Italy for 9 days

Are you flying out of Milan? How many actual days do you have, not counting arrival and departure days? How many nights will you be in Italy?

I find it easiest to plan by calculating how many nights I will be in each place. Two nights gives you one full day, three nights gives you two days, etc. Using the places and days you have provided - Milan for 3 nights (2 days), Rome for 2 nights (1 day) and Tuscany/Florence for 3 or 4 nights (2-3 days). That is your 8 or 9 nights. Factor in time to get from place to place. Why more time for Milan than Rome? I wouldn't even bother with Rome considering the effort to get there and only having one day. If you can fly out of Rome I would give Milan one night, Tuscany/Florence 3-4 nights and Rome 3-4 nights. In March it might not be great cycling weather, so you might want a back up plan if that happens.

First, must sees are well covered in any and all guidebooks. If you do not want to buy guidebooks, check them out from your local library. Must sees are about the same unless you have specific interests. When you say ten days, I assume you mean 9 nights. Easier to count nights.

While I like Milan most will say there is little to see and do. It is a more modern city and rebuilt extensively after WWII. A couple of nights is adequate. Fly into Milan, send jet lag day there, and move on the am of the third day. Move on to Florence for three or four nights. Tuscany is an area and not a specific location but Florence is in Tuscany. I would do three nights. On to Rome for four nights and home from Rome. That is Milan (2 nights),Florence (3) and Rome (4).

The cycling weather could be marginal. It should be fairly cool and rainy around Florence. Still early Spring.

Thanks for the replies so far.

I am traveling from Toronto to Milan and vice-versa.

My plan above is only in the preliminary stages and I can always try to extend my stay to 11 nights.

On another note, what is a worth while place to go for a 1 day hike? I have heard of Lake Como and its beauty, but will there be any hiking opportunities around there?

Have you already purchased your airline ticket? It would save a lot of time to fly open-jaw, also referred to as multi-city.

I don't know how good the hiking opportunities will be that time of year. Many people like to hike in the Cinque Terre, but in March it's mostly shut down.

With only 9 to 11 days, I'd skip Milan and do Venice. Milan is a very modern city, and if your interests are not shopping, I think you'll enjoy Venice more. If you can add an extra day to Florence, you can do a few things from Florence - like day-trip to Siena, take a wine tour which will get you into the hillside in Tuscany, etc. Venice is so beautiful, but March will be pretty cool still.

I'm one of those people who after landing in Milan due to having relatives in the area, now fly into Rome because I find it has so much more charm and antiquities.

Your timing also depends on what you like doing. We felt like we had more than enough time with three nights in Rome to see the main sights, but I know people that have loved spending a full week there. We much more enjoyed our time in Tuscany as it's own portion (not day trips from Florence) because we liked the scenery, wine and getting away from the congested cities. It also depends on whether you're fast through museums (like my husband and me) and how much time you need for each area. There were plenty of people cycling in Tuscany in May, but with the hills and blind curves, I thought they were pretty brave to do it with the traffic :)

Given your touring plans, I'd definitely suggest adding a few days if possible. If you haven't already bought your air tickets, you might also consider flying inbound Florence, as that provides a very convenient base for touring around Tuscany. As others have mentioned, using open jaw flights is the most efficient method, so if possible you could fly outbound from Rome.

The weather in March could be a bit "inclement" with cool temperatures and rain, so cycling and hiking may not be the most pleasant activities. I've been in Tuscany as early as April, and the weather has been "mixed" with both rain and a bit of sun. It might be a good idea to plan some indoor activities also.

I'd suggest decreasing your time in Milan and adding it to Rome. If you've already bought air tickets, you could also go directly from MXP to Florence by train and start your holiday there.

One other point to mention. There are some potentially expensive "caveats" when using trains or other public transit in Italy. If you need further information on that, post another note.

Happy travels!