john_and_donna

My husband and I are planning our first trip to Italy this Spring and figured that we would start with the major cities. We are wondering if it would be best to book a package tour or book our own travel. If anyone has any recommendations they could pass along we would appreciate it.

annhig

hi J&D,

you will find loads of help here if you decide to book everything yourself; rather less if you decide on a tour as most of the people here have comne to the concluding that you can do better if you "DIY".

assuming you are coming from the US, the classic 1st time trip is to fly into Venice, then get the reain to Florence, and then the train again to Rome, flying home from there - you seem to have worked this out for yourselves, so you are clearly fodorites in the making!

However, of course you don't HAVE to do that or anything else. however, if you have between 10-14 days three places is the most you can do comfortably; most tours will have you doing much more, which will give you an iodea of how much or little depth you get.

a good rule of thumb is that you lose at least 1/2 a day every time you move, and the coach tours have you moving every other day or so. this can be very tiring, especially if it comes on top of an atlantic flight.

having said that the Venice/Florence/Rome trip is the classic combination, personally I think that it is at least one too many city for a first [or any] 10-14 day trip. it is very easy to get art gallery/museum overload, so that you end up with no idea when you saw THAT Botticelli or Tintoretto, or even where the Doge's palace is.

i would try to break it up with a period in the countryside to give yourselves and your brains a bit of a rest - 4 nights in Venice, 4 nights in an agritourismo in Tusecany, and 4 nights in Florence or Rome would be a great trip.

have a great trip,

regards, ann

halfapair

We did this exact trip arriving in Venice on December 26, 2007. We had a wonderful time! We did 4 nights in Venice, 5 in Florence & 7 in Rome. I could've done a couple more nights in each place and not been bored, but this was just about right.

We did it on our own, did all our research on the internet (Thank you, Fodors.com) and with guidebooks. We stayed in an apartment in Rome since we were there for 7 nights - what an experience!

Good luck in your planning!

GoAway

There is so much information available on this site as well as everywhere else, that visiting these three cities on your own should be easy. I suggest you post a little bit more info - how long in total and/or in each city, what are your must-see's, how are you planning on getting there, what are you thinking about for a budget?

I absolutely am not an expert, but here's what we did a couple of years ago. I was travelling with my husband and another couple.

We flew into Venice (from East Coast, USA) and out of Rome and spent 3 nights in each city. We took trains between Venice and Florence, and Florence and Rome. We never rented a car, but we did hire a driver (not a tour guide - there's a difference) for a day trip to Siena from Florence. (Tour guides are licensed in Italy, the driver we had wasn't a tour guide, he just drove us. I wish I had been aware of the difference when I booked him - I really was expecting a tour guide. My fault for not discovering this ahead of time.)

I booked the hotels directly, but used Venere.com extensively to help figure out where to stay. I also used Trip Advisor a lot for hotel reviews. We stayed in Locanda Art Deco in Venice (I'd stay there again, but I'd ask for a room that doesn't overlook the street - it can be a little bit noisy). In Florence, we stayed at La Rezidenza del Proconsolo - which is very close to the Duomo, but I wouldn't stay there again and I woudn't recommend it. In Rome, we stayed at Residenza Canali ai Coronari just behind Piazza Navona - which I would stay at again.

We purchased our train tickets at the station the day before we needed them - since we were out and about walking anyway, we were close so we just stopped in.

We decided to start in Venice because we figured it would be an easier place to recover from jet lag. I could easily have spent more time here.

We had no problem with language even though we don't speak any Italian.

If you are interested in such things, one of the best things I did before going was to read the book Brunelleschi's Dome by Ross King. It was an easy read and it really brought the Duomo to life for me.

john_and_donna

Thank you all for your insight and recommendations! We are a bit pressed for time as my wife is a teacher and we are working around the spring vacation in April. Nine days is the max that we can squeeze into this trip, although we would really love more time - it is what it is! Leaving from the east coast will buy us a little more time. Our initial research has us planning 2 nights Venice, 2 nights Florence and 3 nights Rome.

Thanks again!

elaine

My first trip to Italy was Venice and Florence only. After that I combined two cities at a time, within a week or so. Last month we went to all three cities in 9 days--V, F, and R, flying into V direct from New York (Delta) and home from R. My sister and I had been there several times; our cousin with us had never been in Italy before. We had our itineraries worked out (a sort of 'highlights') view, and though it wasn't a lot of time, my cousin said she felt she'd seen quite a bit in each place. We are very dedicated sightseers. More time is always better, but assuming you won't have less than 3 days in each place, it can be a satisfying trip. IMO, if you'd have less than 3 days in one of those cities, save it for next time.

Take evening or very early morning trains, it wastes less sightseeing time. You can sleep when you get home. And with all that moving around, keep your luggage as light as possible.

Apres_Londee

With 7 nights, I would think about keeping it to 2 destinations instead of all 3, and doing a 4/3 night split.

LoveItaly

Hello, Donns, two night in Venice will give you part of a day (depending what time your flight arrives plus the time it takes to get to your hotel, checked in etc.) one day without arriving or departing and a bit of time in the next morning before catching the train to Florence. The same for Florence. And of course three nights in Rome will give you two full days without arriving or departing. No doubt the the last day will merely be packing up, checking out of your hotel and getting to the airport. If this was my trip I would stay in Venice and Florence and fly home from Florence OR if Rome is of more interest to you I would stay in Venice and than take the train to Rome and fly home from there. But we all have different travel styles of course. Don't forget even though you are flying from the east coast of the US you will probably have a bit of jet lag when arriving in Venice. Wishing you a wonderful trip no matter what you decide to plan but I sure agree that this is a trip you can do on your own versus a tour.

ellenem

I did a trip with my niece, an energetic college-age Italy first-timer. She was limited to her spring break but still wanted to see as much as possible without overdoing it. Since she had little interest in Renaissance art, we just stopped in Florence for the day on our way from Venice to Rome. Here's how we did it:

Friday-Fly out of east coast USA
Saturday-Arrive Venice; at hotel before noon; tour Venice; jet-lag nap; sleep in Venice
Sunday-Tour Venice; sleep in Venice
Monday-Tour Venice; sleep in Venice
Tuesday-Train to Florence; arrive Florence 10:30/check bags at train station; wander Florence; have nice lunch; wander more; 6:00 pm train to Rome; arrive Rome; sleep in Rome
Wednesday-Tour Rome (Vatican/St Peter's/Piazza Navona etc); sleep in Rome
Thursday-Tour Rome (Colosseum/Forum/Pantheon etc); sleep in Rome
Friday-Day trip to Orvieto by train; lovely hilltown about an hour from Rome; sleep in Rome
Saturday-Tour Rome; sleep in Rome
Sunday-Morning flight from Rome to USA

IdaBacon

Hello! I wouldn't suggest to book a tour, because they usually quite expensive and you will spend lots of time sitting in a bus waiting for other people thus wasting your time you could use much more useful. Planning your trip by your own is more exciting. Besides Italy is a country you will enjoy not only major cities but also small villages, vineyards and everywhere you go - sunny and helpful people. You will miss all of this by booking a guided tour. Therefore I suggest you to take a car hire and make your independent trip.
If you are flying into Rome you can take a Decode car hire (http://www.decodecarhire.co.uk/car-h...fiumicino.html). I usually book with this company when travelling around Italy.

Hope you will have fabulous nad unforgettable holiday!

kja

Hi, John and Donna -

How to plan your time depends so much on what you want to see and do that it is difficult to offer an opinion, but with only 7 nights (if I understand correctly), I agree with some of the other posters that selecting only 2 destinations might make most sense. People differ SO much in what they travel for that estimates of the optimal time in any one of your target destinations vary widely, but the rule-of-thumb that you will "lose" a 1/2 day to travel is a good one to keep in mind as first-time travelers to these cities. I would urge you to try to narrow your selection to just 2 of these 3 cities and to come back to us with more specific questions if our advice might help you decide. And do keep in mind that all 3 are wonderful, so you should have a wonderful trip no matter what you decide!

Hope that helps!

Sandra_in_Rome

Already lots of great advice has been given.
I am also in favour of concentrating on two cities and saving the rest for your next trip.

bab706

As other posters have mentioned, there is so much information available here on Fodors, and on Trip Advisor, you won't have a problem planning your own trip. I strongly encourage you to do so rather than taking a tour. Buy a good guide book for the cities you want to visit. Rick Steves books are full of helpful information and he publishes one on each city (Rome, Florence, Venice).

Also - if you have just 7 nights, plan on two cities rather than three cities. You can fly into Venice and spend three nights there and then take the train to Rome and spend your last four nights there. Without a doubt, you will want to return. Earlier this year we spent 10 nights in Rome and next April we are going back - we will spend 5 nights in Venice and 4 nights in Rome.

Have a wonderful time planning your trip!

Mimar

ellenem has a good plan. With so little time it's better to fly open jaws, into one city, out of another. And it's better to fly into Venice, because flights out leave so early, you lose more on-the-ground time. And Venice is the perfect place to get over jet lag.

I wouldn't recommend apartments to first time visitors. If you don't take a tour, it's better to have a hotel at which to ask questions, make reservations for you, etc.

However, if you don't have time to read up on your destinations and research hotels, maybe you'd be better off on a tour. (Horrors, that such words would come out of my keyboard.)

Dobermina

Since you have such a limited amount of time, I do agree with all those who advised to just focus on 2 cities. Even one city is hard to see in less than 2 weeks sometimes (like Rome)! Anyway, I think Florence and Rome would be perfect...you have 9 days right? I would say 5 in Rome and 4 in Florence or 3 in FLorence and 4 in Rome. Rome technically has more to "see" but a daytrip tour to the Tuscan countryside is hard to pass up and I am so in love with that area.....and I do suggest booking stuff yourself, you often save money and find great deals. The more agents involved, the more middleman fees you pay!

PeaceOut

These are hotels I can personally recommend, which are great values in great locations:

Rome: Domus Julia (sister property to Hotel Julia)

Florence: Relais Cavalcanti

Venice: Hotel Riva (get the corner room on the first floor, for great view over two small canals)

Margaretlb

I also agree that two cities for 9 days would be the best plan. Although I LOVE Roma, I didn't visit until my third trip to Italy (and I cannot wait to return for at least a two week stay next time). But, I can totally understand if you'd like to keep Rome as one of the cities.
In 2006, I spent 5 nights in Rome and 3 in Florence - a trip that I took with my sister. I planned our itinerary to be jam packed as my sister will probably not return and this trip was to celebrate her birthday. I can tell you that we were moving from early morning to late night and saw more than I believed possible! At the time, Sis was 50 and me, 52. Neither of us are athletic and Italy can be pretty rigourous - but we saw/did plenty and lived to tell about it! After that trip, I wrote a long trip report that I posted on Slow Travel as I like their format for TR. Here's a link:
http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=1158

I'll post some Venice ideas seperate from this response.

Margaretlb

j&d,
Regarding Venice. Many people might say that two or three nights is enough - but I don't agree (and neither do many other Venice lovers who post here at Fodors). I've visited twice so far - the first time for 4 nights and the second for 6 nights. I did not write a trip report but below is my itineray outline for the trip I took in December 2005. It is just an outline that is organized by district and lists names of churches and museums with opening times and hi-lights. These times are from 2005 so should be checked if you decide to visit the venue. Most of my list are churches but I also list "non-church" ideas as DH and I were traveleing with another couple who are not into churches so these were some options for them. My interest is Renaissance art and much of the art in Venice is in situ which adds even more interest for me. I also found the Rick Steve's walks for Venice to be very good. Also, although I have info on the islands, I never made it out of Venice proper - just too much to see!!

SAN MARCO & COSTELLO
Chiesa di San Salvatore – near Rialto, Mercurie
-Sansovino architect, perfectly geometrical space
-3rd right alter, late Titian ‘Annunciation’
Chiesa di Santo Stefano- near San Vidal
-Sansorvino architect
-sacristy (enter from right nave) 3 Tintoretto’s (‘Last Supper’, Washing of Feet’, Christ in the Garden”) and Veronese ‘Crucifixion’
Rick Steves ‘St Marks to Rialto’ walk, in reverse to San Marco
- Ponte de la Verona, view of leaning tower of San Stefano
Museo Correr – 9:00-5:00
Liberia Vecchia, Biblioteca Marciana
- Titian, Veronese, Tintoretto
Doge’s Palace- 9:00 – 5:00
San Marco – 10:00-5:00 S/S 1:00-5:00
Campanile – Bell Tower – 9:30-6:30 – has elevator to top (bells ring 9:30, noon, 2:00)
Tower Logetta –Sansorvino architecture and sculptures
Rick Steves ‘San Marco to San Zaccaria’ walk
Museo Diocesano-directly behind Basilica –closed Sunday
- exterior, step into 11th century courtyard
- can we get access to Restoration Workshop upstairs?
- Tintoretto exhibit – St. Catherine Cycle
San Zaccaria –
-1400 fresco by Andrea del Castagio(Florentine)-Cappella di San Tarasius
Museo delle’ Icone Bizantini e Postbizantini- Salizzada dei Greci 3412 (east of San Zaccaria)
-Icons
closed Sunday. 9:00-12:30, 1:30- 4:00
Santa Maria Fermosa – exterior (on same campo as Palazzo Querini Stampalia)
San Zani Polo –Fondementa dei Mendicanti
- 3 ceiling Veronese
- major burial site for Doges
***Non-church options:
*** Museo Storico Navale –Campo San Biagio- ship museum
***Palazzo Querini Stampalia –Rio Santa Maria Fermosa
- closed Monday, 10:00-6:00, Fri/Sat 10:00-10:00,
- Fine and decorative art

DORSODORO

Santa Maria della Salute- next to Guggenheim
- 5 Titians
Guggenheim- 10:00-6:00 closed Tuesday
Accademia- 9:00-7:00, Sun/Mon 9:00-2:00
Santa Maria del Rosario, Gesuati-Fondemente Zarrere
- Tintoretti (1st chapel on left)
- Tiopolo
San Trovaso-
- 5 Titian’s
- Tintoretto ‘Last Supper’
- Clary Chapel- group of white marble angels (1470)School of Donatello
Squero di San Trovaso- best seen from fondementa on opposite side of Canal San Trovaso
San Sebastiano-Campo San Sebastiano
- Veronese
Chiesa dell’Angelo Raffaelle- Campo San Sebastiano
- Gaudi
San Niccola dei Mendicoli –Rio San Niccolo (founded 7th c.)
- 11th century belltower, 13th century building, 15th century woodwork
Scuola Grandi dei Carmini
- Tieoplo
Chiesa Santa Maria dei Carmini
- red marble columns
- right aisle, Tintoretto ‘Presentation’
San Pantelon-Rio Foccari near Campo Margherita behind Scuaola Grande di San Rocco
- fantastic baroque interior
- Also on Santa Croce & San Polo itinerary
Santa Maria della Fava – Campo Fava- Sunday mass 10:30 with 18th century organ baroque music) –
reliefs and statues :Giovanni Bernardi (Canova teacher)
- 1st rte side chapel-Tiepolo ‘Anne, Joachim and Mary’
***Non-church options:
***Palazzo Cini –between Guggenheim and Accademia on Grand canal
- high quality private collection, brocade walls, Murano chandeliers, Tuscan Art (Botticelli)
***Ca’ Rezzonico- Cl. Tues., 10-5
- 17th century Venice palazzo – decorative arts
***Fondaco dei Turchi-Museo do Storia Naturale
- natural history museum, underwater world of the Adriatic


CANNAREGIO
Ca’ d’ Oro – 9:00-1:00
- 14th century palace with important art, furniture, carpets,
- Titian, Gaudi, Van Dyke, Mantegna; bronzes
San Giovanni Cristostomo- near Rialto walk from hotel
- great art, quick stop
Corti dei Million -5845 Campo San Giovanni Cristostomo
- Marco Polo born here 1254
- Window frames, columns, round bas relief from 11th-12th century
-
Toward Rialto
Santi Apostoli-Strade Nuova (quick stop)
-rte aisle, Corner Family Chapel. Originally intended for burial of Queen (Cyprus) Caterina Cornaro
Santa Maria dei Miricola
-miraculous icon
- architect, Piero Lombardo (1481-89) early Renaissance
Chiesa Gesuiti, Santa Maria Assunta
-Tintoretto, Titian,
-Carved marble walls
Campo Tiziano- No. 5181-82 – Titians’ home
Calle Varisco- narrowest alley in Venice

Toward Ferovia
Madonna dell’Orto (north central area)
-Tintoretto’s tomb
- 3 early Tintoretto’s
-Bellini’s ‘Madonna’ (1480)
Walk through Campo di Ghetto Nuova to
San Giobbe
-della Robbia ceiling in Cappelle Martini
-architect, Antonio Gambell0 (1450); Piero Lombardo (1471)
- Paris Bordone ‘St Peter’ 16th c (4th rte side alter)

SANTA CROCE & SAN POLO
Rick Steves- ‘Rialto to Frari” walk
(On Palazzo Carmelenghi- look for reliefs from lower stairs of Rialto)
San Giacomo dell’Orio di Rialto
- 10th building, 13th century belltower, 14th century woodcarving
- Veronese “Sts. Lawrence, Jerome and Prospero’ (1581)-sidechapel
San Giovanni Elamasinario
- Titian “San Giovanni the Almsgiver’, ‘Resurrection of Christ’ (1545)
San Silvestro-Campo San Silvestro (vap)
- Tintoretto (1st side alter), ‘Baptism of Christ’
San Polo-Campo San Silvestro
- Tintoretto ‘Last Supper’ (1547)
- Tiopolo
Palazzo Sorzano-Campo San Polo
- exterior- front was frescoed by Giorgione
- prior to 1761, there was a canal in front
Frari - 9-6, Sun. 1-6 – Major art (basically a museum)
Scuola Grande San Rocco – 10-4 –
Chiesa San Rocco-San Rocco buried here
San Pantelon-Rio Foccari near Campo Margherita behindr Scuaola Grande di San Rocco
- fantastic baroque interior
- Veronese ‘The Miracle of San Pantelon’ (1587)
*** Non-church options
***Ca’ Pesaro- modern art (Impressionists, post Impressionists, 20th century art
***Museo Palazzo Mocengo-1992 Sallizzada si San Stae (cl. Mon, 10-4)
- 18th century textiles, furniture, frescos, paintings

VAPORETTO HOPPING
San Giorgio Maggiore –completed 1576
- Titoretto ‘Last Supper’
Chiesa dei Redentore- completed 1592

Murano
- glass factory
- Glass Museum – (cl.Wed., 10-4)
- Chiesa Santa Maria & Donato
o -12th century mosaic floor
o 13th century mosaic in apse-‘Virgin’
o -2 Veronese

Torcello
-Cattedrale Santa Maria Assunti
- built 9th c., heightened 11th c.
- 11th century mosaic, 11th c. iconostasis, 12th c. mosaic ‘Apostles’
- oldest church in the lagoon (founded 639)
- Chiesa Santa Fosca
- 12th century
Burano
- Lace Museum (cl.tues., 10-5)

charnees

You can rent apartments in Venice, Florence and Rome for less than a week -- we have done it. We always take apartments, or a least a small B&B like Alloro in Florence. Look on Slowtrav.com for apartment reviews, look on VRBO.com for ads from owners, and there are a bunch of other agencies which you will see on the Slow Travel Review pages. It takes me hours and hours to go through all the listings!!

Also, if you decide to go the apartment route, come back and ask folks about important things to consider. Besides location, there are things like grocery stores in the area, whether or not there is an elevator in the building if the apartment is on an upper floor, etc. BTW, the first floor in Italy equals the second floor in the US.

Peter_S_Aus

With a week to spend in Italy, I'd suggest just staying in Venice. Hire an apartment, and discover how the locals live in this beautiful, bizarre town.