My first impression is that you have chosen a lot of major sites, but are not spending enough time in them to really see them. Rome and Paris in three days each (exclusive of day trips) means you are going to have to be very selective about what you see in each city, and will almost certainly have to forgo worthy sites.

We are all different, and I know some people want to see more towns, and less of each one, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but my preference is to come back having seen everything, or almost everything, that a town has to offer.

I like the cities in Switzerland, but most people want to get up into the mountains for the scenery. The Bernese Oberland, and most specifically the area around Lauterbrunnen, is probably the most popular stop to see some scenery. Nearby Luzern is also very popular, although not in the mountains.

I’d want at least one more day in Florence (or cut out day trip to Pisa), Sorrento/Amalfi Coast region, and Cinque Terre, to start.

Thank you guys for your suggestions. I am VERY historic site oriented as well as would like significant time to really experience the towns and culture, so perhaps an extra added day or two to Rome or Paris would be the first place to start? I want to see Pisa but have heard, aside from the leaning tower, that there is not much else going on there- so excluding that may be an option. I definitely prioritize the Sorrento/Amalfi Coast region- in particular, Capri.

Cinque Terre- worth a day or two???

I would add time to Florence, birthplace of the renaissance, with plenty to see. Pisa is an easy half day trip from Florence, as about all there is to see is the tower and the impressive cathedral.

Cinque Terre is beautiful, but often crowded and not of much historic significance. Sorrento is also beautiful, but swankier, and reminded me of parts of California. Capri is beautiful, but often crowded. The Blue grotto was crowded, but the other historical sites (harder to get to) were remarkably uncrowded. We stayed in Naples because I wanted to see their opera house, and they had a very early ferry to Capri which helped beat the crowds. Naples itself is very bustling; my wife didn’t like it because the sidewalks were covered with vendors and it was hard to walk around. Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Sorrento were very accessible from Naples via a commuter line.

As to Rome and Paris, I’m not into ancient history, so I preferred Paris, but I also enjoyed Rome. I suggest you find some travel books or sites and see what they list for attractions in both cities, then make your plan. We added a few days in Caen to see the invasion sites and the peace memorial, but I think that would take at least two days. Michelangelo’s Moses is in an obscure church in Rome and the tourist books I read didn’t mention it, but I thought it was worth finding. St. Peters and the Vatican museums were very crowded each time we went there, to the point where it was hard to see some things. The ancient sites were less crowded, even the Colliseum. We had been warned about aggressive gladiators demanding you pose for pictures, but they never bothered us.

At LEAST 2 days in CT for me- though I’d say 3 is far better. I didn’t find it too crowded (even hiking the trail I didn’t find overly crowded. Get an early start if you plan on hiking), and I was there last July. I recommend staying in Monterosso, because it’s the biggest of the towns and has the most options for restaurants, and each night I was there there was live music/dancing outside. Also has the biggest beach.