Trip to Italy in May 2017 (8/5/17 - 20/5/17)

I don't like one night stands. Too much wasted time when compared with available time for sightseeing. For the distance and time, I would drop Venice and either add that day to CT or perhaps Florence with a day trip to the surrounding area. Florence is a big city so a farm house is not possible unless you plan to stay outside of Florence but then the question is how to get back and forth to Florence.

Assume your airline tickets are purchase but for others this schedule is a classic example for using an open jaw ticket to save time and money.

Thanks a million! yes, we were thinking of dropping something, but wasn't sure which one... Venice is on our chop list. Do you think What suggestions do you have for lodging in Florence/Tuscany? We were thinking of Airbnb or some Agriturismo

Traveling in May and no lodging yet? Not sure what your budget is or if you have researched the various neighborhoods in Rome, the villages in CT to decide which is best for you?

I would say leave Venice and chop off a day in Rome at the end to add to Venice. We used AirBNB in both Rome and Florence on our last trip and really loved the places we stayed at. In Rome we stayed in the Monti Neighborhood and in Florence right by the Duomo. For CT I like Monterosso, because I have bad knees and the inclines are not horrible. The good apartments go fast, I would start looking now and book ASAP. We booked in December for our May 2017 trip.

Less Rome, more Venice in my opinion.

Check out this hotel in Venice, was inexpensive and close to everything. Safe and secure, we loved it.

http://www.cabragadin.com/

You won't find a farmhouse in Florence, you will need to be outside of the city center for sure. Which is totally fine, but I just wanted to clarify that it's quite a busy city.

For Tuscany lodging, if you want to stay at an agritourismo, here is a good link. You will probably need a car for most of these locations.
http://www.agriturismo.it/en/
In the CT, we stayed at Sirene Rooms in Monterosso (http://www.sirenerooms.com/). Try booking.com for other choices.

Thanks for all your suggestions. Any other suggestions are welcome.

Also, we're doing most of the trips by the high speed train as well as get a drive for our wine tours. Is this a good idea?

any Recommendations on Agriturismos in Tuscany for 3 nights?

is there any high speed rail from Rome to Cinque Terre which stops in Pisa?

High speed trains from Roma Termini to Firenze Santa Maria Novella, then change to Pisa. After that, train to La Spezia.

For TrenItalia schedules, check here.

I'm late to post and am offering more of a Tuscany agriturismo than a Florence once. A friend and I stayed at Agriturismo Marciano in Siena in May 2015. It was excellent. The family produces organic wines and olive oil. The rooms are in an authentic farmhouse. The best part of staying there was the evening meals (for an additional charge), where an amazing multi-course meal was paired with wines the family produces. The two dinners we had there were easily the best meals we had during a 3-week trip through Italy.

On my first trip to Italy, I did not go to Venice. On my second trip, I did go and it was one of the most interesting cities that I have been to in Europe. I think you will regret not seeing it. If you do go to Venice, you will need to allocate at least two nights. Venice is like no other city in the world and who knows what it will be like in the years ahead with global warming.
I highly recommend the Hotel Villa Steno in the Cinque Terre. It was the best hotel that we had stayed in on our recent trip to Italy. In Venice, we stayed at the Hotel Mercurio Venezia. I thought the rooms were very nice and the location was very good.

Land in Rome and immediately take the train to Florence. Then to Venice before the inevitable back track through Florence and on to Rome or maybe stop in Orvieto. Finish the trip in Rome which in my opinion is a harder place to start a trip and is easier after you have acclimated to Italy.