12 Days in Italy

Train to Florence and hang there a couple of days with day trips to Venice and Pisa.

Hill towns in Umbria. I was there over the Christmas break. We did 5 nights in Rome, 2 in Orvieto, and 2 in Venice. All by train. You can do Florence instead of Venice. Umbria is between Rome and Florence, so it flows easy (and is a quiet break between the cities).

So you got Venice suggestions anyway. Lol

Are you into wine?

12 days is a really nice amount of time in Italy.

Rome 2-3 days tops.

I would hit up some Tuscan towns on the way to Florence. Orvieto is a great suggestion. Siena, San Gigimano, etc etc.

Cinque Terre would be a wonderful place to spend a couple of days.

12 days with 3 in Rome leaves 9 days. I will tell you what I would do. We have done it before and are scheduled to do it again this Easter. Start with a week in Tuscany. We stay at a villa about 20 miles south of Florence. Rent a car and explore Florence, Siena and a number of the Tuscan hill towns. If you are not in to wine now you will be after this. For the other 2 days I would talk you in to Venice. It is one of the most beautiful and unique places on earth. And there is a lot more to it than the San Marco tourist crowds. My second choice would be to stay in Rome an extra day or two then spend a week on the Amalfi Coast.

Lake Como, then head to the Piedmonte region for wine & white truffles.

I spent two weeks in Northern Italy, and no longer have any interest in traveling south.

How far in advance are you planning this?

Because if we’re talking 6 months to a year from now, go to Modena and dine at Osteria Francescana.

Bump! adding to my previous thread instead of starting a new one..

We have one extra day in Italy that is not accounted for thus far. 4 days in Rome, 4 days in Florence and 4 days in Naples/Sorrento area.

I am trying to figure if i should give the extra day to another city in the south, or return to Rome with one last day to walk around, eat, redo something we enjoyed, etc... before flying home. Thoughts plz