8 days in Italy… need help planning

With a 9AM arrival you easily have time to take the train on to Florence that day; then do all your Rome days at the end and save yourself one hotel change. You need to be in Rome the night before an 11AM flight.

If going up/down stairs and hills is a problem, Amalfi coast will likely generate complaints.

Plenty to do in Rome and Florence for the time you have.

Happy travels.

Head to Florence on arrival -4 or 5 nights will allow for a day yrip or 2
Rome at end 4 or 5 nights

Skip AC-you dont have time

Hello michelle518, and welcome to the forum,

With the amount of time you have I would concentrate on only 2 places to explore. Adding a 3rd - especially Amalfi coast with it's famously difficult transportation - would add too much travel time to your schedule. Rome and Florence will take up about as many days as you can throw at them with a wide range of museums, sights and experiences.

If you want to add a singularly Italian experience you could add a day trip to Siena from Florence.

I agree that heading to Florence immediately if you're up for it since you don't say how long your flight into Rome is. I fly from the west coast and the extra hours make me want to not plan too much when I hit the ground.

There is a transfer train from the airport to the central train station - Roma Termini - and then you can buy a fast train ticket on the next train to Florence. Between the two fast train companies the Rome to Florence train runs about every 30 minutes so just go buy one when you feel like it. If everything goes just right you could in Florence by about noon, but I wouldn't schedule anything at 12:30.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

If you are arriving on a Wed and departing the following week on a Fri you have nine nights. On arrival day take a train from the airport to Florence’s S.M. Novella station that involves a transfer. Spend a minimum of three nights in Florence and if you include day trips add a night per trip.
Take a direct train from Florence’s S.M. Novella station to Rome’s Termini station for a minimum of four nights if you include a day at Vatican City. If you skip Vatican City, you can allow three nights for Rome.
If you include the Amalfi Coast take a direct train from Florence’s S.M. Novella station to Salerno (4h 15m). This will allow three nights on the Amalfi Coast. From Salerno take a direct train to Rome’s Termini station (1h 30m). Visit Rome last since you are flying home from there.

3 days Florence and 5 days Rome.