HELP! Italy 1st Time

Tammy, are you renting a car? I'm having trouble visualizing a nature and scenic tour with your itinerary.

I would skip Venice, if you only have one day there. Please remember to factor in travel time between cities, as well as the time it takes to check into and out of hotels, get oriented, find restaurants, etc. Moving from place to place takes way more time than most people think.

I'd be tempted, in your situation, to skip the biggies, and find an agriturismo, or just pick a couple of small towns with pleasant aspects and easy walks.

And don't try to cram too much in; even if you fear you'll never be able to return, don't try it. As Rick says, assume you're coming back. Otherwise, you'll run yourself ragged, and still end up with regrets about what you didn't get to see.

Italy is one of the most beautiful and welcoming counties in Europe. Slow down, enjoy incredible food and good cheap wine, and revel in the beautiful countryside. And breathe.

Buon viaggio!

Hi Tammy-
As tempting as it is to want to see as much as possible, what you don't want to do is to spend large amounts of time packing and unpacking, checking in and out of hotels and dealing with transport. I am thinking that the itinerary above might wear you out in a hurry!

You've only allowed one full day for Rome. There is a LOT to see in that one and you'll barely get your bearings in one day before having to move on. I would scratch the plan for June 14 and add it to Rome.

You've allowed just 1.5 days for Florence with your only full day taken up with the Cinque Terre. You certainly don't have to hike the CT but just getting around the villages can be difficult if you have mobility issues; many of the streets are steep. It's also going to be overrun with tourists in June. Personally? I'd take the CT out.

You have only a partial day for Venice; I'd take that out too. Add it to Lake Como as you only have 1.5 days there and may enjoy the scenery and exploring, by ferry, some of the little towns around the lake.

Are you planning on using public transport to get from place to place?

Hi tammy.betker
Take out Cinque Terre it requires a lot of walking up and down stairs and trails to get the best views
Take out Venice.

If walking long distances is an issue you need to plan your logistics carefully. CT and Venice are probably the least handicap friendly places on your list so I would scratch them. Rome deserves more time (3 nights) and I suggest staying near the Pantheon so many sights will be close by. Use taxis in Rome, more expensive but it will be worth it. You will just be acclimating so take it easy in Rome if possible. From there I would train to Orvieto which has public transportation all the way to the town center. One night and the next day rent a car to drive to your agriturismo near Siena (Go through the Val d'Orcia on the way). Drop the car in Siena and take a train to Florence before heading to Lake Como. I haven't been to Lake Como so I don't know about handicap issues there. Hertz has offices near the train stations in Orvieto and Siena.

The city of Como itself is fairly flat, some of the other towns are not. There are buses that take a higher route, you might more easily walk down to the ferry landings. Bellagio also has some flat areas.

The problem in Venezia is the hundreds of little bridges you have to cross.

And don't be afraid to make a mistake or two; most problems can be solved, and some great memories (and stories) can result - like the time I booked a trip with six connections, the first train was late, the dominoes kept falling for 24 hours...

If driving consider Pienza as the place between Rome and Siena

It appears to me that you're going for quantity and not quality because you may not be able to return. If true,in my opinion, that would be a big mistake. Are you departing your home on 6/11 to arrive in Rome on 6/12? You will probably arrive early in the morning and will need a full day to deal with jet lag. To do justice to Rome you need at least a week there. I planned a trip with my wife and her mother 10 years ago and we tried to do Rome in 2 1/2 days because I thought I would not be back, then went on to Florence, the CT and later to Paris, all in 12 days. We have been back to Europe in the UK and France, but not to Italy, and I've always regretted the short amount of time I allowed for Rome. Based on what you said I would try to do four nights in Rome in a centrally located hotel like Rick recommends, another four nights in Florence from which you can day trip by bus to Siena, Pisa or Lucca if you like, and three nights in Milan from which you can take the train to Lake Como. Unless you already have them you are probably too late to get reservations to the Last Supper in Milan, although you can take a tour with a guide for a lot more money and see it. By doing this you can build in some down time in your trip, see more because you are traveling less and probably save some money on lodging and transportation because you're staying in places longer. If you have your heart set on the CT, which is understandable, it is a long but doable day trip by train from Florence and you can see several of the towns using their train during the day. In Rome an easy way to get around is to get a two day Hop On Hop Off bus pass which stops at all the major sites and runs every 15 minutes or so. Buy it outside the Termini train station. Lots or restaurants, shops and smaller attractions along the way and you can use the bus instead of a taxi to do those things. I'm finally going back solo in September to do/see the things I missed the first time. Hope you have a great trip....and hopefully you will be able to return.

the lake front in varenna is very flat, and ferry dock is right there. there are several hotels & cafes in that area. the train station is at the top of the hill, but there are taxis available, & hotels may offer pick up from train station

Not very much of this trip is made up of scenic nature sights, you might want to reevaluate. As others have stated, you are trying to cover way too much ground. I stayed at the hotel 95 Rooms in October and it was great. Near the Cavour metro stop and in the Monit neighborhood. Rural Tuscany and Umbria are great for nature, but you need a car for that. Rome and Florence might convince you that you like cities better than you think. That said, Rome is an extremely inconvenient city and it requires patience and time to see. Not like London or Paris where the metro gets you anywhere you want to go, but it's very much worth the trouble so it's good that you added a day.

You would need a car for stops in rural Umbria and Tuscany, but you can get to lots of hilltop towns by bus and/or train.

My husband is from Capena (a small town close to Rome) and all of his family still lives there so luckily when we visit we have means of transportation and his parents home to stay in so I have no advice on hotels. I have only visited once (last year) and we plan on going for a month this year in May. June is SO hot, like Florida hot which is where I'm from. You definitely need more then one day to see Rome or you will be overrun and so tired and there are so many tourists that time of year so the wait lined are crazy. Also, you have to have your kneed and shoulders covered when entering churches or you won;t be allowed in. My hubby didn't tell me last year and I couldn't go in /: Also, I would take Venice out of your trip. I was in Italy 3 weeks last year and I didn't have enough time to go see it. Even if this is your one and only trip like the previous comments said pretend that it isn't so you can fully enjoy the experience. I love Italy!! The people are so full of passion and every where you look is truly beautiful, soak it all in and truly enjoy!! Have fun! and have a ton of wine!!!