First Time in Italy---Feedback, Please

I'd consider starting in Florence and ending in Rome, so you don't have to fly back the same day (or take the train instead of flying - would be my choice). So you could do Florence, Tuscany, Venice, Rome, and home. There are even a few direct trains

I love the Cinque Terre and have been there three times. But unless you are planning to hike between towns (and some of those trails are difficult; at the moment, the easy ones are closed), I'd skip it; during the day you're going to encounter mobs of tourists. A day in a van and among mobs of people in September just doesn't sound like a fun day to me. Take that day and add it to Venice.

Yes, Venice needs more time. I wouldn’t want to stay in the area near the Vatican myself. Look for a rental or hotel near Piazza Navona, more restaurants, and closer to historic sites.

I will agree with Andrew that the day trip by van to CT would be better spent as one more day in Venice.

Can you fly into Venice and out of Rome?

Or if you must fly into/out of Rome, consider going directly to Venice, upon arrival in Rome, and work your way back to Rome.

Flying from Venice to Rome on the day you fly out of Rome, on separate itineraries, is not the best idea, and one that most on the forum would advise against.

I agree that flying from Venice to Rome to catch a same-day flight is risky. If you miss that flight, you'll be buying last-minute one-way tickets at the walk-up fare. I think the suggestions to end your trip in Rome are spot on.

Near the Vatican is an excellent area to stay as long as it isn’t too far west. Where is the apartment.

Day 1: Arrive in Rome at 13:35, then train to Firenze (3)
Day 2: Firenze
Day 3: Firenze
Day 4: Train to Venice (3)
Day 5: Venice
Day 6: Venice
Day 7: Train to Florence, then hire car for Tuscany (4)
Day 8: Tuscany
Day 9: Tuscany
Day 10: Tuscany
Day 11: Train to Rome (4)
Day 12: Rome
Day 13: Rome
Day 14: Rome
Day 15: Depart for Oakland at 15:55

az,

As you're planning to drive in Italy, note that each driver listed on the rental form 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 CAA/AAA office (two Passport-sized photos required, which may be provided by the issuing office). Failure to produce an IDP if requested can result in fines on the spot! Have a look at https://it.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/transportation-driving/ for more information on I.D.P's and driving in Italy.

You may also want to have a look at some of the other posts here concerning the dreaded Zona Traffico Limitato (limited traffic) areas that are becoming increasingly prevalent in many Italian towns & cities especially Florence, which is almost saturated with automated ZTL cameras. EACH PASS through one of the automated Cameras will result in a €100+ ticket, which you won't know about until several months after you return home! This website provides more information - http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/driving/traffic_cameras_speeding.htm

There's also the issue of parking tickets, high fuel costs, tolls and automated speed cameras including the devious Traffic Tutor system which measures not only instantaneous speed but also average between two points. Violate either or both parameter and expensive tickets will follow.

A GPS along with a good Map would also be prudent. Be sure to give some thought to the question of CDW and theft insurance. In Italy, buying CDW from the rental firm is usually compulsory, so coverage provided by credit cards may not apply. Check the Car Rental section in Europe Through The Back Door for further information. You could also download the "Car Rental" PDF Guide from http://www.gemut.com/ (they have a toll free number if you have any questions).

There are also some potentially expensive caveats to be aware of when using trains and other public transit in Italy. If you need more information on those, post another note.

We did 2 nights in Venice and to me that was enough.

Consider getting a rental car outside Florence so you dont have to drive in city. We took bus from Florence to Siena and rented car from there.

Also consider VRBO for places to stay. We used them for our Italy trip. Staying near Vatican puts you well outside the center of Rome.

Our trip was 4 nights Florence, 2 nights Lucca, 2 nights Venice, and 4 nights Rome and it was right amount of time in each area.

A fair number of people seem happy with only one or two nights in Venice. It is my suspicion that it's because they only spent one or two nights in Venice. A short stay there usually means the traveler sees only a few of the very busiest sights, like Piazza San Marco, and is caught up in tourist mobs for most if not all of the visit. That's tiring and I wouldn't want to do it for three or four days, either. But spending more time in Venice means you can wander away from the crowds and see the magical non-touristy neighborhoods.

A fair number of people seem happy with only one or two nights in
Venice. It is my suspicion that it's because they only spent one or
two nights in Venice. A short stay there usually means the traveler
sees only a few of the very busiest sights, like Piazza San Marco, and
is caught up in tourist mobs for most if not all of the visit. That's
tiring and I wouldn't want to do it for three or four days, either.
But spending more time in Venice means you can wander away from the
crowds and see the magical non-touristy neighborhoods.

You know, acraven, isn't that true for almost anyplace in Italy? Certainly Rome for us, even to a certain extent Florence. And I would have loved to spend more than 4 nights in Taormina (Sicily) or 5 nights in Salerno. I'm big into assimilating and routine in Italian neighborhoods and I really grooved on going to the same place for a caffe in the morning and the barista recognizing me, often from the 2nd day. By the third he'd be chatting me up and by the fourth we're exchanging EMail addresses. Great stuff.

I always like to have enough time to wander around a city's historic area, which often takes me to streets where there aren't any other people around, not even locals. But Venice seems to be the extreme case, because the mobs are so concentrated on the path between the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark's, whereas there's a whole city to explore. I'm always sad when people say they didn't much care for Venice, because I can't help but think they probably didn't really see it.

I would skip Venice on this trip and do it as part of Northern Italy on another trip. We stayed in Venice for five nights and it wasn't enough. I recommend renting an apartment in Rome in Trastevere neighborhood, across the Tiber river and a very short walk to the historic area. It is a wonderful, old neighborhood with great restaurants. In regards to the Vatican, be sure to book a tour or you will stand in line for hours to get a ticket. With a tour, you stroll right in and sit in a lounge area to wait for your tour guide. You can leave the tour at any time, all the guides ask is that you return the radio to them.

If this is everybody's first trip to Italy, you might consider booking hotels instead of AirBnB's. I say this because the hotel staff is almost always extremely helpful in a number of ways - directions, restaurant recommendations, making reservations, etc.

As much as we love Venice, seriously consider saving it for another trip. It really deserves more time than you have available. The small amount of time you'll actually have to devote to it is too short to justify the hassle of getting there on the train and then flying back to Rome. Just one person's two cents worth.