I realized you asked to be told what to do -- so people are telling you to behave like they would. I

I'm going to Italy for the first time at the end of April / beginning of May. We'd like to make it to the Amalfi coast, but also see the major sights. Would it be disastrous to make an itinerary that includes Florence, Rome and Amalfi, and leave out Venice altogether? We will have about 8 days in Italy in total.
I feel that Venice is overrun cheap airline fares to south carolina with tourists and some months can be really really hot and humid.(not the first of May) That being said I've taken more pictures there than anywhere. If it were my first trip to Italy I would go to Rome, Florence and Venice. Even if you are there for just one night. A great approach would be to fly into Rome and fly out of Venice or visa versa.
Thin is absolutely correct that you can't possibly see Venice, Rome, Florence and the Amalfi Coast in 8 days. Even three destinations will provide only a brief overview of each. I'd pick two cities, fly into one and out of the other, train between. Which two is up to you and your flight options.
Arrnge to fly into Venice. Spend two days there, then catch the train to Florence. Three days in Florence, perhaps taking a day trip one day to San Gimignano or Greve, Ravenna, even Sienna). Then take the high speed train from Florence to Rome, and spend the rest of youer vacation cheap airline fares to south carolina in Rome. Arrange cheap airline fares to south carolina flight home to leave from Rome.
I have done virtually this exact trip (mine was 10 days, and we spent a couple of days in lower Tuscany). It was a fabulous cheap airline fares to south carolina "sampler" of Italy, perfect for your first trip there. You will not feel particularly rushed with this itinerary, although you will certainly crave more time, especially in Florence and Rome.
I agree with Cally, I personally wouldn't miss Venice. It is unique. I flew into Venice and out of Rome. I spent a couple days in Venice and then took the train to Florence, spent 1 night there (not really enough time - I'd recommend two nights) and then went to Rome. Forget the side trips into the countryside cheap airline fares to south carolina - stick to the three cities. I'd call this an Italy sampler - you will be back.
A great many people cheap airline fares to south carolina feel a trip to Italy must involve doing things they don't ordinarily enjoy doing, like spending days at a time examining paintings and buildings from the past, or being in crowds cheap airline fares to south carolina of tourists because supposedly the experience is worth it.
If spending time in museums is not how you spend your free time in the states, you might want to go to Florence as a day trip from Rome (90 minutes on the train), and keep your 8 day trip simple; Rome and the Amalfi.
I think your dates are kind of early for the Amalfi coast (you won;t be able to swim, although you can tour) - but what do you intend to do there? If you want to see Pompeii cheap airline fares to south carolina you can do it as a very long day trip from Rome. You could see Capri and visit a couple of the small cliff towns - but it's largely beach resort when it's too cold for swimming.
Hi; Been to Italy eight times, but our first trip stayed in Rome for a week. Do you expect to return to Italy? If not, do the three cities, open jaw, as was suggested. Amalfi is wonderfull, but you can't do it all in eight days. Richard
8 days in Italy is nothing. It goes by very fast and doesn't permit much relaxation time. Trying to cram three major cities into an 8-day visit is OVERKILL. You won't get to see much, you will endure an exhausting itinerary, and you probably won't remember much after you leave.
That said, the end of April/early May is one of the most desirable times to be in Italy. Yes, there will be tourists but their numbers are much less (fewer children). And since prices are very high at this time, the quality of tourist can be quite enjoyable.
Venice and the Amalfi Coast are FABULOUS at this time of year. So is Tuscany. Rome is also gorgeous. You can achieve great reward by narrowing your focus and picking one or two places that make sense. You won't regret spending four nights in two places. And then in the future, come back to Italy to experience the rest.
All this statement says is that you're inexperienced and ill-informed. One could say the same thing about NYC in August (and it would be true). Any major European city on a hot summer day is going to be smelly and overrun with tourists. Get real and get smarter. The sooner the better.
Apart from seeing the artwork in Venice and pretty views of the sea and cliffs, I find both of them really annoying, touristy destinations full of pushy tourists. (Can you hear the pushing in this thread?)
I realized you asked to be told what to do -- so people are telling you to behave like they would. It's understandable, but it is mythical that there are tried-and-true ways to visit Italy, for the first time or the 10th time.
But while there is a limit to how fast you can get about in terms of transportation and miles, there are otherwise no "objectively proven" ways to see Italy built upon ideas like "These towns go first, everybody likes that, this can't be missed by anybody, this time is right for that"
Hubby I have been to Italy many times. But like you, on our first trip, we included many cities in our 12 days on the ground. We did so just to get an idea of what we liked best for a return visit. Now, for many years, we only visit Rome Venice (with day trips sometimes).
So, maybe your idea of a whirlwind tour is not such a bad idea for getting a brief glimpse of several areas. But it is not a good idea for actually experiencing much - which is ok, if that is what you want.
However, here is my suggestion - when I know of someone, like yourself, who wants to do a whirlwind tour, I suggest cheap airline fares to south carolina an inclusive bus tour (hotel/meal/sites/transportation); Globus or Trafalger are good ones with good hotels, meals, tour guides, itinerary, inclusive sites (can get 10% discount at affordabletours.com ). You will see so much more of Italy with a guided (inclusive or not inclusive) bus tour than you can ever see on your planned itinerary. The bus tour itineraries are planned so that you do not spend more than 2 hours at a time on the bus, and you gain almost immediate access at most sites; avoiding the lines time waste; no time wasted waiting in airports/train stations between cities; cheap airline fares to south carolina driven to picked up from the door of all sites, hotels, restaurants, shopping. The people you meet on the bus are a lot of fun (if you are a fun person). The bus company takes care of everything - no responsibility for the first timer. Obviously, there is the downside of too little time spent where you want, some time spent where you do not want. But you will get that on your planned itinerary anyway, will not cover near as much Italian territory.
Since we had less than 2 weeks for our first trip to Italy, we took a Globus tour for our first time only, I'm so glad that we did. We visited Capri, Pompeii, Rome, Florence, Venice, Assisi, and parts of Tuscany - had a memorable under the stars dinner in a Tuscan vineyard with the most lucious food enjoyable local musicians. We had excellent guided tours to all of the most visited sites in those cities. So, for your whirlwind tour, you might consider this option.
Re: Venice cheap airline fares to south carolina - we have been there too many times to count in the spring fall - have never, ever experienced bad smells from the canals. Maybe that only occurs during hot, humid, summer days? On our first visit we did all of the tourist things, which were less crowded at those times of years, but still crowded. If you don't like crowds, do as we do, stay out of the tourist areas - there is plenty to enjoy in the other areas.
Personally I would not miss Venice, but that's cheap airline fares to south carolina just me. I have been twice, both times in August as it happened, and thought it was incredibly wonderful and beautiful. Sure there were plenty of other tourists, but that's because it is an AMAZING place. Neither other tourists or the heat of summer ruined it for me.
8 days is a pretty short trip, again personal choice but I'd probably only pick 2 places (or maybe 3 if you did Venice, Florence, Rome only because they are easy reasonably quick to get to by train).
Since you mention Florence, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast as your true interests, then I say stick with them. I love Venice--been there a dozen times, but to include it would take away from your true interests.
Can you be even more specific and consider what it is that appeals to you about Florence Rome, and the Amalfi Coast? As others have said even 8 days is not a lot of time to visit these places, especially when you consider relocating from hotel to hotel will take up at least half a day each time you do so.
maybe i will just plan for rome + amalfi only. I could save florence cheap airline fares to south carolina and venice for some other trip (i'm young!). is rome + amalfi doable in 8 days? I am not the type of person that has to see every tourist attraction on the list in rome.
If you are not looking to do every tourist attraction on the list in Rome, the combination of Rome and the Amalfi in 8 days sounds like a beautiful vacation and a beautiful introduction to Italy -- and wise. Have a wonderful cheap airline fares to south carolina time!
Hotels cheap airline fares to south carolina in Rome tend to be a bit pricy. I have been to Rome many times always ending up in a hotel/pension in the Termnini cheap airline fares to south carolina (central railways station) area which actually isn't bad at all. Last year when we were in Rome we rented an apartment through www.romecityapartments.com The apartment was wonderful and very cozy. It was situated very close to the Pantheon and was only slightly more expensive than a cheap pension in the Termini area and definitely cheaper than any hotel in the Pantheon area. The apartment had two rooms with four beds, a kitchen and two wonderful terraces. Very good value for money.
It doesn t really matter if you miss Venice the most important thing is that you have a have a happy time. You can safely ignore cheap airline fares to south carolina the warnings that Venice is sinking, and so it won t be there much longer . You ll visit Italy again some time, and Venice will still be there.
We ve found that the best time to visit Venice is in winter, as there are fewer crowds. And in Winter, the fog rolls in off the