Need itinerary help!!!!!!!!!

Hi Paige,

Yes, you will be exhausted from the flight (even a good one) but you should be able to walk around fine and in fact should stay on the normal schedule to avoid jet lag. When is your trip? I cannot comment on Milan as we didn't go there but Venice definitely deserves 2 nights. At night it is lovely and a lot of the crowds are gone. I recommend staying in a residential area such as Dorsoduro (sp?)to get a feel for it. We loved the Hotel Messner and it was very reasonable for Venice. If you are not huge art fans why the trip to Florence? I would spend more time in other places instead. Do you have a place to stay in Rome?
Best wishes -Michelle

I agree with Michelle, if you are not huge art fans, skip Florence. Venice is definitely worth the trip, you want to see how they live you have to go there.(2 nights at least) Don't know about Milan, haven't been there. Definitely as much time in Rome as possible. Read through the old posts here to get hotel recommendations. Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo in Venice or check out Ca Dogaressa (If you can afford the Jr. Suite with canal view it's worth it!)
Have Fun Remember with 7.5 days you will learn where you want to go back to!

Does 7.5 days mean 7 nights?

If so then I would immediately train to Venice on arrival in Milan. that would entail bus from Malpensa to Milano Centrale and the train to Venice Santa Lucia.

Stay in Venice 3 nights. Then train to Rome for 4 nights then fly home.

With the short amount of time you have and if you are not big art/musuem fans then I'd skip Florence.

Thanks y'all. I've always heard from past Italy-goers that they wished they spent more time in Florence. That is why I looked there.

What do you think about staying in Siena vs. staying in FLorence?

The .5 day is that our flight out of Rome leaves at 2 pm.
To put our goals in perspective, 2 years ago we did a trip to Germany. The highlight of our trip (to us) was going to a local vineyard in a small village town and drinking wine with the vineyard owner for about 3 hours just immersed in the lifestyle. Of course, the owner was a cousin of a colleague of mine so there was a personal connection but that kind of thing to us, was golden. Enjoyed the castles but love the daily life thing more....

I prefer to stay 2 nights in Siena using the full day to visit Florence.That gives time to see David(even if not into art),markets,river area and just walk.

As tight as your schedule is, I think the most practical thing would be to skip Milan. Frankly, I think getting to Venice will be tough. An alternative would be to head north when you land in Milan and spend one or two nights at Lake Como. It will only take an hour or less from Milan. Then return to Milan and take the fast train south and spend one or two nights in Florence before continuing on to Rome.

Humm..,, seems like a strange itinerary.
How about this as a suggestion:
Fly to Venice first, see sights there. Give Venice more time.
Take a fast train to Florence with a mid-day stop at Milan. See the Milan Duomo - the roof. It will blow you away. Milan can be seen in 1/2 day or so.

Then Florence. Give more time to Florence over Siena.
Then day visit Siena via bus or train on the way to Rome.
Fly out of Rome.

Also, have your significant other bring a lock with a single key to the Ponti Vecchio in Florence. You'll know why when you get to the middle of the bridge. :)

If you can fly directly into Venice rather than Milan do so - though it may be cheaper to go into Milan. I know there is good stuff there, but you can't see every wonderful city in Italy in 7.5 days.
Rome is a given. I would do 2 days Venice, 2-3 in Florence (with possible day trip to Siena), 2 in Rome. Don't be too exhaused for the concert!

Keep in mind the rule of thumb that every time you change locations you lose half a day.

Why Milan? Excluding "because the plane landed there" Last Supper Duomo. Fashion capitol?

Why are you going to Venice? Canal ride? St Mark's square? Doge Palace? Stunning visual atmosphere?

Why Florence? Art. Architecture. Tuscan wines?

Why Siena? Medival architecture. Wine? St Catherine?

Why Rome--- excluding the concert of course. Antiquities? Catholica? Art Architecture? Food? Nightlife?

Once you generate the list see which place has the most points and which the least.

You could skip Milan and Tuscany and split your time between Venice and Rome.

Do two nights in Venice two in Florence and three in Rome

Skip Florence go straight to Siena. There are a number of Tuscan wine tours that book out of Siena (though avoid Cor Magis) then on to Rome. Siena is an easy day trip from Florence. You can take the Sita bus make sure to get the rapido and not the local. It's about an hour and fifteen minutes. Siena is very walkable.

If you do go to Florence have your hotel get your reservations for the Ufizzi and or Accademia. It allows you to skip the lines and maximizes your time.

Leave Milan immediately, spend 3 nights in Venice, 1 in Siena, 3 in Rome.