We have 9 days in June to spend in Italy. Flying in and out of Venice. What do you recommend as far as number of days we should spend in Venice and Florence. And a suggestion for a third location? A friend recommended that we spend 2 nights in Venice on the front end and one on the back, 3 nights in Florence and the rest in Tuscany (not sure exactly where he meant in Tuscany.
We will be back to Florence in the next year or two on business, so we aren't pressed to try to cover every inch of it now. countryside.

Hi!

This is pretty much my schedule too. My mom and I are going in May for 10 nights and also flying in and out of Venice.

We are spending four nights in Venice, then four nights in Florence and two nights in Padua - right outside of Venice. From padua we will take a cab to the airport and home.

I never heard of padua before - but posters here have raved about it (loveitaly and patrick). It's an old university town with beautiful sites (a famous cathedral - don't remember the name), great cafes, shopping etc.

The reason we are spending four nights in Florence is because we both enjoy museums and really don't like to rush from site to site. And we both love to eat good food. We always stop for lunch - no fast food or pizza to go and enjoy a leisurely dinner.

Two nights in Venice sounds fine to me to get a good overview - but you really need to find out what you want to see - the secret itineary tour? museums? or maybe just walking from campo to campo. That what my husband and I did a few years back (he hates museums) and it was great - we saw so much of Venice, from the tip of Dorsoduro to the old ghetto in (or near)Cannaregio.

I can't help you with tuscany since I haven't been (yet)but I'm sure other posters will come through.


hope this helps!

Bus to Siena and spend 2 nites there.

I would spend 4 nights in Venice and 5 in Florence and take a day trip from Florence to Siena and, if you want a second day trip, go to San Gimignano or Lucca.

3 nights Venice, 3 nights Florence...then 3 nights on Lake Como, in Bellagio, Varenna or Menaggio. The other suggestions so far in this thread have also been good.

One more strong possibility would be a couple nights in Verona, a fascinating city not too far from Venice.

Oh, yeah...and look into Asolo, too. A little out of the way, but charming.

Hi Id,

I go with mamc.

I happen to like mr__go's suggestion. But here are two more--one all cities, one with countryside.

We flew round trip to Venice, but upon arrival in Venice, we had a connection to Naples and were there in one hour. In your case, I would suggest Rome if you have never been there before--Rome 3 nights, Florence 2 nights and end your trip in Venice 4 nights.

The countryside option would be to rent a car making stops at Padova, Verona and Vicenza...long or short stops depending on your interest...possibly staying overnight. Drive to Florence, stay two nights, drop off car and train back to Venice for a minimum of three nights.

Another countryside option would be train or drive to Florence without stopping, stay in Florence for two nights and then spend three nights in Tuscany, possibly in the Siena area.

The particulars could come later after you decide what option strikes your fancy.