First time to Italy 7 days late October, Rome and Venice

Well, there is no way you can get to know Rome in 7 days or less. If you really don't want to do too much then I would suggest you pick one city or the other. A week isn't really that long and if you add a 4 hour train trip in the middle of it then you have even less time. If you are set on doing both cities I would plan 4 for Rome and 3 for Venice. donna

Carla, First of all, congratulations on your 20th anniversary! My suggestion would be to fly inbound Venice and outbound Rome. Spend 2 or 3 days in Venice and the balance in Rome. Travel between the two cities via Freccia high speed train. Two reasons for suggesting that order..... > As you're travelling in late October, it would be better to travel towards the warmer weather (no guarantees there will be no rain though). > the "culture shock" may be a bit easier with that order. I'll try to provide a few more comments tomorrow when I'm using a normal computer. Cheers!

I agree with Ken's suggestion that you arrive in Venice. After a long overseas flight, you probably will be jetlagged. Venice airport is small and easily navigated. The boat ride to Venice is simple and once you arrive, there is no traffic to dodge and duck. Except for excursions to the out-lying traffic, it's a walkable city and part of the fun is getting a bit lost. After 2 or 3 days of exploring (and adjusting to the change in time zones), the train ride to Rome will be a relaxing break. I like to take along lunch to eat on the train. Departing from Rome is easy because there are multiple options for transit to the airport. Wishful thinking, perhaps, but it would be nice if you could add a few more days to your trip. The biggest single expense is the airfare and it would be lovely to have a bit more time in Rome.

I agree with Ken and Anita. Another good reason for flying in to Venice and back to Texas from Rome is that flights to connecting cities back to the US leave Venice very early in the morning which makes for a difficult departure getting to the airport for 5 am by boat. It works much better leaving Rome. I think that a couple or 3 days in Venice would give a wonderful de-jetlagging time and a gentle immersion into Italy. We love both cities.

Thank you all so much for your wonderful ideas, information and comments, they have really helped us make some decisions. Based on your good suggestions, I think we will do Venice first, then Rome, and perhaps even add a day or two extra for Rome and avoid feeling rushed. I hope we can return the favor someday for you and others. This is a great and very helpful blog! Thank you again for taking the time to respond.

Carla, One further suggestion..... If you add some time to Rome, you might consider a day trip to the beautiful Umbrian hill town of Orvieto. It's only an hour each way from Rome, so it's an easy trip. While there be sure to see the incredible Signorelli frescoes in the Chapel of the Madonna di San Brizio which is inside the Duomo (back corner, right side as I recall). You could also visit St. Patrick's Well, which was an incredible engineering feat for it's time. Be sure to check back here from time-to-time as you'll need more specific information to make your trip go smoothly. I'd also highly recommend having a look at the RS Venice, Rome or Italy Guidebooks. You should be able to find copies at your local Library or larger bookstores. Cheers!