June-July 2025 Italy Trip for Five

I would rule out Sorrento because of the travel required to go all the way back north.
The first plan just needs to be finished--what are everyone's votes? There are so many appealing places in the north, but I think everyone in the family should contribute some suggestions. The lakes or mountains for a nature loving bunch, the cities of the Veneto, Emilia Romagna for more city/culture lovers. I am enamored with Turin myself. Piemonte wine country is right there too (though you'd want a car for that in all likelihood). Or, save CT (day trip is not ideal) and stay on the coast of Liguria after Florence en route to Milan?

Given how terribly hot Florence can be in the second half of June (Florence weather June 2024), I'd give some thought to including time in an area that might be more pleasant from the temperature perspective. That would not be Rome and points south. Venice and Milan don't look as bad as Florence, but they're potentially not great, either. Best would be spending a few days at altitude, maybe in the Dolomites, though you'd only want to do that if you're outdoorsy folks.

We already purchased RT flights LAX - LIN (Milan). That was the most affordable for us. My family is definitely contributing, and they want a variety of experiences, but especially food, history, and culture. I'm glad you mentioned Dolomites, because my husband and one of my daughters are big hikers. I like the idea of saving Cinque Terre for the end. I would like to see some less-touristy but amazing towns.

Is it sacrilege to forego Rome altogether on this trip? Is it worth it to high-speed train down for just a night or two in Rome?

I'm appreciate the suggestions so far and welcome any and all suggestions.

Rome isn't going anywhere. It's a wonderful city, but it will be mobbed and probably very hot. What would you want to do there for 1-1/2 days? It's a major effort to get tickets to the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums are so crowded they make for a rather poor visitor experience, and the security line for St. Peter's is massive. To deal with such issues for a part of a longer visit is one thing; it's an entirely different matter to make a blitz trip to a city and subject yourself to sardine-can conditions almost everywhere you go. You could end up hating the place (which is what sometimes happens when people make short trips to Venice). Now, if you'd like to visit Rome next year just to wander around outdoors and maybe pop into churches other than St. Peter's, that's a different matter. But there's still the issue of the heat... I think it's reasonable to predict Rome will not be more crowded in 2026 than it will next year, give that next year is a Holy Year. Will it be less crowded? That I do not know.

There are always trade-offs involved in building an itinerary. My first trip to Europe at age 20 lasted an entire summer. I went to Italy but didn't get as far south as Rome. I figured the city needed a good bit of time, and I opted to park it until later and save some transportation time.

Thanks so much for the tip on Rome. I, too, feel it deserves more time, preferably in the off-season. My youngest is hoping to study in Italy for Study Abroad, so I know this won't be our last time in Italy, especially since I plan to retire in four years. I did travel through Italy when I was 20, but I was a poor college student on my way to Greece, and I briefly visited Genoa, Bologna, and Bari only. This time, it's so different.

My thoughts are this:
After Florence, we go to Venice for 2-3 nights, then make our way to Lake Como for one or two nights (suggestions?), then back through Milan to Cinque Terre to finish our Italian Vacation Summer 2025. We fly out at 2pm on July 4th from Milan.

Any tips?

After Florence, we go to Venice for 2-3 nights, then make our way to
Lake Como for one or two nights (suggestions?), then back through
Milan to Cinque Terre to finish our Italian Vacation Summer 2025. We
fly out at 2pm on July 4th from Milan.

Check out how it works out time-wise using the Trenitalia app (dates don't matter--just to get a sense of travel time), but I think it makes more sense to go to the coast after Tuscany, so:
Milan(1)-Florence(7)-CT(3)-Venice(3)-Lakes/Milan
The travel from CT to Venice is long no matter how you slice it, but that saves you from backtracking so not sure. I would check all options. I am not sure if you have the days for this--am I missing something? I would not go to Venice or CT for less than 3 nights.
You can get from the lakes to Milan by 2pm, so no need to come back and stay in Milan unless you wanted to.

Though I have to say it--if you are worried about crowds, CT is something to mull over too. There are plenty of alternatives. You'd save travel time if you went from Florence to Venice and then enjoyed the last bit in between there and Milan (have you ruled out Dolomites?).