Originally Posted by Perche

I wouldn't stay at the Hilton in Venice. Venice is a cluster of 117 islands. The Comune of Venice includes a large swatch of land on the mainland, and also very far away from the City of Venice. The Hilton is not located in the city of Venice. You will have to take a boat to get to and from Venice from the Hilton. They have their own boat, but it is not going to drop you off where you need to be, and you will be tied to their limited schedule. When visiting Venice, you really should stay in Venice itself. Castello is the best neighborhood to stay in. Avoid at all costs staying near San Marco or the Rialto bridge.

You absolutely do not want to check into a hotel near the train station in Rome, unless you are hoping to get mugged. It's ugly, it's dirty, it's full of transients and pickpockets. You should be as far away from Termini as possible. You really should find a hotel as close as possible to the Pantheon. Staying near the train station in Rome, or any city in Italy for that matter is a mistake. In Rome it is a huge mistake.

Your day 4 is a little squishy, at least during the day. Campo de Fiori is really just something you walk through. It's not an activity. It's nice to go to markets and get an idea how locals live, but Nuovo Mercato Esquilino is not something I've ever thought about as an activity or destination. It's a long way from (hopefully) where you will be staying. It's just a block from the train station, which is not a nice area. In fact, if I were in that area I'd go into the train station, and go to Mercato Centrale for a bite to eat. There are a lot of markets in Rome, and I guess if you wanted to see one of the bigger ones it would be that one, but Rome is made up of lots of different neighborhoods, and each of them will have a market. Going all the way down there I'm afraid will be a bit of a disappointment, because hopefully you will not be staying near the train station.

Originally Posted by Perche

You really can't eat at the Rialto Market. It's a market where they sell fruit, vegetables, and fish. You will have to choose one of the restaurants nearby, but be very, very careful. Most of them serve junk, tourist frozen food. There are gems, but you need to target a specific place and go there. An alternative when near Rialto is to get cichetti, because some of the best are a block away from the Rialto Bridge, on the San Polo side. If from the market you just ask people where the church San Giacomo di Rialto is, they are all around that square. It's a very interesting square. There is a marvelous, historic clock on the church, the oldest in Venice. Cantina Do Mori is a cichetti place that opened around there sometime in the early 1400's, and looks and feels like it. Banco Giro, Al'Arco are other good ones there. There are many in the area. `People can argue about which was the world's first bank, because I'm sure banking goes back to the stone ages, but arguable the first actual bank was in Venice, across from that church, established around 1157. Venice was a major world trade center because of its dominance of shipping, and it's connection to the silk road. The bank is outside, and consists of nothing but a table on the other side of the square from the church, but it is still there, and many people consider it to be the first actual establishment of a bank. See the Rialto Market, but then go to that area a block away to eat. The area around Rialto is full of tourist trap restaurants, except for the cichetti places around the square where that church is. The earlier you go to the Rialto Market, the better. It's closed on Sunday and Monday, and when it is open it closes down fairly early in the afternoon, except for some vegetable stands. I think it's around 1PM when they start winding down, except for the vegetables, which is nothing. You want to see the fish.

Originally Posted by Perche

I question where you want to stay in Florence because again you are choosing a place next to the train station. It's dumpy and ugly there. Go down closer to the Arno River and stay in central historic Florence. Train station areas are always a no-go in Italy. The Mercato Centrale is open in the evening. There are no Mall Outlets in Florence. There are a number of them outside of Florence, but you'll have to get on the highway and drive for half an hour to get to any of them. There are buses that leave from central Florence to go to the malls, but who wants to spend half an hour on a bus to save a few euros? I get it if someone is really into shopping, but I consider it the waste of a day in Florence. Some will send a shuttle to your hotel to pick you up if you plan on being a big spender, but remember, even a wallet at the Mall Outlet might go for 500 euros.

Originally Posted by Perche

For picnicking be careful, because you can get a fine. It's OK in park, but if you sit down and eat on the Spanish Steps or anywhere els, or in Venice, or in Florence, you are going to get a ticket. Rome is full of fantastic parks, with the best probably being Villa Borghese. Venice is park poor. There is a very tiny one just off Piazza San Marco down by the water. You could walk by it and not notice it. It's near the vaporetto stop San Marco Vallereso. The other one is Giardini down in Castello. It actually is a park, and is very nice. Most people would take a vaporetto and get off at the Giardini stop, but strong walkers can easily get there from anywhere. For example, from Piazza San Marco facing the water, turn left and just keep going. It's on the water down that way, maybe 3/4 of a mile, and it is a wonderful walk. You'll also be in the deepest part of Castello, which is a good place to be. It is authentic, and not touristy. Cities have turned their wrath on picnickers sitting on and blocking church steps, bridges, monuments, the Spanish Steps, etc. You really need to go to a park. Don't even think of sitting somewhere outside and eating, unless it is in a park in any of the three cities you are going to.