Italy 17 days

Why 3 days in Bologna? I would do one night there and add 2 more days to Venice. What time of year is your trip?

I will be traveling last week in Sept. to 2 nd week in Oct.

Each time I go to Italy I visit a favorite and try somewhere new. This last trip I tried Bologna as many posters really recommend it. I don't know if this is your first visit to Italy but Bologna was just okay for us. We enjoyed Ferrara more where we had far superior food and found to be more charming. Sadly I have read that the city suffered some damages from the recent earthquake. Although Venice is touristy it is still magically and I agree with the previous poster that it deserves more time. I believe that RS recommends Verona and Vicenza between Florence and Venice but I don't have his book in front of me. I am also a great fan of Orvieto which is a lovely hill town but flat and accessible I think. You might research it as well.

That's a lot of moving around for a "slow" trip. You will both be exhausted by all the changing of locations. You also spend more time in travleing than touring a city. Most first time travelers underestimate the time it takes to orient yourself in a new place. You don't just hop off a train and start touring/sightseeing. Excellent duration for Rome, but I'd add more to Venice as mentioned above. Drop Siena and daytrip there from Florence. Try something like this. (I put it in terms of number of nights you will sleep in a place since that defines your full tour days. 5 nights in a place = 4 full tour days. The other days are at least 1/2 given over to travel.) Rome 5 nights Assisi 2 nights Florence 4 nights wiht daytrips to Siena, Pisa, or other hilltowns Bologna 2 nights Venice 4 nights
That's 17 nights. If I have misunderstood your duration and you only have 16 nights, drop either Bologna or Assisi and add a night somewhere else. Don't short-change Venice. You have to get up very early for your flight home so only spending 2 or 3 nights there will be overshadowed by that early departure. 4 nights is perfect in Venice. Sorry to be so assertive on this, but you want to have the trip of a lifetime, not a moving nightmare of packing and hauling luggage.Slow down and enjoy the environs!

If your mom has limited mobility I will say that towns like Siena and Assisi are rather difficult to ambulate around due to the steep streets. Streets get so steep that the sidewalks turn into stairs. I am a bit on the plump side but rather active and fit regardless; I found Assisi to be a workout everytime we left our hotel room to site see and eat. Something to think about. Your trip was simular to mine: Milan (1 night), Florence (3), Siena (2), Assisi (2), Rome (4), Venice (3). I also managed to day trip to Chianti country/San Gimignano and Orvieto. I found my alloted nights was perfect for each town/city. My favorite was Venice. Next time I go, I would love to spend a week there. So you may want to consider more time there.

I agree with Laurel - your slow trip isn't so slow, especially when including someone who has somewhat limited mobility. And I also agree with her that it's easier to plan if you think in terms of nights, rather than days. So cut out at least one of your destinations. I would devote more time to Venice, as well, but give thought to all of the bridge in Venice. How will your mom do with climbing up, then down, all of the bridges? Bologna is, IMHO, a delightful, smaller, less-touristy city. It's also flat. As already pointed out, Siena and Assisi are not flat. But you may want to stay in one of those places, rather than day-tripping, as it will be somewhat easier to see the city when staying there, as opposed to taking public transportation back and forth from, for example, Florence. How will you be travelling from place to place? Train? Can your mother pull her own rolling bag? If so, that should work out reasonably ok; if you each take a 21-inch bag (that's what I take), then you can easily lift both bags in and out of trains, and onto the luggage racks.

Thanks for your insight it makes sense to think about it in nights rather than days... Just one more question as far as luggage I was thinking I have two options carrying a medium sized backpack for myself then rolling a carry-on sized bag for my mom... Option B. is to just carry a large backpack with both are stuff in it? Any thoughts?

Luggage - any place where you can economize, do it. For instance, bring only one hair dryer, one 'gizmo' for emails/internet access (if possible!), one small baggie of band-aids, etc. I would also suggest carrying as much as possible in your backpack (carry-on sized), and keeping your hands as free as possible. You may need them to assist your mother - lend her an arm or hand, etc. If YOU'RE carrying it, you don't want two hair dryers, etc. LOL! Are any of these locations 'must sees'? Of course, if they're listed, you have a reason for wanting to go there, but some places are must-do places. While I would really like to go to any of these places for several days each, I also would eliminate Bologna...or at least reduce the number of days there. Also, moving around will be the worst part for your mother. Been there, done that. Up and down the train stairs, the stairs in the metro and train stations, having to hurry to make connections, figuring out the bus/taxi situation in each new city, plus the general stress and anxiety that comes from each transfer - this adds up. This, also, is part of thinking of your trip in nights, and not days. You use most of the day just moving from one city to another, when instead you could eat breakfast then wander straight out into the city and immediately start seeing things. That is much more relaxing and much less stressful. I have assumed the two of you will be packing the bare minimum - clothing, toiletries, do-dads, etc. Is your mother on board with that? Seriously?!?

I would remove Bologna from the itinerary. It's okay but more for your third trip to Italy. Assisi and Sienna will pose mobility challenges since they're on hills (but I really loved both). Google Maps Streetview will let you see and judge for yourself if your mom can hack it. :-) Lucca is a nice flat alternative as is Verona. I would add more time to Venice, but be aware that even though it's flat, there are lots of steps and little bridges to cross. And you don't have an affordable taxi option there like you do in Rome and Verona. (Also, buy the RS Italy book if you don't have it already.) Happy travels.

If you really want to visit Assisi, I wouldn't let mobility concerns stop you, although you might want to give yourself another night there, maybe instead of earthquake-damaged Bologna. That would allow more resting time. Get a centrally located hotel with an elevator. There's a shuttle bus that runs the length of Assisi, so you could use that for getting around. The hills are quite steep, but with planning I think you could enjoy the town without walking them. And taxis are plentiful.

Assisi and Siena can both be daunting for the less mobile, but could still be doable with good advance planning. Will you be renting a car or travelling by train/bus? I found Bologna to be particularly delightful and there was no earthquake damage in Bologna so that shouldn't be a factor. There are tour companies that operate day trips to various sites of interest- perhaps you could use one of those companies for a day trip to Assisi out of either Florence or Rome- likewise you could do a tour to Siena out of Florence as well. I would consider Rome 6 days with a guided daytrip to Assisi from Rome 5 days in Florence with a guided daytrip to Siena and a daytrip to Pisa. 2 days in Bologna
4 days in Venice Venice isn't the best for limited mobility, but with the extra two days you can take things at a slower pace.

I agree with the others who recommend skipping or reducing time in Bologna and adding days to Venice.

I'll just pile on, and say I agree with all the other posters. You have too many destinations and too much moving around, particularly for someone with limited mobility. Day trips from a base will be easier than changing bases all the time, as on a day trip you don't carry luggage. And don't forget that getting through train stations with limited mobility will take extra time (don't plan any tight connections). Can your mother climb the steep steps required to get onto some trains? Do give some consideration, in each destination, to how you will move around, and what you will do if your mom tires out. As said, in Venice, you can't just hail a cab. Actually, even in Italian cities that do have land cabs, you don't hail them. You either go to the taxi rank, or you call one (and there is a surcharge for this). Cabs in Italy are expensive, so be sure to budget for this if you're going to need lots of them. In some cities, you can use buses; in others (Florence comes to mind), you will have to walk, but most of the walking is flat; and in others, you will have to walk up and down hills or bridges. continued..

continued.. I didn't like Bologna at all, but I know I'm in the minority. But for a first trip, it's not a usual destination. If you have a specific reason for going there, you can, but then you should eliminate something else. I'd start by listing your personal "must sees," then building from there. Since this is your first trip to Europe, be sure to get Rick Steves Europe Through The Back Door, to learn all kinds of "nuts and bolts" of travel. You also want to get Rick Steves Italy, for specifics on transit, hotels, sights to see, etc. That said, you don't need to follow his advice blindly. And, while I love Rick's advice for most destinations, I think his country itineraries are overly fast and busy (1 day here, 2 days there, for 3 solid weeks - ridiculous!).

We spent 15 days in Italy in mid-May Rome 3 nights Siena 2 nights Riomaggiore 3 nights Florence 2 nights
Venice 4 nights Siena was 1 1/2 days and went on a wine tour to Montalcino the afternoon of the second day. I don't think you need a day trip to Pisa. We followed Rick's directions, traveling from Riomaggiore to Florence we stopped in Pisa and stored our luggage at the train station and took the bus to the Field of Miracles, Leaning Tower. Then back to train station and on to Florence. Definitely more time in Venice! Worth buying the lightest, smallest suitcase you can find.

Thanks for the input... here is my updated itinerary: Rome (6 nights) w/day trip to Oriveto Assisi (2nights) Florence (5 nights) w/day trips to: Sienna Pisa (?) Milan Venice (4 nights) I'm thinking more daytrips so that I'm not moving around w/the luggage as much??? any thoughts Thanks
I'm also reposting to get more thoughts thanks!

Rome (6 nights) w/day trip to Oriveto Assisi (2nights) Florence (5 nights) w/day trips to: Sienna Pisa (?) Milan
Venice (4 nights) Much better plan, Cynthia. You can pencil in those daytrips and choose to not go/do something else if the spirit moves you. Always be ready to take advantage of some site or activity you didn't know about. But with a good basic itinerary and hotels locked in, you can options as you go. I wouldn't bother with Pisa, personally. Better to take a bus to a hilltown like Volterra or Cortona for a day. It'a whole different view of Italy. If you plan to go to Milan, do make sure you get reservations for the Last Supper. It is amazing to see it in situ! Where are you staying in Rome?

Laural, Not sure where I'm staying in Rome, or anywhere... that's the next goal... any suggestions?