10 day Venice Florence Rome thoughts

No experience with the RS tours but do know they are very fast paced.
Amalfi Coast is best left for a future trip IMO (AC area is also very crowded and a time consuming hassle to get to).

If you have extra days add a few at start for Venice and at end for Rome.

We haven't taken this tour (have taken several other RS tours) but have traveled independently to all three of these cities. Please know that the walking you do is not all at once - that is the cumulative estimate for a whole day. If you are in reasonable shape and prepared for the weather, you will manage the crowds and have a great experience. Re the hotels, I have at a minimum liked all the choices in each city, and often LOVED them for location/style/coziness/uniqueness.

My advice:
- as a first time overseas traveler, prepare well and you will be fine. Read the guidebook, talk to everyone you can who's gone those places and get their advice. You'll quickly gain confidence once there.

• rather than going to the Amalfi coast, consider going to Venice early and/or staying in Rome afterwards. In Venice you'll get time to recover from jet lag, and with your preparation, you can venture out to a sight or two you won't visit on the tour. In Rome, there is so much to do, including the places not included on the tour, and by then you'll have your travel confidence up.

• These are indeed three bustling cities. if you are still considering which tour to take, consider one that combines cities and small towns. I loved the long Ireland tour, and the South England tour. (Others will chime in with their faves.)

You may want to check out the tour scrapbooks that previous tour attendees created. These can help you get a sense of what the tour is all about. Type in scrapbook in the search and that should get you to the page.

We’ve done other RS tours. There is walking but it’s not over the top. Most of the walking we did was on our own exploring where we were. Depending on your personal energy levels, booking an afternoon tour should be fine.

We haven’t been to the Amalfi coast, but after a tour we are ready to go home. However, we arrive early and do our thing before the tour begins.

Hi Janice, have you looked at the 17-day Best of Italy tour? That one will give you the combo of large cities plus some of the other sized cities, including staying at an agriturismo. Instead of needing extra places to add to the top 3 VFR, this can be a complete trip with just a couple of days to arrive early & acclimate to the time zone.

My husband & I did that tour way back in 2006 and after returning to Italy 10 times, I still recommend that one as the perfect tour to get a great feel of Italy with its variety.

Gads, it took us years before we tackled the Amalfi Coast, and the transportation/ infrastructure challenges. Wait until you're more experienced.

We did VFR tour around 2017, so obviously some things are different. We were absolutely exhausted after this tour, and had no energy for an additional adventure at the end. The RS tour guides are excellent, but working with the Italian variables present challenges. Because the museums get very crowded by mid-morning, the guides had us out of the hotels early, and into the museums as they opened. Then we usually were free. Half of the days had organized dinners, which usually started àfter 7:00pm, and lasted until about 10:00pm, in the Italian leisure-paced mode. We had problems when the late dinners backed up against the early starts; we just couldnt get to sleep after the late dinners. Now many folks may be different and can adjust to such a schedule.
(We went on the Swiss trip a few years later, and dinners were much faster and the mornings didn't start so early, as we weren't rushing to get into museums.) Again, my info is old.
Florence and Rome will be very crowded. Venice has its "hot spots" but it's easy to get away from crowds and wander in quiet, charming areas.
I like the idea presented above by Jean to instead try the RS Best of Italy, which is a mix of large and small areas, and might be a better immersion for first time travelers.
The RS tours are high quality and have excellent tour and local guides. The hotels are usually fine, but may not be the high points of the tours. The hotels will be in great locations, however.
Wishing you a grand adventure and safe travels.

Hi and a warm welcome to the forum gang, Janice!
I'll preface this by admitting I've never been on an RS tour but have been to Rome, Florence, Venice and the Amalfi Coast.

You have walking tours most mornings and the afternoons free, but that
puts other tours (Colosseum, Vatican, Doge Palace etc.) in the
afternoon when you are perhaps tired from the walking tours which they
keep mentioning are 2- 6/8 miles. I wish some of those must-see places
were still included in the trip and not on our own.

There are all sorts of reasons for this type of schedule but if I was to guess, some of the biggies, like the Vatican Museums, are so mobbed anymore that 1-2 people people can move more nimbly on their own than a guide can move a group. Depending on time of year, mornings are more comfortable, temperature-wise, than during the heat of afternoons, and streets may not be as crowded.

As suggested above, a great way to manage sightseeing at a slower pace is to arrive several days before the start of a tour, and stay several days after it wraps up. The 'Holy Trinity" cities, especially, are well used to hosting tourists from all over the world, and it would not be difficult to you to manage on your own.

I'll also go along with the advice to postpone the Amalfi Coast for another trip or another tour. As mentioned, it can be time-consuming to get to, time-consuming to get around, and can be very, very busy. Best to leave that one until after you've experienced a maiden voyage to the Boot?

Will we be overwhelmed and wish we had more smaller cities in the mix?

You might. It depends on your tolerance for busy places, and what you're willing to put up with to see/experience them. For instance, the Uffizi in Florence is a VERY busy museum but as an art geek, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Also, with extra days you can visit some of the excellent smaller attractions that aren't as mobbed or have better crowd control, although sadly you couldn't do that with Florence on the VFR tour. As suggested, you might look at tours with a mix of bigger and smaller cities? You might also think about going in one of the winter months (spring and fall are no longer shoulder seasons, if there's even such a thing anymore.)

We all travel differently, and RS tours move at too rapid a pace for my husband and I thus we haven't taken one (yet). That said, per the reviews and posts above, they DO work very well for many! It's up to you to know your own travel style and determine how well you might enjoy them. Tips for booking tickets? The forums are full of 'em, plus we can cheerfully answer questions you might have about specific attractions, such as the official websites for ordering. :O)

Editing to add: The VFR tour is really closer to 8 days than 10 as it doesn't commence until late afternoon on Day 1 and is over at breakfast on Day 10. That may be a factor in deciding to add those extra days, if on the fence about that.

Hi, I have taken the VFR tour. When we went in 2023, the Colosseum & Vatican were included on the itinerary then. The Doges and St. Mark's were not, so that hasn't changed.

We traveled in March--the idea of doing this off season or shoulder season is a good idea. We went a little early and did The Doges Palace, St. Mark's and the tower on our own the morning before the tour group met.

I loved Venice, I liked Florence (backstreets tour and quieter neighborhoods were my favorite). Florence & Uffizi seemed densely busy to me--more so than Venice and Rome. Yes, it's not all walking at once, but it's cumulative walking in intense environments, which, yes, can be tiring even for fit people. We went to Assisi after the tour. Loved it and liked being someplace with more elbow room and a slower vibe for two days. I've never been to Amalfi. Can't speak to it.

Rick's hotels and the rooms you get are a mix. Sometimes your room has a little better view or configuration one city then next city you're on the top floor or on the busier street side, etc. All have character, and the breakfasts are good. I don't worry about hotels much as long as they're clean and comfortable and am not a foodie so may not be the best person to ask. In general, I have enjoyed and been pleased with RS tours!

One added note, I took the Best of Rome tour around 2010. We were at the Hotel Aberdeen then. For VFR in 2023, we stayed at a hotel near the Borghese Gardens and U.S. Embassy (drawing a blank on the hotel name w/o Google mapping it), and it had less character. Nothing wrong with it, but it was more of a "city business" hotel. We were eating breakfast with airline flight crew--I think American Airlines had a contract with the hotel. Sort of takes you out of the vacation mood a bit. I bring this up because each hotel is different, and tour to tour they may be different. My departure's hotels may not be the ones on your VFR tour.

Wow, this forum is absolutely the best! It is wonderful that people are so generous with their time to write such informative replies. I did look into the RS 17 day tour, but it is pretty booked up for this year. I am surprised that so many mentioned saving Amalfi for another trip, although from my research I could easily spend a week in that area with Pompeii, Archeology Museum etc. So even though I tried to pick a tour that didn’t try to do too much I am falling into the same trap of adding on and trying to do too much. LOL So hard to not want to do everything!

I think I will start a new topic with Gate 1 (12 day Enchanting Italy) and Odysseys Unlimited (Portraits of Italy) I am considering to see if I can get some information on those companies or tours. If the topic is titled differently I might get better results. Thank you for all that responded! All the information was awesome — what a fun way to reach out to other seasoned travelers!

Any additional thoughts on RS 10 day tour are still welcome, as I am still in research mode. I didn’t think researching a tour would be this hard — lots to choose from and certainly have to really read the itinerary very carefully!

I can't offer advice on your tour but here's my Trip Report on our trip to Sorr and the Amalfi Coast.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-2-weeks-of-day-trips-from-sorrento

It was one of my favourite all-time trips but the region may be a bit overwhelming for European newbies. It can be chaotic and confusing and may best be saved for another trip. Did I miss when you're going on your tour? The AC is best in Spring or Fall when the crowds have died down a bit. And you need to start booking hotels now.

VFR is the best selling RST and for good reason. Its 3 nights in the 'big 3' of Italy pacing is more comfortable than longer tours and the grand overview of Italian classics is, as RS himself would put it, indimenticabile! While on tour you will definitely be well informed on traveling abroad on your own and it's always advised to add nights before and after any RST you choose. With your interest in the Amalfi coast, take a look at the Best of South Italy tour. A longer tour, it has 6 stops for 2 nights each, beginning in Rome and ending in Naples. The trade off for the faster pace is you're visiting smaller cities aside from Rome and Naples and getting a peek at the Adriatic coast as well as the Amalfi coast. Some advise when first dipping your travel toes in Italy, to begin north and head south, exactly as the VFR offers. Once convinced you are smitten with all things Italiano which is molto likely, then venture further south for the more intense nature of the equally fascinating southern region. Out of 9 RSTs I've taken, VFR was my first and BOSI was my fourth. VFR remains as the most special for being my initial foray into Italy and Best of South Italy had been my favorite RST until I took the Best of Sicily tour which unseated it in spectacular fashion. When doing your research to determine your choice, let ease of flight times and routes from your home airport guide your decision. I vote for planning carry on on the way to Europe and checking bags on the way home. I want minimum 2.5 hour layovers for connecting flights (would never add more stops trying to get a better fare) will pay extra for Premium economy seating and prefer to stay at tour hotels for my additional nights when possible. Whichever you go for, have a terrific adventure and buon viaggio!

I am surprised that so many mentioned saving Amalfi for another trip,
although from my research I could easily spend a week in that area
with Pompeii, Archeology Museum etc.

Janice, you absolutely could! Actually, that you're willing to devote a week to that region is sort of a game-changer: too many plan for just a couple of days, and that's when dealing with the infrastructure can be wearing. Some of us maybe also shied away from giving the thumb up on that plan given your bit of anxiety about striking out solo ("Wish we felt confident enough to do it on our own with all RS’s wonderful resources, but I don’t think we do.")

But sure, if that's of interest and you have a good amount of time to give it, you'll find oodles of help here! Yes, in Naples, the archeological museum, Capella Sanserverno, Castel Nuovo, Underground Naples and other attractions would keep you busy. Outside of Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum, the islands of Capri (we stayed 2 nights) or Ischia, exploring Ravello and other villages along the coast.... Plenty to do. To deal with the infrastruture on the coast can mean packing some patience: roads can be congested; ferries can cancel if the sea is too rough, and they don't travel to all locations during the off season. Still, if you're not having to cram the square peg of too much to get done into the round hole of not enough time, why not give it a go? :O)

If flying home from Rome, you'll want to plan to spend the night before take-off in Rome or at least much closer to it.