11 Days to Spend in Italy...

Amanda, if you are on the move all the time, you can hit the highlights of those cities in 11 days. I would say perhaps 3 days in Florence with a day trip to Pisa, 3 days in Venice if you've been there before (have you been to Torcello, one of the islands?), at least 3 days in Rome and 2 days in Siena. The Vatican (St. Peter's and the Museums) would take about a full day while you're in Rome. Just an example of what to see in Florence: (you'll probably have to narrow the list to your interests): Daytrip to Pisa, then in Florence itself the Accademia, Uffizi, Museum of San Marco, the main piazze and a walk along the Arno River (cross the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, Baptistry, Bell Tower and Museo dell'Opere del Duomo. Siena: Any streets you find, the Campo and the public buildings in it, the Duomo, the Church of St. Catherine. Check the Ron in Rome site for suggestions for Rome - too many to list here!

Hi Amanda. You want to visit 5 cities in Italy in 11 days, which is about 2 days per location. It's a little tight but doable. Zoe gives you a good itinerary. Since you're mostly interested in Rome, Venice, and Siena, would you consider cutting out Florence and Pisa? I love Florence but Pisa was honestly a disappointment, and I think Florence deserves more than 2 days. You could spend 4 days in Venice, stay in Siena overnight, and spend 5 days in Rome. Or 3 days in Venice, 5 days in Rome, and the rest of the time in Siena.

Thanks for your responses ladies! No, Zoe I have never been to Torcello. Is it a high expense to travel to an island? I wouldn't think it would be, but just wanted to ask. Your suggestions look great! I guess since I do not know much about Florence, we were planning to just go to see the statue of David and that was about it. I will definitely research a bit more into the suggestions you made. Thanks! Sarah: We really only wanted to visit Pisa and Florence for one specific site and that was it. So really we wouldn't be staying long in either location. Maybe a day trip or just a stop to see the tower and the Statue of David and then hop on a train to Siena. We are doing a very fast paced trip because we want to see a lot of places in the 6 weeks we have to spend. I went with a few girlfriends back in 2009 around Europe for almost a month and we visited 11 countries. It was fast paced somewhat, but I loved it! Thanks for your suggestions!

Amanda, "Is it a high expense" If money is a concern, I'd suggest skipping a few of the stops on your list, beginning with Pisa. Each time you travel to other locations, there will be a cost involved. While the trip to Pisa and back may not be that expensive, train fares do add up, even in Italy! Another thing to keep in mind is that the trip from Switzerland to Italy and all the other trips between cities will require time, perhaps as much as 2-3 days out of the 11 days you have. Therefore you won't in fact have 11 days to spend in Italy. Where will you be in Switzerland prior to going to Italy? If you travel from there to Venice (which is the most logical choice), the trip will likely take the better part of a full day. Good luck with your planning!

Ken, I just checked our tentative itinerary and I was incorrect. We are actually leaving from Salzburg, Austria and coming down into Italy. I talked to my sister today and we have decided to cut out Pisa. Most of the travel we will be doing, based upon the d-bahn schedules on-line, we will be taking night trains (over night) and some late afternoon trains so as to not lose the valuable day time.

None of your suggested travels within Italy lend themselves to night trains. And personally I would find a night train anything but restful. Do you have the RS Italy book? It sounds as if it might be really helpful to you. Happy travels.

Hi Michael, I was referring to the travels we would be doing other than within Italy. Most of the cities we will be traveling to within Italy are within hours of each other. I have been on overnight trains before and it doesn't really bother me. Unless there are train changes in the middle of the night, overnight trains are one of the best ways to travel in my opinion! :) And yes, I have Rick's Italy book, it's the same one I took with me to my first trip to Italy.

Torcello is not much further than Burano. There is a nice restaurant near the boat landing, the church is wonderful. If you have (surely you will) a vaporetto pass travel there is included.

Amanda, Torcello is one of the islands that are part of the Venetian lagoon (Burano and Murano are the other most visited). If you have a vaporetto pass it would be included, if not, it's a few euro. Beautiful church and mosaics.

The last time I visited Venice, my friends and I purchased the Vaporetto pass so if it's included then we could probably just use it to visit the islands. Thanks for the suggestion, Zoe. We are mostly interested in churches, historical sites, and scenery. We are also wanting to do a couple of wine tours. We thought it would probably be best to do these in Siena. Can you recommend any good wines from the areas we are going to visit? Thanks!

Amanda: Siena is a good base for a Chianti wine tour. I recommend http://www.toursbyroberto.com. We tool his day tour in 2011 and had a great day! He is also a Rick Steves pick. Tuscany has many different wine regions, however the Chianti is most accessible from Florence or Siena. Laurel

Good idea to cut out Pisa. Since you only want to see one thing in Florence, you could do 3 days in Venice, 4 days in Rome, 1 day in Florence, and the rest of the time in Siena.

Amanda I am so jealous! 6 weeks in Europe! May I suggest you get d RS guidebooks for your trip? A 2009 Guide would have been written in mid 2008. There are enough changes in transportation options, hours/days of operation, and new museums or chosing/renovations, etc, I think it would be worth it. You probably already know about cutting the sections you will need from the guides and leaving them behind when you leave. Perhaps just a day trip to Florence from Siena or leave your luggage at the train station to visit David and then hop on the train to your next stop? Agree with PP (previous posters). Glad you dropped Pisa. Siena is a great destination for day trips, some by train or small groups to the countryside. And wine tours of course. Bobbie

Thanks Bobbie! Yes, I actually own ALL of Rick's books haha I bought them for my first trip back in 2009 so of course they are a little dated. However, I am willing to buy new books again or just find the updated information on here. My sister and I are not big drinkers, but we do enjoy the every now and then glass of wine. However, we definitely want to do at least one wine tour, maybe two! :D We have actually decided to throw in Verona, too just since the House of Juliet is there. And we extended our stay in Italy to a total 15 days!! :D

Amanda, Are you planning to just take a day trip to Verona, or spend a night there? The Romeo & Juliette balcony is a bit of a "tourist zoo" so I'm not sure it's worth a stop just to see that. If you do want to see it, I'd suggest taking a copy of the Map from the Guidebook, as the passageway leading to the balcony is easy to miss.

You do know that what is promoted as Juliet's house isn't, right?

What they call Juliet's house is a tourist trap, but Verona itself is great. It was one of my favorite places on our 3 week trip to Italy. There is so much to see there.

Don't skip on your time in Florence! There is so much to see and the piazzas at night are sooo beautiful, with acapella opera singers, lit fountains and lovely sidewalk cafes! I would just day trip to Sienna, and as you said, skip Pisa
completely....extend the time in Venice.

Nigel: No I didn't know that! Thank you for sharing! Andrea: Thanks for the tip! I have not researched Verona all that much yet so I do not know of anything that is there. I will have to do that. I will talk to my sister and see what she's more interested in. It seems she wants to stay in Siena longer (3 days). Is that too much time there?

Amanda: After you meet "the brothers" at the Augustiner Brewery in Salzburg, you might be hesitant to ever leave their fair city. The place would turn anyone into a real beer drinker. The people of Salzburg are incredible. Trains going south of Salzburg are slow moving, and I suspect you'll have to change trains in Innsbruck. If you've never seen the place, the scenery is top of the world, and my favorite place. I suggest staying the night in Innsbruck, and taking an early morning train to Venice. Spend three nights in Venice, and get reservations on the train to Florence on the third day. Spend three nights in Florence, and take a bus to Siena (1 hr.). Spend a day or two rambling through the hill country out of Siena with a rental car. Sienna is a great place to take the wine tours from. You can catch a train down to Rome, and spend the balance of your time there. Pisa is okay, and you could take a half day trip over there from Florence. I would spend my time elsewhere, however. I'm jealous that you've got a full 6 weeks in Europe. It's just a great life experience you'll never forget. People in Venice are pretty outgoing bunch, and Florence has 4000 American students living up the place. Rome is obviously a very bohemian place. Just take it all in.

Thank you so much David for all the tips!! I loved Venice the first time I went there and we did just about everything we could find to do in 3 days, so I think you're right about the timing there! The last time I took a longer trip to Europe was almost 3 years ago and I was only there for 3 weeks. I loved every minute of it. My sister has never been to Europe whereas I have been to about 18 countries there. So I am willing to do whatever for her to enjoy the trip! I am the one doing the itinerary so I knew this would be the best place to come for advice. I love the RS' way of travel! I used all his books on my last trip and it was a complete success! Thanks again!
Amanda