First Trip to Italy "confused"

2 nights in Rome will mean you have 1 full day in Rome.
Prioritize your bucket list for Rome and expect you'll only get to the top part of your list.

Not sure why you wanted to fly to Naples in the first place. Given your itinerary it would have made sense to fly into VCE and return from Rome Fiumicino airport (FCO). If making that change is too expensive stick to your plans. 2 nights in Venice, 2 or 3 in Florence, 2 or 3 in Rome, and the last one in Milan.
Going to Venice upon landing in Milan is doable since you probably arrive in the morning. You should arrive to Venice within four hours.
Airfares to Milan are generally cheaper than elsewhere in Italy, that is probably why your generous donors bought them.

Since you didn't pay for the airfare why not use the money you would've spent and change the departure city or date? You'll still come out way ahead. If not, I would cut out at least one city.

Donna

And, you just never know, if you visit your local airline counter or telephone the central reservation number (try both during the day then at night) and explain what happened (the lovely gift) and just kindly ask if there is anyway you could change the tickets (or at least the going or coming home part (one direction on the tickets) without the penalty. Unlikely they will let you, but miracles do happen.

And, if the answer winds up being 'no,' you could always wait to see (depending on where you live) if a 'weather event' happens, such as a late summer storm or hurricane, that will cause all the flights to be delayed, canceled, etc. At that point, quickly check seat availability for flights to the cities you really want, be flexible by a day or two, and then call to see if you can wiggle the reservation around (without penalty....and typically a weather event allows you to do that). That applies to both your departure city and any connecting cities.

Granted, you'd have to have some cancellation flexibility and the ability to quickly find a hotel night........but, I throw this out as an option, because sometimes things just work out the way you want to in the long run....sometimes thru great effort, and some times just karma.

Nonetheless, safe and happy travels to you. "Where" you choose to go should really depend on what you want to see. For Italy, I think part of the charm is to allow a night or two in the hill towns. The big cities offer a lot, but the villages and small towns are oh so charming.

I take it this is your first trip to Italy. But it won't be your last. You will find that you won't have enough time to see it all. But you will get a good taste of what Italy has to offer, and you will go back for a longer period. You said you have 8 full days, but you will have traveling time in between destinations that will eat up a lot of time. I think I would add another night to Rome, and maybe skip Venice this trip. There is so much to see and absorb. We are starting to plan our 4th trip. You tend to develop a love affair with Italy. No matter what you decide on, you will not be disappointed. Enjoy your trip.

Fly into Milan, train to Florence for two or three nights.
Rent a car and drive Tuscany staying two or three nights.
Drop car in Orvieto and train into Rome for the remainder.
Fly to Milan for your return flight home.

At first I was also a bit confused by your question, as Florence is part of Tuscany, but I suspect you're planning on touring the Tuscan countryside and other towns, using Florence as your base.

We had a full week in Rome and left with lots that we'd wanted to see and do, so a quickie visit to Rome would just scratch the surface. I visited Milan on two trips before I ever made it to Rome, and Milan has plenty to offer, and Rome will still be there for another trip. I'd say save the $600 to spend on nice dinners in northern Italy and save Rome for your next trip, when you have time to see more of it (and Naples, and . . . ). Have a great trip in any event!

With 8 nights only, and one of those committed to Milan pre flight home, you can forget Venice. Train straight to Florence for 4, then Rome for 3.

Head to Pisa and Lucca by train one day from Florence and Siena another. Book a hotel close to the train station.

In Rome its best to form your 2 full days as such ...
1 Start at Colosseum & Forum heading north by Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps to Piazza del Popolo.
2 Start at St Peters & Vatican heading east over the Tiber to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.

Wonderful. Enjoy !!

As was mentioned, there is not much difference flyng into Milan vs Naples for your planned itinerary. As you mentioned, head to Florence from Milan after landing. Milan to Florence is as little as two hours (1:40) but you do have some time to get out of the airport and just under an hour to get from the airport to the train station...about the same as if you flew into Naples and getting to Rome. Do Tuscan towns however you are comfotable, driving if OK with that, or bus and train. Overall your same itinerary should work, just in reverse order.

Thank you for your replies. I really would love to see the countryside. Tuscany Is a place I really I really want to see.
I also failed to mention that I do have a disability and I need a wheelchair or cane for the hills etc. My travel agent is hesitant to book Tuscany. We both love fine wine and great food beautiful scenery. I don't want to not go to places because of that. If someone has some insight it may help me make a decision.

I would stick to the major cities in the wheel chair.

The only time we went to Italy, I packed way too much in. Nearly killed my husband. I would pick one or two cities. If you really want to do Tuscany, base yourself out of Florence for the week.

Mary

Annie, can you tell us a bit more about your disability? Can you handle steps? Are you able to walk any sort of distances at all? Knowing that mobility is an issue, I'm thinking less moving from place-to-place may be a good idea but the more we know about you, the better we can help. For instance, if steps are a challenge, you'll want to be sure to book hotels with elevators, and we'll want to fill you in on some fine points regarding restrooms in restaurants and other public places.

I have MS. I can walk, not long distances. I can do steps but I'm am a little slow.

In some earlier trips we foolish flew into Zurich or Milan because of 'good airfare'. We always immediately trained to in the first case, Florence and the second Venice. You might as well use that first miserable jet lag day getting to your first major destination.

IMHO with 8 days you should choose two places. It is not worth stopping in either Florence or Rome for fewer than 3 nights/2 full days. That is far too little, but if you haven't got that I would skip the place completely and save it for another day. With your agenda, I would split the time between Florence and Rome but if you want to add Venice (a terrible destination with mobility issues though) then 2 nights one full day there and 3 nights/2 full days for Florence and Rome would be doable.

Still better IMHO to do less travel and more 'being there' and thus do 4 nights in two of : Venice, Rome, Florence. If you must fly out of Naples, you need to be in Naples the night before, so maybe arrive early enough in the day to visit the archeological museum.

I have MS. I can walk, not long distances. I can do steps but I'm am a little slow.

Agree with the other posters, reduce the number of times you have to change from city to city. Focus on the city or two that has what you really want to see.

With your physical limitation, it does not have to be an 'all or none' situation with Tuscany. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a lovely day's drive thru the countryside (hiring a driver to take you both), stopping and getting out for what you feel comfortable doing. A local driver might also be able to drop you off closer to sites (being able to by-pass gates/places that are normally restricted) or know paths that are a bit easier. (That was our experience in Ireland, shortly after my husband finished a harsh series of chemo....he felt strong enough to travel, but we took it easier than normal. The little extra local help and closer drop-offs made all the difference for him then. His energy could be spent seeing places vs. getting to the places.)

While a lot of charm is within the walls of the villages, the villages themselves and the countryside are lovely from miles away, too. I don't want to discourage you from seeing at least a little of Tuscany, especially if there is a chance you may never return to Italy.

And, for Rome (and any other larger cities you might visit), it might be worth it to take taxis to sights, instead of trying to do the limited Metro and walking. It is quite a walk from the Metro station to the Vatican, for instance. Perhaps, asking your hotel for the recommendation of a very good guide, who could provide transportation, might make what are normally long days a little shorter.

I admire you for pressing forward, doing what you can do, and I hope you have a wonderful, comfortable, and memorable trip :) Happy Anniversary, and many more!!

When traveling, less is more. With a country as dense as Italy, that goes double. And with only 8 full days and with some difficulty walking, that goes triple.

Don't even think of having more than two hotel bases, plus a last night in Milan to catch your flight the next day. If you move hotels any more than this, you'll be sorry (and exhausted). I agree that you can pick almost any two of the ones on your list - Rome, Florence, Venice (all by train) or Tuscany outside of Florence (by car). It's all good, so that will depend on your interests. But it's hard enough for anyone to "do" Rome in 2 days; if you have difficulty walking and tire easily, you will be miserable if you even attempt it.

If you need another reason to slow down and plan to move around less: many people have flares of their MS symptoms in the heat. Remember September in Rome can still be hot (and Naples even hotter). More than for most people, you should be sure to book a room in a central location with AC, so you can go back to the room and recharge any time you need to.

Do you have Rick Steves Italy? If not, get it ASAP. While it's not specifically designed for people in your situation, it will have LOTS of tips that will apply to you, such as how to make advance reservations, avoid crowds, get around, etc.

We appear to be in agreement here: in your situation, less is going to be far, far more. Personally, even without a special challenge I wouldn't be comfortable with so many moves in so short a time but then, we all travel differently!

What so many first-timers don't realize is the time it takes to move from one location to the next: packing, getting to train stations, journeying to next city, finding the hotel and unpacking can easily eat up 1/2 a day or more. Add to that the process of simply getting your bearings in a new place. This can be also a little stressful for a lot of folks, and it's especially important for you to eliminate as much of that as possible so as not to aggravate your MS.

Italy, while fascinating and lovely, is anything but handicapped friendly, I'm afraid. Old buildings are difficult to impossible to modernize with comforts such as elevators, ramps, air conditioning and other helpful amenities we're used to here in the U.S. The cities and historic towns themselves have areas that are completely pedestrianized as the streets and piazzas can't accommodate buses/cars so a certain amount of walking is a necessity…and much of that on cobblestones and other rough, uneven surfaces.

Taking all of this into consideration, I think it's important that your itinerary and touring methods are carefully planned to accommodate your special needs. It will be no fun at all to try and fit in too many locations if you're too tired, stressed-out and uncomfortable to enjoy them?

The suggestion to do some of your touring with a private driver is an excellent idea: they can sometimes get you a bit closer to some of the sites than public transit, provide cooler, more comfortable rides, and make accommodating a wheelchair MUCH easier, should you need to have one. RS members should have some good recommendations for you there, and it should be very possible for you to make some relaxing, enjoyable trips around Tuscany this way: well worth the money. It won't work for Venice, however, as virtually the entire island is pedestrianized so if choosing two locations, I'd do Florence and Rome.

Make sense?

Considering your situation....scrap my original plan. Change your flight to Rome. Land in Rome, take a train to Orvieto (via Rome's main train station) and start there for three nights. Then go to Rome and stay near the main sites (I'd choose something near the Pantheon for example) for the remainder of your trip. Use taxis.
Orvieto is a beautiful and mostly flat hilltown once you get there via the funicular. It would be a great introduction to Italy.
Less is definitely more.

I guess the main question is... what will you regret most if you don't see it??? I know that is difficult to answer because you have not been there, but when you dream of Italy what are you thinking about? I would make sure to see the top 2 locations. I agree that 3 might be a bit much. I left Rome till about my 5th or 6th trip.... then because my grandson wanted to go. It just was not a huge priority for me. I enjoy it, but when I think of Italy it is the countryside in Tuscany, the vineyards, the beautiful little villages and Venice and CT... those are my favorite areas, with many as a close runner-up. I think the idea of a driver is great, and there are plenty of villages that you could stay in with a hotel that has easy access to a street, thus avoiding lots of stairs. But, if there is any way you want to see Venice and think you are able, I would not give it up. You can take a nice little boat trip to Burano, and while there is a lot of walking in Venice you can plan it to minimize that as much as possible. It is a city unlike any other, and after the crowds leave and it cools off you can stroll about at your leisure. You can also enjoy a wonderful sunrise as is always my priority when in Venice. In Sept. Rome will still be plenty crowded and hot, but again...
If you do decide to do the 3rd location there is nothing wrong with riding around Rome in the HOHO bus. You can get a great overview of the city, take lots of pictures, get off the bus when you really want to, or simply continue to ride around. Sometimes the exteriors are every bit as magnificent as the interiors... and then, you will have been to Rome!

While I like the romantic idea of thinking that I will return to a place... no one knows that for sure... so instead of that attitude, I try to look at it as though it might be the only time I can visit here... and I want to go home with 'no regrets'.
Then, if I am fortunate enough to return, I already know the areas I want to explore in depth.

Terry kathyn, my issues with the HOHOs in Rome is that frankly there isn't a one of the remaining operators (one of the biggies went out of business last year) I'd recommend. The reviews on all of them have been pretty bad for some time. Christiana is the best of the them but not quite good enough that I'd say with any certainty that it would be a good choice.

Changing flights may be the way to go. And if you do, I would suggest that you fly into one and leave from another to save time and costs. Last month, we flew into Venice and flew out of Rome. By doing this, we did not have to double back. Packing, unpacking, transfering, changing hotels is a big time waster. Each time you do it, you pretty well kill a day.

If you have no choice and must fly in and out of Milan, I suggest you make the best out of the situation and spend a night and a day in Milan. I have never been there, but Milan has the Last Supper, the Milan Cathedral (top 10 attraction in world according to Tripadvisor) and the 2015 Expo. Also take into account that you need to deal with jet lag.

And I hate to say it, but you may want to skip Rome instead of Venice. 2 nights in Rome probably only translates to 1 day of sightseeing. There is so much you will miss. On the other hand, with 2 nights in Venice, you can easily see all the "must sees" in Venice.

You may want to slow things down and just enjoy Northern Italy. I would suggest that you just spend five nights in Florence. There is so much to see in Florence and it makes a great base to enjoy Tuscany. You can make day trips to Siena and Pisa/Lucca. On your last day take a high speed train to catch your flight out of Milan

This sounds like a punishing trip and very tight schedule. Remember any time you spend two nights somewhere, you only ONE full day there. I can't imagine doing that in Rome or in Venice.

In 8 days, I'd strongly urge you to enjoy Milan for a night (or so ... are you factoring in jetlag on your arrival day? ) then 3 nights in Venice and one other place: perhaps Florence but even better somewhere in between Milan and Venice, like Verona or Lake Como, for two nights.

Think hard about it.

Since your Milan flight is already booked, I'd keep the inbound flight and change just the outbound flight to leave from Rome. You can book a one-way car rental for not much, if any penalty and you don't have to double back, saving you time and money in gas and tolls. With 8 days, I'd drive straight to Florence/Tuscany, spend 3-4 nights there, then down to Rome and spend the rest of the time there. Leave Venice for another trip. You may get a flight leaving Rome that's not as brutal as a 5am flight. :)

Hi, Annie: You're probably overwhelmed with advice, but I still want to throw in my two euro cents worth. I think Kathy is right that you should just base yourselves in Florence and stay there the entire time. We've done this a number of times, in Florence, Rome, Positano, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, and London. Some of these trips were combined with a 7-day RS tour; in those cases we ended up staying as long as 15 days in a single town. We never regretted it, and never ran out of things to do or see. Katy (I think) said moving from one town to another could take at least half a day; I would say plan on losing an entire day, especially by the time you have to find dinner, supplies, etc. in your new location.

We started this practice from a shortage of money (and time), but it quickly became our preferred mode of travel. Whatever you decide, you're sure to have a great time; Italy is a dream come true. Buon viaggio!