Italy during End of March

One place to look for inspiration is the "Itinerary" heading for the RS Italy Tours.

Not enough information here to advise you intelligently, but it's never stopped me before...

If it's your 1st time to Italy, and you're flying into Rome, and we know it's the end of your vacation, then I'd slow it down somewhat. It looks like 10 nights, so seeing that it's not a long flight from Nice, I'd go directly from Rome Fiumicino to the Amalfi Coast. That time of year, the A.C.'s not crowded--in fact, just opening up--so you could stay (but beware this is pretty late in the game to be planning) in Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Sorrento (which is not on the A.C. by the way) for 4 nights, then take the train back to Rome, and soak in the Eternal City for 6 nights until you leave.

If you're flying into Milan or Florence, the itinerary would be a little different, but I'd still keep it to 2-3 places max.

Enjoy your planning!

Hi -
"Best" is a subjective term. As we all have different interests, we'll all have different "bests". :O)

I would start with a caution to count your time accurately?

My first day will be in Nice, France to see French Rivera and then
I will be flying to Italy.

If you are arriving in Nice on the 22nd and leaving France on the 23rd, that is only 1/2 day of sightseeing on the "Riviera."; not worth the time. If you are traveling to Italy on the 23rd, that is also just a 1/2 day of sightseeing. If you are departing Italy on the 31st, that day really doesn't count as a sightseeing day. If this is your schedule...

March 22 - arrive in Nice (partial day)
March 23 - fly to Italy (partial day)
March 24 - Italy
March 25 - Italy
March 26 - Italy
March 27 - Italy
March 28 - Italy
March 29 - Italy
March 30 - Italy
March 31 - Fly home from Italy

...you only have 7 FULL sightseeing days. That's not enough time for the usual first-timers' "major" places (Venice, Florence and Rome) plus "coastal villages" so you're going to need to be selective. Get a guidebook and look at what all three of those major cities have to offer for things to see/do, and choose the two which appeal to you the most? What you do not want to do is waste what little time you have making a lot of hotel moves.

You also want to fly into your first city and out of your last to eliminate backtracking.

You might consider Florence for 4 nights - which would allow you time for 2 easy day trips from there to a choice of interesting places - and Rome for 4 nights? Honestly, If you have not booked your air tickets yet, I would fly directly to to Italy and skip France if all you would have there is 1/2 a day? That would give you one more FULL sightseeing day in Italy, and possibly time to squeak in a 3rd location, such as 3 nights in Venice, 3 in Florence ( 1 day trip) and 3 in Rome.

Thank you Jay and Kathy. Jay, I have not booked air tickets yet so I will cancel the trip to Nice and will fly directly to Milan. I am also planning to visit Cinque terre, is it worth to visit? or please suggest me a good place for hiking. Check below Itinerary and please do modifications if required. This is our first Europe trip :)
Mar 22 - Milan, Train to Venice
Mar 23 - Venice
Mar 24 - Cinque Terre
Mar 25 - Florence
Mar 26 - Florence
Mar 27 - Florence
Mar 28 - Rome
Mar 29 - Rome
Mar 30 - Rome
Mar 31 - Fly back to home.

If you're flying into Milan, Venice is in the opposite direction, east, from the Cinque Terre. 2 hours plus Milan/Venice, but then on Mar 24 you'll have a 5+ hour train ride to the C.T., and then only for 1 night. In late March it will be beautiful scenery but probably will be chilly as heck.

I think you have to do one or the other, for two nights whichever way you go.

The rest of the trip sounds good. 3 nights each in Florence & Rome gives you a little taste of each.

Enjoy your planning!

Mar 24 - Cinque Terre

This is not nearly enough time for Venice> CT. It'll take you a minimum of 5 hours to get there by train from Venice, and I don't know as March is a great month for hiking that region. The famous Sentiero Azzurro ( SVA2 Blue Path) route is currently closed (2 of the 4 segments will remain closed through 2018) and weather could be sketchy: it could be really nice or it could be chilly and rainy. Those 2 other closed segments could be open again by late March but it depends on weather. There are many other trails in the park - most longer and more strenuous - but I wouldn't attempt them in the rain. However the plus of going in early spring is that crowds are likely to be lighter than later in the season.

http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Esentieri-outdoor.php

If determined to go and only spend 1 night, I would rearrange your schedule to go Venice>Florence>CT> Rome. There is one train leaving Firenze Campo di Marte station at 7:36 AM that will have you in La Spezia at 9:12 AM (1 hour, 36 minutes). You'll switch trains there for short rides to the 5 villages. This is the fastest way to get to the Cinque Terre if you want to maximize a single-day visit/hours of daylight. I'd advise booking your accommodation as soon as possible.

If it were me? I'd save the CT for another trip and add that day to Venice. One full day there doesn't give you a lot of time.

Also, if you can manage to fly into Venice, might save some time and money, but I must say I have done as you plan, fly to Milan and train to Venice. Cost the main reason. I think you should keep it simple and do Venice to Florence to Rome. Fast trains run every hour at least to Florence, and Florence to Rome every half hour. You can buy advance discount nonrefundable tickets now. Late morning and early afternoon trains are usually the cheapest, because business travelers like early morning an late afternoon trains.

Cinque Terre is too for a short time and it will be iffy weather.

Really appreciated for all your suggestions. I will keep CT for another trip and make it just for Venice, Florence and Rome. I don't want to waste time in travelling and miss the beauty of country.
Lastly, any suggestions to visit town near Florence for one day?

The first pick for most would be Siena, it's an easy 1 hr11 min bus ride.
If you want more of a countryside feel you can catch a 1 hr bus to Greve in Chianti. Both are charming.

Just be aware of return bus times.

I will keep CT for another trip and make it just for Venice, Florence
and Rome.

A wise decision. :O)

Siena was mentioned as a nice day trip from Florence, and Lucca is a very popular choice as well. Some posters have combined a short-ish stop in Pisa along with Lucca but that may work better at times of the year when daylight is longer. I won't say it's impossible in late March, though.

You should have enough time in March to do both Lucca and Pisa.
Italy has its time change on the 25th which should give you 12-13 hours of daylight.