May 1 holiday in Italy

Contrary to popular opinion, Rome did not shut down on May 1 this year. In fact many sites advertised they would be open. It is a fine day to travel or to visit the city. It's not usually a beach day because it's not really hot enough. We went to Porto Santo Stefano and Isola del Giglio the weekend following the holiday and while it was pleasantly sunny it was not beach season at all.

I would not base in Gaeta for day trips to Rome, You will lose a lot of time in coming-and-going. Stay in the city to maximize your use of time and also to have the experience of Rome, her great restaurants, her beauty at night. Starting in Venice and ending in Rome is smart. Florence will be busy no matter at that time of year. Just reserve in advance any must-sees, like the Accademia.

Thanks Laurel, I was coming to the conclusion that day trips to Rome from Gaeta would not be best. Now I am wondering if starting in Venice and ending in Rome thus being in Venice on May 1 and travel to Florence on May 2 would be as good as beginning in Rome. I don't yet have a Florence guidebook and was using a 2012 rick Steves Italy (I have one of those on order but has not yet come-it was a public TV gift with donation) but had to return it. So I know lots of stuff in Florence is closed on Monday but I don't remember the Sunday schedule.

Sundays are no problem in Florence or Rome. Very big "open days" for tourists.

Thanks, Laurel.

I'm not clear about your planned itinerary. Traveling on Saturday 2 May will not be a problem at all, there will be the usual about 2 trains/hour going down to Florence and I'm sure you'll be able to find seats.
Monday is the day of closure of the Uffizi gallery in Florence, but otherwise the gallery is open Tue-Sun from 8:15am to about 7pm. Florence is always crowded, even in winter, you just have to live with it. Disney World is crowded too on summer weekends, but if you want to go there you have to live with it.

Commuting back and forth to Rome from Gaeta makes no sense. Stay in Rome. If your friend likes playing in the water and the beaches, just get him a bus ticket to Torvaianica and let him go to Zoomarine, an aquatic theme park. The beach is walking distance too. Just tell him you'll pick him up when you are done visiting Rome.

Thanks Roberto, all the comments to my post were helpful in deciding to spend a couple of days in Gaeta to help my friends get past jet lag and play in the water if not too cold and then spend two days in Rome traveling there on May 2. The rest of the trip has fallen into place with 2 nights in Cinque Terre, 2 in Siena, 3 in Florence and 3 in Venice. We will travel from Florence to Venice on a Monday to avoid the Monday closings in Florence. Since I will have already been in Italy 8 days with 4 in Rome when my friends arrive, I don't mind only two in Rome on this leg since they don't. Any hints or tips about the places on my itinerary would be appreciated.

Gaeta is great, but not for day tripping to Rome. I was in Gaeta in May and it wasn't quite beach weather, but there were not many tourists, either. I stayed in the old city; lots of stairs.