3 Days in Florence & 2 Days in Rome or Vice Versa?

3 in Rome and 2 in Florence

Agree. 3 days in Rome will barely get you through the highlights. I personally feel that Florence deserves more than one day, but since I get the feeling you are looking for a more ambitious trip than I would normally take, do the 3-Rome, 2-Florence/Siena option.

Actually I would do two days IN Florence and 3 IN Rome and save Siena for the next trip,

I don't know how you can do Rome even a little justice with less than 3 days

I know I wish I could have more time in italy overall but my husband just started a new job and he can only take off 5 days of work :(

Jill- I once did a one day blitz tour of Rome (rode the train into the city in the morning and back out in the afternoon) and had an absolute blast. (it was before I used this helpline, so no one told me I was crazy or expressed doubts.) I like the 3 day Florence 2 days Rome because of your plan to get out into the Chianti area and see something other than big cities in Italy. My sister did FLorence in a day in 2008 and loved it. Obviously all these cities deserve more time, but sometimes you just don't have it. Read a guide book (I prefer the RS books-he even has a one day blitz tour of Rome laid out in the book). Decide what you must see, research transportation options, and be organized. Our blitz day, we got to Rome at 7:30, bought a day pass for the metro/bus, spent the morning at the Vatican, ate lunch by the Spanish Steps, walked to Trevi fountain, Spent the afternoon at the Forum, Colosseum
area, walked to the Pantheon (passing the Victor Immanuel monuement, Trajan's column, etc.), walked to the Nov..(can't remember the name) Piazza, then went to the train station for a 7:30 train out. Add in a few gelatos and it was a great day. I have never regretted it. I returned in 2008 for a longer visit. The key to fast paced visits is organization. (and planning to rest up when you return home)

It's your trip and in reality there are no rules. But first you need to decide what you want. It is possible to go to Italy, have a wonderfully marvelous time and spend NO time in either Rome or Florence.

With such a short time frame, I would try to minimize travel as much as possible within Italy. Unless you are going to spend the time in one spot, fly into and out of different cities to eliminate backtracking.

Believe it or not you'll lose about a half day where you change locations. Just to the logistics of packing up, checking out, getting to transport, getting there and repeating the process in reverse.

Stay in Roma and plan on returning at a later date. You did not mention your arrival and leaving strategy. Are you flying roundtrip or open jaws? You will lose a 1/2 day changing locations. You are planning a 5 day marathon at a dead run. Italy isn't going anywhere and keep in mind that Italy will seduce you and you will be back.

The Italians have a saying, "Il dolce di far' niente." It means the sweetness of doing nothing. There is plenty to see and do in Roma and the 5 days will pass too quickly.

Buon viaggio,

RB

I'm a little confused - isnt Florence and Rome only an hour and a half by train away from each other? So how is it I will lose half a day?

"I'm a little confused - isnt Florence and Rome only an hour and a half by train away from each other? So how is it I will lose half a day?"

The 1/2 day is a rule of thumb used by many travelers to approximate the actual time consumed by changing locations on a typical Europe trip.

Let's break it down; pretty much every time you change locations, such as from Rome to Florence, you're doing most or all of these things:

pack up your things at your Rome hotelcheck out of your Rome hotelget to the Rome train stationstand in line to buy train ticket (if you haven't purchased in advance)wait for the trainthen there's the station to station time given in the train schedules, that's the 1 and 1/2 hours you mention aboveget from the Florence train station to your Florence hotelcheck into your Florence hotelgo to your room and unpack (or put that off till later, but even if you do it later that day, it still takes time to set up in your new hotel roomOkay, finally, we're going to let you hit the street and do what you went all that way to do!:)

All of these things take time, and have to be repeated every time you change locations.Hence the 1/2 day rule of thumb.

I agree with Ron. I'd rather not spending time changing places when I only have limited time. I did that and felt like I was always in a rush.

Listen to Kelly!Stay in Rome the entire time and then move on or Rome 4 Florence 1!Nothing beats Rome.Think Trestevare/San Callisto/Scavi tour/sistene chapel/Piazza Navona/Colosseo just to name a bit.If you do not like the art in Churches then move on,but....

Stay in Rome. You would have a more relaxing and enjoyable time just limiting yourself to The Eternal City. There is much to see and do, why rush.

Listen to Andrew!

Not to mention the fact that Italian trains are notoriously late.

or on strike (sciopero - "on strike" a good word to know in Italy). I agree with the idea of staying in one city, you will find plenty to do in either one.