Italy 4 weeks in AUGUST 2012

Quoting RadhaandBrook

Thank you all for such great advice.

We have taken everything on-board and so far plan on travelling from
Venice to Florence by train where we will stay for three days.
we will then visit Lucca for a couple of days before travelling through Pisa for the day and walking up the Cinque Terre coast. staying one night in each of the first four towns. (we hear that the northern most town is a bit too commercial?)
Also is it possible to walk from one town to the next in one day?

We will then take a train from Vernazza to Genoa where we will fly from there to Naples.

We will stay in Naples for two or three days and travel down the amalfi coast for 4-5 days.

We will then train to Rome

Thanks again for all your suggestions! Look forward to a few more

Sounds great to me!
U made good choices.
Enjoy Italy!
cheers,
v.

Here is my advice:

Venice no more that 2-3 days [ stay longer and all your money will be gone ]
Stay in central Tuscany for example in the Florence area from where you can easly take daily trips to Pisa and Lucca also by train.

If you really want to experience Tuscany you probably need two weeks. Also August can be quite hot so you don't really want to tour from morning to evening.
Car is a must to apreciate the smaller villages and the enchanting countryside.

After Tuscany you could take trains to Rome. 3 days are probably enought.

Sicily would take quite a long time if you really want to tour. it's probably a separate holiday.

You could go to Amalfi by train from Rome, and rent a car in sorrento, or even do without a car.

Finally head back to Rome prior departure.

-snip-

[ Edit: Sorry, no promos please. ]