4 in Florence, Days 5-6 in Rome, and then Day 7 in Amalfi Coast. Making the AC a &quot;day trip&quot; from Rome would be hard to do because it is far away and you wouldn't want to be rushing yourselves; however, it is do-able.

I use the &quot;Let's Go&quot; guides and their book on Italy provides insightful advice, tips (including night club suggestions, etc) for young, single travelers. Buon viaggio!

We were planning on flying into Venice and flying out of wherever our final destination is, which most likely will be Rome. This is why we considered AC or Florence in b/w. Is the train service between cities difficult to use and can we obtain tickets/schedules once we arrive? Also any advice on a car rental??

Train service between the cities in Italy is very effecient. There is a fast train between Rome and Florence, and between Rome and Naples that can get you there in half the time. you can buy your tickets when you are there, not to worry. I never rent a car, the train has been the most economical and reliable source of transportation for me - plus don't have to deal with parking fees, drop off fees, etc.