Help with July Italy Trip Itinerary please. Need to decide today if I should add more days.

More time is always better if you can swing it! It's a fast pace, more like a tour pace, so I would eliminate Lake Como for only one night if you can't add time there. I would most certainly add time to Venice and Florence, at the very least.
Could you flesh it out a bit--knowing what you hoped to see/do in each places helps me determine how many days work.

That's an incredibly fast-paced trip. There is quite a lot of packing, moving, checking in, checking out...One night in Florence? You'll barely have time to wave at the Duomo as you pass through. I'd certainly add another three nights overall if possible. I agree with the advice to drop Lake Como, and certainly add time in Florence and probably also in Venice. You might also be glad for another night in Rome.

This sounds like a very rushed itinerary.

I assume you are travelling by train since these are well served by rail. Each time you change places it's going to take half a day when all is said and done. You get up and eat breakfast, finish packing, check out, go to the train station. You want to aim at getting there 30 minutes or so before the train leaves so you have time to find the track and to allow for any delays on the way to the station. 2-4 hours on the train, then you need to get to the new hotel and check in or leave your bags. Make time estimates for each of steps in a planner and you'll see that you have an afternoon and the next day in most of these stops.

Maybe this trip is just what you want. But if it was me I'd drop 4 of the destinations (or 3 if I could extend to 19 days) and stay in either northern or southern Italy.

edit I see you filled in daily details. IMHO this is unrealistically aggressive. A tour might be able to do this because they have local guides waiting and reservations so they walk right in the special tour-group door. The tour leader doesn't get lost taking the group from the hotel to sight because they know the city. You're finding your way around unfamiliar cities and will be arriving in the afternoon when lines are the longest. If you do this schedule write back and let us know how it went; I want to be the first to congratulate you if you can pull it off!

Maybe eliminate Lake Como. Save it for when you do a Swiss Alps trip! You would would love doing one and also appreciate more the Lakes District.

Day 2 Pompeii, Vesuvius (maybe), Archaeological Museum

In July it will be HOT at Pompeii. Not sure I would be up for a museum after wander the site in the heat.

Lake Como 1 night

If you go stay 2 nights to make it worth the bother of getting there.

For as packed as your schedule is, I would pick just one ' shore side' stop ( Either Cinque Terre OR Lake Como)
If you choose CT, drop Lake Como and add the night to Venice

Day 14 Last supper, walk around, haven't planned all out yet

Do you have your tickets? Walk up tickets are just 'dumb luck' (because someone cancelled late or did not show up)

Like others, I see no travel time factored in. For instance, do you think you'll just magically appear in Rome after Naples? Go back, look up train schedules, add them along with check out and check in time.

Add the extra days and at least halve the number of stops you plan. In trying to see everything, you'll end up seeing nothing.

On our travels, our fondest memories are the "in between" times. Yes we see some of the big sites, but just absorbing the vibe of the place we visit in an unhurried manner is the bigger treasure. We also schedule in at least one "down day" a week that is a free day to explore things we didn't know about when we left home.

Finally, how is your husband going to golf? Is he taking his own clubs? Is he going to schlepp golf clubs around for 16 days just to play one round of golf? I never considered Italy as a golfing mecca.

As others has stated - drop Lake Como. Is golfing in Europe a "must"? Otherwise drop Siena to 1 night. One day in Florence is not enough - make it 2 minimum, even 3 is better. Florence to Cinque Terre to Venice and back to Milan is a great deal of back tracking - meaning days wasted.

Distances in Italy from one end to the other are longer than you realize. Check travel time plus to/from stations/hotels and rethink the number of places you can see without it being a whirlwind.
Ciao.

You must be very young and fit- this itinerary is very aggressive. I agree with the previous posts. Venice and Florence in particular are crying out for additional days. And I'm not sure that a single night in Lake Como would be worth all those hours on a train just to get there.

I think there is some confusion about days and nights. It is usually best to consider that the number of nights minus one is the number of days you have available. The proportion of time you are planning to spend getting to different places is too great compared to that spent being in those places, even with 19 days.
I agree with those who say scratch Lake Como, and add time to Florence.

Day 2 is wa-ay too packed. Pompeii takes a good half day, and the museum back in Naples is not small. No time for Vesuvius. Seeing it from a distance is sufficient, imo.

No my husband is not going to carry his clubs, he will rent them from the course. Yes this is a must.
Yes I have looked up travel times and train tickets.
From my research tickets for the last supper are not out yet for when I will be there. Please correct me if I am wrong but that is what I found on the website.
It's 16 days/16 nights, I have one extra to fill in regardless of if I add on 3 more or not.

8 locations in just 15 nights is very very fast paced. (You posted 16 days/16 nights but I only count 15 nights)
A 1 night stay is barely half a day to sightsee.

I'd definitely add as many nights as you can and even then I'd drop 2-3 locations.
Give extra time to Venice, Florence for sure.
Drop Lake Como and CT, do Pisa as a day tip from Florence- as long as you give Flornce at least 2 more nights.

Several of the sights you want to visit do require pre-booked timed entry tickets.

Definitely add the extra three days. I would give an extra day to Venice, Lake Como & Milan. I travel solo and also with my husband, and we enjoy slowing the pace down some towards the end of the trip. Here’s some ideas for your additional time, but I highly advise selecting your biggest priorities together at each location because between crowds, transportation, the weather or the spontaneity when you’re there, plans will change.

Venice - Murano or Burano Islands, wandering (with no map) to explore the hidden lanes of Venice & stop for a beverage to enjoy the ambiance.

Lake Como - gardens, time to relax & see the ambiance

Milan - check a guidebook’s Top 10. There’s many options.

where are you flying in and out of? That would help to know how to best schedule.
In any case, IMO, one nighters are never good anywhere, therefore:

Florence needs 2 extra nights (3 nights total). Siena is great for 2 nights, but given your frantic schedule, you might consider adding nights to Florence and visit from Florence. Moving hotels is time consuming.

Lake Como would need an extra night too (or cut it all together as others have suggested).
Venice and Rome also could use an additional night each (3 and 4 respectively), if you can.

Are two nights necessary in Milan? If all you want to see is the last supper and walk around (Duomo? Castello Sforzesco? Galleria?) you can get there in the morning and do everything in a day. If you want to visit in depth, then yes, you need more than a night.

Last Supper Tickets
Reservations will open on Saturday of each week and it will be possible to buy tickets only for the following week

This is a new/different procedure than in the past

Suggest whoever is the night owl in your group be ready to buy at 12:00.01 Saturday morning

https://cenacolovinciano.org/en/visit/#Prenotare

Have you thought about the time lost relocating? It almost always takes longer to change locations than anticipated even when everything goes well (and often times it doesn't). It's not just the actual travel time, its the packing up, checking out, getting to the train station, finding the track and waiting for the train. Then, upon arrival, you have to clear the terminal, get a taxi, get to your hotel, check in (if your room is ready), and unpack to some degree.

You want good memories of unique sights, good food, good wine, and people you'll meet. I'm afraid with your plans you'll only have blurred memories of taxi rides, train stations, and riding the rails. It might be wise to consider scaling way back on the itinerary.

If you add nights, add a night (or two) to Venice. Two nights only gives you one full day and part of the arrival day. And rather than crusing the canal in Venice, consider using a full day to go to Murano and Burano. Very well worth it.

You can’t possibly do everything you plan. You have to count nights, not days. If you stay 2 nights somewhere you have only one full day. Naples for 2 nights = 1 day. Rome 3 nights = 2 days. Siena for 2 nights = 1 day. Get it? You haven’t factored in the time it takes to relocate, which can take a half day or more. You have to check out of your place, get to the train station, take the train, get to your next lodging... you definitely need to get realistic and scale back.

Hi again, jas!
Yep, I'll vote with the others that this is a really aggressive schedule with LOTS of moving around. Yep, every change of location eats more time than you think it will! You are also traveling with pre-teens (11 and 12 years old) who might not move at the speed you wish them to in the mornings? 😉

As I recall, you are flying into Rome and going directly to Naples on Day 1? So you only have 1 full day (Day 2) correct? That day is overly aggressive, and I'll stand by my previous vote to skip Vesuvius, and especially so if going on to Rome that evening.

Unless coming into Rome the night of Day 2, you only have 2.5 days for this one? I usually recommend 3.5 days/4 nights as the minimum to scratch the surface. That one takes some time to acclimate to/get your bearings. Unless you skip Siena, it looks like you can't add to that one if you MUST be in Florence on Day 8 but if you have 3 FULL days, it's workable.

Siena: What are your pre-teens going to do on Day 7? I've a feeling they won't be especially jazzed about a wine tour but you know your kids best!

Florence: you really MUST add time to this one if you can't skip it altogether. It will be busy and hot so worth slowing down to better enjoy. In a former post you mentioned that you, "...enjoy art but not hours of it"? The Uffizi is exactly that: hours of art. There's a LOT of great art in Firenze one can see in smaller bits/less time. I'm a personal fan of San Marco + some of the churches. A great half day is the climb up to San Miniato, see the church, explore the cemetery (the author of Pinocchio is buried in that one), take in the view from there and Piazzale Michelangelo below, and grab a seat at one of the cafes near the piazzale to rest the feet and enjoy a cool beverage, adult or otherwise. Anyway, you won't have time for the Accademia, Uffizi + duomo + walkabout with only a partial day. Additionally, will your in-laws be coming off an international flight that day?

Your young people might find Ospedale degli Innocenti interesting. Audioguide tours available in English:
https://www.museodeglinnocenti.it/en/visita-il-museo/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/this-15th-century-orphanage-in-florence-is-now-a-kid-friendly-museum/2016/09/29/e063e3e2-8028-11e6-8327-f141a7beb626_story.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187895-d21330359-r576295825-Museo_degli_Innocenti-Florence_Tuscany.html

Pisa/CT: you know you'll have to stow your luggage somewhere before heading off to Piazza dei Miracoli, right? Hard to say what this year will look like but expect the CT to be positively heaving with tourists.

Lake Como: by the time you got there, you'd have little time for a partial day exploring the lake, I'd drop this one or add to it.

Short story long, I'd add at least a day to any location you've only allowed one night for, and another to one you've only allowed 2 nights for just to take a breath: more time for those young people explore the joys of gelato! One more note: as as many attractions, such as churches and museums, are not open every day, have you worked your schedule around those closing days?

I'd eliminate Cinque Terra, and if possible, add days in Lake Como, and slow down at that point . And- plan for the 19 days overall. The summer heat will be exhausting. Make sure your hotels have air conditioning.
Are you flying into Rome and out of Milan?
Safe travels!

Definitely add more time in Rome and Florence. I'd take Lake Como out too and add it to either Rome or Florence or the Cinque Terre.

I am with the others -- This is very aggressive at a time when heat will take a toll. This is aggressive for even 19 days. Even when we travel on our aggressive schedule we would allow one full blank day as off day four or five days. We used to maybe catch up on this that we missed earlier, do some laundry. relax a bit, and fine tune the next few days. Our experience is that you lost a min of a half day plus travel time when changing locations. There is no way to avoiding packing, checking in and out of hotels, finding train station and train, finding new hotel, orientation to new location, and etc., etc. If I was removing stops, I would drop Lake Como, Pisa, C Terra. Pisa and CT are really not the same area and where do you expect to find a beach in Pisa? I think you need to put some pins in a map and shorten up your trip. And you need to allow for travel time between locations. What are you planned arrival and departure points?

Did you make your Scotland trip? Have you traveled in Europe before?

Italian railroad stations are interesting.
But not so interesting that I would choose to visit eight of them in a short visit.

Thank you for some thoughts. I added on the days which actually gave me a credit back in miles so win win.
We are flying into Rome and out of Milan.
Kathy! Thank you for the kind suggestions, I appreciate them.
Frank I know Pisa is not near a beach. This was to say when we arrive in CT we were just going to do nothing but go to a beach that day.
Yes we are young and fit enough. Our children have been traveling since infants multiple trips a year.
DougMac Yes we did our England/Scotland trip and Iceland/France/Spain two years before that and Germany/Switzerland before that. So yes we have traveled in Europe. We are used to the fast pace and relaxing evenings.
I can understand the travel time and I do take that into account. We do mostly airbnb so no checking out and always book with a/c.

I will revise my schedule taking some of this into account and post back if I have more questions.

Sounds fantastic, but Naples is not the best of areas. Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast is a nicer spot. Plus there is ferry service to take you to Positano, the best small town in Italy. The ferry also goes to Capri which is one of my favorite stops. Boating through the famous arch, and taking the chairlift ride to Monte Solaro are unforgettable. There are many sites in Rome in which you can see both day and night. I have booked tours with Walks that have early entry and skip the lines. I don't want to waist time standing in lines. The Vatican Museum is also open on Friday nights for admission, much less crowded. There are certain nights that you can go to Colosseum at night. Again much less crowded, and with Walks you get to go onto the gladiator floor and down to the dungeon level. I loved that night tour. There is also another day tour that allows you to go up to the 4th and 5th level of the Colosseum, awesome views. General admission does not allow you to go to those levels. A hidden gem, pay to take the elevator to the rooftop of the Victor Emmanuel II building. Amazing views over the Forum and the Colosseum. The Uffizi in Florence is really fantastic along with the Duomo. A hidden gem in Florence is Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset overlooking the Arno River and Florence. I loved Cinque Terre. You can take the ferry from Porto Venere, it makes stops in 4 of the 5 towns of Cinque Terre. Views from the ferry are outstanding. Monterosso al Mare has a wonderful beach, with an old town and a new town connected via a tunnel. You can also walk up and over which gives you fantastic views. Venice is very crowded by day and hard to navigate on foot. You can get a daily use water taxi ticket. St. Marks Cathedral is really amazing, though no photos are allowed. There is a nice gondola area right near the famous Harry's Bar in Venice. There are also the fast motor boats that will take you all along the Grand Canal. A hidden gem is the rooftop terrace at the T Fondaco dei Tedeschi shopping building. It is free, but you need to book a time slot to take the elevator up. Views are fantastic, especially at sunset. I also loved Borano with it's colored houses, plus it was less crowded. In Milan you can purchase a combo ticket, allows entrance into the Duomo, the Duomo Museum and the Duomo rooftop. Maio Restaurant has an outdoor terrace with views of the Milan Cathedral. Have a great trip.

catchulater2633, just a note that the OP is going to Naples instead of Sorrento due to lack of time. They only have 2 nights to work with, and will do Pompeii + the archeological museum (and maybe Vesuvius) with their only full day: no time for Capri or other points further south. Naples will be the quickest, easiest to get to from their arrival airport in Rome.

They likely can't buy more time for that region as, "My inlaws are joining us up until this point so the schedule has to stay in this order." That's the schedule for the Naples, Rome, Siena and Florence part of the trip, and they're already shorting some of those + some other destinations, thus the chat above about where to add the 3 extra nights they've happily come up with.

Jas, apologies for my confusion about what part of the trip your in-laws will be tagging along. i somehow got it in my head that they were joining you in Florence for the back end of the trip versus leaving you at the Florence point. DOH!