Do I need to make an adjustment to our Itenerary?

Personally I'd add a night to Venice. A day and a half does not give you much of a chance to get to know Venice, get away from the crowds. Besides your first day, you will arrive mid afternoon (MXP to Milano Central then on to Venice), and not be able to do much more than take a walk and have dinner before you collapse.

Amy and Doug
Great destinations in Italy! Love the combination of town and country. Good to see that you have calculated travel time in your itinerary. I think 1 1/2 days in Venice is enough even though your first day is a recovery day. Venice to Manarola-Consider renting a car to do this leg. The train incurs a change at one of several points and can take 6 hours or so. The car trip takes 4 hours. Of course, you have to leave the car parked while in the Cinque Terre. So you will have to check out the costs both ways. Whatever your choice, add a chunk of travel time for this portion of your trip. For your last day in Tuscany, rather than go Siena/Florence /Siena, consider 1) drop off your car in Siena, 2) take the bus to Florence 1 1/4 hrs, 3) spend a night or 2 in Florence and 4) then take the train to Rome the next day. The best way to get from Siena to Florence is by bus which leaves from within the walls of the city and drops you off at the main train station in Florence. You won't need and don't want a car in Florence or Rome.

Amy, Your Itinerary looks reasonably good "as is". I don't believe you need to add time in Venice, however I might drop one day in Tuscany and add to Rome. I'd also suggest using the Bus from Siena to Florence. That will save you a Taxi ride to the bottom of the hill. Using trains will be the best transportation choice for most of the trip, except for the hill towns where a rental car will provide greater flexibility. As you'll be driving in Italy, a few comments..... One important point to note is that for driving in Italy, each driver must have the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. These are valid for one year, and easily obtained at any AAA office (two Passport-sized photos required, which in some cases are provided by the issuing office). Failure to produce an IDP if requested can result in fines on the spot! Have a look at This Website for more detailed information. You may also want to search other Posts here regarding the Zona Traffico Limitato areas that are becoming increasingly prevalent in many towns in Italy (especially Florence!). EACH PASS through one of the automated Cameras will result in a €100+ ticket! A GPS along with a good Map would also be a good idea. Be sure to also give some thought to the question of CDW. If you accept the CDW offered by the rental firm, it will be expensive but will provide "peace of mind". Some "premium" credit cards provide rental vehicle insurance, however I've found this to be somewhat complicated so I just accept that offered by the rental firm. Check the Car Rental section in Europe Through The Back Door for further information. Happy travels!

I would add a day to both Venice and Rome. Both Venice and Rome have so much to offer that with only a day and a half and 2 and a half you won't fit in much. We spent 2 and a half days in Venice and didn't get to see as much as we wanted and this was in the middle of the trip, not when we were jet lagged. I'm also afraid that by the time you get to Rome you'll be worn out with all the traveling you have planned. You are cramming a lot in a little time. Basically a different city almost every day. Adding time at the beginning and end of the trip will allow for a little more relaxation and more leisurely trip. Donna

I'd take a day from Manarola and add it to Venice. Then take a day from Siena and add it to Rome. Those two spots deserve a bit more time and subtracting from the other two won't destroy your enjoyment of them either.

This is great information everyone. As always, much appreciated. Thank you for giving me insight to take the bus from Siena to Florence; these are the things I rely on here since we are first time travelers to Italy/Europe. I am not sure it would be a good idea to take a day/night away from the Cinque Terre since we will not be arriving there until late on the 12th. If we only did 2 nights that would really only be the balance of the 12th and then the 13th. Get up on the 14th and depart. Taking a day/night off of the Tuscany portion and adding it to Venice or Rome I can do. Of course, Rome would be much easier as I wouldn't have to shift the entire front portion of the trip back a day and re-do all reservations. One consideration is to stay in Venice on the 12th for the first part of the day and then leave for the CT in the afternoon. That would give us two full days to explore Venice, then add a full day to the Rome portion of the trip. Any thoughts on leaving Venice at noon on the 12th and head to the CT arriving around 6pm?

The CT leg is far afield from the others. As much as we love the CT, in your case, I would skip it & give yourself two extra days & nights in Venice.

Amy, A few additional comments.... Dropping one day from Tuscany and adding to Rome would be a really good idea, as there's SO much to see in Rome. I would absolutely keep the days in the Cinque Terre in your Itinerary (IMHO you don't need any more time in Venice). Regarding the Buses from Siena to Florence, note that there are two types - Corse Rapide and Corse Ordinarie. As you might imagine, the "Rapide" versions are slightly faster (but on that route only about 15-minutes as I recall). There are fewer Corse Rapide trips per day. You can obtain information on the times at the Sita website. Cheers!

Hi Ken, Thanks for the reply and the advice on the buses as well. You have over 7,000 post on here so I am going to bet it's safe to assume that you are an expert. I have all of Rick Steves books (except traveling through the back door). If we add a day to Rome and take a day off Tuscany, how would you split the days/nights in Tuscany? I would love to tour a couple wineries and just explore the towns. Four days. We are celebrating 25 years of marriage, very on the go "young" couple and just want to enjoy being together and exploring. Here are my initial thoughts - trying to hit more than one in a day: Montepulciano Cortona/Lucca/Pisa - Any of these? San Gimignano Chianti Classico Wine Region Sienna (perhaps for dinner and evening then back to Agriturismo) Last day, bus to Florence for the day then back to Agriturismo
Any must see towns or wineries? Your input?

It's all a matter of what you enjoy doing. Personally I'd pick more time in Venice over the CT any day.