Hello. I appreciate all the info that has been shared already on 2 previous posts re: trains in Italy. I would like to get some feedback on our preliminary itinerary. I do have some specific questions I’ll ask at the end. We are a family of 4 (kids: 9/6). We are very active and early risers. We did a very active trip to Costa Rica Dec 2022 that was a test run for this trip. M=Milan, V=Venice, F=Florence, R=Rome.
3/16 (Sat) - Fly out of RDU early PM. Arrive at MXP at 8AM on 3/17.
3/17 (Sun) - Milan tour: Last Supper and climb Duomo. If there is time, we would do 1-2 other free sites. I know we need to purchase tix early.
*Option 1: My wife really wants to see Lake Como (stay in Varenna), though it would only be for 1 full day. If we did this, we would arrive in Varenna this evening.
*Option 2: I’m starting to lean towards staying in ”M” 1 night, and then adding 1 night to V/F/R.
*Option 3: We could stay in “M” 2 nights and spend 3/18 in Lake Como.
3/18 (Mon): I’ll assume Option 1. There is not much I have planned for this day other than walking around Villa Cipressi and Villa Monastero Gardens and a ferry ride to Bellagio.
3/19 (Tues) - Take train mid-AM to Milano Centrale. Take early PM train to ”V”. Nothing planned the evening other than possible Gondola ride.
3/20 (Wed) - We plan on booking an AM Private Tour via a RS local guide. We have already emailed guides in all locations. We can do a 3 hr tour seeing Doge’s, St. Mark’s Basilica, Bridge of Sighs / New Prison, and St. Marks Square OR a 4 hr tour seeing Doge’s, SMB, Private Boat Tour, SMS, and Explore a Venetian Neighborhood. Evening would be free.
3/21 (Thu) - Take train mid-morning to ”F”. We would likely purchase “Passeporte” combo incl Uffizi/Pitti Palace/Boboli Gardens and “Brunelleschi Pass.” We could self-tour Duomo and Duomo climb (purchase tickets in advance), and Duomo museum if we are up to it. We have the option to see Pitti Palace and/or Boboli Gardens this day too (could also see on our Siena half day).
3/22 (Fri) - We plan on doing a side trip to either Pisa/Lucca or Siena. Whatever we don’t do, we would do Sun 3/24. If we do Pisa/Lucca, we would do a self tour of the leaning tour and surrounding area before heading to Lucca to spend the late afternoon/evening. We plan to eat dinner in Lucca and take the trains back.
3/23 (Sat) - We plan on booking an AM Private Tour via a RS local guide. We have 4 and 7 hr options. We would like to do a walking tour and see the Uffizi. Could add Accademia or see on our own.
3/24 (Sun) - If we see Siena this day, we would book an AM Private Tour via a RS local guide. The goal is mainly a walking tour. Evening free back in Florence.
3/25 (Mon) - Take mid-AM train to ”R”. We would do a self tour of the Villa Borghese Gardens or a free RS walking tour.
3/26 (Tue) - We plan to book an AM Private Tour via a RS local guide of Vatican City. We’d like to see St. Peter’s Basilica, dome climb, and Vatican museum (adv tix purchase). Rest of day free.
3/27 (Wed) - Our son’s 7th birthday is today. We plan to book a pasta making class with a local Italian family just outside of Rome. Evening free.
3/28 (Thu) - We plan to book an AM Private Tour via a RS local guide of Colosseum/Palatine Hill/Roman forum in the morning. We would transfer hotels in the evening near the airport b/c of early flight.
3/29 (Fri): 6AM flight back home.
1. Between options 1-3, is one option clearly better or one option clearly bad?
2. If you chose to add another day onto V/F/R, what would you choose? Technically, we only have 1 uninterrupted full day in V, 1 in F b/c of day trips, and 1 in R b/c of cooking class and changing hotels. You could argue we have 2 days in V, 2 days in F and 2.5 days in R in terms of actual hours b/w 8am-8pm.
3. If you had to cut Pisa/Lucca or Siena, what would you cut?
4. Do you think the 5 private tours and 1 cooking experience is too much?
5. Are we overlooking any major activity?
Thanks!