Italy Itinerary August 2023

Not wanting to be a “Debbie Downer”, but I think you can count on the Cinque Terre to be miserably crowded in August. I hope the villa has a pool, because August in Tuscany is almost certain to be very hot. Also, does it have AC?
Traveling with hot, cranky kids is not fun. Be sure to include activities that they will enjoy. Maybe let them help with planning. There are books, and probably websites, with titles like “Italy with Kids” that can give you some ideas.
For safety sake, I advise that you not try to do a long drive immediately after a transatlantic flight.

I don't think Rome will be any hotter than Tuscany, but of course you may have a pool at the villa. (Today it is hotter in Cerbaia than in Rome).
I would not want to drive from Milan, Venice, or Genoa on arrival, but if you plan on staying in any for a few days, that works. Venice, no brainer. Milan is not for everyone but it has its fans. Genoa I find intriguing and it has some kid friendly attractions like the aquarium.
If it were my trip, I think I would do some of what you planned from the villa before and after the villa stay using train, and while at the villa, concentrate on rural stuff you could not do without a car.
You could not pay me to go to Cinque Terre in August. Anything you choose on the coast should be booked far in advance.
You just have a lot of terribly good options, just need to settle on what attracts you the most.

Thanks for the replies so far.

Yes, the villa has a pool. That will be much needed for sure for all of us. It also has AC.

Ideally my plan at the beginning would be to settle into whatever city we fly into for a couple of days to adjust to the time difference, and then drive to the villa. I would prefer to avoid doing the drive right after the transatlantic flight and I am sure my kids would thank me.

Good point about Cinque Terra crowds, in my mind I was thinking of a nice small hotel with a bit of a sea view, and being in Monterosso, it would give the kids some beach time during the day. With some hikes on the trails early in the day before it hopefully gets too crowded, and then a nice dinner somewhere in one of the towns in the evening. If I am being too optimistic about this for an August visit to CT, then I will definitely have to reevaluate. I was in CT in October 2000 and I have always wanted to go back, I do not want to ruin the pleasant memories I have, and also ruin it for my wife who's never been there.

I'm intolerant of crowds in small, nature-focused places--just can't help it. So, you just have to evaluate your own tolerance. I also look at it this way: There are so many alternatives. Most people won't rent a car or do any research to find those other places, so I feel sorta obligated and also enjoy finding alternatives. Nowhere will be crowd-free on the Italian coast in August, but it comes down to being surrounded by Italians or international tourism, and what places can more easily manage the crowds. It is true that by staying in the villages, you do get to enjoy morning and evening without day trippers. It's always risky returning to a place you loved--I've had good and bad experiences doing so. Good luck!

Venice is the perfect place to relax, soak up the atmosphere and get over jetlag.

The beach in Monterosso is quite small. Going early to the CT before the crowds probably means leaving by 10 am, so arriving much earlier. There may be options farther north on the coast that you'd enjoy.

A cursory search of flights looks like it might be too difficult to fly into Florence on United Airlines

If you are flying from the NYC area it looks like there are 4-5 one-stop choices to get to Florence

If your origin is somewhere else, it would be helpful to know what it is, if you would like suggestions on where to go.

Juice. I will piggyback on your post. I too hear your concerns for next summer Italy trip with family and your kids. Crowds, heat etc. We are a fam of 11. We 2 grandparents, 4 adult children and 5 grands. They are in your kids age range. We have booked a Med cruise….Barcelona ending in Rome in early/mid July. So much to do and see in Rome! I think we need a few days there. But…the heat…crowds….maybe it’s too much to ask for them to tolerate? At least the cruise ship has pools!
Your week in Tuscany in a villa with pool will be so wonderful! I actually had wondered about instead of Rome…staying in Sienna or Assisi….smaller…but also suppose no cooler than Rome. You also are concerned about the heat during Aug. We feel the need to go to Europe before kids get older (and us) and these summer months are necessary for their schedules. The last couple summers esp. with their heat waves…Oh my! We do hope to extend our trip then by train going north…to Salzburg ending in Germany.
I have looked into some kid oriented tours in Rome. Ie…Pizza and pasta making. Art and history tours for kids. Maybe we do need to look at a Rome hotel with a pool? Yes. Long hot days with tired, crabby kids not so much fun! Trying to be realistic! They are all excited and interested. We figure one can’t wait to long to reserve for next summer? Much pent up demand. Hope you are figuring out some of your extra Italian travels. Coastal Italy…CT is gorgeous! Keep posting your thoughts and plans.

ll2alb, you have not yet been to Italy, correct?

I have. Several times. Various cities and small towns throuout. We love Italy and so want to share it!

Thanks for all of the replies so far!

We are flying from the New York area. I only did a very cursory search of flight options, and I had to search in July 2023 rather than August, since the August tickets are not on sale yet. I was just trying to get a rough idea of connections, prices and/or air miles (if I want to try to redeem any). So if there is a one-stop flight to Florence, that might work. Although I admit it will be a lot easier to just go direct to someplace else and then drive after resting for a couple of days.

I'm really struggling with what to do after we leave the week at the Villa. Regarding the summer temperatures, we just took our kids to Croatia this month, we also did side trips to Bosnia and Montenegro. It was hot, but we really lucked out in that it was not as hot as it had been most of the summer (we were seeing the temps in the upper 90s-100 prior to traveling, and we were lucky to have temps in the 80s the whole time). So now that we have had a taste of sightseeing and wandering around under the blue skies and hot sun, I am very aware of how important it will be to build in plenty of breaks and/or a mid-day siesta, wherever we end up going. I want us and the kids to enjoy the experience and be able to take in the sights, food and history, without ruining it by trying to do too much in a day.

The more that I am thinking about it, I suppose that I would consider heading south toward Rome and making a stop in southern Tuscany along the way for a night or 2. Then spending a few nights in Rome and trying to fit in a side trip to Pompeii. I went to Pompeii back in 2000, and I really liked it. I think it would be something really neat for my kids to see.

Alternatively, as I mentioned in my original post, we would head to Cinque Terra for a couple/few days and then continue toward Milan and Como or something. Does anyone have any experience with something similar that they can recommend?

Kathy, curious why you ask? Maybe I sound like a newbie to Italy? Nope. I can be over enthusiastic…love it so much! Husband and I enjoyed an Adriatic coastal cruise in May, also Sicily and Naples…again ending in Rome. It was hot then already. Thankfully now have seen much of the country! Time to take our family. Trying to temper my enthusiasm with realism!

all2alb -

To also reply a bit further to yours. I know what you mean about family schedules and August being the month to do the traveling. This is exactly our situation, and I also agree that I want to get some travels in before the kids (and we) get too old. For your Rome plan, I would be thinking along the same lines if it was me - regarding finding a hotel with a pool. Our place in Croatia this month had a pool, and it was an absolute godsend for the kids (and us) after a long or hot day of sightseeing. 1 minute in the pool and everyone was 100% recharged and in great moods. It is 100% worth the money to find a place with a pool if possible if we were to end up in Rome in August. (unless it's like 1200 euro :)

Your cruise sounds great, and I am glad to hear that you plan to extend the trip and cover some more ground afterwards. Your comment about hopping a train north out of Italy also gives me some thoughts. Wondering if we just go to Florence after the Villa for a bit and then hop an overnight train north to Switzerland or France. I think that would be my way out of trying to decide what else to do with ourselves in Italy :)

Juice. We plan to see Pompei on an excursion when our ship docks in Naples. Husband and I visited it years ago and loved it. We also however just did Herculaneum near there in May. We also loved that! Smaller and much more yet to uncover. Maybe more preserved? More heat incinerated and destroyed in Pompei. More covered in ash for Herculaneum. I think the kids have heard more about Pompei…so that will win out.
I hope you can find flights that work best! That can all be tricky!
So neat that you all visited Croatia etc. So very gorgeous! You were fortunate with less heat! 80’s are great. Mid 90’s and over….my people will wilt! What’s funny is we 11 just did Alaska! Awesome! I kept telling kiddos….Europe will be very different and hot! We have had our share of mid 90’s and humidity here in OH this summer. So we have a clue. We do have a bigger group so that all plays into our travels. Take lots of planning.

A day trip to Pompeii from Rome is a really long day. Remember that Pompeii is large, parts of it are a little hard to walk (very narrow sidewalks, very big rounded paving stones in the street, and no shade in most of it. If you don't take a small group or private tour from Rome, you have to change from the train to the Circumvesuviana that runs about every 30 minutes.

Ostia Antica is an easy train ride from Rome even with a change at Tiburtina. I'm told it's also not too far from the beach.

Venice is an ideal place to relax but take it SLOWLY in summer heat. If you stay 2 nights you will hate it. If you stay 4 you’ll be planning to go back. Seize the early mornings and evenings after crowds thin and the sun goes down. Nap in the afternoon.

After your Villa time, consider a few days at Lake Como in Vernazza or since you have a car, the Dolomites might call. A few days in the Alpe di Siusi will be a vacation from your vacation as Rick Steves says.

Kathy, curious why you ask? Maybe I sound like a newbie to Italy?

LOL, yes! I think it was the initial musing about maybe time in Rome, maybe a hotel in Rome with a pool, maybe Tuscany versus Rome.....etc. It sort of gave the impression that you were a newbie to The Boot. Your later posts revealed that nope, been there, done that. 🙂

Kathy it is rather funny. I so often do question my questions!? Juice…Laurel has some good thoughts. Italy Lake District or Dolomites. Great hiking! Beautiful and cooler possibly. Can’t go wrong!
We too love love Venice! Slow moving and walking a lot come to mind also. Not sure kids will love it as much…but again find some kid friendly tours. I agree that Pompei from Rome just way too much! I figure our cruise excursion for Pompei off our Naples docked ship doable….but yes….its very hot and no shade I remember. Umbrellas perhaps, bring cool drinks and self “mini misters” I found online. I will try to find a shorter tour and definitely in the morning! This planning is so fun. Remember you can fly open jaw…in one place…out another. It’s what we are planning.
Thanks for posting Juice! Enjoy the search for possibilities!

There are some non stops in and out of Venice on United from EWR.

Spend 3 N in Venice.

Rent a car and travel to your villa 7 N.
Just 30 minutes from your Villa is The Leonardo Museum in Vinci. Something the kids might like are his working machines.

https://www.museoleonardiano.it/eng/museum/exhibition-route

You could then take a look at 2 N in Florence,
You could drop your car here and train to Peschiera or drive to Lake Garda. It’s much more kid friendly than Como. Many towns on the lake, tons of kid friendly experiences.

From Peschiera del Garda to Venice is about an hour 1/2 by train. It looks like the return direct flight is at 6:55 pm giving you plenty of time to reach VCE on the day you leave Garda.

https://rossiwrites.com/italy/italy-with-kids/lake-garda-with-kids-things-to-do/

I really, think you’ll be amazed of how these beautiful Cinque Terre Villages have changed. After 3 trips, 2004, 2008, 2012, the last trip we ended leaving after a day, of a 4 day reservation.
Just unbelievably crowded. These were all in
September.

Hope this helps.

We were in Cinque Terre (Monterosso) this August, 24-27. Too hot? You can find historical weather data for the dates you'll be there. It was high 80's and cloudless skies while we were there. We're from the Seattle area though so yes a bit too warm for us- No hiking between the towns as the trails don't have much shade.
Make sure your accommodations have AC- some don't

The weather at Lk Como (Varenna) was more manageable- a bit cooler and a lake breeze

FYI: Waiting for the boat in Riomaggiore just looked dangerous- in direct sun on a steep stairway that winds down a rock wall. If you're not used to those temps take the train back