11 day itinerary with Rome

Welcome to the RS forums, Sunny!
The classic first-timer's trip is Venice>Florence> Rome (fly into the first and out of the last) but time of year and personal interests need to be considered. What can you tell us about yourself and your traveling companions that might provide insight into good matches depending on when you intend to travel and how your group would like to spend their time in Italy?

As spectacular as Rome, Florence and Venice are, each of them and their environs could use up the entire 10 days. So could Sorrento/Amalfi but that area is PACKED from May through September. When are you going? Obviously your interests, art?, history?, nature? etc. are the most important. And if you want to travel a lot or a little. Four active adults may travel at slightly but significantly different rates too. Have you traveled as a group together before? Anyway, I would suggest Rome for 4 nights (1, 2, 3, 4) 3 full days exploring the city and maybe doing a day trip to Ostica Antica on the coast or to Tivoli. On day 5 take the train to Ovieto for a small city on a hilltop experience for three nights (5, 6, 7). On day 8 take the train to Florence for the last three days (nights 8, 9, 10). Fly out of Florence on day 11. And in Florence remember that the BIG names (Uffizi, etc) get all the press but the city has the best "second tier" museums I have ever seen like the Duomo Museum or the Bargello. CT is lovely but a full day train ride to get there and you will have to head back to the airport city to fly out the next day so that will be another half day gone.

11 Days
Rome is great, I suggest 4-5 days.
Also, Florence and Venice. You don't really have much time to do more than three places.
The Amalfi Coast is great if you don't want to do Venice. If you do Amalfi, skip CT.

Florence is amazing because of the Renaissance art and history. Rome has the ancient Roman and St. Peter's with Sistine Chapel, Venice is so special, a city with canals for streets and its history is special running from the 5th until early 19th Century.

What time of year? What kinds of things do you enjoy doing? Open to car rental or stick to public transport?
I’d have qualms about the Amalfi are or the Cinque Terre area because of the crowds, so really specify your likes and dislikes to get the best advice.

I agree with the other responses, I would add Florence and then MAYBE choose between either Venice or Amalfi Coast. I would skip CT unless you had more time. 3 cities is a lot for 11 days, especially since Rome and Florence are as dense as you can get with regard to museums, history, etc. - If you spent the whole 11 days between both cities you'd be flush with opportunities and both are well situated for day trips into the countryside.

I would personally stay 4-5 nights in Rome, 3 in Florence, 3 in either Sorrento or Venice. Whether you choose to go north or south depends on the time of year, what your interests are, and where you can get a reasonable return flight. Sorrento gives you Pompeii/Herculaneum and areas of ancient history within easy day-trip distance. The Amalfi coast can honestly be seen within a half-day drive from Sorrento, with the tourism lately I'm not sure I'd stay in any of the towns during peak season. Venice is unique unto itself of course

Thank you for the replies. We are traveling with our 20 and 22 year old daughter and son. We like to hike, explore, dine. We are looking at dates between 5/19-6/1 and we would stick to public transport, no car rental.

I travel in late May and it's divine. But the major places still get crowds, so I think it is nice to pair big attractions like Rome with some lesser visited places. What do the kids want to do? I would make everyone put in a vote even if I was handing the main planning.
Without a car, Liguria is a wonderful destination, allowing you to get to the types of outdoor attractions that would otherwise require a car.

You do not mention art, architecture, or history, so without those three interests maybe you'd want to skip my favorite city on earth, Florence, and instead go to either Venice because it is unique or to somewhere on the Ligurian coast (besides the over-crowded Cinque Terre) where there is hiking such as Camogli. Or, there is lots of hiking around Orvieto. Plus the Pozzo di San Patrizio (St. Patrick's well) and the underground. But no sea views.

Tivoli.
The museum/garden there is amazing.

Enjoy Italia!