Help with first trip to Italy itinerary June 2008

Do not skip Venice! Venice only gets more expensive every yr, go now. Better to skip CT instead and visit the coast some other trip.

Our trip will be in June 2008. We're spending at least half of our month in Greece and have no set plans yet as to when we're flying to Italy. We just have to be in Rome for our flight home. Right now we're planning 9 days in Italy - but it could be up to 14. We've heard that combining a night stay in Orvieto on the way to Rome is a good idea? We would love to see Cinque Terre - is it overrated? Florence - we like art but are certainly not wanting to spend two days in museums. One would be OK. The time spent in the Florence "area" would also include side trips to Siena, Lucca, and a few other hill towns we would like to see. We would love to see Pompeii? Have heard mixed reviews on Venice. Other than that - no clue. We've thought about taking the ferry to Venice from Greece but it's really a waste of time. So, we're just brainstorming right now. Trying to figure out the best city to fly into from Athens and how much time we should spend in Italy as "first-timers." Appreciate ideas :)

What do you hear that is "mixed" about Venice? It is one of the most unique places in the world. The combination of beauty, history and art is why it is at the top of most people's lists for an Italy trip. That an consider that there are no cars or scooters so it is peaceful. You'll appreciate that after Rome and Florence.

I'd certainly trade it for the Cinque Terre, particularly if you'll have spent most of your trip in Greece, already. While lovely, the CT is really a getaway from the major cultural and historical sites of Italy. You'll have already spent many days in picturesque seaside villages in Greece.

Should you skip Venice ? I think it depends on what places you desire to go to. The fact that some people liked Venice does not mean that every person would like Venice. (I did not like Venice). If you will be in ITALY for 9 days, I think your tentative plan that you mentioned here is good. In Italy I think it is good to have a mixture of urban and nature experiences. Rome is a very intense city.
And Florence, while having great Renaissance art and architecture, is not the most pleasant city to be in.
The Cinque Terre is a good place to become refreshed, physically and emotionally. I recommend be at the Cinque Terre for two whole days and three nights.

Doug,
The "mixed" things I've heard about Venice is that it's incredibly expensive, some claiming even more expensive than London if that's possible. Also, that it's dirty, a lot of graffiti, and it smells. Friends have told me it's a really depressing version of Amsterdam.

Shannon - I'm biased. I love Venice. So make sure you get other opinions. But Venice has very little graffiti; it's relatively clean and, as I mentioned before, no cars or scooters!

It doesn't have to be expensive. With advance planning there are a number of budget hotels available. Many people complain about food prices but that's because they ate in restaurants targeting tourists. Food in Venice can actually be a bargain because many bars serve inexpensive sandwiches and snacks (called cichetti) and wine by the glass for 1-3 Euro.

Thanks Doug...now I'm back where I started. Just kidding :)

Kent - too funny. I'm sure Venice is older than Las Vegas...isn't it? :)

Are you taking the ferry from Greece to Italy? If you have not been to Italy before I would then start out with Venice first, then Florence area, and then Rome. Friends acutally stayed in Lucca when they couldn't find a place in Florence in their price range and used Lucca for day trips to train travel to Sienna, Florence, Cinque Terra, etc. They raved so much about Lucca, that I want to go there some day.

Marie,
We've thought about taking the ferry from Greece to Italy - the problem is that it takes 24 hours to get all the way up to Venice and not too sure we want to spend that much time (getting all the way to Athens from Chicago only takes
14 hours!). However, I do like your suggestion about going to Venice first then working our way south for our flight home out of Rome. Thanks :)