Venice/Florence/Cinque Terra order

This is your path of least resistance.
Not knowing how much time you actually have, these are my suggestions for minimum stays in the cities you mentioned

Arrive Venice. Softer arrival into Italy.

3 N Venice.

Train-to: Florence. 2H15min.

3+N Florence.

Train-to Cinque Terre. 2H49min.

2-3 N village of choice. (Monterosso)?

Train-to Naples 5H57 min.

3+ N Naples.

Fly out of Naples, or Rome.

Edit.

Between the train Cinque Terre to Genova airport, 2H41m, then arriving at the airport 1H40 min. early then the flight of 1H25m

You’ve used 5H 46 min. Take the train even with 2 changes in Pisa and Florence you’ll still save time. It drops you in the city center.

I agree with Gerri, assuming you have enough nights to do this ambitious itinerary. There used to be a high speed train from LaSpezia to Rome. Assume that will be available again in Sept. Change in Rome for the short trip via high speed train to Naples then on to Sorrento in the Circumvesuviana.

I would opt for Florence for a few days after Venice then west to the CT. You might consider Lucca for a night on that leg. To go all the way from Venice to CT would take up a whole day by trains through Florence or Milan most likely routing. From the CT you could train to Pisa or perhaps La Spezia and from there easily connect to Rome I’m guessing but I don’t know that piece firsthand. I don’t mind spending a half day moving around in country but a whole day seems too much.,

Okay makes sense. Those are the timelines I was looking at for each city. Thanks for the details.

The fastest train from Firenze to CT is from Campo di Marte at 7:54AM.

Okay it looks like Sorrento/Amalfi is out because of your advice/recommendations. Here’s a new itinerary: Venice (3 nights) Milan 1 or 2), Santa Margherita (2), 5 Terre (3), Florence (3), Rome 3.
Thoughts?

Santa Margherita and CT seem too similar to me
Might consider a stop in Verona or one of the Lakes instead of Santa Margherita

Or slot in a few nights in Lucca

We have gone to Santa Margherita twice, Cinque Terre once.Other than both being on the water there is nothing similar between them.

Perhaps I should not have said "similar".
My point was they are both on the coast and barely an hour apart. If OP is using SML just as a stopover point on way to CT why not just continue on to CT and give those 2 nights to a different- more diverse- location

Honestly, I’m really just looking for something to salve my wounds because we’re cutting out Sorrento/Amalfi. That was the thought on a few extra water days. That being said I like the look of Lake Como (as per your suggestion) and was getting settled into that idea. Now I feel I’m still running into lots of extra travel time as looks like we have to do Venice to Milan to Varenna. Just wanting to have the most experience and cut down on travel time. I know…. don’t we all.

Might take a look at Verona/ Lake Garda
Is Milan a must?

Lisa,

Let’s start from the beginning. How many days have you alotted for this trip? Your last itinerary was well over the typical 14 day trip. You need to keep in mind your first and last day are for travel to and from Italy. Are you able to add days?

Lisa-
I see from your other post that your trip is 9/9-9/25- so I assume that is 15 NIGHTS in Italy?
Do you already have flights booked?
Going to assume you fly in to Venice, out of Rome
If Amalfi is what you had your heart set on then go there. You will need to choose between CT and Amalfi- to me it's a no-brainer. Amalfi offers so much more and you won't have the huge crowds reportedly at CT to deal with. (Although it will be crowded in Sorrento/Amalfi you have room to move)

Your last post makes me think you are just slotting in places that are maybe not of great interest to you just to fill those nights (Milan, SML)

I'd do this
Venice 3 nights
2hr 15 min Train to
Florence 3 nights-
4 hr direct train to Salerno
Take ferry to your Amalfi coast town of choice- we prefer Amalfi for the "real" feel, less crowded, less expensive lodging and better transportation links. The ferry dock is a quick walk from train station.
Amalfi 3 nights- visit Ravello, Positano
Bus or ferry or driver to
Sorrento 3 nights- visit Pompeii, Capri and/or Naples
2.5-3 Train to Rome (via Circumvesuviana to Naples, direct train to Rome)
Rome 3 nights

Fly home

That is 15 nights- if you can add any nights- add to Rome and maybe to Florence for a day trip to Siena
Or if you don't care about actually staying ON Amalfi coast then add to Florence, Rome and Sorrento. You can take that direct train from Florence to Naples then on to Sorrento and see the coast as a day trip.

Mondo Guides has some very good and very affordable tours- we especially enjoyed the Capri day trip and Pompeii tour with them
www.sharedtours.com

Thank you yes I think I was getting off track and just adding more stops. Wrong thing to do.