Italy trip- recommendations

[Shireslass]

So, my husband and I are going to Italy. 2 days in Venice, 2 in Florence and 3 in Rome.
Those of you who have been what would you say are the must do/ see places?

Wow, that's a lot of travelling in some cities with just so much to see, so much to do. You need a good guide book frankly. Do the highlights.

You'll be knackered though. For a break from the madding crowds in Rome, go to the Borghese gardens for a stroll. Boboli gardens in Florence and in Venice you need to go out on the waterbuses to the islands, Burano especially.

Venice, get a 2 day boat bus pass. Spend time just sitting on the boat and enjoying the views. Visit the ducal palace on st marks square and the cathedral next to it, but don't sit and drink a coffee on the square (it will cost you a million euros).

Florence- if you want to go to the museum and see David then either book your tickets in advance or go with a guided tour - otherwise you'll queue for ages. Take a drink of water with you when you climb the huge tower by the cathedral.

Rome- the main highlights are the collusium, the Roman forum, the Vatican, but there are so many more. Once again all can have large queues.

My top tips would be to on on a guided walk through each city. Your tour guide will really be able to explain where you are and what you're looking at. The last 2 cities also have hop on hop off tourist busses which will drive you to all the main sites (and give your feet a rest)

Lots of these cities do free tours on foot. You just pay what you think the tour was worth at the end. All the ones I have been on have been excellent. The tour guides have to do a good job otherwise people don't tip as handsomely.

I would consider spending one of your days in a Roman neighbourhood, just pottering. Testaccio is lovely and will give you a break from the touristy tat!
I second doing a tour, we usually do one but not necessarily of the major sites - a food or architecture tour for instance can be really good fun

Flat shoes and lots of money. Unless money is no object of course!

I did 2 in Verona, 1 in Venice (from Verona) 3 in Florence (inc 1 to Pisa) and 3 in Rome.

You need one whole day for the Vatican/St Peter's. (and you still wouldn't get the Vat Museum all done)

The one thing of all of the cities and things I saw which literally took my breath away was the inside of St Peter's.

Don't do all the art and all the churchy things. I got Jesus and Botticelli fatigue very early on. If you are doing the Vat Museum and the Uffizi, decide before you go what bits you want to definitely see rather than traipsing through every coin ever found and then running past something really splendid on your way out.

Book the underground tour for colosseum. You get to see under the stage and the third ring which aren't open to the public, no queuing and the tour is interesting in it's own right. Book through the official site ( coop culture) and it's half the price of private tour. You need to book both enterance tickets and tour tickets.

I done similar trip wasn't too much stall.

Definitely murano and borano from Venice

I also loved Pisa from Florence only an hour away. A lot of people said it wasn't worth it but it took my breath away