Florence in 1 day. Yes or No?

It's a matter of personal preference, no correct or incorrect answer. However, given the total of only 7 or 8 days you have in Italy, I'd be inclined to leave the itinerary the way it currently is and not add Florence. But I do understand why you're tempted!

IMO, you have it set pretty well. Most travelers try to cram too much into too short a time. What you have allowed are really minimums for the area. If you are like many people, you will go back. At least this will give you a reason. Enjoy! You have picked some great places! Jeff

Florence is amazing...if you are not planning to ever return to Italy, I would take a day for Florence. If you think you may return, I would leave Florence and plan a Tuscany trip.

Florence deserves more than a cursory look, IMHO. However, having said that, since as you mentioned it is on the way between Venice and the CT (you will very likely change trains there) you could easily check your bags at the S.M Novella station and walk around Florence for 2 or 3 hours before continuing on to La Spezia. Seeing Florence, even for a short time, would be preferable to not seeing it at all.

As said it really is personal choice - I am the "2 weeks in Florence" isn't enough type, but I have plenty of friends and family who just like to look from the outside and walk - and for those into that I say if you have the day or half day chance, don't miss it. If you leave Venice early AM on the train, come to Florence, leave your bags at the station, and then walk to the Duomo, to Santa Croce, back to Piazza Signoria, over the Ponte Vecchio, to Piazza Pitti, over to Santo Spirito, and back over the Ponte Santa Trinita to Piazza Santa Maria Novella and then to the station - you won't regret it! (although you may be a little tired) ;)

Hii Matthew. I wouldn't visit Florence on this trip, because it would be at the expense of the other places you're visiting, which in my opinion, deserve the amount of time you've allotted. I definitely think Florence is worth a visit but I would save it for another trip.

Keep your itinerary as it is. Go to Florence and area on your next trip!

Personally, I would cut Venice short by 1 day and at least try to spend a little time in Florence. You can catch the first train from Venice to Florence (approx 3 hr ride) and can go to either the Uffizi or Academia museum or both, and walk around the town. Then catch the last train back to Venice. Florence is my preference over Venice, but everyone is different!

IMHO less is more. Visiting a few places in more depth has been, to me at least, more rewarding than dashing to more places so I can say I've "seen" them. For starters, the "one day" isn't a full day; our language misleads us. You need to spend a couple of hours checking out of Venice, getting to Florence, finding your hotel, and dropping stuff off. More realistically your day in Florence will be noon or 1pm on. Second, while you may see the top sights in an afternoon it won't be the same as having the time to linger and enjoy them. And for me at least I've found the sense of magic and discovery isn't the same if I go back someplace on a later trip because I wish I'd spent more time there. Third, I'd say for larger cities 3 days is a good starting target to see not just the highlights but other things worth visiting in the city or nearby. Cutting a day out of Venice means you're going to have to cut out some of what makes it special; you won't have the time to spend an afternoon doing something like visiting Murano or a nearby town such as Padua.

But that's my experience of traveling. Since you say you "want to see all we can in a short amount of time" maybe its right for you.

Oklahoma advisors unite!

I'll second that. I like Florence even better than Venice, so if it were my trip I'd plan it differently...

In your situation, do as Ash said. Better to see a little Florence than none at all. If I were to spend 3-4 hours there I would do it by seeing the Duomo, doors to the Baptistry, have a coffee on the square, see the David, walk through part of the market to buy a belt or tie, and savor that little taste until I had time to return for a 3-4 day visit.

Hi Matthew, I believe your trip is already too rushed and you may not realize it but you will be spending long long hours on train so once you arrive in your destination most of the day will be shot as it is.It's a long trip from Venice to the Cinqueterre and also from there to Rome. Personally, I would cut out the Cinqueterre and go to Rome via Florence for two nights. With such a short time, keep it simple and not too spread out. The next time fly into Milan and visit the Cinqueterre and other places nearby like Lake Como and Bergamo and Lucca. There's always another time.
Katherine

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice! I really appreciate it.