One Night Dilemma

Looks like Zermatt to Como will be 5 changes

Consider Stresa instead or Milan

Or just go all the way to Venice as you don’t have much time there at all

I would be inclined to take the train to Milan and then right away take the fast train (2.5 hours) to Venice --- it gets you more time in Venice.

Your itinerary is a little fast for such an important travel country. We now travel slower--and better. Every time you move to another city, you essentially lose an entire day.

Unless you're going to visit the Amalfi Coast, I'd skip going south to Naples and spend another day each in Venice and Rome.

When is this trip? Are the airline tickets purchased? There is too little time to be in Switzerland, based on your itinerary. If you have poor mountain weather, then what? Can you fly into Milan instead? This is a trip that spends too much time moving around, and not much time actually enjoying being anywhere. Are you open to a major revision?

I'll clarify the schedule a bit more - it's a 18 night trip to Switzerland and Italy. The first 7 days are already booked in Switzerland.
Last day of Switzerland is in Zermatt. So, Day 1 of Italy is actually Day 8 of the trip where I will be checking out from Zermatt (Sep. 29) and starting towards Italy. The flights are booked and non-refundable.
I do see the point around skipping Naples if Amalfi is not in the itinerary but I'm finding it super hard to let go of Neapolitan pizza.
Would a Naples day trip of Rome be a better option?

We prefer slower travel as well but your itinerary does give you 3 nights each in Florence and Rome so really no more fast paced than RS tours and itineraries. Several of his tours only have 2 nights each!

I think just biting the bullet and going all the way to Venice on Day 1 would be my choice. That will give you 2 full days in Venice

Keep Naples if it’s important to you -that’s better than a day trip from Rome.
Consider taking a morning train from Florence as long as you can see what you have on Florence list in the time you have there

1 night in Milan doesn’t really allow for a day trip to Como

I have not been to Como, but in season, I would worry that the better hotels have minimum-stay requirements. It may help you to list more details (as much for you, as for us) like "Pompeii and a few hours in Positano" under Naples, which would almost eliminate free time in Naples. Note that we had to wait an hour for two seats in a "name" pizzeria in Naples, for lunch.

Is this your first trip to Italy? I feel that Venice is more important than Naples and the Amalfi Coast area. There is tremendous demand for the AC, but I don't think it really lives up to its "magical" reputation. Because you said "budget" I fear that this is your one and only trip to Italy, ever. I suppose that excuses the need for one-night stays. But every part of Switzerland is expensive.

@miuccia - Yes, that's another thought I had, Switzerland is all alpine lakes, I'm not sure if I'll enjoy Como as much after Swiss lakes in the same trip. Thank you for the Naples bakery recommendation. :)

@Tim yes, this would be my first trip to Italy and Europe too. I would very much love to visit again but of course, don't know what the future holds. Amalfi is cliff beaches on the Mediterranean and if I plan Greece in future, that may be a very similar experience, hence not super keen on adding it in this trip. Also, October is probably not beach weather there?

Could you trade Naples for Bologna?
Bologna is worth 2 nights- the food is amazing!
Skip the 1 nighter in Milan and go to Bologna- not quite as far as Venice.
Could do in between Venice and Florence as well if lodging works better that way.

I don’t see how you’d have time for a day trip to Bologna from Florence- unless in place of the Tuscan day trip.
Consider a food tour in Bologna or Florence

Zermatt to Bologna
Bologna 2 nights
Venice 3 nights
Florence 3 nights
Rome 3 nights

or
Venice 3
Bologna 2
Florence 3
Rome 3

@ChristineH point taken on including Bologna, thank you. However, it is still hard to let go of Naples.
How about I do this - leave Venice early morning for Bologna, deposit luggage there and explore the city before making my way to Florence in the evening, would that be doable? I know it's not ideal but I do want to get the feel of a quieter Italian town and I think I will love the porticos, apart from the fabulous food of course.

Thank you for all the food recommendations @miuccia :)
I agree lots of beautiful places, too little time. I'll leave late from Florence to have more time in that region and keep Naples only for food and city walk in this trip. Staying in Naples also allows me to keep the budget in check.

It is hugely expensive with virtually no payoff to move so far so often with so little time to enjoy anything at all. All of these stops are too short to do what you hope to do -- add that extra night almost anywhere and seriously consider dropping Naples and Lake Coma and putting more time elsewhere.

The odds you will get a better pizza in Naples than say Florence or Rome is low. It takes two nights to get a full day in a place. Logistics in big cities are always challenging. Anything less than 3 nights at a major stop is not worth doing. Stresa and the Borromeo Islands might be easier than Coma in terms of transit. But you need two nights at least.

The major expense is all the moving from place to place -- you pay for a lot of travel and so little being there.

How about I do this - leave Venice early morning for Bologna, deposit luggage there and explore the city before making my way to Florence in the evening, would that be doable? I know it's not ideal but I do want to get the feel of a quieter Italian town and I think I will love the porticos, apart from the fabulous food of course.

Bologna is NOT a "quieter Italian town" at all. We were there is 2011, so have not visited recently. That said, I suspect it is still less visited than "the big 3" in Italy, but it is quite a noisy, bustling city. Please don't misunderstand; we loved Bologna, the portici, the outstanding food... but I would skip Bologna this trip in favor of spending more time in either Venice, Florence, Naples, or Rome. If you're wiling to forgo Naples this trip (which seems doubtful), a few nights in Bologna would fit in nicely with train travel to the other cities. You will barely have enough time in any of those places as it is, even without day trips. And, as others have noted, you will find good food (and cooking classes) anywhere in Italy.

I agree with others who suggest that this is a lot to fit into 11 days in Italy, especially for a first trip. I think first-time travelers to Europe (or anywhere, really) do not appreciate how much effort is involved in travel logistics, the amount of time that is eaten up by moving too frequently, how tiring it can be, etc. This is not just a question of slow travel vs. whirlwind travel styles. Even if you spend an additional night in one of the larger cities you want to visit (e.g., 3 nights vs 2 nights), you will still have limited sight-seeing time there. You're hearing similar advice from quite a few Italophiles here. Buona Fortuna!

I will add to the chorus of "too many places, too little time," while also recognizing that you really want to see the places that you have selected. Delete all thoughts of day trips (i.e. Murano/Burano from Venice, Tivoli from Rome), there's so much that you can enjoy and appreciate in the cities that you will be staying in that you don't need to seek out places outside of the city (in addition, I finally went to Tivoli last year after numerous trip to Rome / Italy, and I was underwhelmed. And I'm a person generally likes ruins).

Mentally step through what each of your days will be like (though I know you're still deciding on the itinerary). For example, you wake up in Florence. Get up and out early, though cafes probably won't open until 9ish, though you could go to the market. Catch the 11:28 am train to Naples for a 3 hour trip. You could buy food and a bottle of wine at the market to eat on the train. Once in Naples, get to your hotel (walk? taxi?), drop your bags (might be about 3:30 pm by this time). Explore the city, try others foods, maybe you can fit in the archeological museum, which has a lot of treasures from Pompeii. While customarily Italians have pizza for dinner, you may find pizzeria al taglio place and buy a couple of slices; I LOVE pizzas by the slice - at the good places, there's usually a big variety of choices of toppings. Explore the city, then pizza for dinner. Now that I type this, it doesn't sound too bad!

Keep in mind that everything will be new to you, in terms of traveling, getting around the cities, in the train station, etc. Not impossible, but OVERestimate how long it will take you to do everything.

I really like Bologna. It is a real city, with real people and a university town with many students, but to me it has a less touristy vibe than Venice, Florence or Rome. Also very good gelaterias here, very fancy combinations that I haven't seen as much of in other places.

Venice is not known for its great cuisine (polar opposite of Bologna La Grassa), but Venice is amazing for everything else. Put wandering around the city at the top of your list. My two favorite restaurants here on are the pricier side, Osteria Anice Stellato and Osteria Alle Testiere.

In Florence, I don't have a favorite restaurant, but my favorite gelateria is Vivoli; I love their riso gelato when they have it. Perche No! is very good too. In Rome, Gioliti is a well-known place, and my favorite. Do some research on gelateria etiquette, in terms of how to order.

In Rome, my favorite pizza by the slice place is Pizza Florida, at via Florida, 25. It is across the street from Largo Argentina, which is where Caesar was killed, and is currently the site of a stray cat sanctuary. To really start your mouth watering, my favorite restaurant in Rome is Le Mani in Pasta, in Trastevere. Make reservations in advance. The Colosseum will be mobbed with people, but for good reason.

I'm returning to Italy this fall (Emilia Romagna, Tuscany and the Piedmont), and typing this up is making my mouth water and very much look forward to my trip!

I'm overwhelmed and grateful for the wisdom of this forum.
Thanks a lot @Lexma for the food recommendations!
I'm getting more inclined towards maximizing time in the trifecta of Italy so will probably set aside Bologna and Como for the next trip.

Day 1: Late afternoon train from Zermatt to account for mountain weather. Dinner and sleep in Milan.
Day 2: Early morning train to Venice.
Day 3: Venice
Day 4: Morning train to Florence.
Day 5: Florence
Day 6: Florence
Day 7: Afternoon Train to Naples, stay in Naples
Day 8: Naples
Day 9: Breakfast in Naples, morning train to Rome
Day 10: Rome
Day 11: Rome
Day 12: Early morning Flight

I realize the general consensus is to skip Naples and add that day to Florence/Venice/Rome, but so far finding it hard to let go of for the love of food and budget.