Italy 7-10 trip itinerary advice!

Seven to ten days is a very short trip. How many nights will you be able to spend in Europe, not counting the night on the plane on the way over?

I would definitely not try to include Austria. You will really have time for only a very, very few places in Italy. Be aware that every time you relocate, you will lose a considerable chunk of a day (usually at least half a day, often longer), so if you try to go to too many places on a trip of this length, you'll end up seeing less because you spend so much time on trains/buses and going back and forth between hotels and train/bus stations. That can make a trip feel very rushed.

Italy has many wonderful destinations, so I'd recommend doing some reading in guidebooks to see what areas you would most hate to miss. Timing could be a factor. Unless you're skiers, the mountains are probably not best in early spring or late fall. I prefer them in the summer, but then I dislike cold, wet and dark weather. Much of Italy is really hot in the summer, which can make just wandering around outdoors not as pleasant as it would be when the weather's more moderate.

Whether I'd recommend your staying in 2 or 3 cities would depend on at least these factors:

• How many nights you'll have in Europe.

• Interest in walking around historic areas and just being there. Some people do this for hours each day. Others just want to see the big-name sights.

• Interest in indoor visits to time-consuming sites and museums. Church visits can be rather quick. The Borghese Gallery is two hours plus extra time before your appointment, and the Vatican Museums are much larger. One could potentially spend a lot of time in pure sightseeing in Rome, but some people mainly go there to wander.

• Interest in outdoor activities like hiking or swimming. (In a trip of this length I wouldn't budget one minute for the beach, but I'm sure some others would.) Not only do those activities take time, but they may involve considerable transportation time to reach the areas where you would do them. However, some folks have mentioned walking along the Appian Way in Rome, and I do nearly all my walking in cities.

Congrats on the wedding! I agree that 7-10 days is short, and even more so if you intend to fly in on day 1 and out on day 10. Def. just stay in Italy. With 10 days you could visit 3 locations, esp. if they are cities (I recommend 4 days in a city like Rome, but you could have a rushed visit in 3 full days (meaning arrive at night on day 0, stay 3 full days, depart early morning omg the 4th day). You could do a traditional visit of, for example, Rome, Amalfi coast, and either another city like Florence or Venice, or a 3 day drive through Tuscany... You will get more time if you fly in one place, say Rome, and out of another, say Venice.

Compared to everyone else on the forum I am a very inexperienced traveler. Last year my SIL and I spent 23 nights in Italy. Even that didn’t give us time to see all that we wanted to visit.

RS guidebooks are on sale through 12/30. A good starting point will be this one https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/italy-guidebook

I would fly into Venice; no time for Austria just stick to 3 nights Venice take public transportation or rent a car to Bolzano to stay 3 nights near the Dolomite mountains; then from Bolzano go to Lake Como 3 nights; fly back home from Milan.

You are going to get a bunch of wonderful advice here. Your first one, from scraven, is (as always) excellent. Guide books will help you make a list of places, experiences and historical periods (remember that Italy has thousands of years of history) you might want to see. I might also suggest watching videos from Rick Steves. There are also a whole bunch, of varying quality, on YouTube.

Make the planning part of the fun. The 3 main tourist locations are Rome, Florence and Venice. But your trip is way too short to do all 3. Well, sort of. Train service, especially the Freccia fast trains, is great and affordable. How does this sound (to help you start planning)? Fly into Venice and enjoy at least 3 or 4 nights in what I think is the most romantic city in Italy. Take a morning train to Florence and spend a good part of the day seeing a few of the main sites. Then train to Rome for the rest of your time. I'm in Rome about 2 weeks every year for nearly 16 years and still have a list of 'must do' items. Day trips to Ostia Antica, Orvieto and even Naples or Pompeii are possible. The great thing about Rome is that if you get tired of one century all you have to do is turn the corner and you're in a different century! Flying out of Rome back home is easy. You don't say where you are flying from but may I suggest you look at a mid-day flight? That gives you a little bit of time in the morning for one last walk around. On the plane you two can start planning your next trip to Italy!

Acraven was spot on with her advice. The most common mistake I see on this forum from new travellers is having unrealistic ambitions and trying to visit too many places in too little time.

Realistically, if coming from North America, a 7 day vacation only gives you 5 nights in Europe, since the first and last days are consumed by long flights. That's enough time for a first visit to Rome , but not much else.

Similarly, a 10 day vacation gives you 8 nights in Europe. That would be enough for stays in 2 cities ( or perhaps 3 if they are close together). So you might look at Rome and Florence, with a couple of days trips from Florence. Or Rome and Naples or Sorrento with day trips to Pompeii and the Amalfi towns. Or Rome and Venice with day trips into the Veneto.

10 nights in Europe gives you time for the classic first time Italy visit: Venice, Florence and Rome. But everything depends on the time of year and what things you are most interested in doing and seeing. A good guidebook and watching Ricks videos on Italy are a good start in refining your trip.

I spent 7 days on my first trip. Did Venice, Florence, Rome. That’s enough to hit the highlights, but the second trio, we spent 12 days. Subtract the 2 nights in Assisi and the 10 days for the big three was o.k.

We stayed in convents which I heartily recommend ( BUT NOT ON A HONEYMOON !! 😂 )

Thanks so much you guys!
Yes, Italy will be the only one country we hit. I definitely want to hit our main ideas (Dolomites, Florence, Venice, Rome, Cinque Terre) but I know time is limited so we will do what we can, and when I started planning this trip, I actually had all three countries, Italy/Austria/Germany, as a starting point so I’ve gotten better and more realistic 😂 but if I can get the time off, I will definitely try for 2 flat weeks, because you can never have enough time for adventure.
Given Italy, what will be the best airport to fly into? As far as places to stay, hostels or hotels?
And those referring to videos and research I’ve been diving into it headfirst trust me lol.

Given Italy, what will be the best airport to fly into?

One close to where you are staying, Milan-Malpensa is the major airport in the north with direct flights to New York and seasonal flights to Atlanta. But if you would need to connect somewhere you should also look at airports closer to where you are going. And open jaw tickets can be a good idea.

If time off work is the problem, you can get a 9-day trip by including the weekend on either side of the work week you take off. However, that will give you only 7 days on the ground in Italy. Here's why:

You fly out on Day 1, a Saturday. Because of the time change, you will arrive in Italy on Day 2, Sunday. Much of this day will be lost to travel from the airport as well as jet lag and travel fatigue.

You then have Monday through day 8, the next Saturday, to see Italy. You need to spend that night in the city younwill be flying home from.

Day 9, Sunday, will be spent flying and then making your way home. But this time, the time change works in your favor, so you arrive back home the same day you left Italy.

So realistically you only have six days for exploring, since much of your first day in Italy will be lost, as explained above.

You can gain an extra day in Italy by taking an evening flight from the US on Friday, after work. Most of the flights TO Europe from the US are late afternoon or evening flights, so this is what we did when we were still working. ( And our visits were two weeks off work plus the weekends, so a total of 17 days).

I would really urge you to get more time off work if you can, so you have more time to spend than the 6 days a 9- day trip would give you.

I definitely want to hit our main ideas (Dolomites, Florence, Venice, Rome, Cinque Terre)

Congratulations on your wedding; Italy is a wonderful place for a honeymoon. But please pay attention to the folks here who are suggesting you cut back on the number of places you want to visit. Believe me, we've all learned from experience!

If I had only 10 days or so, I'd pick two of your list. Figure that your arrival and departure day will be filled with, well, arriving and departing. Then traveling between any two points, let's say Florence and Rome, will take a day. You have to considered checking out of your hotel, getting to the train station, the train trip itself, getting to your new hotel, checking in and getting settled in... and then finding dinner. It will take longer than you think.

So sit down with that guidebook, watch some videos, then get a calendar and set a practice itinerary: What do you want to see in each stop? How important is each destination? And then be sure to add in about 25 - 30% more time for wandering around, marveling at the sights, enjoying coffee in an amazing square, enjoying a romantic evening with your spouse...

As Rick says (and as usual, he's right:) "Assume you will return." In other words, don't try to do it all. Very few people take only one trip to Italy.

https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/italy

That will show you what the Tours cover in 7 to 17 days in Italy. For each individual tour check the "Itinerary". This should be helpful in seeing what can be done in a given time frame

Realize that the tour can cover more because it has a dedicated bus taking you from point to point. No getting to-from train stations, working around train schedules and no bother with having to park a car.

Good luck!

Given Italy, what will be the best airport to fly into?

Some of the logistics will also depend on where home is. Some cities are better places for one airline or an other.

Are you coming from the USA? Canada? Which state or province (you can pop that into your profile too, to avoid repeating yourself when you pose additional questions(you will, and you'll get answers) ) , maybe which major city are you near? Or are you Australian (but Aussies never have such a short European trip)?

I’ll be flying out of the US. I currently live in Tennessee. I can fly out of anywhere around, but Atlanta being the largest hub.

I’m thinking Rome, Venice and The Dolomites if I had to cut a few. I think I could do that in 2 weeks?

Congratulations!

We spent 14 days in Italy in 2015, and here was our itinerary:

Florence: 4 nights (day trip to Sienna/Montepulciano/Montalcino
Lucca: 2 nights (side trip to Pisa on way from Florence, day trip to Cinque Terre
Venice: 2 nights
Rome: 4 nights

The days were full, but still leisure time. We wanted to make it to Pompeii and south, but just not enough time.

Since it will be your honeymoon, I would suggest being leisurely, rather than rushed. You might consider more time in a romantic place like CT or Amalfi Coast.

Arrival points: For many of us coming into Europe - Italy is the second stop on arrival (Frankfort or Munich being the first from many east coast cities). From Frankfort it is easy enough to get elsewhere. So check out what flight combinations are available from your home.

Fatigue: Remember that the run up to any wedding will be an exhausting time... If you can delay departure for Europe until after you have had two nights sleep post-wedding you will enjoy it much more.

Locations: Follow the previous advice and pick 2 locations. Into Venice or Milan and out of the other... Or pick warmer Rome for arrival and departure and take a side trip of several days north to Florence, or south to Amalfi/Pompeii/Naples...

Late Fall or early Spring are the shoulder seasons in or near mountains like the Alps or Dolomites and many accommodations are just opening or just closing down.. Weather is, to be polite "diverse," and changeable. Check guidebooks, local weather sites (Weatherbug app actually covers most European cities), etc.

Have a great time.

I’m thinking Rome, Venice and The Dolomites if I had to cut a few. I think I could do that in 2 weeks?

I think you could too.

Thanks for the extra info. Happy honeymoon RAH.

I'm glad that Venice gets a look in. Be sure to stay in Venice on the islands, not on the mainland. The difference is immense. Also, note that Venice is a bunch of islands in a lagoon, and in winter you will want - no, you will need - that winter coat, hat and gloves. It gets COLD there. Some of the churches there have been described by wiser and more poetic heads than mine as walk in freezers in the winter. My favourite city (although Rome comes in a pretty neat second). Coming from Tennessee will that be OK for you and your new spouse?

possibly late 21-2022 spring

Do be careful of the ice and snow (and closed facilities replaced by skiing and then closed for the off season again) in the Dolomites at the times you spoke about. Is it either late 2021 or 2022 spring, or is at any time in there including mid winter?

Hi jrdean243! Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! How lucky you are to be traveling to Europe to start your life together! We made our first trip to Europe as we were looking closely at our retirement years and thought that this would be our dream trip, the ultimate and a once in a lifetime trip. But Like Rick says "assume that you will return". While we thought that it would be our "one and done", we started planning our next European trip on our flight home! That being said, I agree with other posters that 10 days is pushing it for a trip to Italy alone let alone adding countries. The shortest time we have taken for a trip like this has been 15 days. We have returned to add to our European experiences four more times. My advice is much like Robert's. Take your time planning this exciting event is phase one. For me, the planning is almost as rewarding as the actual travel. I use guidebooks (I find the RS guidebooks most user friendly and most inclusive), watch travelogues, and of course get advice here. This ordinarily takes several months. The second phase is the actual travel, so exciting! But don't forget the third phase---documenting your travels. I tend to make digital scrapbooks that I have printed so I can remember and relive the fun times. But remember to document not only the things that went as planned, but also those mishaps. Believe it or not they may be the most memorable and will make you smile for years to come. Take your time, enjoy and get ready to plan your return trip!

It's often a good idea to fly into one European city and home from another ("multi-city" routing on search engines and airline websites) to save the time and cost of backtracking. Kayak.com is a good way to find flights. A little searching showed nonstops on Delta between Atlanta and Rome, but not between Atlanta and either Milan or Venice, your best bets for northern Italy. There were one-stop flights via JFK though.

Two weeks would be long enough for a good trip covering the three places you mentioned -- Venice, Dolomites, and Rome. I don't know about the Dolomites, but there are excellent fast trains between Venice and Rome.

The "Explore Europe" and "Travel Tips" links on this website are filled with good information about trip planning and destinations. Congratulations on getting married and I hope you both have a wonderful trip whenever you can!

I think most people access the Dolomites by taking a train to Bolzano then hopping on one of the regional buses. Traveling from Venice, there would be a change of trains in Verona.

Online resources:

All of Rick's videos can be watched right on this website: https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show

Trenitalia and Italotreno operate trains in Italy. Italo covers only major destinations; it doesn't go to Bolzano. Trenitalia requires you to use the Italian names for the rail stations: Venezia S. Lucia for Venice and Roma Termini (or Roma Tiburtina) or Roma Tutte Le Statione (for "all stations") for Rome.

Seat61 has fabulous background information on the Italian trains. The amount of info can be overwhelming (though you can skip over all the stuff about taking the train to Italy from other countries), but reading through it a few times may be very helpful. You'll be able to save quite a bit of money by buying your rail tickets well in advance (a few months ahead, usually), but the cheapest tickets will be non-refundable/non-changeable, so that's something you won't want to do until you have your timing locked down. Tickets for your travel period won't be on sale for quite some time, anyway.

I haven't stayed in a youth hostel since the 1970s, but I know some of them now have private rooms, even with their own bathrooms. If you need to pinch pennies, I think that would be a better way to do it than having to buy your food at supermarkets or skipping sights you'd really like to see because of their entry fees. If money isn't too tight, for a honeymoon I'd opt for hotels instead. They needn't be expensive as long as you don't mind rooms (and bathrooms) that are quite small by US standards. You can explore options on websites like booking.com, but I suspect the prices you see now may be lower than what you'll encounter late next year or in 2022, when the demand for travel is normalizing. I find the reviews on booking.com very helpful; you can't leave a review there unless you've actually stayed at the hotel.

I loved my time in the Dolomites, but I was there in the summer. It's a beautiful area with not much to do indoors, so do some weather research if you're thinking of a fall, winter or spring trip. I like to use the website timeanddate.com, because it has actual, day-by-day, historical weather data going back about 10 years. I find that a lot more useful than monthly averages that hide the extremes.

Keep in mind that altitude has a huge impact on temperature. I've linked to the May 2020 weather stats at Ortisei, a mountain town many of us like (though there are many other options). Bolzano is a very nice city with a lovely historic area, but it is down in the valley. It will be a lot warmer than the mountain villages; Bolzano can be unpleasantly hot in the summer, for example. We normally recommend that folks who want to see the Dolomites stay up in the mountains rather than down in one of the valley towns like Bolzano, but the Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano has an excellent exhibition built around the Iceman; it's very much worth visiting.

In case you are not already aware, the Dolomites have an extremely strong Austrian influence. It affects the local food, architecture and language. So if you're able to visit that area, it will be a bit like you've been able to include Austria in your trip.

You stated "I don’t want to be rushed".

As many have indicated, your time is limited. It is amazing how much time is lost relocating. It's not just the actual travel time, but also the time spent packing up, checking out of the hotel, getting to the train / bus station, locating and getting to the new hotel, checking in, and unpacking. If you try to do too much, I'm afraid most of the memories you'll have will be of train stations, cab rides, and checking in and out of hotels.

If you experience the stress associated with most weddings, you'll really need to relax and enjoy being with each other. Not running hither, thither, and yon.

Don't mean to sound like Debbie Downer, but it is definitely somthing to consider.

Two full weeks would be okay for Venice, Rome, and the Dolomites.

Best wishes. Love long and prosper.

If I had 10 days for a first trip to Italy, and it was my honeymoon, I would do either a) Rome and Amalfi Coast, or b) Florence and countryside Tuscany.

One city site and a few days in a relaxing beautiful countryside location. Time, on either trip, in one of the world’s great cities. And both parts of either trip will offer wonderful opportunities for wining and dining.

hey hey jrdean243
congratulations on your upcoming wedding and italy as a choice for your honeymoon. your days are short, unless adding few more, to see as much as is allowed.
how late in 2021 is late? we like september/october, any later check the weather, many towns, villages, shops are closed up for winter and may open up march/april. the places you want to see and visit can be very busy and crowded. september/october is harvest time for wine, lots of festivals all over, mille miglia car museum in brescia if interested in italian cars.
you could land in venice for couple days, train to florence couple days, train to pisa for few hours if you want to see leaning tower (train station has luggage storage), train to cinque terre (monterossa al mare) for couple days, then to milan for flight home. just an example flights out of venice are usually early morning (6:30 ish) but nice place to relax and recoup after long haul flight, with exhaustion and jet lag.
check flight arrivals and departures, too early for check ins - usually 2-3pm, check if hotel has luggage storage while you roam around until checking in. departures later morning to get up, pack, check out, and train to airport.
if any one of you plan to rent a car, you will need an IDP (coincides with your driver's license) at AAA, read up about it.
acraven is always spot on with all her info she gives out to new posters. you just can't see everything you wish in that short of stay. you don't want to be in transport, checking in and out, how long this takes will amaze you, enjoy walking around town, sit to people watch and have a glass of wine and appetizers.
figure out your flights, too early now but can look around. when we are able to travel to europe more flights, train schedules, hotels open and still in business will be listed. figure out your budget in euros you want to spend, start saving.
when you have more ideas to the point come back and ask questions, read cancellations policies without losing money with non refundable like what happened this year. the travelers here will give you the good bad and ugly since we all want you to enjoy your honeymoon.
aloha

Nigel- Winter is perfectly fine with me as I lived in Upstate NY which is extremely cold and wintery like 6 months out of 12 lol. I’m not 100% sure, it’s looking more like maybe a fall of 2022 (August/September) quite possibly. What’s the difference between the islands and mainland? And would they be hostels?

hey hey jon
outsidevenice.com they run a tour to the dolomites from venice, next to the train station (venezia santa lucia.
check if you are interested. short stay in venice but you can see two of your wishes
aloha

I didn't see hostel in the required spec. Hmmmm.. Hostel and honeymoon?

Can't help with hostels - my last hostels were in Germany and Switzerland nearly 50 years ago.

Staying on the mainland is like staying in an industrialized city - because that is what it is. Staying on the islands is magical, and gives so much bonus. Incredible.

Are the two of you in good physical shape, any mobility issues? OK on stairs?

Jon, we're hearing about your preferences but honeymoons usually involve 2 people. What does your partner want to do/see on this trip, and what sort of time can they get off work?

At this point, I wouldn't even think about accommodations for a trip in fall of 2022. Let's see which businesses make it through what may be a grueling winter for the hospitality industry, COVID-wise. Hostels are not the usual choices for a honeymoon but would be OK if you stay in those which offer private rooms. Then again, you could probably stay in small hotels for around the same price. For first-timers, I don't normally recommend apartments as it can be nice to have desk staff available for support, if needed. Anyway, what you'll choose will depend on your daily budget. A trip almost 2 years from now (fall of 2022) = almost 2 years to save so start now! What you do NOT want to do is go with a budget so tight that you end up severely compromising on comfort and fun.

Venice: some folks look at staying in Mestre, a mainland borough of the larger Comune of Venice, as accommodations tend to be less expensive than on the island capital of Venice, where you'd be spending most of your time. Staying in Venice proper is recommended as it will allow you to enjoy the atmospheric romance of this very old city during the golden hours when the hordes of daytrippers aren't around. You'd also be closer to the vaporetto (Venice's water buses) system for exploring the canals or day-tripping to some of the islands further afield, like Burano and Torcello.

Rome: depending on interest, there's enough to see in the Eternal City to fill many months! The bare minimum I recommend for this one is 4 nights/3.5 days. More is definitely better. Orvietto and Ostia Antica are popular day trips from Rome, along with some others, but I'd do them only if you can also allow enough time for Rome itself: it is not a city to be rushed! Also, short stays usually means cramming the most-visited attractions into limited hours, and spending those hours smack in the middle of the tourist mob. Planning time for the less-visited corners - or just to grab a cafe seat and enjoy each other - will allow you some welcome breaks from that mob + some breathing space.

Dolomites: what do you think you'd like to do in that area? For that matter, what has drawn you to Italy in the first place? As previously stated, where to go very much depends on what you want to see/do.

My family spent 10 days in Rome. Here are some thoughts:
1. Visit Vatican Museum on Night Opening. I enjoy wandering rather than joining a tour.
2. Borghese is a whole morning or afternoon experience because of the park.
3. Embrace the siesta.
4. The Pope’s Audience is on Wednesdays.
5. Do sign up for the Colosseum Tour which takes you to all levels.
6. If a tour is sold out in English, sign up for one in another language. At least you’ll enjoy the access.
7. Plan sunrisers and sunsetters. Trevi fountain is awesome at 6am. Watch the sun set from the forum.
8. Plan, plan, plan. But know every square inch of Rome offers something. So, when things don't go as planned as they will, there is always something to enjoy.
9. Watch RS travel talk on Italy.
10. Whatever itinerary you choose, you’re in Italy!

Yes we are young and very mobile/athletic so we don’t have any physical limitations. I say hostels only because I’ve heard they are the cheaper way to stay but if y’all say small hotels are around the same price, and obviously a bit more private, that’s great to know for sure. Also, my fiancé honestly picked Italy due to her dying want to see Rome. After that I’ve just been diving into research about the country.

So the Dolomites interest me for the scenery aspect obviously, and we are very hike-friendly/mountain-friendly people. Since I wanted to go to Switzerland or Austria as well and can’t, I want to make sure I make it there and experience them i.e (Seceda, Sassolungo, Lago de braies) and probably
Lake Cuomo. My fiancé steers more towards history were I steer more towards the nature and scenic aspect.

How are the people in Italy? I’ve heard mixed reviews

The people in Italy are lovely. It helps if you can learn the polite words in Italian. An easy start is https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/travel-talks/italian-language
Be polite and not an obnoxious tourist.

The tiny town we went to in Calabria almost no one spoke English but Google translate helped us communicate.

Be aware of pick pockets and street vendors. Read the security tips on this website and forum.

People in Italy are like people anywhere at all; treat them politely and most will likely treat you the same. Learn the manner words/phrases - hello; good day/evening; please; thank you; excuse me; etc. - in Italian and use them. We've never had an issue although understand that most locals you will encounter are not on holiday or have their own social circles so are unlikely to have time/inclination to chat you up much. In the heavily touristed locations, they also have to deal with being overrun by visitors during high and shoulder seasons. Off the more heavily traveled tourist grid, less versus more English is likely to be spoken.

Yes, hostels CAN be cheaper, are popular with people looking for others to socialize with during the hours they're not sightseeing, and shoestring-budget backpackers happy with a bed in a shared dorm room. Private rooms cost a good deal more than a dorm bed. If you DO go that route, I'd be sure and get a private room with ensuite bathroom versus a shared bathroom. The better hostels fill up quickly in advance of high and shoulder seasons so advance reservations are strongly recommended.

Venice is one of the most expensive cities in Italy so plan accordingly.

Lake Como is not in the Dolomites so you'd be adding a 4th location plus a 5th if, say, you have anything but a later-day flight home out of Malpensa (Milan's international airport, about 50 minutes or so from Milan Centrale by express train). Best way to cover ground between lake and airport will depend on more exactly where on the lake you're traveling from. Personally, I'd still want to be closer than Como on the day of the flight but that's just me.

To add....
Here's one of the most popular, most recommended hostels in Rome. They've been seeing excellent reviews for years, and I wouldn't hesitate at all to book with them. Having a shared kitchen is a plus saving $ by eating take-out or breakfast items from the markets. If not squeamish about sharing a bathroom, you could choose that option.

https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/The-Beehive/Rome/82786
https://www.the-beehive.com

Fly into Milan MXP, or Venice, out of Rome FCO . Or the other way around. Book as multi- city ticket, open jaw, NOT two one way flights.

Yes we plan on flying to Rome. They have good prices, and since we will be up north at the end of the trip, probably fly out of Milan as a multi city ticket.

To add, would y’all recommend hostels or just small
Hotels or AirBnBs? Cheap but private is what I want

Jon,

There's lots of responses at this point, but I'll respond to your 10:21 AM post. If you're flying into Rome in September, that is just after the heavy tourist season and accommodations shouldn't be a problem at that time of year. Depending on how much you want to spend, you'll be able to find anything. I'm in my 50's, fit and mobile and I occasionally choose inexpensive 1-2 star hotels when I travel. But you get what you pay for. The money I save on hotels I spend on really good wine, meals or other tourist activities. I'm of the belief that when I'm traveling to a new City, I want to see the City and NOT spend time in my hotel room. I'm usually up and out the door by 7:00 and don't return until late night (unless I pop in for a shower and change of clothes before dinner). Accordingly, I chose hotels that are clean, but come with the basics: simple room, bed and shower and toilet. On one or two occasions I have ended up with a shared bathroom for 2 days and it has worked out fine for me. But you're on your honeymoon and may want to splurge on nicer accommodations.

If you're doing 10 nights and are leaving from Milan, I would suggest 4 nights in Rome, and 3 in Venice. From Venice to Milan you could easily stop in Brescia, Bergamo or Verona and access the Dolomites that way.

Best of luck

If you're flying into Rome in September, that is just after the heavy
tourist season

I'll gently disagree. High season anymore is considered to be May through Sept. and getting longer all the time, as visitation numbers have increased...although time will tell how those numbers nearer future will be affected by this blasted plague. There's no "problem" obtaining accommodations but I'd determine what suits and reserve well in advance: the better lodgings for pretty much all budgets book up first.

One more tip: don't rob Peter to pay Paul by booking something far out of the historic center just to try and save a few euros. The center is where you'll want to be, and you don't want to waste a lot of time traveling in and out of it every day. It would also be a pain if you forget something and need to run back to the room. Rome is a terrific city to stroll after dark, and you can stretch your sightseeing by visiting before or after hours the open-air landmarks which do not have opening/closing hours,