This will be my first time in Italy; my main focus is to visit Rome
Option 1: 2 full days in Florence, 3 full days in Rome, 3 full days in Naples/Pompeii/Sorrento
Option 2: 2 full days in Milan, 3 full days Florence, 3 full days Rome
Option 3: 8 full days in Rome +day trips to Florence and Naples/Pompeii/Sorretno
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
6244 posts
My advice would be to leave Naples area for a future trip.
it is too far and too much for a day trip. Takes time to get there and back.
Can you fly into Florence?
2 or 3 nights Florence
5 or 6 nights Rome
Or vice versa.
Or head to Florence from Rome on arrival then back to Rome so all Rome nights at end
Honestly if Rome is your focus you can't go wrong spending all 8 nights there. I love Florence and a day trip would be very unsatisfactory to me.
You could day trip to Orvieto, Ostia Antica...
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6567 posts
Can I offer Option 4? Three full days in Florence, five in Rome. Or four-four if you want more Renaissance and less ancient. Those are the two cities that appear on all your options and each deserves more time than the other options provide.
Option 3 keeps you sleeping in one place, but those day trips would involve a long time in transit for very little time on the ground. Italy will be there for future trips, and hopefully you'll have time for more.
Posted by
NorthCarolina
943 posts
With only 8 days, keep it to 2 places - Florence and Rome. You'll barely scratch the surface. I'd caution with day trips as you need time in Florence and Rome. IF you do a day trip - do a Tuscany one out of Florence with WalkAboutFlorence - check out their website - we loved their Best of Tuscany one and their Chianti Wine & Food Safari one. Adding a 3rd spot will take away a precious day - it always takes more time than you realize to change towns. Def plan to return to Italy one day and see Venice - it is spectacular.
Posted by
Greeley, co, usa
2429 posts
I’d do 4 Rome, 2 each Florence and Venice
Posted by
OP
Texarkana
53 posts
If I spent all my time in Rome, which day trips would y'all recommend instead of Florence and Pompeii?
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
6244 posts
As I posted above
Orvieto
Ostia Antica
Posted by
Washington DC
27236 posts
Orvieto is great--an Umbrian hill town with a large historic district and quite a lot of interesting sights. There's a lot more to see there than you might expect; the town is worth an overnight or two, but many travelers do treat it as a day trip from Rome. Rick covers Orvieto in his guide to Italy. Right now there's a 9:02 AM departure from Roma Termini that reaches Orvieto at 10:28 AM. The train station is below the town; I like to take the funicular up and then walk to the core of the historic area, but there is also bus service.