One Week in Italy - Rome and Where??

I think your friend might have it on this occasion. Florence is a beautiful city of the Renaissance crammed with fabulous art , most of which is religious of course. Both places will be jam packed with tourists in August, which I guess would see me prefer Amalfi Coast over Florence at this time. Enjoy.

I agree about the Amalfi Coast.

I also vote for the Amalfi Coast. I'd decide pretty quickly however, as hotels, particularly on the coast, are booked solid in August. Have fun !

As if you needed another vote to sway you; I too vote for the Amalfi coast and vote that it may be quite busy and booked at this time but it will be a well-worth it beautiful experience. Florence is wonderful, but August isn't the breeziest time there.

Both of my sons have been to Amalfi and both agree that although it is very beautiful...it is crowded, overpriced and totally geared to tourists and not as nice as the Cinque Terre much further North on the West Coast. I have been to the Cinque Terre area several times and it is truly amazing! In any case, that may be too far for you to venture from Rome. I would suggest Orvieto...easy train and not far from Rome. A lovely Italian experience for sure! Stayed a few days there and it was magical!

Gosh, I am really surprised to hear people will send you to the Amalfi Coast versus Florence, when this is a first trip. To me it's a no brainer, go to Florence. The Almalfi coast is very pretty. Pretty takes one day in my opinion. The Amalfi coast is just a tourist trap with no real soul (unless you shift slightly and sift through Naples for a few days). Florence is steeped in art and history, and if you get bored, which I can't imagine, there are day trips to smaller towns. Of course, this difference in recommendations is the reason you really need to read about the two areas and decide on your own. If you are not particularly interested in art and history, and like souvenir shopping and sitting with a view, the Amalfi Coast would be it. And there's nothing wrong if those are your interests, but you need to know what you want. I'm sure you will have a wonderful trip, regardless. Wray

I have to agree with Wray. Both Florence and Amalfi are about the same distance from Rome, but Florence has so much more to offer in my opinion, especially for a first timer. And traveling from Rome through Naples is more difficult than the train to Florence. As you already recognize, you will doing future trips. Keep Amalfi on your bucket list for your next trip.

The OP will be in Roma, Amalfi or Firenze will be closer and easier to get to than Cinque Terre, which I found to be overrun with tourists. Aside from Positano, the Amalfi Coast is less crammed with tourists than is Cinque Terre, in my opinion, with many more places to visit. Stop in Ravello, definitely.

No soul? Really?

We did a one week to Rome trip in 2013. My husband and I had been to Italy a few times before so we let the couple we were traveling with(their first trip outside the US) pick the places outside Rome to see. We did a day trip to Florence- 1.5 hrs each way on the high speed train, then we went to the Amalfi Coast for an overnight stay. We took the train to Salerno then a boat to Amalfi. Great trip, a bit rushed but we loved the Amalfi Coast!

For one week in Rome with a wedding you won't have much extra time. I'd consider Orvieto which is vastly different than Rome (a hilltown) and easy to get to.