Time/Effort for Venice

Hard to read your dates. You fly into Rome on July 8? Then spend three nights, then train to Venice July 11? Then two nights there, and train back to Florence July 13? Then three nights there, and train to Rome July 16 for your afternoon flight to Prague? If that's it, then I agree that dropping Venice would make sense. With only seven full days to spend in Italy (July 9-15), you don't want to spend two of them taking trains. Split your time between Rome and Florence.

I believe there's a fast train service between Florence and Rome's airport (FCO). If the schedule works out, that could save you time at the end. Or at the beginning, if you still have the flexibility to visit Florence before Rome.

Welcome!

Could you clarify your dates? Is it July or August?
How many NIGHTS do you have on the ground in Italy? I count 9- which is not enough to include the 3 major cities.
Where are you coming from and what time do you arrive in Rome?
What time is your flight to Prague?

Venice is totally unique and really magical but unless you can add a few nights, I think you’ll have a nicer trip if you skip it this time around.
Is your father elderly and really wants to see Venice? Just wondering.

Anyway- I would suggest you stick to Rome and Florence. Both will be extremely crowded and very hot. You might consider a 2 night stay in a smaller town between the 2 larger cities just to catch your breath and chill.

If you can head to Florence on arrival- stay in Florence 3 nights.

Take train to Orvieto- stay 2 nights- easy 2 hour train from Florence then easy 1 hour train to Rome. It’s not Tuscany but is a beautiful Umbrian hill town that will give you a different experience than the major tourist cities.

Train to Rome 4 nights.

Ending in Rome eliminates any worries about getting to your flight to Prague- even though it is afternoon and intra-Europe- I’d still be nervous- and we are experienced travelers ;)

There is a direct fast train from FCO to Florence at 1:53 pm- in your case it might be worth waiting around for. Makes the train trip easier than train to Termini then to Florence.
(The direct fast train from Florence to FCO is at 7:05 am- arrives 9:22- that might a long wait for your flight to Prague. If you are in Rome that am you can probably squeeze a few hours sightseeing on the morning you leave for Prague- less wasted time)

As far as train trips- don’t stress about it. All of your trains will be fast, direct. Very simple.

Also- Viator is a third party reseller that doesn't actually operate any tours. Book with the actual tour company instead if you do book tours.

Our plan currently is to fly into Rome 7/8.

Coming from where? Is 7/8 your arrival date? What time of day? The flight that lands in Rome will have originated where? ( this affects what/if you have border control processing to do in Rome)

Presumably changing your flight to arrive in Venice and the proceed in a straight line to Rome is not an option?

We'll go by train to Rome on 16th am and have an afternoon flight out (to Prague)

"afternoon" is from 1201 PM to 6 PM. Just when in that time frame your flight is, affects how wise it is to plan to travel from Florence the day of the flight.

Welcome! First a few questions: how spry (old and activity level) is your father. Venice is a walking city, up and down low bridges everywhere, plus cobble stones. Can your father manage that? Venice is my favorite city. I'd hate for anyone to miss it. However, you haven't given yourselves much time in each city. You may want to skip Venice on this trip and have more time in Florence and Rome.

We did best when we scheduled one tour a day, and explored on our own the rest of the time. We were two late 60's/early 70's ladies at the time. If you're looking for sight tours, we really enjoyed Rome Cesar's Palace tour, the Vatican early hours tour and the Venice after hours tour. We booked through https://www.takewalks.com/ in 2019.

Trains are easy to use. I booked on Trenitalia's website and app then and last year. https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html

My advice, from a fairly inexperience traveler, is to take your time, stop and smell the roses so to speak. You'll run into amazing, unplanned sights, museums and food.

Thank you everyone, for your thoughts! Sorry for the ambiguity.

We are US travelers to Prague the week before. Flying from Prague to Rome July 8th, arrive 7:40 pm. 8 nights total. Booked accommodations with other friends for Rome July 8-11th, so Florence first is not an option. They will not be traveling with us onward.

Flying out of Rome to Prague at 3:40 pm on July 16th is the plan. Note that I haven't booked these flights (plan to today), so there is the option of leaving Rome at 12:40, but I was too nervous to plan for that leaving from Florence?

I think I'm definitely convinced to skip Venice. I think we both feel similarly that we "should" see Venice and my sister has referenced it as one of her favorite cities after living and traveling throughout Europe for years (but it's been a long time since she's been). However, we are both pretty relaxed sightseers and I think the romanticized perception i have of Tuscany may sway me. Dad is 72, spry, very healthy, and active.

Date confusion aside, I suggest limiting to 2 cities...Rome and Florence. From both you can add daytrips if you feel you have 'done' the cities. Consider organized day trips to save yourself the logistical learning curve.
If Tuscany is of interest, then have slightly more time in Florence for a trip to Siena, or splurge and hire a car and driver for the day for a driving, or winery tour of the countryside.
Of course, there is also Pisa and Lucca from Florence.
My last suggestion is to consider a travel agent for the planning. As you had originally planned a tour, then an agent can do the logistical legwork for you to reduce some of the stress.

Rome in July is hot. Florence in July is beyond hot - it is in a bowl and the hot air gets trapped.

Just hope you and dad are prepared for that. I find Venice just that bit less hot.

Is there a reason you’re going back to Prague? If not, and you haven’t booked air, fly into Prague and out of Rome. This is called a multi city flight. Saves you time and very seldom cost too much more.

Yes, we had intended to finish the trip by visiting family in Prague.

We are now thinking with our plans changing abruptly we may reschedule for the fall so we can plan accordingly and hit all three with better flight planning.

Thanks everyone!