Thanks for the heads up. We are leaning heavily towards taking the train to make things easier. Also the idea about pre-ordering museum tickets ^

You can't imagine how excited Mrs Cattle is getting over this trip :D

If you are thinking about getting a car and driving from Rome to Florence and then on to Venice, forget it.

Car rental is very expensive in Italy. You may not have a place to put your car in Florence, even though you are not really going to the center of the city to park.(that Sheraton is quite a few miles from center city, as the Roma). Parking in centeral Florence is very expensive, and you cant go there, since you are not staying there. There is very little to see along the way, if you take the direct route R-F-V.

Take the train. Take the local, first class. Pack a lunch. However, the trip from the train station to the hotel in Florence will require a cab. Check to see what the hotel does for transport to center city.

The train is closer in Venice than the car park. I do not know where you dump the car in venice. The airport would be ok, as then you could ride the Alilaguno to San Marco, and it is a short walk to the E&R.

Dear Cattle,

there's always so much disagreement about these types of questions because some people can't see past the tourists in either place, and because eveyone has a different opinion about what's worth it or not..but nevertheless here's my 2 cents...

I've visted Italy on numerous ocassions and until this January I never bothered to visit Venice. I visted my cousin in Padua and didn't bother with the side trip to Venice because I really don't like alot of crowds and for me I'd rather not go to somewhere swamped by alot of other tourists. For this very reason I'm not that keen on Florence or Assisi and generally prefer the hill towns in Le Marche to Tuscany.


However, this January I finally made it to Venice and I wish I'd visited years ago...sometimes there's a reason why people flock to a place. Tourism in Venice isn't a new phenomenon, the tourists today are following in the steps of Byron and Shelley! I found Venice overwhelmingly beautiful...the silence (particularly at night) because there are no cars was extraordinary. It's a wonderful city to walk through. The food was fabulous (I recommend La Columbina) and we stayed in a quieter quarter that wasn't too busy (Dorsoduro is recommended). I was charmed by the city, the architecture and the surrounding islands. I can't wait to go back.

Perhaps it was because I was there in January and perhaps it would be entirely different in the summer but I wish I had gone there years ago when I first visited Italy and hadn't been put off by the crowds.

Hope that helps!

Although it looks like you've already made your plans, I'm just going to second the opinion of staying in Florence longer than Venice. I was just there three weeks ago. We got bored with Venice in half a day and left. We only spent two days in Florence, and walked non-stop to everything we could possibly squeeze in. Lovely city, just don't plan on driving anywhere.

Also, Pisa is a short train ride from Florence, and Lucca is nice to visit too.

Stay in Florence for 3 days, that is what I did, and it was great. Everything in Florence is in walking distance, and the Uffizi and Micheangelo Gallerias are great! If you don't have a hotel, I recommend the Hotel Fenice Palace- near a ATAF (local bus) stop, and super close to the duomo!

They also have great desk staff, if you go, say hi to Pasquale for me :cool:

Hotel Fenice Palace

Take the train although you might want a car for a day trip out of Florence. We liked San Gimignano much more than Siena. For the museum tickets, you can make a reservation by phone and jump the line to pick them up.

Arriving in Venice by train and walking out face to face with the Grand Canal is an unbelievable experience! Sheer magic. Hotel is a quick and cheap hop by the water bus.

Cattle as some have suggested getting out of Firenze nd down to Siena and a drive around some of the little towns there will blow your mind (we know that's easy due to your hockey allegiance). Lots of wineries and little museums and art shops,etc.

If I was to do Italy on your timing I would do Rome and Firenze not that Venice isn't worth it. My wife has just come back from studying Italian in Rome and just continues to marvel at the sites she saw there and we have been there and to many places in Italy numerous times. Italy has something to see everywhere you go so your choices will not disapoint.