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The usual tourist thing is Rome, Florence, Venice using the train. You'd want 10 days to couple of weeks to do that. I don't recommend Venice in August. It would be a cesspool.
A few points of recommendation and advice:
-August indeed will be the high season - prices high, crowded, and hot. All of Europe will be on vacation.
-If you have only a week or ten days I would stick to one area of Italy. i.e. skip Venice and stick to Florence, Rome, Amalfi coast, maybe a bit more in Tuscany. There is enough to see. Heck I can spend 10 days simply exploring Tuscany.
-Naples - in my opinion it's "the armpit" of Italy. Dirty, smelly, crime-ridden, and just a sad place. Avoid except to take the train through on your way to Amalfi and Pompeii.
Regardless of what big tourist cities you choose, stay a couple days in a small hill town in Umbria (preferred) or Tuscany. Maybe Assisi or the historical part of Perugia, Orvieto, maybe Siena. Walk the streets, try the local food and wine, visit the cafes, eat gelato.
I absolutely love Venice and Florence, but having spent 10 days in Rome over the course of two different trips, I am not a big Rome fan. Amazing history and tourist attractions for sure, but it can be so busy, congested and intense, even in the shoulder season. That said, I'm glad that I have visited to see iconic places like the Colosseum and Vatican, but I'm not going back and have much fonder memories of Venice and Florence.
I am with you 100%. I have been to Rome twice and, while the Vatican City had a lot to offer, I was pretty much unimpressed with the city overall. That said, if I'd never been to Rome, I can't imagine that anybody on the internet would be able to convince me not to go.
The usual tourist thing is Rome, Florence, Venice using the train. You'd want 10 days to couple of weeks to do that. I don't recommend Venice in August. It would be a cesspool.
My first visit to Venice was in August, and that's when I fell in love with the city. We were there on the evening of an annual festival (I believe it might have been Ferragosto). The fireworks display over the Grand Canal was the most spectacular one I've ever seen in my life.
Please tell me which cities in Italy do you like the most? I'm planning to visit Italy in August 2016.
I personally like
Naples - Its a real upfront city. Some stuff to see and its close to the Amalfi coast. Really good pizza and good food in general. They make a lot of buffalo mozzarella in this area and the wines are good. The people here tend to be more open and willing to talk to you. Although I think the people of Italy overall are pretty friendly and open.
Rome - You can't pass up the history, the art, and the vatican.
Florence - Art, architecture and food.
least favorite
Venice - swamped with tourists. smelly. hot. not much to see do. overated. August is one of the worst times to visit it.
My first visit to Venice was in August, and that's when I fell in love with the city. We were there on the evening of an annual festival (I believe it might have been Ferragosto). The fireworks display over the Grand Canal was the most spectacular one I've ever seen in my life.
I'm with you 100% as well. My wife and I honeymooned in Venice in August 2004 and we absolutely loved the city. Yes it was crowded and touristy, but it certainly wasn't smelly or dirty and we loved it.
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