8 day itinerary Milan Lake Como Venice Florence Rome trip 2 happening

Posted by darens500 on 07/22/26 07:31 PM

Hi need advise (traveling with my 21, 15 and 13 y.o) I have driven on the autobahn 7 times and Autostrada 3 times. 2 younger kids never been to Italy

My tentative itinerary: Do I drive or take train - I can rent a car for $400 for the whole period.
Fri 8/14 overnight flight JFK to MXP
Sat 8/15 MXP to Milan - (Last supper tix 2pm) Sleep Milan
Sun 8/16 drive to Lake Como? Sleep Lake Como or Varenna?
Mon 8/17 Drive to Venice ( St Mark Doge Palace) Sleep Venice
Tue 8/18 Venice Sleep Venice
Weds 8/19 Drive to Florence (Accademia Gallery / attend Mass) Sleep Florence
Thurs 8/20 Florence Uffizi Gallery The Duomo Sleep Florence
Fri 8/21 Drive to Rome or take train 2pm Vatican tour/Sistine Sleep Rome
Sat 8/22 Rome 11am tour Colosseum Sleep Rome
Sun 8/23 FCO flight 11am -return rent a car or take train

we all have carry on with wheels The real question will a car be optimal or not -

Thank you for you help/ Advice I booked flights and tours already. I can cancel my rental car for free. Didnt book hotels yet. This is a taste of italy - will be back again to slow the pace down.

Posted by ChristineH

Gettysburg PA

07/22/26 07:41 PM

9549 posts

You don't need or want the car in Milan, Venice, Florence or Rome. All easily done by train.

Posted by hiredman

San Diego, California, USA

07/22/26 08:51 PM

2137 posts

The train is probably faster than a car for all the segments you have listed and you are visiting so many places in just a few days I think time is of the essence. A car is useless in Venice, not allowed into Florence and you would need to be mentally unfit to willingly drive into Rome even if you are allowed to. Gas is shockingly expensive and the car becomes an expensive paid parked burden the rest of the days probably running you 25+e a day to park it in big cities.

If you're talking about this year and you haven't booked yet on Lake Como your chances of getting into someplace like Varenna is probably slim and/or shockingly expensive. Given you are only spending part of two days at the lake I would probably opt for the closest place to Milan you can book lodging and try to get there early enough to take a lake ferry around to get a feel for the lake. Como is 40 minutes by train and you will probably be able to find a place but it is also a "big city" in lake terms. If you can find a place to stay in Varenna it is a little over an hour by train and very charming.

You're going to be moving around a lot so pack as light as possible, prepare yourself for the heat and start booking your places ASAP.

Good luck,
=Tod

Posted by kmkwoo

Massachusetts, USA

07/22/26 09:56 PM

2378 posts

Take the train. A car would be useless and extremely stressful for this trip.

I strongly recommend slowing the pace down for this trip. You have 5 destinations for an 8-day trip. You have only 1 and 2-night stays for this very fast-paced trip. You won't see much of anything. Will your children get much out of this trip? You need to account for getting to and from train stations, getting to your hotels, and checking in and checking out. And finding your way around strange cities.

Posted by darens500 OP

07/22/26 10:07 PM

31 posts

hence the car option - action packed and kids dont like to sit and eat and drink all day. Need to show them the first flavor of Italy.
I have been to each city several times and know how to get around. However I always drove - but trains are better here in italy and the zones I am worried about.

Its really car or train.