The pros and cons of an Italian tour – Venice, Florence, Portofino, Rome
Is it possible to tour Venice, Florence, Portofino, and Rome in four days?
Short answer: no.
The first day began with a direct transfer from the airport to the coach where this journey began in Venice. We entered Saint Mark's Square, the city's main public square, and explored the area, enjoying the architecture of the churches, which had many incredible intricate exterior designs. Later that day, we went on a canal ride to see Venice from a fresh perspective.
The second day started early with a five-hour coach ride to Florence, which is famous for the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral. Again, with the exquisite exterior designs but sadly not enough time to explore the inside. The Uffizi gallery was within walking distance, and outside are statues of famous Italian artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti and Niccolo Machiavelli.
We spent the third morning on a yacht trip to Portofino, which is famous for its lemonade. The day was spent touring the island's cute little cafes and independently owned businesses. Then we got back on the coach and spent the rest of the evening in Cathedral Square, where we saw the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Travelling to Rome and viewing the Colosseum took up the fourth and final day. You can see the crumbling remains of what formerly stood there as you go around the region. The Altar of the Fatherland, located in the heart of Rome, has a rooftop café and gives panoramic views of the city from its upper levels.
Pros of the tour:
-Seeing the main tourist attractions,
-The tour guide’s deep understanding of history,
-Went to many different locations in a short period of time.
Cons of the tour:
-Limited time spent at certain attractions. For example, we only had an hour around Cathedral Square before boarding the coach to another location.
-You can't move at your own pace since you're on a tour. I would have like to get lost in the city and have some free time to explore on my own.
-We had to wait for others on the tour if they were late at a meeting spot, which resulted in sites that we didn't have time to see due to the timing.
-Lots of time spent in the coach travelling to the next destination.
Okay, so it is technically possible to visit Venice, Florence, Portofino, and Rome in four days, but not at a pace that will allow you to soak up all of the attractions. Overall, the tour was definitely a memorable experience. At times, it was also really exhausting, but I'm thankful I had the opportunity to go on it.
A tour is a great option if you wanted to visit Italy but didn't know where to start, because you could see a lot of different things in a short amount of time. However, if you had a certain region in mind, you could go there on your own and enjoy getting lost in the city. Would I go back to Italy? 100% yes! Verona, the setting of Romeo and Juliet, is somewhere I'd like to visit, but not on a guided tour and at my own pace.