Wife and I planning a late Sept trip, our first to Italy. We generally prefer rural countryside to urban settings and don't mind some drive time. We have Venice and the Tuscany/Umbria wineries and hill towns as primary targets, and would like to maybe add the Dolomites. With a 7-8 day itinerary, we were thinking: 1-2) Fly into Venice and spend two nights there; 3) Morning in Venice and then rent car and drive north to town accessing Dolomite region; 4) Dolomite road and some hiking before heading south and maybe overnighting Verona or Bologna; 5-7) Continue south to Lucca and a base between Siena and Orvieto for hill town segment; 8) Head south and overnight Rome to drop car and flight back to US.
Posted by
Georgia, Minnesota, Wisconsin & Italy
106 posts
Hi Steve - Your itinerary is doable, but you will not have much time to explore the Dolomites if you intend to overnight in Verona or Bologna. To get into the heart of the Dolomites is 3+ hours from Venice. Suggest considering overnighting in the Dolomites especially if prefer rural countryside over bustling cities like Verona and Bologna. Have a wonderful trip!
Posted by
5431 posts
With a week, I’d choose Venice and only one other region—too much to enjoy, too little time!
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7475 posts
Parking and ZTLs will be a problem in both Verona and Bologna
Posted by
Washington DC
28717 posts
I think you're trying to do way too much, starting with allowing only one full day in Venice.
Posted by
Oregon
372 posts
This sounds like a heavy drive trip. If you only have 1 week pick 2 spots max
Posted by
Idaho, USA
8084 posts
I move more quickly between locations than most people, and I think you’re describing a full two-week itinerary. You can rent a car, but in seven trips to Italy that covered all of the locations you’ve listed, I have never needed a car.
A few questions: Is it possible to stretch your vacation a few more days to be in Italy at least ten nights? What’s your priority if you can’t do both - the Dolomites or Tuscany? And, my typical question, without stating a city name describe what two of your perfect days would be in Italy. That will give us a much better idea of what to suggest for your trip. (And I love those smaller villages, too!)
Generally people who didn’t like Venice were only there for a short time. It deserves more time than an arrival day and a jet lag day. The same with Rome. : )
Posted by
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvan, USA
78 posts
I strongly prefer renting a car although I used to rely on trains. I prefer the rental car option because it's more convenient and lets us stop off at any small towns/ interesting things we see along the way. You also don't have to worry about any sort of schedule or lugging bags through the train station, etc. That being said, I'd cut down on the destinations. I agree with a lot of people above that this is better done as multiple tips and trying to see it all in a week is too much. With 8 days, I'd fly into Rome and spend 3 nights, then the rest in Tuscany and back to Rome for a final night before flying home. If you do fly into Venice, I think you'd want more than 2 nights as that really only leaves you 1 full day. That's not enough for Rome or Venice, in my opinion. 3 nights isn't nearly enough either of course (a year wouldn't be haha) but is much, much better.