Hello! We will be in Italy for 11 nights the end of October to November this year. We fly into Florence, and want to spend several nights there (our third trip - want to see Vasari Corridor, Bargello and Duomo Museum - maybe add day trips), and we fly out of Venice (our third time there - want to do one day excursion to Burano). We love both cities. We love art, churches, architecture, history. Should we do 6 nights in Florence and 5 in Venice, or vice versa, or add a middle location in between (like Bologna or something else) for 3 nights, and just do four nights each Florence and Venice? Thank you!
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
12624 posts
In no particular order , Ravenna, Padua, Verona as options to consider in addition to Bologna.
Posted by
California
59 posts
Having done similar itineraries, I'd definitely suggest adding Bologna as your middle stop! It brings a cool contrast to Florence and Venice and is packed with its own art and architecture. We spent three nights there between Florence and Venice last fall. Honestly, it felt just right—less touristy, but still full of those amazing porticoes and medieval towers. Bologna's home to the oldest university in Europe, which gives the city a bit of an edge.
If it were up to me, I'd go for 4 nights in Florence, 3 in Bologna, and 4 in Venice. That way, you get a more layered trip but still have plenty of time in your main cities.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16705 posts
Bologna can be used as a base to see also Ravenna, Ferrara, and other Emilian cities.
However there are many day trips you can take from Florence (including Bologna, only 35 min away by fast train), so you can definitely stay busy while you are at your Florence base.
While in Venice you can also take day trips to Padua (Padova) and Verona, among others.
Posted by
OP
Florida
4 posts
Thank you, All! My only hold back is having to pack and unpack again, we kinda like the idea just to stay in one place like in Florence as a longer base, and longer stay in Venice. But Bologna seems like it has so many interesting things to do with architecture etc. it’s probably worth being there for two full days, three nights equals two full days. We’ve been to Padua before and Verona. We both loved them!