Please critique my itinerary

Looks do-able to me. You've left out Verona, one of my favorites. It would fit between Como and Venice - maybe even as a day stop (leaving your luggage at the train station). I think I would go straight to Lake Como. I haven't been to Assisi, so I don't know if it's worth the time. You lose about 1/2 day every time you change locations (packing, checking out, getting to train, then in reverse order when you arrive). I don't know what would be the best order, except Como to Venice to Florence.

Personally, I think you're traveling way to much. Two nights in one place is really only part of one day. You list a lot of things you're interested in doing but by changing locations every other day or so you really won't get a chance to do many of them. I would cut out a few things and stay longer in some cities. Donna

I applaud your 5 nights in Rome! The rest is a bit fast-paced for me. You will see many guided tours move this fast, but remember they are doing the logistics for you and that takes time. As a DIY, you have to do teh logistics and that takes time. In 23 nights you want to stay in 9 places. It's expensive in time and money to change places so much. Drop the CT, and drop Milan as Chani suggests, going right to Lake Como. Add a night each to Sorrento, Venice and Siena (one "n"). From Venice you can go to Verona (Chani's favorite) as a daytrip, maybe even stop in Padova that day. From Siena you can tour some lovely hilltowns. Sorrento is a base for so much from Naples to Amalfi - plenty to do for 3 full days! That's still 7 places in 23 nights, but at least you'll have some time to appreciate and not be exhausted from moving around all the time. Youngor not, it's tiring to change locations. Use your energy for seeing, doing, and being. Enjoy!

One option is to spend 5 nights in Florence, do day trips to Siena and Assisi (easily done by bus or train) and that frees up two nights to add elsewhere (or use to visit Verona). Depends on how much time you'd like to spend in Siena and Assisi. Some people love those areas, some people are happy just spending a day.

I agree that you're moving around way too much. It's an easy mistake because you want to see as much as possible but I assure you, it will be exhausting moving around so much & it will eat up a lot of sightseeing time in moving from place to place. I suggest choosing one place in Tuscany (either Siena or Florence) & then taking day trips as someone else suggested. If you do this, I don't think you'll need the full 7 nights that you've allotted for, especially since you won't have a car to get around Tuscany to some of the smaller towns. If you want to stay in Florence then I would allot 2 days in Florence and then take a day trip to Siena & a day trip to Assisi...but don't change locations every night. If you do this, it will free up 2-3 days & I would add a day to the CT & a day (if not 2) to Sorrento. If you do this, you'll be staying in 6 different hotels which is better than 8! I'm glad to see that you're not short changing Rome. 5 nights in Rome is adequate. Since you won't have a car and will be dependent on train travel, look up the transit times to/from all of your destinations so you'll get a feel for how long you'll be in transit. For instance, getting from Venice to the CT will eat up the better half of a day (5-6 hours just on the train) and this doesn't account for time to/from the train station, checking out of your hotel in Venice & into your hotel in the CT, etc. So, that day will probably be a wash. The CT is really the most out of the way in the context of the rest of your itinerary...I would consider dropping it all together & adding the time to Sorrento &/or Rome. But, if you really want to visit the CT then I would definitely drop several nights from the Tuscany portion of your trip & add them to the CT & Sorrento. Have a great trip.

Thank you for all the great feedback! Everyone was so helpful. I'm gonna explore my options and look at ways to cut down changing cities and adding more side trips. I see the point of wasting valuable time with traveling too much. Also, maybe look into if it's worth renting a car for a portion of our trip.

Megan, I agree with the suggestions you've received so far. One point of concern is that your present Itinerary has some "criss-cross" travel patterns (ie: Venice to CT) which will require the better part of a travel day. Therefore you won't have as much time as you're anticipating. If you haven't already, I'd suggest picking up a copy of the Italy Guidebook, as that provides a lots of information to plan touring efficiently. The newest edition will be available Oct. 4, 2011. As you haven't been to Italy, you might find it helpful to read the "Rail Skills" section in Europe Through The Back Door. The info on P-P tickets starts on page 109 in the 2011 edition. Given the locations that you listed, it might be more efficient to start your trip in Venice and travel in this order: > Venice - 3 N (that will allow time to get over jet lag) Train to Lake Como (time ~4H:25M) > Varenna (I assume that's where you're staying?) - 2 N Train to CT (using Monterosso for example, time ~4H:25M) > C.T. - 2 N Train to Florence (time ~2H:30M) > Florence - 3 N Bus to Siena (Using Corse Rapide, time is 1H:15M) > Siena - 2 N Train to Assisi (time as short as 3H:17M, but will depend on which train you choose) > Assisi - 2 N Train to Sorrento (you'll need to go to Naples first - train departing Assisi at 07:05 is the shortest trip at 3H:20M - In Naples you'll need to transfer to the Circumvesuviana train) > Sorrento - 3 N Train to Rome (You'll need to reverse the trip to Naples and then to Rome) > Rome - 5 N You might consider skipping either Assisi or Sorrento to add a bit more "breathing room". Good luck with your planning!

We just returned from a 21 day trip in June, and flew roundtrip to Milan. We're in our mid 50's, so possibly not as energetic as you. This was our second trip to Italy, and on our first we spent 8 days in Rome and six in Tuscany. Here is my two cents: We spent 5 days in Florence, and that was WAY too much time. IMHO once you've seen the Ufizzi and Academia, you're done with Florence. The exterior of the Duomo is impressive, but you're constantly dodging street vendors who throw down a sheet to sell fake gucci stuff. I would cut your Florence time to 2 nights. We didn't go to Venice, and after hearing about the crowds we were happy we did not. Florence was crowded and we were tired of the crowds. Crowds of tourists attract the aforementioned street vendors with thier cheap junk, and the combination gets frustrating. CT-I've written about CT, which I thought was overrun by tourists. That having been said, it sounds like you might really enjoy it because of your interests. My advice to you on CT is to first remember that the train comes through many times throughout the day and that each town is only 5 or 10 minutes from the next town. We stayed in Vernazza at L'eremo sul mare www.eremosulmare.com This place was nice and peaceful, but that's because it is about a 15 minute walk out of Vernazza on the trail to Corniglia. Very hard with a heavy suitcase. 'nuff said. Vernazza is a beautiful little town, but the trains bring about 2000 or so tourists each day. The result is a very crowded "Disneyland" mainstreet sort of feel, except in the early morning (6:30 am) which was wonderful. Cont'd

If I were to return to CT I would look for a hotel in a larger town like La Spezia, Levanto or Monterosso and then take the train to the village you want to visit that day. Hiking between villages will be great and scenic. We enjoyed chatting with other tourists on the trails. So, my suggestion regarding your itinerary from beginning to Florence is: Arrive Milan..see Duomo and Galleria (Don't eat near this area as prices triple here...) Lake Como - 3 nights CT - 3 nights Florence - 2 nights
Siena....and continue While Florence feels crowded, it is because 90 percent to the things to see are in 4 block area. Rome on the other hand is spread out and a much larger city. I would suggest you spend more time in Rome if you can. It is a city you can enjoy without feeling like you're surrounded by nothing but tourists, except when you are at the Spanish Steps. Finally, as others have said, you're doing LOTS of city changes. As others have said, you need to think about train travel, time involved, etc. After leaving Florence we went to Bagni Di Lucca outside of Lucca for 3 days. Unlike the time in Florence, we felt it was too little time. Bagni Di Lucca was a wonderful little town and we really enjoyed this region. We took the train to Lucca and picked up a car from Hertz. Think about picking a central place in Tuscany to spend 6 days and perhaps getting a rental car to visit smaller towns. Driving is not fun in Florence or Rome, and not reccomended, but it opens up Tuscany to you. I was born in Havre, btw. My family farms up in Turner.

Thanks Ted and Ken! Ted: I moved the opposite way then you, I'm from CA. I've never been up to that area of MT. BTW, I had to google Turner, that is way the heck up there. I knew where Harve was because as college friend was from there. Thanks for all your input. A lot to think about.

Venice is romantic and from about 5 pm until 9 am it isn't crowded as the day trippers are back on their ocean liners. One of my most memorable times ever was in San Marco watching the sun rise over the lagoon, no tourists, no vendors, just a few photographers and streetsweepers. Magical. If you travel light and pack efficiently, it's not much more effot/time to change locations than to day-trip. Then you get to spend a whole evening or two in Siena, for example, instead of schlepping back to Florence on the bus. If you like art and museums, 3 days in Florence is short. The sculpture (don't miss the Bargello or the Medici Chapel) is wonderful - especially, but not just, Michelangelo. The churches are beautiful to magnificent. The Baptistry is a wow. Besides the Uffizi there is the Pitti Palace, and sunset over the Arno.

With your stated love of art museums and history I think you'll find PLENTY of interest in Florence, and you'll find that everything isn't concentrated in four blocks, so you'll get some hiking in as well. There is a great bike based wine tour out of Florence that you might enjoy. We've only been seven times, so not as expert as some here, but I'd be tempted to cut out Lake Como and add a day to Florence and a day to Siena. Use the extra day in Siena to book a wine tour out into the countryside, there are a lot of companies that offer memorable trips (thougth Cor Magis is not one of those companies). You can maximize your time in Florence by prebooking your museum times (Rick's book has the directions for this). You can take the bus from Florence to Fiesole which is a lovely trip. We took a cooking class that was great fun as well.

Also, we found taking the bus from Siena to Assisi to be a pleasant alternative.

hi Megan: everyone's tastes, interests, travel rhythms are different....SO...for one person, one day in Florence is enough (the Uffizi and Accademia and 'you're done')....but we're visiting Florence for three and a half days (with Lucca, CT and Siena on our itinerary as well), then BACK to Florence for two more days before flying home. That's because I would never 'be done' with Florence after 2 museums...there's so much to see, do, taste, drink, walk, marvel..... Then all the neighborhoods in Florence, my favorite being the Oltrano district for the young and hip as well as artisan workshops, great piazzas and gardens.....and then there's the half-day trip to Fiesole.....so....my advice is to not reduce your time in Florence. I would extend it if you can. Have a wonderful trip!