I am planning our trip to Italy in January. We have to go in January because we are attending a wedding in London and want to combine it with flying over to Europe.
We are going to be flying home from Rome, so we are definitely going there. We also definitely want to go to Florence (which I know is part of Tuscany) but I am not sure if we want to explore other parts of Tuscany or go to Venice.
If you have been to Italy in the winter, do you think Tuscany would be a good choice or is that better saved for other times of year? I am wondering how much we would want to be outdoors in Tuscany vs in Venice. The weather will probably be in the 40's, which means we would be fine walking around but obviously wouldn't want to just sit outdoors and enjoy the scenery.
Other relevant information - we've both been to Venice, though I was only there for about 8 hours and my H was only there as a kid. We both loved it and wouldn't mind returning, but it's also not "new". Neither of us have been to Tuscany, other than my 1 night stay in Florence. This is why I'm leaning a little bit toward Tuscany, because it seems a little less exciting to only visit places in Italy that I've already been... but I was only there on a really quick tour so there is a ton I haven't seen, or if I've seen it I haven't had enough time to really absorb it (like, I walked through Venice and did a gondola ride, but that's it - no museums, very little hanging around in cute cafes, etc).
As a bonus question - how long do you think one would need in both Rome and Florence? Rick Steves says 3 days in Rome and 2 in Florence, which should leave us about 2 other days to do whatever. He says Venice can also be done in 2 days or we could 1 day in 2 other places in Tuscany instead of doing Venice. If you've visited, have you found that to be accurate, too much time, or too little?
Post by mrsukyankee on Aug 21, 2019 11:54:21 GMT -5
I'd go to Tuscany and go to Florence for 2 full days and do a day in Sienna & a day visiting MOntepulchiano & Montalcino or a day in Lucca. Lots of gorgeousness and fabulous food and wine!
Venice can be quite cold in January. Like, you can see the Alps, and a lot of the buildings aren't really designed to be super warm. With that being said, winter is one of my favorite times to visit Venice because it's usually empty. You won't struggle with huge crowds and the canals are beautiful and moody.
It really depends what you're looking for in your trip--I love Tuscany and Venice, so you really can't go wrong.
Weatherwise: Back in 2003, I went to Venice/Florence/Rome in February. Venice was rainy and cooler for sure. I remember buying an umbrella and wearing layers. I don't recall any of that for Florence or Rome, likely because it wasn't memorable (meaning not cold). And as a frame of reference, I live in Wisconsin, so it was warmer in all locations than it would have been back home.
Weatherwise: Back in 2003, I went to Venice/Florence/Rome in February. Venice was rainy and cooler for sure. I remember buying an umbrella and wearing layers. I don't recall any of that for Florence or Rome, likely because it wasn't memorable (meaning not cold). And as a frame of reference, I live in Wisconsin, so it was warmer in all locations than it would have been back home.
Thanks! It sounds like maybe Venice isn't the right time of the year. I guess it is quite a bit further north. If Tuscany will be more comfortable for being outdoors that might be a better bet. I'm not really expecting anywhere to be pleasant "sitting outdoors" weather but I'm fine with it being chilly for walking around. I guess we don't have a lot of choice, haha.
Post by cattledogkisses on Aug 22, 2019 12:02:37 GMT -5
Winter will actually be sort of nice because everything will be deserted and you wont have to deal with huge crowds, but winter in most the Mediterranean is the rainy time of year, so be prepared for that. I'd bring an umbrella, rain coat, and shoes that will keep your feet dry.
My daughter and I were just in Venice a couple months ago and it rained nonstop. We live in Scotland, so are used to rain but this was torrential and pretty unpleasant. Since you can't just hop in a taxi to get around and everything is super, super expensive so you can't necessarily just hang out in a cafe. There are so many lovely things around Florence I'd just stick to options there - we really liked Lucca as well.