I know itinerary questions proliferate, but this is my husband's and my first trip to Italy (have only been to Europe twice - both times France) and we would appreciate input based upon our personal preferences and the related experiences of others. We are planning a trip next May (2019) and will have between 14-16 days for actual sightseeing (not including flight time from the U.S.). We want to balance seeing things we've always wanted to see with not cramming in too much. We are willing to cram some (after all, it IS our first trip to Italy, and if we wanted total peace and quiet, we could stay at a cabin in rural Pennsylvania 2 hours from home), but we don't want to be in a hysterical frenzy the entire time. We are in our 50's and in decent physical shape. We are open to trains and driving, depending on where we will be. We like art, food and wine, gentle bike rides, opera (doesn't need to be absolutely world class), prefer lodgings in countryside where possible but will obviously do city lodgings in some places.
With that balance in mind, there are things we won't attempt this trip, so no one need comment on them. I have nothing against those places, but they'll be for another trip. Nothing south of southern Tuscany NOR anything in the far north such as the provinces along the northern and northwest borders, the lake district, Milan (other than flying into/leaving by train or flying out of/arriving by train) NOR the Cinque Terre.
These are MUST SEE things:
Florence art by guided tour and free time, and not just a "day trip"; want to arrive by train.
Tuscan countryside especially Val d'Orcia; vineyard(s), hilltown(s), want to have a car but could use train for part of it.
These are WILL DO AS MANY AS ARE REASONABLE in order of importance
- Venice with guided tour and free time (with possibly a day trip to Padua or Venezia); do not want this to be the first leg of our journey
- Emilia-Romagna food tours and a cooking class; will do train and/or car
- Lucca (cycling along wall promenade, opera at San Giovanni at night, possible day trip to small coastal town within 1 hour of Lucca - as I said, not Cinque Terre this time) probably need a car for this
As I said above, while we will need to lodge in "the city" in Florence and Venice, we prefer the countryside in Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna rather than "basing" in a city. Lucca can go either way.
Thank you kindly for any comments about the possible order or this trip and/or what is reasonable/unreasonable.