First visit to Italy, should we just stay in Florence and Rome?

You have 11 nights. Many first time travelers with that amount of time do the Big Three: Venice, Florence, and Rome, with a couple of day trips.
Typically they do 3 nights in Venice (which gives them 2 full days),
3 to 4 nights in Florence, which includes a day trip to Siena
and at least 4 nights in Rome.

Siena is a pleasant day trip from Florence. You can get there by bus or train but the bus is better in this case because the train station is not conveniently located to the Siena historic center.

You can't get into the Tuscany countryside by train, they don't go there. But you can sign up for a tour from Florence to Tuscany destinations. That would be preferable to renting a car in Florence for one day.

The CT from Florence, as a day trip, can technically be done but it's a long day and you get very little time in the CT to hike. But some travelers reporting in here have done it.

We don't see many people here doing Venice as a day trip from Florence. The station to station rail time might be a little over 2 hours, I'm not sure--now that doesn't sound too bad but you have to add in the time for you get from your hotel to the Florence train station, buy tickets, wait for the train, then the 2 hours to Venice, then the same thing on the way back.
Most travelers here spend 2 to 3 nights in Venice, probably more like 3 nights instead of 2. 3 hotel nights gives you 2 full days of sightseeing, because of travel times.

If you have 6 hotel nights in Florence and do these 4 day trips, you will basically only have 1 full day to see Florence.

If you're already set on flying into Florence and out of Rome, plus you feel good about taking Kent's good advice, maybe you should eliminate Venice and Naples??

Thank you for responding. We decided to skip Venice, though it is recommended by everyone to visit, we'll just have to make it there next time. If we're skipping Venice, do you think we can do Naples? I heard it''s the birth place of pizza.

Monica,

To answer your last question first, taking trains is indeed feasible and in many cases that's the quickest and most efficient travel method. However, there are some potentially expensive "caveats" to be aware of when using public transit in Italy. If you need further information, post another note. One other thing to mention is that you'll have to know the names of the rail stations you'll be using (in Italian), as most cities have more than one.

I would highly recommend packing along a copy of the Italy 2015 guidebook, as there's a LOT of information there on planning touring, hotels, transportation, etc.

A few thoughts on your travel plans.....

• It would be possible to do day trips from Florence to Venice, Cinque Terre, Tuscany and Siena, but in some cases those will be long trips (more on that later).
• It would be a really good idea to spend some of your time in Florence rather than using all your time for day trips. There's a lot to see there!
• Could you clarify what other destinations in "Tuscany" you're thinking of? Both Florence and Siena are in Tuscany (Florence is the capital as I recall). I'd probably skip other destinations in Tuscany, as I don't think you'll have time with the other day trips you're planning, as well as spending some time in Florence.
• Florence day trips: Venice will be two hours each way via high speed train, so if you don't mind 4 hours in travel times, it would allow you to have a quick look at a unique city. Cinque Terre will be about 3 hours each way with one or two changes, so ~six hours of total travel time (I used Monterosso as the destination for these times). The trip is certainly feasible (I know, as I've done it), but I'd suggest going early and coming back in the evening so that you have time to have a brief look at the five towns. Siena is an easy trip from Florence by Bus, with a travel time of about an hour (if using the Corse Rapide express bus). As Kent mentioned, passengers are dropped in the centre of town, rather than at the bottom of the hill where the rail station is located. The Bus station in Florence is close to Firenze SMN rail station, so very convenient.
• For your stays in both Florence and Rome, you'll need to give some thought to which part of each city you want to stay. In Florence I like to stay fairly close to SMN rail station and in Rome close to Termini station. Where to stay is often a subject of debate here.
• Rome day trips: a trip to Naples is certainly possible. The travel time is about 1H:10M each way if using the high speed Freccia trains. I'd suggest planning your touring carefully so that you'll have time to cover the sights that interest you. If you're planning to use a Taxi to get from the station to the main part of town, the guidebook has a few tips on what to look for.
• Be sure to wear a Money Belt (especially in Naples) as the artful dodger is alive and well in Italy.

Everything on your list is well worth seeing.

If you must choose, then I prefer Venice over "the birthplace of pizza," even though Florence-Venice trains take longer than Rome-Naples trains. But I would stay two nights in Venice, rather than day-tripping there.

If you do daytrip from Rome to the Naples area, then it's possible to fit Pompeii, the Naples Archeology Museum, and a pizza into a well-stuffed day. The fastest trains start from Rome as early as 7:30 a.m. and leave from Naples as late as 7:30 p.m.

Do you have your tickets already? If you wanted to go to Venice it would have been better to start in Venice by flying there then working your way down to Rome. So for example:
Venice: 3 nights (one day trip to Murano and Burano islands)
Florence: 4 nights (one day trip to Siena and/or Lucca+Pisa)
Rome: 4 nights (1 day trip to Naples/Pompeii)

Since you are flying to Florence you could go to Venice on the day you arrive, if you land early enough. The trip is only 2 hours by train and trains run every hour till evening.

Cinque Terre is a long day to do it in a day trip from anywhere. Florence is closest, but it still requires almost 3 hours and a couple of train changes.

Actually Venice is easier as a day trip from Florence than the Cinque Terre. As I said it's only 2 hours each way. 1/2 day is not much for Venice, but better than nothing.

If you go to Naples for the day, you should at least add Pompeii. Long day, but worth it. You could also do the Amalfi coast instead of Pompeii, but it's farther and you'd have basically no time for Naples at all.

With 11 nights, you could add a 1- or 2-night stop between Florence (4-5 nights) and Rome (4-5 nights). Most people spend at least 2 nights in the CT. I spent one and it worked well for me. If you leave Florence early, you could have the better part of 2 days there, taking a late aftrnoon train on to Rome on the 2nd day. That would leave you with time for 2-3 day trips from Florence and a day trip to Naples from Rome. If you go to Naples, visit the National Archaeology Museum - it's a WOW.

Venice would be my number 1 place in Italy. There's no place like Venice.

For our first time to Italy, we're doing 2 nights in Venice, 3 in CT, 3 in Florence, 3 in Rome. We want to get a feel for everything, and then next time, we may stay longer in the places we like the most... although there's much more to Italy than those destinations... so maybe we'll go south.

You can get to places in Tuscany by train/bus combination, but it takes more planning than driving does.

Wherever you go, you will have to put some places off until another trip. But you will have a great time in the places you do visit as long as you don't try to over schedule.

I often make a list of where I want to go and then skip some things once I am there, in favor of something else. Or nothing else.

Quite a debate. Trying to put myself in your shoes, 1st time in Italy. That was us 5 years ago, and in 11 days, 10 nights we did 4 nights in Taormina, Sicily, 4 nights in Florence, 2 nights in Rome. Fantastic. Earlier this month, we did our last 10 days of a 17-day European tour with 5 nights in Florence at an apartment near Florence SMN train station, then 5 nights in Salerno.

If it were I, with those flights, I'd do 4 nights in Florence to begin, leaving room for day trips, although we did none of them this last trip, opting to just wander Florence. Yeah, Siena would probably be #1 choice for a day trip, but first take Thurs 5/7 and Fri 5/8 to see the Uffizi, L'Accademia & Il Duomo (if you're into that) before the tourist hordes arrive on the weekend. Like I said, we were there earlier this month and the difference between the number of weekday and weekend tourists was startling.

Then...for something different...I'd hop on a noon Fresciarossa (fast) train at SMN and get down to Salerno (with no train change at Rome or Naples), arriving before 4:00. Explore this neat port city for 3 nights, using it as a base & taking daytrips to the Amalfi Coast by bus (1 hour to Amalfi or Ravello, 2 to Positano, less overall by ferry) or less than an hour by train to Naples or Pompei, the latter of which is breathtaking & should not be missed. Food is tremendous in Campania, more fish-based than up north in Tuscany.

Finally, by rail (probably about an hour) to Rome Termini, like stated above staying near the station. 3 nights won't give you everything but again take advantage of the Wed/Thurs/Fri weekdays to see the popular sights you want. There still will be a lot of tourists but not as many as Saturday or Sunday. Finally, taxi to Rome Fiumicino (a real cluster-you-know-what of an airport, give yourself plenty of time) and home.

Enjoy! Remember, you cannot go wrong whatever path you choose...

I, also, would fly into Venice (if you haven't already bought tickets) and spend 2-3 nights. There is no city like it.

You could then either go to CT for 2 nights and Florence for 3-4 nights, or vice versa, with day trips to Sienna from Florence. Other Tuscan hill towns would need a car.

Orvieto is a wonderful little town between Sienna and Rome and worth spending time there (train accessible) either as a day trip or 2 nights.

I would then go on to Rome and either day trip to Naples (2-3hrs each way) or save for another trip.

I think for your first trip to Italy I would stay in the North and skip Naples. It is like another country and Rome on North is so beautiful and you can get pizza! You will have some pretty intense days just seeing the big three.

Yes, you can get excellent Napolitan pizza at Ciro & Sons in Florence, and Dar Poeta in Rome's Trastevere district. But it's all over the place. As stated above, don't go to Naples just for pizza.

But geez...if you have the opportunity, why not experience the breadth of what Italy has to offer? True enough, southern Italy is almost like a different country. And Sicily is even different from that. I will say that with the fast trains, don't let geography or distance limit you in the least. A tour can be done north to south even in 11 days, 10 nights as I posted above.

Me? If I had to choose (and thank goodness I don't) I like the south better. Trying not to generalize, but people south of Rome seem to be a little warmer, a little happier, a little more familial. It's also less expensive to be sure, except on the Amalfi Coast. On the other hand, they speak less English & transportation to the outlying areas is somewhat less reliable.

I love the variety of Italy.

As I look at your schedule and the above replies, I get tired :))) You will be spending a lot of time on the road. My preference is to spend as much as time as possible "in Italy", early morning strolls, evenings when the cities are magical, stopping for a cappuccino or a gelato, talking to locals and visitors. You can have nice little discourses with someone whose language you don't speak. You use your hands and smile a lot. It is fun. And many people have some knowledge of English. And when I go home I have many memories not only of the wonderful things I have seen, but the emotional experience of just being there. Go slow and easy and enjoy.

The wonderful art, architecture and ancient ruins we go to see, we have already seen a bit of in print, movies, etc. The unique experience in traveling is the people.

In my mind, one who goes, sees and moves on to go and see something else misses what it is to travel to different places.

I was in Bolzano last year, but cannot really count that as an Italy trip, because I returned to Innsbruck after 3 days in Bolzano.
I travel solo, and probably look for different types of experiences that most first time visitors to Italy. I have the luxury of time, for which I am very grateful.
I study maps, and then train lines, and look for smaller, less touristed places, with an eye to the flow of travel using trains.

So I am arriving in Verona, 1 night to recover from flight, then 2 nights in Parma, take the direct train to Monterosso spending 6 nights there, with lots of walks and day trips, next Lucca, 6 nights there, lots of walks and day trips, on to Padova, one night, then Bergamo, 2 nights, and return to Verona for 5 nights, day trips to Mantova, Lake Garda, and other locations with a 2 hour or less train ride.
Anyone else travel like this?

This is a tough one! As mentioned before, if you can at all change your flight so that you arrive in Venice rather than Florence, that would be ideal. That way you can spend two nights in Venice, four in Florence, and five in Rome.

There is a tour company called Walkabout Florence that has day trip options to Tuscany (which includes Siena and Pisa) and another day trip option to CT from Florence. It may be worthwhile to look into just to take some planning out of your hands given this is your first time in that part of the world. If you decide to do a day trip to Venice from Florence, then I would add one more night to Florence (and take it away from Rome). Yes, Naples is a wonderful place to visit, but given all the day tripping you want to do, it could be a somewhat exhausting prospect (also expensive) to add yet another day trip. Have you booked train tickets yet? I would lock down your itinerary rather soon so that you can start exploring/booking hotels, transportation, and tours (if you decide that route).

This is what we decided. We cannot change out flights so we're flying into Florence, staying there for 5 nights with a day trip using Walk About Florence to tour Tuscany and another day tour to Cinque Terre. Then we're going to Venice for one night from Florence, and then to Rome for 4 nights.