First time Italy trip: Suggestions on must do for first trip

One last thing, visit the Pantheon square at night. It's one of my favorite things to do.

Right off the bat I'd suggest you skip Pisa altogether. It's really only the tower, and it's just not worth the time as limited as your trip is. Take the extra night/day from Pisa and use it in either Florence or Rome. In Venice I'd definitely visit the Doge's palace. The part of Venice I enjoyed most is just wandering around. You do a lot of walking, but can never really get lost! While there are a lot of pros & cons about the cost, go ahead and take a ride on a gondola during the evening. Yes, it's expensive, but how often do you go to Venice for the first time? 1 day in Florence is doable if you're not going to any of the museums. You can easily fill an entire day going to the Academia ("David") and the Ufizzi. Rome is spectacular. If you plan on going to the Vatican museum, make a tour reservation. It will save you from a huge wait-time in line. Also, if there is time(you need to do this a few months ahead of the trip), contact the Vatican about a catacombs tour. They are well worth it, but fill up fast due to the limited number of people. Have a great trip!

I agree, skip Pisa. I would rather spend the extra time in Rome myself. There is just so much to see and two days will not be enough. Have a great trip!

ditto-skip Pisa. I would say 100% of respondents will say to skip it given the time you have in Italy on this trip. There is more than enough in either Florence or Rome to use that time to your advantage.

Skip Pisa entirely and spend an extra day in Florence. What you are attempting to do in one week, I usually spread out over two. You will see very little in each place. If I only had this number of days at my disposal, I would only visit two cities.

I've closely read the OP and it seems that no number of us suggesting to skip Pisa will change anything - at the beginning of the OP it says I have made flight and hotel reservation so although I agree, I will make no effort to change minds. This is clearly a check-box tour. Since Kinni9 does not want to see museums I suggest you do as said above about Venice, and take a similar route in Florence. In 1.5 days in Rome you can walk around and see some fountains and obelisks, and get to the Vatican. I don't think you will have enough time in Rome to see anything in detail but you can get a flavour. I can think of 90 minutes of things to do in Pisa, the Field of Miracles including the tower and baptistry, but am at a loss as to what you can do for the other 11 and a half hours.

I hope you have Rick's books, he has alot of walks suggested so you can take in the sights. Your time is very limited so if you arrive armed with information and a good map you can just take off on your sightseeing. In Venice, get on a vaporetto and see the Grand Canal. We walked from St Mark's Square to the Frari Church (in Rick's Venice book) and saw alot of Venice this way. Go into St Mark's, the gold and mosaic is simply amazing, go late in the afternoon to avoid lines. If you are in good shape or just feel up to it, climb either the Duomo in Florence or the dome at St Peter's in Rome. You will be awarded with amazing views and is such a memorable thing to do. I did St Peter's while my travel buddy actually did both! I think in Rome, your 2 biggest must sees are Vatican City, meaning Vatican museum/Sistine Chapel/St Peter's and of course the Colosseum/Forum. And last but not least, have gelato at least 2x a day!! With all the walking you'll be doing, you'll burn those calories off easily!

Thanks all for your suggestions. I am considering canceling my hotel reservations in Pisa and spending the day in Florence! Here's summary of all your suggestions: Venice: • Doge's palace • Do gondola ride along Grand Canal. • Walk from St Mark's Square to the Frari Church (in Rick's Venice book) • Visit St Mark's, in the afternoon to avoid lines. Florence: • Climb the Duomo • Academia ("David") and the Ufizzi. Rome: • Vatican City, meaning Vatican museum/Sistine Chapel/St Peter's (if possible climb St Peters.)- Reserve tour in advance to skip lines. • Contact Vatican about a catacombs tour. • Colosseum/Forum. • Visit Pantheon in the night Pisa: (in case its expensive to cancel hotel/ rail tickets)
The Field of Miracles including the tower and baptistery Question: Any recommendations on which Rome tour to take? Thanks all again!

Any recommendations on which Rome tour to take? We really enjoyed our Vatican tour (The Pristine Sistine) with http://www.walksofitaly.com/. They also do a Colosseum/Forum/Palatine Hill tour. The tour referred to as the "catacombs" at the Vatican is most likely the Scavi Tour. You will be able to go to the grottos where all of the popes are entombed directly from St. Peter's, if you like, but the Scavi Tour is to the site of St. Peter's tomb itself, and is only available upon special request by emailing the Vatican's Ufficio Scavi.

In Florence, if the line to climb the Duomo is long, climb the bell tower instead. the lines for it are usually shorter. You get the same view with the advantage that the Duomo is in the view.

Kinni9 -- your revised itinerary sounds perfect to me. I'd recommend doing St. Mark's square in Venice in the evening, when the bands are playing -- wonderful! Definitely do the Collisseum tour.

I suggest you get a couple of good guidebooks on Italy to read and decide what you want to see and do during your time there. Everything of note is covered in the books which will provide a more comprehensive overview than you can get on any board. Everyone has their own interests and style of traveling so your choices will be perhaps different from what others would do. I personally think the idea of swinging by Pisa on the way to Rome makes sense, though I agree that staying the night in Florence would be preferable as that would give you more time there. Climb the Duomo if you wish, but I'd rather spend the time wandering the piazzas and exploring the Ponte Vecchio. I have the same opinion about the Scavi tour and climbing St. Peter's dome which are not near the top of my own list for Rome. I'd rather get out and walk around Rome. E.g. the walk from the Spanish Steps to Trevi Fountain to Piazza della Rotonda (Pantheon) to Piazza Navona is only about a mile in length, but can easily consume most of a morning or an afternoon with all there is to see and do along the way including having a gelato or coffee. But that's me. Others like to climb to the top of things for views or hang out in museums most of the day. Just go with what you're interested in.

Venice, Don't know if you would be interested, but last August we went to mass at St. Marco's - they close it to sighseers and the only people inside are at mass. It was in Italian but it was so cool - and free - and quiet so you get a sense of all the history and art. Did the gondola ride - nice. But I would spend the same money on taking a water taxi from VCO to town. You see a bit and after the flight - especially for your first time arriving in Italy - it's very memorable. Take the sidewalk out of the terminal and it's to your left. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time in terminal. I agree that I would spend your Pisa time in Rome. Just walk and look and enjoy - there are many museums but in the squares and parks you will really see the cities and the people. Enjoy!

Venice: take a kayak tour of the canals. You get a single seat sea kayak, and a guide to follow. Take the secret tour of the Doge's Palace to see the torture chamber. Florence: climb the steps to the top of the Campanile, great work out and great view. Also walk up the hill to Pz Michelangelo for sweeping view of the river, bridges etc. While there check out the atmospheric church Miniato Monte and you might get he hear the monks chant. You will do a ton of walking in Rome. No additional exercise needed. To get off your feet, eat gelato as often as possible. Any museum that you plan to visit call a day ahead and get a reservation. Otherwise you will spend your time in line.