17 day trip in Italy Itenterary Questions?

So do you leave on the 5th and arrive Rome on the 6th? Are you counting the morning you leave Rome as a day? If so, you have more than 17. You need to count nights, not days, that you will be in a place. Also, take into consideration travel time, checking in and out of hotels, getting to and from train stations, etc.

Sure, you can do this, but will you really experience much? Or spend your time traveling back and forth? 2 Nights is really 1/2 day spent getting there, 1 night, 1 full day, 1 night, then 1/2 day going to the next place.

Day two looks tricky--getting from Rome to Pompeii to a ferry to Capri might be unrealistic.
If I fly round trip but visit other places, I like to schedule it where I have all of my time in the last place together at the end. You could possibly leave the day you arrive in Rome, so you don't have to put that last one nighter in there. Make sense?
Travel time might make Lake Como rather pointless. I'd add that time elsewhere. Also, Cinque Terre is similar to the Amalfi coast in some substantial ways--meaning you can hike there and skip CT. More time in fewer places actually gives you more time to see more.
congrats!

Thanks for the input if CT is really similar to Capri should we just add on today’s to Capri or Lake Como instead? I thought about putting Rome at the end of our trip as well but I thought for crowd tourist reasons it may be better to see at beginning of May rather than the end?

I think Rome will always have crowds at the popular places--probably little difference when you go if you want to.
You could add it to stay on the mainland instead of Capri and see Pompeii, etc., if that interests you, or add it to the Lakes, or even split your Tuscany time between Florence and somewhere small. Lot of options!

Traveling from Venice to Lake Como to Cinque Terre to Rome is rather a lot of train time, which will mean not very much time at LC and CT. I would definitely skip one of them so you can have at least 3 nights at the other. That will amount to not that much more than two full days by the time you get there from Venice and settle in. This should somewhat reduce your train time as well.

I agree about not spending nights in Rome at both the beginning and end of the trip, but it does make sense to head south at the beginning of the trip (weather-wise), and unless you are flush with cash and ready to spring for a very expensive private transfer, I don't think your arrival day is the time to tackle the complex transfer to Capri. It certainly wouldn't be smart to try to see Pompeii that day (what with sleep-deprivation and jetlag) and move on to Capri. I really don't know what to suggest on this point.

You don't mention renting a car. If you don't plan to do that you'll probably be much better off staying in Florence, else you'll really face transportation challenges. With a car, if you're more interested in small Tuscan villages than Florence itself, it would be OK to select a rural accommodation. But be sure you know how you'll be able to get into the city (you wouldn't want to drive) if you plan to go there at all. Those charming agriturismi can be quite far from the nearest train station and bus stop. Rural bus schedules can be very patchy and are sometimes nonexistent on Sundays and holidays.

A blitz trip through a couple of US theme parks is in no way comparable to what you plan to do. Venice and Capri are over 600 miles apart, and that's via car without the diversions to Lake Como and Cinque Terre. If you're thinking of driving the entire itinerary, look first at travel times by car vs. train. On the main legs, the Frecce trains will be much, much faster than driving. And there are quite a lot of issues with driving in Italy. If you plan to do that, post again so the experienced drivers here can forewarn you.

Let's put a little perspective to what the others have said above.

Rome to Pompeii Scavi. Train Rome
Termini-Naples Central. Fastest, 1:10m. Circumvesuvian(walk to lower level of station 15m) to Pompeii Scavi 40 minutes.
(Luggage storage lower level of station). Walk to site entrance, buy tickets. 15-20m. Fast visit will take 2-3 hrs. Back to station, pick up luggage, another 15m. Train (circum) to Sorrento 30m. Bus or taxi to ferry dock 15m. Ferry (if one is available this late in the day) to Capri 25 m.
You've already consumed 6 1/2 hrs
Haven't taken into account that you have to wait on transportation connections and you haven't arrived at your lodging.

This will happen on every transfer you have.

If you plan on Lake Como, fly into Milan. Skip Cinque Terre. Add 1N to
Como and 1 to Capri. (This area will require longer transportation times)

3N Lake Como.

3N Venice.

3N Florence. Stay in the city.

4N Capri.

4N Rome.

This route will minimize your travel time.

Thanks for the input if CT is really similar to Capri should we just add on today’s to Capri or Lake Como instead? I thought about putting Rome at the end of our trip as well but I thought for crowd tourist reasons it may be better to see at beginning of May rather than the end?

Gerri is right on vis a vis order of travel. Don't underestimate the value of flying into one city and out of another. It is false economy to save on airfare only to have to make another train trip and lose a day to get back to your airport.

Cinque Terre OR Amalfi Coast. I would kill myself after 2 nights on Capri. Try 4 nights in Sorrento (or maybe Positano) so you can do some other things along the AC. OR spend 2 nights in the Cinque Terre and skip Pompeii and south-of-Rome this trip. There's always the future!

Thanks for all the advice! We already have our flights booked because we got a great deal on them we fly in and out of Rome that can't be changed. I initially was going to put Rome at end of trip as well but our flight doesn't get into FCO until 4:30pm on the 5th so that is late for us to be trying to get to train station and make it somewhere else for the evening and get checked in while we are jet lagged. So that why I decided to stay night in Rome and go ahead and get in a few days there. Also We will not be driving at all only trains/ public transport. I have modified the plan a little after getting your advice how does this sound.

Rome arrive on 5th- stay 3 nights
Sorrento- one night ( won't leave rome till afternoon and plan to do dinner and sleep will see Pompeii in am before we leave for Capri)
Capri- 3 nights
Florence 3 nights- (stay in Florence but take a day trip or tour out into Tuscany/ Im open to staying on outskirts if transportation works)
Venice 3 nights
Lake como 3 nights
Back to Rome for one more night before our early flight home

I cut out Cinque Terre. I hope that seeing Capri and lake Como will make up for this loss :(

This looks more like a trip you'll enjoy. You should have 2 full days in each location. Plenty of time, on a first trip, to explore and decide if you want to return.

For a day trip into Tuscany, look at these.

https://www.getyourguide.com/florence-l32/day-trips-tc172/

They're reasonable and several will give you a good overview of Tuscany.

Update: there is very limited availability for us in lake Como for our dates. For our budget we may have to stay just two nights to get a place we want instead of three nights. One alternative is going to cinque Terre instead of lake como. Would this be an awful mistake to subsitute?

One alternative is going to cinque Terre instead of lake como. Would this be an awful mistake to subsitute?

No

Hi
Is there a reason Capri is three nights ?
If you are already amending to staying in Sorento! Perhaps consider ,
Rome 4 nights,
Sorento 3 nights and day trip to Capri

Have you booked Florence and Venice ?

Regards

Have been to Capri - spent a day there.As others have said I think three days there is excessive.We are going in June,will do a day trip to Capri and stay in Sorrento 3 days.One day will take bus down Amalfi coast and one day do a day trip to Pompeii.Sorrento is so colorful- truly enjoyed our two days there on our last trip.