Planning 10 full days trip in Italy

"Spend 2 days in Venice. (2nights)"

I've come to learn and understand, from my own experience, and from many who post on this forum, that the generally accepted measure of time is 2 nights = 1 FULL day - so have you calculated travel time into your allocations?

I think you will be exhausted when you get to Rome and Rome requires more energy than some of your other locations because the sights are so spread out. If you can possibly fly into Venice, that would really save time and energy. Also, you will be beyond exhausted taking a long train trip right after a long flight. I have not been to Cinque Terra, but have been to the other three and I would save CT for another trip and add one night each to Venice and Rome. And the conventional wisdom is that you lose at least half a day of sightseeing every time you change locations.

You didn't say what time of year. That will be a factor. For instance, CT is extremely crowded in the summer and can be stormy in the Fall/Winter.

Your Florence leg is only 2 days and if that includes travel to and from, you'll only have one full day in Florence.

You need to sit down and write out your itinerary day by day, including all travel. In your attempt to see everything, you'll end up seeing nothing. If you limited your time to Rome and Florence, with a day trip to Tuscany it would be feasible. Any more than that, especially going to CT is just too much.

You haven't indicated your dates. If not locked into flights at this time, use the open jaw (multi-city) to fly into Venice and home from Rome. Quicker and cheaper. Florence is in Tuscany and Tuscany is an area and not a city or point so I don't know what you mean by a "day trip to Tuscany." Where exactly ???? Rome is vast. IF over a weekend I would use a Sunday to see the Apian Way --- reduced traffic on Sunday -- and the catacombs. Three nights in Rome will barely scratch the surface. The core of Rome is very walkable with major sights easily covered. I would suggest a tour of the Vatican.

Looks like ten nights total with a long train ride upon arrival? I would plant myself in Rome for a few days then go on to another destination or maybe two at the most. Train travel also includes time involved just getting to the station, then leaving the station and getting to the next place you are staying. . Checking in and out of hotels also takes more time then you might think. Try to narrow your destinations down to two or three max and consider flying into one city and out of another.

I agree with the earlier responses: If possible, fly into Venice and home from Rome. That saves the time and expense of the high speed train from Rome to Venice. When you make hotel reservations in Venice, ask if the hotel will give you an early check in, or if the hotel will hold your luggage for you until regular check in. There are a number of ways to get from the Venice airport to Venice. My suggestion is to take the Alilaguna boat. Other options include the shuttle bus or water taxi (the expensive choice). After dropping your luggage at the hotel, go for a walk around Venice. Save "serious" sight-seeing for the next day.

Skip Cinque Terre and Pisa. Enjoy Florence, then Rome. For a ten day trip I don't think you have time for another city. There are a number of day (or half day) excursions from Rome that are worthwhile: Appian Way, Ostia Antica, and Tivoli (Villa d/Este and Hadrian's Villa),

Let us know your plans as they develop.

Our first trip to Italy in 2010, we routed Venice to Cinque Terre to Siena (via Pisa) and eventually to Rome. We had much more time than you have allocated (we had 4 nights Venice, 3 CT, 3 Siena, 5 Rome) and still I would not route that way again.

Your transfer from Venice to the Cinque Terre town of your choice is an all day trip (5 to 7 hours with 2 or 3 changes of trains). From Cinque Terre to Florence, about 3 hours and 2 changes. To go all the way to the Cinque Terre for 2 nights is a lot of travel time.

On your first trip to Italy, given 10 “full” days (11 nights, then?) stick to Venice, Florence, Rome. Have your day trip into Tuscany with Tours by Roberto, take your time in Rome. If you have 11 nights, 3 Venice, 4 Florence, and 4 Rome.the routes are all high speed trains and very easy, relaxing, with reserved seats. If you must roundtrip Rome, that train to Venice is about 4 hours. At least you can nap so you can enjoy an evening in Venice but flying into Venice and out of Rome is a better use of time,

Thanks everyone for responses. We visit Italy during 1st week of June (5/29 to 6/11). We are flying in and out of rome (flying to venice oneway and flying out of rome was expensive). Removing travel dates, I get 1 full day in venice, CT, florence, tuscany and two full days in rome.
Day0: Arrive in Rome.
Day 1: Travel to Venice.
Day2: Venice
Day3: Travel to CT
Day4: CT
Day5: Travel to Florence (visiting leaning tower)
Day6: Florence
Day7: Day trip to Tuscany (Siena)
Day8: Train to Rome
Day9,10: 2 days in Rome.
Day11: Departure
I can skip CT to distribute more days in Florence and Venice. All bookings for Rome is completed.

Have you been to any of these parts of Italy, before?

I can skip CT to distribute more days in Florence and Venice.

I would definitely do this.

Day6: Florence
Day7: Day trip to Tuscany (Siena)
Day8: Train to Rome

I have a few questions. It looks like you are traveling by train or bus. In the above schedule, are you planning to return to Florence, then go to Rome? If so, why not spend the night in Siena, then train to Rome? Yes, there's a fast train from Florence, but if you add the return trip from Siena to Rome, you're gaining little if any time.

Another alternative would be to take the Walks of Italy Tuscany Day Trip. I highly recommend Walks of Italy, though I haven't taken this day trip. The advantage of taking it is that you will get to visit the countryside of Chianti and see the small Tuscan town of San Gimignano. This would be a great use of the time you get if you skip CT.

When you priced flight to Venice and out of Rome did you use the “ multi-city” function?
Those flights are not normally more expensive. Some airlines call this “ Advanced search”
Your post says “one way to Venice” so I wonder if you have searched properly ON the actual airline website- not on a third party site like Expedia, kayak, etc?

It appears that you have 10 nights in Italy which is 9 full days, (not 10) and if you have to travel to Venice on arrival that day is a complete wash. You’ll have a bit of the evening that first day before you crash.

I’d make sure an open jaw/ multi city flight is not feasible then drop CT
3 nights Venice
3 nights Florence- 1 day trip ONLY if art is not of interest
4 nights Rome

That’s the suggested bare minimum for those 3 locations

If you must see Pisa you might consider a combined day trip to Pisa and Siena. You won’t have a lot of time in either location but it is “ doable”
There are many tour companies that offer

Just a note- I am in Florence now and it is CRAZY CROWDED. It will only be more crowded in June

Just a note- I am in Florence now and it is CRAZY CROWDED. It will only be more crowded in June.

Christine, they are a month away from leaving. I was wondering if they'll be able to even make reservations for Florence.

The last time we were in Florence was two weeks before Christmas. It was a wonderful time, the creche was in front of the Duomo and all the Christmas lights were up. The best part was it was not crowded. We walked straight into the Uffizi, no lines.

Have a wonderful trip and rub Il Porcellino's nose for me.

If I can get near enough to if I will Doug!
Seriously it is that crowded
Lots of tourists obviously and lots of school groups
We are getting out really early then hiding in quiet places mid day

The weather is gorgeous now sunny and warm with a lovely breeze
Unfortunately rain predicted for our time in Val D’Orcia with a car
Oh well
We are here