We would like to plan my trip to Italy for 2 people. We would like to visit Rome, Florence and a Coastal town
We would like to visit in the fall - September to October with some tours example The Coliseum in Rome
But with some free time to explore on our own
Where is best to start?
A guidebook is a good start (plenty for free at your local library or also online).
People here will help with advice but you need to share more information, such as:
Your personal interests (museums, churches, nature, etc.)
Your home city airport (for flight advice)
Your ground transportation preference to move around, such as rental car, trains and buses (although while in cities like Rome or Florence a car is absolutely not needed and a hassle).
Whether you have mobility problems.
The exact number of nights you will be on the ground in Italy.
The type of accommodations and your target price range of the same.
Ditto, read a guidebook to get the lay of the land so to speak, then come back here for feedback and to fill in any blanks.
My first time to Italy, we went to Rome, Florence and Venice! I think it was a great introduction to Italy, and I think many people take this trip.
We flew into Rome, took the train to Florence and spent five nights there. (I had to be a bridesmaid in a wedding so I gave myself a couple extra days to see Florence). The big sights: the Duomo, the David, the Uffizi museum, etc.
Then we went from Florence to Venice, another short train ride and spent the weekend there (would have loved to spend more time there).
The only issue is the long train ride back to Rome, around 4 hours, but it is a nice break especially if you choose a quiet carriage. 5 nights in Rome, with one or two big things to see each day, i.e. the Coliseum, the Vatican museum, Spanish Steps, Trevi, etc. And the rest of the time meandering through Rome, eating gelato, enjoying the ambiance.
In total it was 12 days, it could be shortened, but there are so many big things to see in Rome that five days gave us time to see a lot of it without too much hustling.
Have a fun time planning!! :)
I concur with the other replies to buy a RS Italy guidebook and thoroughly read it. It will answer questions you might not think of that can save you money & time. Details such as how to see or book the Colosseum are covered in the guidebook, too.
Plan to fly into one city and home from another to save you backtracking, i.e. fly into Florence (or Milan & train to Florence) and home from Rome on one reservation- not two 1-way tickets.
After you read the guidebook, you’ll have a better idea if you want Florence, Rome & Amalfi Coast or something different.
Here are some planning suggestions for Italy from Rick Steves to get you started: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy
I agree with Joan. Venice, Florence and Rome are the top 3 destinations for first time visitors. Can you fly into Venice, then make your way to Rome for the final stay and flight home? That would be the best use of your time. I would add enough time to Florence to be able to do some Tuscany day trips from there - Lucca/Pisa one day by train, rent a car and San Gimignano/Siena another day. Then finish in Rome for several days.
