May 2015 Italy trip suggestions needed

Sequence should be: Rome > 5 Terre > Florence (Tuscany) > Venice.
Without a car, Florence should be your base for Tuscany. Since you don't have enough time, you won't be able to see much more than Florence and maybe Siena. You don't need a car in either city since traffic is severely restricted in their historical centers.
However 10 nights are too few. You could do:
Rome 3 nights
Cinque Terre 2 nights
Florence 3 nights
Venice 2 nights
However I would probably cut the Cinque Terre out and add those two nights to the other locations. You could maybe visit the CT as a day trip from Florence (although it's almost 3 hours each way).

Stephen,

My suggestions would be the same as Roberto mentioned. For a brief look at several parts of Italy, the Itinerary he suggested is perfect, including the Cinque Terre. Although you wouldn't have a lot of time there, spending two nights will be a nice break from the "big city" spots, and will provide some time to explore the five towns.

With a larger group, I'd suggest staying in Monterosso. It's the largest of the five towns and therefore has the greatest number of lodgings, restaurants and other amenities. I'd highly recommend getting lodgings booked in the C.T. as soon as possible!

There are numerous trains on the route from Rome to the Cinque Terre every day. I'd suggest using one of the direct trains from Roma Termini to La Spezia (travel time ~3H:45M), and then connect with one of the local trains for the short trip to whichever town you'll be staying in. The trip from the Cinque Terre to Florence will involve 2-3 trains with changes. The trip from Florence to Venice will be via high speed Freccia train (2H:05M). You could also use the newer Italo high speed service on that route. As you've been to Italy before, I assume you're aware of the usual "caveats" regarding Regionale trains, and trains with compulsory reservations.

Hi Stephen,
I would use Florence as your base location after Rome. From there, you can easily take a day trip to the CT. I did this trip with WalkAbout Florence and it was wonderful. Also, another day trip is called Best of Tuscany. It sounds like a lot for 1 day, but it was also fun. You get Siena, Pisa, and a nice lunch in a Chianti winery. Separate these trips with a free day in Florence and you've seen and done a lot. Just my opinion, of course. Have fun!

I second the motion upthread about using Florence as a base. We are doing that for 5 nights in March, staying at a VRBO apartment within walking distance of the Santa Maria Novella train station. During our previous trip, we saw what a hub that station is & how one can get almost anywhere for a day trip. And the bus station is right next door.

But...I would think twice about Cinque Terre as a day trip. It's a good two hours via train each way, and although I've never been there, reports tell me it's plenty of walking & hills, which takes more time. If you're set on going there, stay there. To see Tuscany from Florence, it's an hour plus (bus or train) to Siena, 20 minutes by bus to Fiesole, an hour plus to Pisa. With all there is to see in Florence just by wandering around, it would be the best of both worlds. And Florence does not seem like a big city in the least.

The CT trip I took from Florence was by bus. Also the walking trails are the reason to go. I think the sons especially would enjoy it.

Since you will go to the Accademia, walk a little further up the same street (Via Ricasoli) to the Museum of San Marco, a unique place with Fra Angelico's frescoes painted on the walls of the friars' cells, as well as in the common areas. Small museum, very easy to navigate (cells are up a flight of stairs).

we did do the CinqueTerre in one day as part of a tour of Italy (Rome 3 days and Florence--3 days incl. CT) in 2010.

we stayed in La Spezia 2 nites.

after the first nite we walked to the train station, took it up to the farthest CT town #5, then took the train back down each of the 5 towns except one. we walked the Via D'Amore from the 2nd to the 1st village.

in one day you see the main streets, the boats, the terraces, and a taste of the villages. you do not get the full 'experience' of staying in the village and / or doing a hike.

so you can "see" the villages in 1 days--or at least the main streets. you see the harbor and the picture post-card sights but you don't get the experience of "staying" there.

BTW, La Spezia was a perfectly fine place to stay. we walked around a both nites, passed by the local shopping area and walked with the local residents. it was a weekend nite and it seemed like the local high school/college kids were out on dates. in La Spezia we didn't feel like obvious tourists