Help with Shortened Itinerary

Kathleen,

Even with a shortened Itinerary, I'd try to keep Florence if at all possible (although I know that won't provide much of a look). My reason for suggesting that is the fact that neither of you has been to Italy before, so this will provide a brief look and information to base future trips on. In the same situation, I'd probably spend 2 nights in Venice, 2 nights in Florence and 3 nights in Rome.

There are a lot of "minor details" to consider such as train tickets, the different stations you'll be using, and of course the usual "potentially expensive caveats" when using public transit in Italy, but those details can be worked out once you've settled on an Itinerary.

I guess the personal question to ask is: how is your mother with lots of walking? Venice, for me, is the most beautiful place in the world. The vaporetto makes it much easier to get around, plus it is relaxing and is great for sightseeing. Two nights in Venice would never be enough for me. Quite honestly, Florence is beautiful and has amazing art but for some reason it's always the first city I cross off my list if I run into scheduling problems. The best thing about Rome: if you get tired of one century all you have to do is turn the corner and you're in a completely different century and/or civilization. You could say you get more travel experiences in Rome for you dollar. Here's an idea for you: Trains from Venice to Rome stop in Florence (2 hours to Florence, 1 1/2 hours to Rome). Schedule it right and you could spend the day in Florence, see the Duomo, the David, have lunch, walk around and be in Rome for a late dinner. The Freccia trains are very comfortable (www.trenitalia.com) and luggage storage in Florence is easy to deal with. Might work for you! Whatever you decide, enjoy the trip!

As a city I find Florence no match with Venice or Rome. But it has some architectural wonders you would not forgive yourself not to have seen while your train from Venice to Rome is going through. Even with a not too early train from Venice you can be in Florence around noon. Leaving for Rome the next day mid-afternoon will give you good time to enjoy some of the best Florence has on offer without losing very much time for Venice or Rome. The city centre is compact and everything - except the San Miniato - is within walking distance.
You know the website of the Italian railways http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en for your railway tickets (paying by credit card; printing at home)? Advance booking for the fast »Frecce« trains will get you considerable discount.

Thank you all for the replies so far. I would like to keep Venice to 3 nights if possible. I like the idea of at least a day or an overnight in Florence, if for no other reason than to get a better idea how much time we might want to spend there on a future trip.

My mom is active for someone her age and does not currently have any mobility issues. She does tire more quickly than someone my age however, and I know after the return flight she will take a little longer to recover from jet lag. We were in Paris this past spring so I'm thinking the amount of walking (more cobblestones probably?) and jet lag for her will be similar.

Hi Kathleen.

I like what Robert had to say. I love Firenze now, but I omitted it from our first two trips simply from scheduling woes and places we had a greater desire to see. You mention architecture and history but not art, so I think for a first trip it's OK to pass her by. It is not a sacrilege to skip it!

I would encourage you to go with option 1 because your time is limited. Enjoy Venezia and Roma and plan you next trip on the way home. You will see that 4 nights is barely a good start in Roma anyway.

Shame on your company for cutting vacation days! ;-)

I like your idea of preliminary exploration. I've done the same with Florence and Rome. First time the highlights, second time the personal choices. Last month I took the opportunity for a daytrip to Florence for just one museum which was closed when we were first there. Two years ago I had ten days in Rome, almost exclusively dedicated to the baroque, after a much shorter stay some ten years ago for the usual suspects.

I love all three cities, I would spend two nights in Venezia, two nights in Firenze, three nights in Roma. In addition to art in museums, Firenze has some important examples of Renaissance architecture.

When you are in Roma, try to pop into the courtyard of Sant'Ivo, it's a small church (not ope often) with a spiral dome, between Piazza Navona and the Pantheon.

Central Florence is so compact, and the Santa Maria Novella station is so close in, that if you have a three-hour layover between trains you could check your bags at the station and walk around enough to see many of the major sights and get acquainted with the city.

Keep in mind (re Jeff's advice) that there may be a line to retrieve your luggage.

In your second post you mentioned a future trip to Florence. If there is a good probability of that happening, I would suggest you stay with your original first option. Four nights in a city really means only three full days after considering the "lost" time on the day of arrival. Venice and Rome each deserve at least three full days. Florence is a great city that also deserves more than just a quick look see so save it for later. Just food for thought.

TC- I will likely do another trip to Italy but I'm not sure about my mom. I presented all of the itinerary suggestions I received here to her and she wanted to do the overnight in Florence so I'm planning 3 nights in Venice, 1 in Florence and 4 in Rome.

Is it good to book our train tickets as soon as they become available. The Venice - Florence tickets were available today for Feb 25 but Florence to Rome on the 26th were not available yet on Trenitalia.

"Is it good to book our train tickets as soon as they become available"

If you are sure of your travel dates and times, and want the cheapest fares, yes. Just remember that the cheapest tickets are totally non-refundable and non-exchangeable - for any reason. If you don't take the exact train you booked, the ticket becomes scrap paper.

Given that you're on a tight itinerary, you shouldn't have difficulty figuring out which trains you want, so advance booking to save money makes sense.

Agree with Harold completely about buying tickets as soon as possible. One full day in Florence will give you enough time to see the biggies, and staying overnight will allow you to enjoy some great Florentine food. Yum!!!

I went ahead and booked our train tickets today. We will take an early train to Florence on the 25th, and then a late morning train to Rome on the 26th. I will also book the Uffizi and Accademia in advance for the afternoon of the 25th, leaving the evening for a nice dinner. I went with a late morning train to Rome (we arrive about 1:00) as I'm hoping we can visit the Vatican Museums yet Friday afternoon.