Itinerary Help from Rome to Dolomites

Can you fly home from Venice?

When will you use rental car?

We’ll rent a car for the trip (except in Rome), and plan to return to Rome from Venice either by train or by car.

What will you do with the car while in Florence?
You can’t drive in Florence
Your planned day trip to Siena is easy by bus
CT is too far as a day trip

A 2 night stay is just 1 full day-i would add a night to all of those
(from Montepulciano I doubt you will have time to visit Assisi since you’ve only got that 1 day)

Venice should get 3 nights
By the time you drive there from Dolomites and drop car you have used up almost a day

If you fly home from Venice you eliminate split stay in Rome

It’s actually easier to fly IN to Venice so if you can change the order of trip it might work

You really only need car for Dolomites (maybe) and Tuscany (but not Florence)

There seems to be some doubling-back that could be removed. Drop off your car before reaching Florence. From Florence take the train directly to Venice and spend the day there, sleeping in Venice that nite. The next day take the train to Lake Garda. Leaving Lake Garda take the train to Bolzano and use the extensive bus network in the region to get around. Many Dolomite hotels include a transit card good on all buses in the region. From Bolzano take the train to Rome.

Or you could switch the order of Venice and Lake Garda in the plan above.

For Dolomite hiking use the search function at the top of the page as it is frequently discussed on the forum.

Thank you for your kind words!.

Seems exhausting even as a solo trip, let alone as a whole family.

Why not relax at the lake more? It’s very nice there. I spent 4 days there a couple years ago and my spouse and I agreed we could’ve spent the whole vacation there.

If you fly to Venice and fly back from Rome:
Venice: 3 nights
rent car in Venice
Dolomites: 6 nights
Lake Garda: 2 or 3 nights (try to stay on the more beautiful north side, like Malcesine, Limone, Riva, Torbole, etc.)
Tuscan countryside: 3 nights (Montepulciano is fine, but anyplace in the province of Siena or southern Florence province is fine too).
go back north a bit to Florence. Return the car upon arrival in Florence.
Florence: 3 nights (with no day trips) or 4 nights (with day trip to Siena)
Train to Rome
Rome: 3 or 4 nights.
Pompeii is doable from Rome on a day trip, however it will take away a day from Rome, which deserves its own time for sure. Your choice.

If you must fly to and from Rome. Then do this:
Rome arrival, and take train to Florence from FCO immediately upon landing
Florence: 3 nights or 4 if day trip to Siena
Train to Venice
Venice 3 nights
Rent a car in Venice
Dolomites: 6 nights
Lake Garda: 3 nights
Drive all the way down to Tuscany (about 3 to 4 hours depending on where exactly)
Tuscan small town (Montepulciano/Pienza area works): 3 nights
Drive to Rome, return the car upon arrival.
Visit Rome for at least 3 nights before your flight back home. Add one night if you want to visit Pompeii on a day trip by train.