Realistic itinerary for 9 nights in Italy for first-time trip

I wouldn't be comfortable with the prospect of having breakfast in Venice while you have to be at the airport in Rome at around 10.00. If anything goes wrong, you'll miss your flight back home. Why not split your stay in Rome and have another night there at the end of your trip?

Not a real long trip and so much to see. I would hire a car to Trastevere from the airport. It not a 10 minute drive and you will be tired and have found the buses routes a bit difficult to understand. You are not in Rome a long time and there is so much to see. I will figure out the things you want to see before hand. Just the vatican alone could take a whole day if you see everything. I would probably stay in Florence and skip Orvieto. Again, Tuesday you are taking the train to Florence and Wednesday leaving for Siena so you are really leaving less than a full day to see Florence. Again, you are going to Venice for basically one day. I think you are jumping around too much for such a short stay. With travel and jet lag day you only have 8 days. I might leave put Orvieto and Siena. Leave the hill towns for another trip. That is what we did and have no regrets about it.

If you want to do Venice, I'd rather go there at the start and end in Rome. So many things could go wrong trying to fly from Venice to Rome then getting the flight in Rome to home on the same day. What if the flight is cancelled? Can you afford to buy a whole new last minute ticket at a later time from Rome? I don't think you'd find many seasoned travelers who would take that chance. I think 99% recommend being in the city of departure the night before your flight home. If you want to leave Venice until the end, take a late train into Rome the night before and stay near the airport.

Although I am a big proponent of off-season travel, best to know what you're getting into. You aren't going to be south of Rome, so figure your weather will be chilly, probably not above 60 at any given time, and especially up north, as low as freezing. As I say, inclement weather isn't a problem to me--we'll be there as well, in early March from Rome down to Sorrento, and will be prepared for it. You will love the absence of crowds and queues, except at the museums on the weekends.

That being said, having round trip tickets to & from Rome already booked--and hoping you haven't made any non-cancellable hotel reservations--for only 9 nights on the ground I wouldn't go north of Florence. Upon arrival at Roma Fiumicino, take the Leonardo Express to Roma Termini station for the 80-minute train ride to Santa Maria Novella station in Florence. I suppose you could catch a quick flight from Fiumicino to the Florence airport, but at the S.M.N. station you're right there with your bags and can walk to your hotel quickly to crash and get over the jet lag.

Stay in Florence 3-4 nights, with possible daytrips to Siena, Fiesole, Pisa or somewhere in Tuscany. Then take the train from S.M.N. 2 hours to the hilltown of Orvieto. Stay 1-2 nights, then finally take the train 1+ hours to Roma Termini. If you like Trastevere, stay there for the remaining 3-4 nights.

Seems a bit saner than trying to coordinate a flight from Venice to Rome, then home on the same day. Too much risk of missing the flight.

Enjoy your planning!

Thank you for the replys. So awesome to hear your opinions.
We did not mention our daughter is studying in Rome and we can only see her the first weekend so we are locked in for Rome Thursday to Sunday. And it does make sense from all the posts to cancell Venice until the next trip. Too far, too cold, too much.
Our group has agreed we prefer cultural experiences over museums. Certainly the Vatican and some other museums in Rome and some in Florence. But not museums every day.
Would it be reasonable to see Rome till Sunday, then make a base in Seina or Orvieto or somewhere else in Tuscany and day trip to Florence and other sights, then back to Rome for the finale night Or stay in Florence and day trip from there or a combination maybe of the 5 nights we have available.
Thanks again you all are so helpful.

OK, that changes things, obviously!

Arrive Rome Thursday, stay there until Sunday. Train to Florence, 90 minutes. Stay through Thursday, train to Orvieto for a night, then on to Rome for Friday night. You could chance first train out of Orvieto Saturday at 7:31 AM that arrives Roma Termini at 8:26, and then immediately on to Fiumicino for a 12:10 flight, but I'd be worrying about that exchange the whole trip. Best to be in Rome Friday night.

Florence is not just museums--it's just fantastic. Restaurants, walking, great hub for day trips as you'll be there 4 nights and will have plenty of flexibility. It's as much of a small town as you make it. But be forewarned--last year we stayed at an apartment near the S.M.N. station for five nights, had day trips planned but did none of it, just grooving in town--going to the market every day, seeing the same vendors. It was wonderful.

Enjoy!

Taking the local train from FCO airport to the Trastevere station is very easy and reasonable. From the Trastevere station you can then take the streetcar into the heart of Trastevere. We have gone into Rome several times this way. Our first night we walk around Trastevere then always eat at Dar Poeta Pizzaria (recommended by RS) in Trastevere. It's very good, very reasonable and a great introduction to Itay.

I am a big proponent of spending a night or two in Orvieto, it has a completely different feel after the daytrippers leave. The light on the cathedral facade is so beautiful early in the morning.

Arrive Rome FCO
Take immediately train to Florence upon landing (about 2 hr. There is a train every 20-30 min)
Florence: 3 nights (Siena possible day trip from Florence during your stay, although that leaves less time for Florence)
Train Florence to Venice (2hr trip)
Venice: 2 or 3 nights
Train from Venice back to Rome (3h 45 min trip)
Rome: 3 or 4 nights (depending on how many you stay in Venice)
You can visit Orvieto on a day trip from Rome, if you stay in Rome 4 nights. If you have only 3 nights in Rome, then Orvieto should be dropped otherwise you would be short changing Rome too much.
Fly home from Rome FCO.

Roberto's Rule: always end your trip in the city you fly back home from. In your case Rome.

It would have been better to go directly to Venice upon arrival, but as you're locked into Rome for the first few days you'll have to make the best of it.

I would NOT suggest staying in Venice your last night prior to your return flight as there are too many "variables" that could cause problems - your "early flight" could have mechanical problems, there could be a strike, there could be fog or whatever. It would be better to return to Rome via high speed train the afternoon prior to your flight, and spend your last night in Rome.

One point to mention regarding taking the train from FCO to Trastevere, is that there are two trains serving the airport, the Leonardo Express and the FM/FR-1. You'll need to take the FM/FR-1 as the L.E. is an express train direct to Roma Termini. You could still use the L.E. but would have to take a Taxi from Termini to your hotel in Trastevere.

Since it's your first trip, a few points to mention. Whichever train you use from the airport, it's important that you validate (time & date stamp) your ticket prior to boarding the train or you'll risk hefty fines, which will be collected on the spot! The same fines apply to Metro or Bus tickets. When touring Rome, I normally just get a 24 or 48 hour ticket, which only has to be validated prior to the first use. When using the high speed trains, you can use either the Freccia trains or Italo. The tickets for those don't have to be validated but they're specific for train, date and departure time, and can only be used on the ONE train listed on the ticket. If you board the wrong train by mistake, again hefty fines on the spot!

One slight change in your Itinerary that might work however would be something like this....

• when you've finished visiting your daughter, take the high speed train directly to Venice
• after Venice go to Florence
• after Florence go to Orvieto
• you could spend your last night in Orvieto rather than Rome, as it's close enough to the airport that (hopefully) you wouldn't have any problems getting to your return flight.

Just a thought....

You really only have 8 days so I would do Rome and 1-2 other places. If you are in Florence you can take a 1 day trip to Venice.

Bobb

You really only have 8 days so I would do Rome and 1-2 other places. If you are in Florence you can take a 1 day trip to Venice.

Bobb

I agree with Roberto, personally I would go back to Rome from Florence and stay there for your last night. My wife and I did that exact thing both in Rome and in Milan during our two trips to Italy and we will be doing the same thing next year.