Two middle aged couples have ltd. time to see three cities. We want to avoid the confinement of an o

Two middle aged couples have ltd. time to see three cities. We want to avoid the confinement of an organized tour. Is it easy to self-tour ? How can we get from city to city easily and hassle free? Is it true museums and major attractions charge entrance fees of $25 $35 ? Can we hire guides who can show us the sites at our pace ? Can we get by without Italian ? We have a budget of $2,000 each for the entire trip -airfare, hotels, sightseeing, food etc etc . Is this practical ? Thank you so much in advance for your tiem and consideration in answering
cheap airlines tickets for new york I did the exact same trip; those 3 cities in 10 days. Buy the train tickets ahead of time from the US (you can purchase them online and you can get a discount rate if it s 2 people travelling together put trenitalia into a search engine). We flew into Rome and immediately took the train to Florence. We spent 2 days in Florence, then took a train to Venice for an overnight trip (retaining our hotel in Florence and just packing a light overnight bag for Venice ) spent 2 days in Venice, then back to Florence for another 2 days. We then took the train to Rome for 4 days. This was the easiest way as it is very difficult to lug around suitcases (esp. if you plan on doing any shopping!). The train rides were pleasant; I would spring for the first class ticket. As far as money goes, we did all of this for around 2K each. Consult Rick Steve s for lodging advice as well as self-tours. We never spent more than about $100 US per room per night. We did self-tours for everything and had no problem. You do want to reserve tickets for the Accademia ASAP (months in advance). Also, expect to wait about 3 hour for the Uffizi. Other than that, you can get inexpensive cheap airlines tickets for new york Paninis or pasta dishes for lunch/dinner, can even do a picnic dinner and pick up some things at a grocery store. Walking the streets and piazzas is absolutely cheap airlines tickets for new york free (and the bst part of experiencing Italy!) so at most you d only be paying for a handful of museums! Things like the roman forum and entrance into most churches are free, as are the Boboli gardens in Florence. Good luck; you will love the trip!