Week in Italy after a cruise

Rome, Florence, Venice is the classic first Italy trip for good reasons. With a week I'd pick two locations rather than trying to do all three. When you say next July do you mean 2025 or 2026? 2025 is a Jubilee year and Rome tourism was already bad and with the conclave and the election of new pope all bets are off. So I would suggest Florence and Venice in 2025 or probably Rome and Florence in 2026 given your criteria.

If you fly out of Rome then I would go straight to Florence from the boat and then come back and finish off the week being near the airport.

I love Venice and if you love the water it may worth choosing over one of the other cities but Rome and Florence are two of the heavy hitting cities for art, history and architecture so they are hard to argue against.

Menus in Italy are clearly marked with Gluten, Vegetarian, Vegan and other allergen warnings. Many restaurants have "senza glutine" options for both pizza and pasta and Italian waiters are very aware of how food is prepared and can answer questions about the food. If you are dealing with an actual allergy versus a preference I would find or create cards outlining the allergy in the languages of the places you will be visiting - just be sure there is no misunderstanding.

Hope that helps, have a great trip!
=Tod

With a week, I would lean toward two locations and not three, especially with four people. All locations would be great, it is the logistics that matter.
I have read that Italy is actually great with celiac (despite the bread and pasta, it is accepted), but I would google for some blogs with personal recommendations (some thing like "eating gluten free in Italy," etc. should get you good results).

Pacing is always a personal choice, often age influenced. I agree with Rick Steves' take below and would have a hard time passing up Venice if I hadn't been there. When we took our teenage sons to Europe, they definitely preferred a faster pace. With that said, there is plenty to see in Rome and Florence in seven days! Happy travels.

Italy Itinerary By Rick Steves So much to see, so little time. How to
choose? To help you get started, I've listed my top picks for where to
go in Italy, and my plan for your best three-week trip. (This list
excludes Sicily; see my separate recommended Sicily itinerary.) Of
course, not everyone has jobs or lifestyles that allow a three-week
trip, so make a plan, prioritizing according to your interests and
tastes. If you're passionate about Renaissance art, linger longer in
Florence. Exploring Italy's hill towns could soak up a week. For
mountains, make tracks to the Dolomites. And if you've always wanted
to ascend Pisa's Leaning Tower, now's the time for the climb.
Depending on the length of your trip, and taking geographic proximity into account, here are my recommended priorities: 4 days:
Rome, Florence 6 days, add: Venice

It sounds like a wonderful trip!

Is this trip July 2025 or 2026? I would also recommend only 2 of the locations. It is going to be HOT and crowded, you won't be wanting to be on the go all day long. Flying home from Venice is challenging because. the flights tend to be very early morning. Which of the 3 airports gives you easiest route home?

If this is in July 2025, you might want to skip Rome because of the Jubilee crowds and the availability of accommodations could be challenging. Enjoy!

after you’ve spent a few nights in Rome, Consider a private driver as opposed to train to Florence. The reason I say this is that you could use a travel day and visit attractions en route to Florence such as Orvieto and Ciivita di Bagnoreggio. Then spend at least 3 nights in Florence which will only be really two full days. Venice is very easy by train from Florence. you can easily find day trips for many of these cities on Viator. I have even used a day tour as one-way transportation to a city. We just brought our luggage with us and never went back to the original city. You would have to discuss this ahead with the Tour operator.. as another poster said, you need to consider which airport is going to be the most convenient for you. I have never flown in or out of Florence. you may get lucky with VCE depending on your home airport.

Happy Planning,
Cindy

after spending three or four days in Rome you might consider spending some time in Versilia, a Tuscan coastal area between Viareggio, Forte dei Marmi and Pietrasanta. It is perfect for lovers of the sea, nature and adventure, and offers a strategic base for day trips to Florence, Pisa, Lucca and the Cinque Terre.
Connections between Rome, Florence, and Versilia are excellent with high-speed (Frecciarossa or Italo) and regional trains. From Florence to Viareggio takes about 1.5 hours, making Versilia a convenient base. Book tickets in advance on Trenitalia or Italo to save money.

Return flight: Instead of flying from Venice, you can return to Rome (3 hours by train from Viareggio) or fly from Pisa (Galileo Galilei Airport), which is only 20 minutes from Versilia and well connected with international flights.

Italy is quite advanced for gluten-free dining. All the cities you visit have AIC-certified restaurants (https://www.celiachia.it) and I can recommend a gluten free B&B in Lido di Camaiore Petit Hotel https://ptithotel.com

have a great trip!
Al

Maximum of 2 cities. If one is Venice, then look into learning to row a gondola ! Row Venice is the company. great, unique adventure