Rome, Florence, Venice, CT and an early flight: which order?

Forget Cinque Terre, at that time of the year you could have terrible weather, so travelling out of your way for 1 day in the hope of a good photo is not worth it. The best way would be go straight to Venice and then make your way back. On how long you spend in each city depends on what you want to see in each city. You will read lots of thoughts on this but it is personal taste that should help you decide. For example if you love renaissance art spend more time in Florence if you don't then 2 nights is easily enough in Florence.

For me if I was doing the three cities I would do 3 nights in Venice, 2 nights in Florence and 5 nights in Rome, but thats me. The 3 nights in Venice would be purely due to the long arrival.

Agree that CT isn't a good use of time at this time of year. You're pushing it with your remaining itinerary as it as. Personal recommendation: 4 nights Rome, 3 nights each Venice and Florence. The order doesn't matter overly much, by fly open-jaw to avoid time-wasting backtracking.

I think you have to spend the last night in Rome, because I don't think you can find a suitable overnight train from Venice / Florence. All train information from www.trenitalia.com.

And since you need to go to Rome Termini in any case after arrival from FCO, it makes most sense to immediately get on a train to Venice (for two nights), La Spezia CT (two nights), Florence (two nights), Rome / Vatican (four nights). Instead of La Spezia you can stay in one of the villages.

For your full day in Cinque Terre, just buy the all-day rail pass, and hop on-off at each of the five villages ... it's all stunning in good weather. If you have time, you can catch a local bus to Portovenere outside L Spezia ... it's very good too. You run some weather risks in October, so pray to your weather gods!

You MUST spend the last night in Rome before a 9:00 AM flight.

Go directly to Venice upon arrival in Rome, then take a train to Florence, and end up in Rome. Skip the CT: you don't really have the time and the one day you have might pour buckets. Save it for the next trip. Don't underestimate the amount of time it can eat to transfer from one city/accommodation to another.

10/2; arrive in Rome and train to Venice
10/3: Venice
10/4: Venice
10/5: Venice/Florence
10/6: Florence
10/7: Florence
10/8: Florence/Rome
10/9:Rome
10/10:Rome
10/11: Rome
10/12: fly home from Rome

My view is pretty consistent on these questions ... someone who is travelling to Europe from a long way away (at a considerable cost) probably needs (and is expecting) more reward per week.

I also don't consider that Venice and Florence need four nights - very few cities do - out of a total holiday of ten. Even three is not absolutely necessary.

Anyway - risking Cinque Terre in October is something the OP will need to decide upon. Perhaps plan for two night in La Spezia (don't pay anything), and if the coast weather is foul, transfer them to Lucca, or Siena in Tuscany.

My view is also pretty consistent: having only enough time in a destination to do exactly what every other tourist in town is doing in not a reward. It's a punishment.

If you need "more reward" than Rome, Florence and Venice in 10 days, you probably need to switch to decaf. I would consider that the bare minimum to do them something resembling justice.

OP, I think you're confusing "feasible" (possible to do easily or conveniently) with "physically possible." A quick look at train timetables will tell you how inconvenient it will be to try to cram in all 4 destinations, but especially if you leave directly for Venice on arrival at Rome.

That would mean: arriving at 7am, collecting luggage, taking the bus or train to Rome Termini, jumping on a train and arriving in Venice sometime early in the afternoon--but probably not much before 2pm. If you hotel is near the station, you might be ready to walk out it of and begin sightseeing (or at least looking for food) by 3. How bright-eyed and bushy tailed everyone will be at his point, 8 hours after your Rome arrival--and goodness knows how many hours after your US departure-- is questionable.

The next day would be your only full day in Venice. Enjoy! Because on Day 3, you'll spend another 5 hours on trains to get to La Spezia. To spend a day and a half there.

The time you'd have in Venice hardly seems worth the time and expense of getting there--and away.

Thanks everyone for your input. I checked trenitalia and doing Florence > Venice > Rome seems more appealing. The train ride from Rome to Florence is about two hours shorter than the one to Venice. As @clementis_fur_cap mentioned, the first hours in Italy sound quite hectic.

You have convinced me to skip CT, I will leave it for "later." I want to go back to every country and almost every city I've ever visited... sigh.

As for what to do every day, we might separate into smaller groups. We're all into different things. Again, thanks for your input.

You can leave the CT as a possible day trip from Florence,if you fancy it at the time (ie if the weather is nice and/or you are bored in Florence..sounds hard for me,but depends on you and your interests,,,noit everyone is is into Renaissance art and msuems so much ;-)

Apart from that,I'd definitely leave Rome until last with that timeframe.And more than one full day in Venice will repay you considerably IMHO....

BTW its not impossible to fly directly to Venice on arrival in Rome,if there is a convenient flight time from the arrival airport....(Fiumicino/LdV).You might get a cheaper and faster budget flight than travelling into the centre of Rome and taking the train.....

BTW its not impossible to fly directly to Venice on arrival in Rome,if there is a convenient flight time from the arrival airport....(Fiumicino/LdV).You might get a cheaper and faster budget flight than travelling into the centre of Rome and taking the train.....

Very good point ... research is the key to enjoying travel the most, especially in Europe - where it is both complex but rich in opportunities!