Kja you do make a good point that Rome/Venice/Florence are different... I guess because those 3 are all big cities, I was afraid that it would all be too hectic and tiring, so I wanted a part of the trip to have a relaxed vibe... Like being at a hotel/b&b on a balcony/terrace with an amazing view, that way we can relax and just enjoy... That's why a medieval town in Tuscany on some high hill overlooking mountains/prairies or Sorrento/Amalfi Coast overlooking the sea became 2 options. The sacrifice would have been unfortunately to skip a stay at Florence. Frankly the only reason why it's a challenge is because I'm trying to limit our bases and packing/unpacking and moving around. Since Rome & Venice are going to be a base each, I'm trying to limit it to thoses 2 bases and just add daytrips from there. But I'm very tempted to add a 3rd base in either Tuscany or Amalfi area, but it might be too much especially since we are accompanied with a late 60's couple. I want to make it fun, diverse but relaxing.

Use 3 bases, one in Venice, one in Rome, and one in Florence or somewhere else in Tuscany in a place chosen once you decide whether to rent a car when in the Florence/Tuscany region or not. Add a 4th base in the Cinque Terre if everyone wants that to be part of the experience and if the timing seems to work. Whatever you decide, you will have a wonderful time.

You could always stay somewhere in the Tuscan countryside, and then take a day-trip into Florence. Have it a bit of both ways.

Day trips from Rome, Venice, Florence? Easy - anyplace the intercity trains will take you in a reasonable length of time.

My practice for day trips? Show up at the train station, look at what is going out in the next hour or so, figure out what looks interesting and buying a ticket. It's only a day so it can't go too wrong. There's no accommodation expense so often it is only the <€20 cost of the ticket and lunch. Take your guidebook with you and do your research on the rails.

I have discovered tons of neat little places like this in Italy. My husband and I spent one of the most glorious days of our marriage, drinking Frascati on the side of a lake at Castel Gondolfo, fat and happy after an amazing lunch. The day started at Termini without a clue where we were going. We loved the countryside and marveled at the aqueducts as we chugged by. It was a bit if a hike from the train station to the town but it simply worked up our appetite. The only reason we ended up there was because the train left in 35 minutes!

Whatever you do - don't over plan your trip!

I am also Canadian. From where will you be departing ?

Hi I'm departing from Montreal... Your story is nice, but the thing is we are 5 people, maybe 6, with an older couple so I don't want to make them walk for hours without a plan and clear destination. But I do agree that I shouldn't overplan too much...

I think maybe it's best to stick to the big three Rome, Florence and Venice for this trip with one or two day trips to visit small towns in Tuscany/Umbria, etc. it would be easier that way in terms of public transportation. The Sorrento/Amalfi coast would've been great to add but I'm afraid transportation would get a little complicated so maybe next time.

The same for Cinque Terre and transportation to there, it should be for another trip just like the Amalfi area... I'll keep it simple with Rome-Florence-Venice with maybe a day trip to somewhere like Orvieto from Rome and some other intersting town near Florence.

I think the Rome-Florence-Venice with day trips sounds lovely.

Where will you be flying in and out of in Italy?

It hasn't been decided yet. I know the ideal would be to fly in Venice and out of Rome, but prices for such one way tickets are ridiculously priced here from Montreal. Roundtrips are like 10 time cheaper so it would be in and out of Rome unless maybe a travel agent can do something about cause on expedia.ca and the other websites it's all about the roundtrips.

Check fly24.com. It allows you to search openjaw trips with different arrival and departure cities. I have found that the prices are often not too far off the normal fare.

Hi user,

I haven't read every post, so excuse me if I'm duplicating an idea, but have you considered spend the "middle" section of your trip at one of the italian lakes?

The obvious one for your itinerary is Garda but Maggiore would also work. They are all accessible by public transport, and when you are there you can use the boats and buses to get about, so no need to rent a car.

you could do 4 nights in Venice, 5 by a lake, and 5 in Rome.

a day trip to Orvieto would fit well into that, and you don't have to decide til you are there whether to do it or not. another nice day trip from Rome is to Tivoli to see the Villa D'Este and Hadrian's villa; you can also see the ancient roman port of Ostia Antica by train from Rome in half a day.

Re the cost of flights, I think that you may have been looking at the wrong sort of tickets - an open jaw flight [eg into Venice out of Rome ] should not be much more expensive than a round trip. You need to click the "multi city" button on the airline website.

if you have to do a round trip, a good idea is to use your first jetlagged day to travel to your furthest destination, and put the place you are flying out of at the end. ie if you are wanting to visit Venice and Rome, but flying into and out of Rome, on your arrival get the train to Termini [the main railway station in Rome] then the train from Termini to Venice. THere are lots of fast trains which will get you there in a few hours, and the main station in Venice [Santa Lucia] puts you in the centre of Venice right by the Grand Canal and a vaporetto stop.

When you leave Venice, you just get the train to your next destination, ending up in Rome.

But i think that if you use the multi city button, you may find that there are affordable flights into Venice and out of Rome.

Annhig, you're right thanks for the tip! Lol I made a quick test and when I click multi-city it gives me similar prices. I was searching one way tickets seperately. Cool now I know :)

As for the lake suggestions I have to make a research about these places, I didn't consider these options. Maybe it could be an interesting option.

Kmack thanks for the link but now the problem is solved, I just am not an experienced traveller but now I know how to choose the options on websites lol thx again

Ok gotta go ;) will check back this thread tomorrow... This is so exciting... go Italy ;)

>>>but prices for such one way tickets are ridiculously priced here from Montreal. Roundtrips are like 10 time cheaper so it would be in and out of Rome unless maybe a travel agent<<<

You need to ditch the travel agent if they don't know better than to look for one way tickets. Use the multi-city function, not one way. The price will be similar to r/t from one city.

I like your #2 list at the top, but you won't have as much time as you think in Sorrento/Amalfi (would not stay in Naples if Amalfi/Positano is your interest) by the time you deduct your travel time.

Four nights will in Rome will only give you three sightseeing days. Is that enough for what you want to see there?

user - glad that the multi-city button came up trumps.

we spent a week staying on Lake Garda in the town of Garda itself, and would thoroughly recommend it, but nearly all of the places around the lake would be suitable.

here is the link to the official website: http://www.visitgarda.com/en/garda_lake/

and there is loads on TA as well. or try your local library!

it will be a lot quicker to get there than to get to Sorrento, and it would be the most efficient use of your time.

Were you to really want to go to Sorrento, i would suggest doing this:

Fly into Rome and go straight to Sorrento, stay 5 nights.

Train to Rome via Pompeii - stay 5 nights.

Train to Venice, stay 4 nights [you might cut it to three at a pinch, and give a night extra to Rome]

fly home from Venice.

But were I you, I'd leave Sorrento to another trip when you've got longer to stay in that area, which is worth at least a week if not longer.

Happy planning!

I remember seeing an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond where the whole family went to Italy. Apparently the town they filmed in was Anguillara Sabazia and I thought it looked spectacular on tv. I just realized that this town is very close to Rome, is it easy and worth to visit? How does it compare to a town like Orvieto? I'm surprised that there isn't a lot of info/hype/attention on that town. Thanks.