First-Time Itinerary: Venice, Florence, Rome ... and what else?

I like #3. Supposedly Venice is a great place to combat jetlag, Florence for 4 nights allows at least one daytrip to Tuscany or Siena, Sorrento for three nights is great because you can daytrip each day and come back to some scrumptious food in Sorrento at night, and Rome is Rome. You have to be there on the night before departure, but you'll be back to Rome on another trip. We were there two nights in 2010, a week this last March, and now I want to spend the winter there as soon as I can work it. Oh--and totally doable start-to-finish by train, bus & Metro.

Just one note the crowds were less along Cinque Terre after 6pm also.
Stick with the first Itinerary and cover the south on another trip.

First let me say - I'm not a fan of Venice during the day - WAY TOO crowded for me with all the cruise ships, but at night it is awesome. 3 nights seems ok since one is arrival night.
Florence - after two trips to Florence it is moving to the bottom of my "favorite" cities in Italy - I think 4 nights is plenty including wine and Siena...which is magical at night as well. And I agree skip the south this trip BUT add a trip to the Lake District - Lake Como or Maggiorie

Venice - 3 nights
Lake Stay (We love Bellagio and Stresa but coming from Venice I'd pick Bellagio on Lake Como) - 3 nights - quickly becoming my favorite place in Italy
Florence - 4 nights
Rome - 3 nights

If not the Lakes then maybe Bologna if you like food it is the food capital of Italy but 1 or 2 days is plenty for a first visit but could be a day trip on the train from Florence

Have you looked at the train routes between cities? It's too early to look for your exact dates, but I find it helps me plan to see what routes are available and how many transfers each move would take.

I do not see that there is a bad choice among the 3.

As for crowd size, you are as much part of the 'problem' as anyone/everyone else. Have been to Italy in June and July and while we never felt lonely, never found the crowds to be unbearable

Venice
This is my favourite city in Italy so I am biased.

You need to see the crowds to understand what it is about😉 Take a bus from the airport (we used to take the boat, but you really don't see anything through the salt caked windows, and a water taxi is too expensive for my taste. YMMV) and then walk to your hotel, carrying your luggage. You are young so should have no problem. After that you will unserstand what people mean when they talk about Venetian crowds.

Next morning raise early and visit the fish market next to Ponte Rialto. After that walk to the north coast and take the boat to Murano and Burano, have lunch in Burano and return around 6pm. Have a drink, a shower, and dinner. Then go to Piazza San Marco and listen to the music. Sit down and have a drink if you feel you can afford it. Note: a drink can be wine, beer, coffee or anything you fancy.

The doges palace is very interesting, but will also be there next time you visit. I wouldn't visit if I was still jetlagged.

Also see veniceforvisitors.com.

Instead of the CT, have you considered going to one of the lakes or even to the Dolomites instead? Lots of scenery, hiking options and not nearly as crowded.

Thanks, all, for the replies so far. We have thought briefly about the lakes, but not seriously looked into it. I will do some reading, as it seems to be a common suggestion. Would two nights between Venice and Florence be sufficient?

No one said much about Itinerary #2, but I want to bring this question forward: Is there a lesser known coastal day trip with some pretty views that we could do from Florence OR Rome? (If Rome, I would move a day from Florence to Rome.) No beach necessary, just some nice scenery with coastal views, that we could get to with public transportation.

And the consensus seems to be to leave the Sorrento area (itinerary 3) for another trip? The more I read about it, I like the idea of seeing some of the south --but only if it makes sense and doesn't eat up a ton more travel time than our other options! I ask because I looked up train times/transfers, and it seems like the amount of time traveling is not much different, between Florence to CT to Rome, versus Florence to Sorrento to Rome. It just seems like the bulk of traveling for CT would fall on getting our next destination, Rome, whereas, the bulk of traveling for Sorrento would be getting there, from Florence. That was looking at train times and transfers alone, so are there other logistical concerns with the Sorrento area to build in travel time for?

Finally, if CT crowds thin out by 6, what is one recommended to do during the day? I have read that you have to wait in line to hike the trails and to get in anywhere for a bite to eat, and that was the point where I started questioning our initial itinerary (#1). Is that really the case, or is that an exaggeration by people who are bitter that it "isn't what it used to be"? I can handle crowds, but waiting in line to do anything like we are in Disney World is where I draw the line.

You can see from my questions that my thoughts are still all over the place. For those of you saying everywhere will be crowded, I understand that and am prepared for that. Rick and others seem to have plenty of good tips for preplanning for the crowds for the larger cities. But I've yet to read good advice about how to enjoy CT during the day in June. Thank you!

If by "Would two nights between Venice and Florence be sufficient?" you mean one night in each, then my answer would be no. That really does not give enough time for either. Venice deserves, in my opinion, at least three nights and Florence two at a minimum and three would be better.

No, TC, I meant would spending two nights at the lakes in between longer stays in Venice (3) and Florence (5) be sufficient to enjoy the lakes? Sorry!

Two nights at one of the lakes would be a nice substitute for CT.

Thanks for the clarification. With that it mind I'd opt for a couple of nights at Lake Como. Small villages, very scenic, and you shouldn't have too much of a crowd problem.