Number one - Can I come? :)

My friend Michelle and I did Venice, Rome and Florence during our whirlwind tour of Italy. I absolutely loved what we got to see of Florence. We started out with the bus tour which took us around not only the city, but also the Tuscan countryside which was a great added bonus. I'm sure you know Rick Steves from your other travels. His Florence book was our Bible while we were there. There was even a restaurant right across the Ponte Vecchio that he said to put his book on the table at and they would bring you a special menu. We weren't sure how it would work, especially since the version of the book we had was about a year and a half old, but we did get the special menu, free dessert and a 20 percent discount. There was also a great restaurant (another Rick suggestion) that had amazing Paella (in Italy, who would have thought?). We sat outside there on the cobblestone streets. It was absolutely gorgeous.

We tried to stay at Ostello Archi Rossi (http://www.hostelarchirossi.com), mainly because Rossi is my great-grandfather's last name, but they were full. I heard that we really missed a great place, so that might be worth a look. We ended up staying right next door, in a hostel that was being renovated into a hotel and got a great deal.

In Rome, we camped for a day. It was actually pretty neat, definitely something I hadn't done before. There are camp sites just outside of all the big cities, so they're a hike, but the buses stop there. It's a unique alternative to a hotel, although I'd suggest the cabins with the attached bathrooms to the two-person tents. I'll have to show you the pictures of our tent when we first got there!

And Venice - holy expensive hotels! We flew Ryan Air in and the airport was a hike from the city. We ended up staying in the home of a woman who rents rooms for the night, right down the road from the airport. It was this gorgeous house down a tree-lined driveway. Queen-sized beds, homemade breakfast in the morning. It was absoulutely my favorite place that we stayed! The next morning we took the bus and then ferries into Venice. Advice: Don't stay on San Marco Island. It has the most stuff going on (glass blowing, Piazza San Marco, amazing outdoor cafes around the piazza), but it's also the most expensive.

Phew ... that's probably more than you needed!

Great question, Jen!! I'm the opposite... I love the history!!

I did a bicycle trip thru Tuscany in September. It was heaven. Not sure what the weather is like there in Feb. But defintely consider a trip to florence. The art, the history, THE FOOD!!. They also have a huge market that's a trip. Have the porchetta for lunch (A stuffed pork roast.)
It's a meat area. Don't order seafood in florence. They are famous for a florentine steak, and pork. There is also a fabulous bean soup that is a Tuscan classic. Blocking on the name right now. Enjoy! Wish I was going too.

Matt spent a summer in Venice during college and absolutely loved it. He suggests definitely taking a trip to Florence if you love markets because they have one of the largest outdoor markets he has seen.

When in Venice, he suggests walking instead of taking the boats because the boats are slower and crowded, and you get a better feel of the city by walking.

Try to take trips to the islands on the backside of Venice. Murano and Burano do a lot of glass blowing and other "artsy" things.

If you are looking for cheaper hotels, The Lido (sp?), a small island off of Venice, may have cheaper hotels. It's a three minute water taxi ride to the main land. This is the island where Matt stayed. It's very residential and would give you a better feel of what living in Venice is like.