Italy's Big cities vs. smaller towns

There won't be a 'wrong one'... maybe just a better one at this time. Do you like big cities and a lot of museums, sightseeing, etc. or is sitting in a small Italian hilltop village with a cappuccino or glass of wine your idea of a great trip?? I love both, but my heart is always in the villages and countryside. If it were me I would take the Heart of but try to come in a few days early and do Venice on your own, or stay a few extra days and then go to Venice and fly home from there.

Hello Scoobie8, and welcome to this forum. It is a great source of information as you plan a trip to Italy, and a great place for memories, fun and sharing after you travel, and gather thoughts for your next visit to Italy. All of the places covered in both the Best of Italy and the Heart of Italy tours are terrific, and the months of September/October are a great time to visit, still busy but generally without the hottest temperatures and heaviest crowds of the summer. You really can't go wrong. When schedules allow, many RS tour travelers try to add on a few days to the beginning and/or end of the tour, either to spend extra days in the first or last place visited, or to explore other and different type communities on their own. It is important to try to arrive at least one day early just to get over any jet lag and settle in, rather than arrive and immediately start your intensive tour. No matter how long you stay in Italy, or how many cities, towns and regions you visit, there will be other exciting places and experiences that will draw you back. (By the way, another possible tour is My Way Italy, which includes Venice, Florence and Rome, and also several smaller and wonderful locations, but requires you to arrange your own sight-seeing, meals other than breakfast, and activities in each area. More difficult for first-time visitors, but also a more diverse itinerary.)

scoobie, you can do either tour, and add a few days on the beginning or end to see the additional places you want to see, on your own. Either way, I think Venice is a must see.

Welcome, Scoobie8.

Rome/Venice/Florence are the classic three for first visits, but as a Terry Kathryn said, if you love smaller cities, the Heart of Italy tour might be best, I would fly in at least one day early and add a few days at the end - by then you will have acquired Italian travel skills to face Venezia on your own (and you can pick your guide's and other tour members' brains), then fly home from there.

Hi and welcome!

I have never been on a tour, only traveled on my own so my input may be different. For a first-timer to Italy, most people do the Venice - Florence - Rome trip, with day trips if time allows, to Cinque Terre, Siena (from Florence) or Lucca (from Florence), to Orvieto (from Rome). Not knowing how much time you have makes it a little hard to suggest.

If Venice is on your list, don't miss it! It is a city unique and unlike any others and you will be so happy you went. Cinque Terre is great also, (my favorite place) but depending on your time frame, need 2 nights IMO. Lucca is also great, (I stay 2 nights as I fly out of Pisa) but many people day trip there. I like walking and biking around the wall.

I am sure many others will chime in about their tour experiences, this is a great forum!

My first trip to Italy was the Heart of Italy tour. It was perfect for me as I really enjoyed the hill town of Volterra after the bustle of Rome, the part of the day we spent in Lucca, then the amazing CT towns and finishing up in Florence. I agree with Zoe that if you want to see Venice, add it on to the end as you will be seasoned travelers by then.

The RS guides do a great job of teaching you travel skills on the way. At the end of the Heart of Italy our guide, Trina, took everyone who wanted a lesson in how to buy train tickets to the train station in Florence. My 20-something nephews wanted to take a train to a nearby town to play a disk golf course (I mean, really in Italy?? But they had a blast!) while others in the group were going to Venice or other destinations. She helped everyone thru the process.

The only negative thing about doing Venice last is that it is harder to fly out of. Usually you have to fly from Venice to a European hub to get a flight back to the US. There do seem to be a number of flights out of Milan so you could take the train to Milan after your time in Venice, overnight in Milan and fly out the next day.

As others said, you can't go wrong with either!

Thank you everyone! We will plan to visit the Heart of Italy, then find our way to Venice on our own! Now, to figure out where to stay while there :)

I'd do the big three first as a frame and then fill in the smaller places later.

Your tour guide or other members may have hotel recommendations, but if you don't want to wait, start at booking.com and filter results by what is important to you. I like the Cannaregio area, others prefer San Marco or another of the areas that make up Venezia.