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Need help with itinerary Florence and Venice

Hi friends! Planning a trip for May 2022. Have it pretty much mapped out, but wondering if we are spending enough time in Florence proper, based on this itinerary (spending 5 nights, so four full days):

day 1 - David and Uffizi,
day 2 - train to Pisa and Lucca,
day 3- e-bike tour of Florence/Fiesole (10am-3pm),
day 4 - private car to Montepulciano (or another town for vineyard tour/tasting) then to Siena (plan to stay into the evening to experience sunset).

With the above schedule, we will have arrival day (train from Rome), museum day and the afternoon and evening of the e-bike day to just walk around, shop, eat gelato (!). Wondering if this is enough time, or should I consider taking a night away from 3 nights in Venice, with the following planned:

travel day - Rialto Bridge/Market, St. Mark's at night,
1st full day - Doge's palace and exploring on foot/gondola,
2nd full day - Murano and/or Burano and/or Torcello.
Can the above schedule be accomplished with one less night in Venice (if deciding to use that night in Florence)? Obviously would have to sacrifice the islands, but they are not a priority.

Opinions, please and thank you!

Posted by
6783 posts

Hi,
Commenting on the Florence part, I would say that a day combining vineyard tours and Sienna is a bit exhausting... Likewise, fitting both Pisa and Lucca in a day is a lot, it will be a blur! I did that years in a family trip ago and have very little recollection of Lucca...
I would skip the Fiesole tour (the hill towns in wine country are prettier) and perhaps also Lucca (Sienna is more interesting IMO), to give more breathing room to your itinerary!
For instance splitting the wine tour and the day trip to Sienna on separate days.

As for Venice, don't remove a night. 5 nights in Florence will be plenty if you slightly pare down your itinerary there.