The best way to travel between Italian cities

In most cases, the best way to get around in Europe is by train. It's comfortable, decent value and quick, and it takes you from the heart of one city to another. The one exception in your case is Paris to Venice, which is just over 11 hours by train and you might consider a flight.

Venice is a wonderful city and a great experience, but prepare yourself; in early June it's going to be crowded. I've just spent four days there at the end of September, well past peak season, and you could not walk for more than a few metres in a straight line for the crowds in St Mark's Square and along the quay in front of the Doge's Palace. Away from these splendours it's quieter, so give yourself time to wander around the back streets, and expect to get lost. I did a two-hour walking tour with Discovering Venice, discoveringvenice.com, and that was a great introduction. It also included a visit to St Mark's Basilica, an absolute wonder, and on a guided tour you get express entry. Spend a half-day visiting the island of Burano​ and get an early vaporetto​ out there. It's quiet in the mornings, a photographer's dream when the sun is shining and it'll charm your socks off.

Four nights in Venice feels about right. From there, I'd suggest a two-night stop in Ravenna to explore the city that was the capital of the Western Roman Empire for several decades, which is jammed with architectural treasures. Florence is similarly packed with wonders and also packed throughout June. From Florence, you could make a day trip to Siena, not exactly off the tourist trail but well worth the time. One more stop on the way to Rome is Foligno. It's not the most glamorous of Italian cities, but this is a railway hub and a great base for exploring the hill towns of Umbria. Towns such as Spello​, Bevagna​ and Montefalco​ are a knockout. You'll need to hire a car to get around, but with a GPS  there is nothing too daunting about driving in Italy. If you want somewhere special and off-track, drive to Norcia, the world capital of pork products, and then on to Castelluccio​. This tiny town sits on a pimple above the Piano Grande, the Great Plain, and in June the  plain is  filled with wildflowers, an incredible sight.

From Foligno it's just a two-hour train ride to Rome.