Italy March 2025 in a short 7 days

Milan to Venice is too long for a day trip (half the day would be spent in transit). Your one night in Milan will be sufficient, so next step is to decide if you can include Venice at all, as you have a decent amount of time for Florence and Rome. I really think you should limit it to that. Good luck!

Thank you ! Would you do Venice over Florence?

That's an idea--you could also do Venice and Rome. (Full disclosure, I have been to Italy eight times, but not to Rome, Florence, or Venice). Everyone will have their own choice, but you should pick the one you find most interesting. I am most interested in your not choosing so many stops that you don't enjoy them, so I vote for any two! People often report not enjoying Venice or finding it overwhelming when they only devote a day. A few days gives one time to wander the streets and seems to get much more favorable results.

Thank you again ! I think tonight I will pose to whole family including the “Rome “ kid who leaves for Italy on Sunday . EITHER Milan Florence Rome OR Milan Venice and Rome

My .02...

See Last Supper, stay Milan overnight. Sunday morning train to Florence, and son can continue on to Rome. Stay in central district within walking distance from Firenze SMN station. Stay 3 nights, Wednesday morning head to Rome, reconvene with son. Stay until Sunday, fly home out of Roma Fiumicino. Both train rides under 2 hours apiece, very efficient. Traveling to Venice instead of Florence is out of the way, adding at least two hours to your limited time.

I would not try Pisa, nor Pompeii. You barely have enough time to do a look-see of Florence & Rome. Add to the fact that this will be in the midst of Jubilee 2025, when there will be a lot more tourists than normal at that time of year. We'll be in both Florence & Rome early April and have already nailed down lodging and tours, some restaurants as well.

Hi Jay,

Airlines booked, last supper booked, Rome in process just that post Milan prior to Rome location is up in the air . Am now leaving choice to our younger son since he has never been.

hey hey choppedliver
welcome to the forum. you don't mention where you are flying from. are you seven days on the ground with 2 days for flying in or flying out or 5 days total on ground.
like many others wanting to see so much in the short days they really have. your time is so limited, checking into hotels are usually 2-4pm and check out is 10-11am, traveling by train takes time especially for day trips you are hoping to do, trains are just as crowded looking for storing of luggage, pack light, do you ask for early check in, asking to hold bags till check in time, rent room day before. jet lag is REAL!!! how will you feel by 5pm for last supper (tired & grumpy but not wide awake)
you are traveling during busy times, jubilee 2025 and spring break. expectations of 30+ million people, "bumper to bumper" people. packed like sardines in rome, restaurants packed with long waits. activities/attractions booked months ago,
(skip the line tickets does not mean skip security lines), many people may want to get out of crowded rome with cities you hope to see just as crowded to travel to other cities or small cities/villages less crowded, good luck.
it's late trying to book accomodations but i'm sure you'll find with higher rates and make sure they allow 4 in a room, book what you see will do for your family, check booking.com, add your filters, where it's at, budget in euros, beds and if sofa bed is it long/big enough. so much to investigate. email hotel for a better rate maybe or call (remember time difference)
i would do 2 cities in your short time and plan another trip to see more of italy (being top of list for travelers).so much to see and do, maybe a food tour ("eatingeurope.com, vinoevinci.com = paint & wine class, mercatocenrale.com = marketplace with shops, restaurants, bars, arisans made products. have lunch or just roam around. we loved it. whatever city we were in we were on our own mission tasting gelato and which was the best according to our own opinion, take a roam thru the wine windows of florence "educated-traveller.com.
it's your decision with options to chose from since it's your vacation, what's best for me may not be what you like.
enjoy and have a great time
aloha

Thank you Princess,

Appreciate all your suggestions. We are seasoned travelers (husband and I have been to Italy before but taking a child who has not) and are from NYC so know about pushy, tourists, security and overcrowding. Our eldest is doing a semester abroad in Rome and our youngest is also in college. We are going to see our kid. Good thing it is not spring break for everyone unlike Christmas break or thanksgiving. I only gave the on the ground dates of landing in Italy which are 8. We know all about Jet lag and know how to adjust especially for a 5pm event (always put yourself on new time zone even with a thirty-60 minute power nap mid day). Thank you for your concern.

Florence vs. Venice.

Consider likelihood of high water or flooding in Venice in March. Not that I know what the risks are, but you're heading into spring runoff season, no?

Ostia Antica vs. Pompeii?

Hi Fred,

THANK YOU for solidifying our choice of Florence over Venice.

My question about Pompeii was if we want a Saturday (last day in Italy) side trip to see this ancient city (none of us have seen). … is it doable ? Is it worth it?

I would advise Florence and Rome, forget Pompeii and Venice for this trip.

March is late for acqua alta. Runoff doesn't enter into it, it is wind and tides.

My question about Pompeii was if we want a Saturday (last day in
Italy) side trip to see this ancient city (none of us have seen). … is
it doable ? Is it worth it?

Pompeii as a daytrip from Rome is doable. But should you do it? That's the question! Here's how the timeline would go:

Leave Roma Termini station by train no later than 9:00 AM. About 75 minutes to Naples Centrale station. Walk downstairs to the Circumvesuviana commuter train. They depart around every 20-30 min. Once you get on, it's approx. 40 minutes to the Pompei Scavi exit. Less than 5 minute walk to the main entrance. There are guides you can hire on the spot right there--kind of a pig in a poke--or do your research and have at it on your own. We actually did the Rick Steves audio tour and it was quite fun...and free besides!

You need a minimum 3 hours, and even then you'll only have seen 50-70% of the ruins max. Still incredibly cool. Then retrace your steps back to Rome, maybe even stopping in Naples for some authentic Napolitan-style pizza. Assuming you get to the ruins by noon, out by 3:00, home by 6:00 (or 8:00 if you dine in Naples). Long day, but on a nice day it's probably worth it. If it's raining or any other kind of inclement weather...forget about it! Too easy to fall or turn an ankle on those cobblestones.

This is definitely a trip that you could plan on if the weather's nice, and you're up to it--there's a lot of walking--or not. Nothing has be reserved, just do it on the fly if you feel like it!

Enjoy your planning!

My question about Pompeii was if we want a Saturday (last day in Italy) side trip to see this ancient city (none of us have seen). … is it doable ? Is it worth it?

It is doable. If exploring Pompeii and perhaps the Archeological Museum in Naples is important to your family, then do it. But it will be a long day. It's about a 2 hour train trip (changing trains in Naples) . And while we spent the better part of 8 hours at the site, you could spend less. I believe the audio guide that you can rent takes about 2 1/2 hours. Depending on when you go, it could be hot. And there is little in the way of shade, so bring sun protection. It's possible to leave early and be back for dinner. Or have dinner in Naples and return to Rome in the evening. And I agree that this is a fair weather day., not if it's inclement.

In regards to the comment above that Pompeii can be done without a reservation…that may not be true anymore. I just listened to a podcast (the Untold Italy podcast) about changes to travel for 2025, and it said Pompeii is going to start requiring timed entry/reserved time slots

hey hey choppedliver64
thanks for reply about you guys being seasoned travelers, you know the "smeel" and the jet lag issues that some don't get. i learned years ago landing in london at 8am and waiting till 2pm for entry to airbnb, exhausted from flight from SFO. your oldest son's time abroad is fabulous which i'm sure he'll enjoy. my great niece spent 3 months abroad near cambridge england and loved it.
your youngest will have lots of ooohs and ahhhs with all he sees and does.
have fun with you and your gang
aloha

CK, regarding advance purchase tickets - I found this on the Pompeii website: https://pompeiisites.org/en/comunicati/starting-from-15-november-pompeii-to-bring-in-nominative-tickets-and-a-daily-limit-of-20000-admissions/

There is a new measure aimed at controlling summer crowds, and appears to be in effect April -October. There will be a daily cap of visitors, and tickets will have the visitors name on them. However it does say that tickets can be purchased on line or at the ticket offices. Each visitor will have to show ID, which would be a passport for me.

If they are going in March, this won't be in effect.

CJ… PERFECTO!

Thank you. If we are up to it and weather is good… we will go .

As of 15 November 2024, the following measures will come into effect:
Daily limit of 20,000 visitors;
Time slots for the site of Pompeii during the summer months, the period with the highest number of visitors - from 1 April to 31 October- which will enable:
From 9.00 am to 12.00 pm, a maximum of 15,000 admissions (subdivided into 12,000 for Pompeii express and 3,000 for Pompei +) From 12.00 pm to 5.30 pm, a maximum of 5,000 admissions (subdivided into 3,000 for Pompeii express and 2,000 for Pompei +)
Nominative tickets.
Tickets can be purchased both on-site and online.

The program started last year. A timed entry will be in effect from April 1 to Oct. 31.

Wow, thanks Joe. I last toured Pompei in 2017. So the OP can check the forecast and reserve online from there.