Best city to visit in Italy??

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I am so stuck! I’m booking a 3 night stay for me and my husband for his 30th in July! I can’t for the life of me decide where to go, he’s mentioned Naples before but Google just tells me it’s dangerous and not the best place to go! (Happily have someone prove that statement wrong with a great experience!) Rome could be good but I know we will want a mixture of city life, good restaurants, sight seeing but also a beach day too!? Is this even possible? Grateful to anyone who reads this!

Padua. You can easily get to Venice for a day trip and Verona etc. Plenty to see there too.

I'd do Florence. Small, loads to see, lots of paved streets and little traffic. You'll come away feeling like you've done loads of it.

I love Lake Garda Sermioni is beautiful and near to Verona

We did Naples+Ischia+Vesuvius and Pompeii before moving to Sorrento. We had a great time.

I have been to a number, and my favourite is always Rome.

Three nights though! That wouldn't be v restful

Perugia is lovely , you have Assisi and Pisa close by as well.
Lake trasimeno too.

I've been to Rome and Venice and much preferred Rome. I would say Rome is probable one of my favourite cities in the world. So much to see and lovely restaurants and places to stay. It was just staggeringly great and we walked around and went to cafes and had wine overlooking the river and it was magical. So many memories.

Venice was busy and full of shops selling masks. The gondola ride felt like it was going to sink and yes the place was unique but it didn't really do it for me. There was no "wow" moment like there was with Rome and the Colleseum and the Parthenon and the Forum and and...

My partner has been to both and really rates Florence over the pair of them. I'd also not go anywhere near Naples. Sorrento I found over priced and full of honeymoon couples.

Agreed about Rome. I've been 8+ times due to family nearby (Latina) and I never ever tire of it, even on the hottest days when you think your skin is being flambeed off, it's heavenly.
Weirdly, I'm not a city person in general, but Rome just gets under your skin.

Cinque Terra. Just beautiful

www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/

I love Florence but, and it's a big but, unless you want to see a lot of churches, there isn't a lot to do.

I completely lost it over the statues round Orsanmichele but there is a reason it comes up over and over again on Mumsnet threads of 'most over-rated destination'. If you just want to wander around somewhere pretty, eat nice food and people watch Bologna is far better.

Lucca (Pisa airport) and Viareggio for the beach. Lucca is just so charming, and the tower of Pisa can be done in an hour. Three for the price of one and minimal travelling.

Catania in Sicily would be perfect! A vibrant city, great food and a lovely beach all very close to the airport.

We loved Pisa. The tower, Basilica and a long line of stalls, a bit like a market.

I think July would be too hot for Rome or Florence, etc unless you cope well sightseeing in the heat. I’d recommend either the lakes (could combine with Verona) or the Amalfi coast, Positano is beautiful.

We went to Rome in august last year and I didn't think it was hot.

I like Venice but only in the evenings when it's quiet.

Lucca is beautiful medieval walled city and not quite as busy as it's neighbouring more tourist traps. Also surrounded by the most amazing Tuscan countryside. Anywhere in the south will be unbearable hot July.

All good suggestions. Personally for a short break with a beach I would do Pisa and get the local bus to Marina Di Pisa.

If the beach isn’t crucial then Florence or Rome. July will be hot and crowded though.

I’m in Venice now - my 3rd time so I obviously like it. I think it’s very easy to get away from the crowds by exploring some of the less central canals. More interesting too. Lots of little squares and alleys provide shady spots for a drink and, providing you don’t eat around St Marks, it’s not ridiculously expensive either.

If you want a beach day, Venice Lido does the job. Do your research in advance and choose which beach club to visit. The public beach will probably be rammed in July. I really don’t like the way Italy does beaches, but that’s how it is.

Otherwise I’d head to Milan or Verona and combine with a lake. I’d leave Florence and Rome for a non summer break.

Ryanair fly to Treviso ( they call it Venice) which is a gorgeous little walled town with canals like Venice and the home of Prosecco and Tiramisu. Some lovely hotels and restaurants and it’s only 30 minutes on the train to Venice and easy to get to Padua too. So I’d stay in Treviso and do day trips to Venice. Though in July I’d honestly stay in a romantic hotel on the shores of Lake Garda ( I’d recommend Hotel Gardenia in Gargnano) you can swim from their garden, take boat trips , go up the mountain etc.

@gerispringer I think I might book this based purely on your lovely description

I enjoyed Crotone, was able to bathe in the Ionian sea.

We’ve travelled around Italy a lot on holidays Naples, Florence, Rome, Milan, Venice, Pisa Bologna, Siena, amalfi coast, Palermo and travelled around Sicily (the drivers 🤯) before having kids. I’m looking forward to bringing them now they’re older

I love Rome and have returned to it, there is something lovely about hiring a moped as seeing it as a local, we usually avoid tourist spots and head to more local areas for dinner

we also loved the island of ortigia, an island town off the city of Syracuse. There are some amazing ruins (agriento) around that south east corner of Sicily. You’ve got the volcano too. We used to always holiday in September too as I don’t know if I could handle July heat

i do want to do a few days around cinque terra in lower season next and the Sud Tirol (had booked a skiing trip with the kids cancelled due to Covid)

I fell a bit in love with Treviso, too. Gorgeous little town, did a lovely wall walk. Thank you Ryanair for getting us there for just £17 a head!