7 days only

Does 7 days mean 7 nights or 6 nights? It is certainly possible to see all three cities in 7 days; it would mean just two nights in each city and about 1.5 days of sightseeing since you lose about half a day each time you change places. Many people prefer to take things a bit more slowly, but certainly when I was younger I made many trips where I only spent one or two nights in each town and I had a great time. If you do this, I would suggest that you fly into Rome and spend 2 to 3 nights there. Keep in mind that on the day you arrive you will usually be quite jet lagged so this is not always the most productive day for sightseeing. After Rome, take the train to Florence and then stay there 1 to 2 nights. Finally, take the train to Venice and finish your trip there. Fly home from Venice.

......I am not looking to rush around and see everything.......I just want the experience of Italy. ........ But you are. You cannot have it both ways. You can see all three in 6 days but it will be quick and very limited. It is called Getting a taste. Just recognize the limitations. Then you will have a better idea of what you want to see when you return. You will lose a high percentage of your time checking in and out of hotels, finding the hotels, getting orientated to the city, finding trains station, in and out of train stations, etc. That is just the function of travel.

We only had 7 nights in Ireland and still saw quite a bit in our limited time. We did have a car to get us from one place to the next, and I think that made a huge difference. Using public transportation (trains/ buses) limit you in terms of what times they depart, etc. If you have never taken a trip using trains/buses you just don't know how time consuming it is. If you don't want to rush around, just fly into Rome (4 nights) and from there train to Venice (3 nights). Fly home from Venice. Skip Florence. I guess you could take an early train to Florence, spend one night and take a later train the next day. If you want one (full) day in Florence you will need to spend 2 nights. Remember - 2 nights = 1 day, 3 nights = 2 days, etc. Spending 7 nights at 3 locations means you will see a lot of train stations.

Yes, it might be rushed, but it can also be nonstop 'living life to its fullest'... I have done both 'taste of' trips and immersion and I love both. First trip to Europe I tasted as much as I could and am thankful I did. I have returned many times, but not everyone can, so go with what feels right to you and make the best of it. The train station, checking into hotels, finding your way is all part of the experience. Every single thing you do does not have to be viewing a particular historic sight....if you are in Italy, you are experiencing it. Hopefully it will be your experience and it will be amazing! I have enjoyed Venice 5 separate times for just a day and then I also spent 6 days there during Carnivale....loved both experiences.

Its your trip, shanika, do it as you wish. Only you know how excited you are after 5 years, and how much energy level you can keep up, and how fast you can zip past things and say, "I saw that". But the truth is, from your previous post, you don't really have 7 days, do you? You, if I remember correctly, are flying into and out of Bologna (a world class city itself). Unless you are flying in locally from elsewhere in Europe, you will arrive some time in the morning (yes?), have no intention of seeing Bologna, and are travelling long distance to your first city stop. You will be tired when you get off the plane, and more tired yet after getting to the train station and rocking up in Venice, Rome, or Florence. You will have jet lag (yes, you will). By the time you get on the ground in Florence, Venice or Rome, find your hotel and start to look around, the first day will be gone. You don't have the last day, either. What time is your flight home? How far ahead do you have to check in? Where are you travelling from to get to Bologna, to get to the airport? When do you have to leave? Or am I wrong? I make it 3 world class cities in 5 days.

We, who are slotravelers, did this type of thing 2 years ago as a 6-7 day side trip from our month based in Switzerland. We took my husband's sister for her first "dip" into Italy. I think the big difference for us is that we had been to these 3 cities many times before and had an idea what our guest would like to see. We went from Switzerland to Florence by train and spent an evening, overnight, and an uncrowded morning. We left mid afternoon by train and went to Rome. We spent 3 nights in Rome (in a well positioned hotel) and saw everything our guest was hoping to see and more. We left Rome by train and traveled to Venice a city she wasn't sure she even wanted to see for 2 nights. It turned out that Venice was her favorite. She loved St. Mark square late at night, our boat ride through the lagoon to Burano, wandering the back sidewalks and avoiding the St. Mark shuffle. I think we were fairly successful because we planned our train travel to maximize time in the cities we wanted to see at certain times of the day, we stayed in very centrally located hotels within a stones throw of sites we wanted to see, and we knew how to get around efficiently in each city having been there numerous times before. For a first timer, in Rome and Venice especially, I think it can be a challenge to get around. I know it was for me... However, I agree with several of the other posters. That if the main purpose of this trip is only one week in Italy, it is too rushed. Sorry, I don't know where your other threads are. I have only read this question.

I think I have came to some type of consensus. I fly in on rthe 17 morning and out on the 24the afternoon. I am flying into Bologna. I think I will mostly see bologna, rome and venice.

" I am not looking to rush around and see everything " In a word, yes you are. Yes it can be done. You have gotten general guidance and honest opinion on why it doesn't make much sense, but, in the end, it is your time & money. Frank, I just saw your prior post. Pleased to see that I agreed with your sage advise.!

I bought the ticket to bologna already when it was a less expensive price than it is now. I may be able to change the hotel part of my plan to stop the back and forth. I was so excited to get a good price overall for may, that I jumped to soon(maybe) on what I saw. I figure I will be running around like the Mad Hatter if I stick to the plan I have, but I figure I have two months to fine tune everyting to get as close to my dreams as possible. iIthink I have gotten some awesome advie from my fellow travlers. Thank you all.

Yes, as others have said, you can do Florence, Venice and Rome in 7 days, but it will be rushed. I see where you have decided to see Bologna, Rome and Venice. I was only in Venice in 2009 for 1 day and loved seeing the Grand Canal, the St Mark Square and of course the Church itself. I couldn't stay long because I was driving to Verona the next morning. I took this day trip to Venice from Aviano. I stayed 2 nights in Florence, because I had to see the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio and of course, have a great meal. I stayed 4 nights in Rome, and of course saw the Colleseum, St Peter's and just enjoyed walking around. So, this of course, took care of 7 days. I did stop in Bologna, but only saw the train station area, because I only had a couple of hours there. Did not really see anything and I want to go back and really see the old center of the town and the old university of Bologna. Do as you want and enjoy every bit of it. When I was young, I also wanted to see as much as I could, and did. Then after that first trip, (many moon's ago),I now see the area's that I am most interested in staying and seeing. Take care.