WINN

Had the opportunity to visit Florence, Rome as well as travel on a Mediterranean cruise last year. The 10-24 and the 18-55 were my most used lenses, by far, for the images I like to take. I brought the 55-200 along but it spent most of the trip in the room safe. Florence and Venice are pretty small cities. You can always go back to a location the next day if desired with the longer lens. I had little problem using either lens indoors though I sometimes had to push the ISO up to between 1600-3200 in order to do so. These sensitivities are well within the usable range of the XT-1. The IS of both lenses were also helpful. The 35mm could he useful during the evening when those cities come alive after their residents come out after work. I didn't find the 35mm that useful indoors because you often didn't have room enough to step back and zoom with your feet. Remember that there will be thousands of others visiting those cities when you are, it's high season in August. My recommendation would be to take them all and bring with you what you might find useful that day. Just don't let your photography prevent you from really looking around and have a great time!!

Visited Florence and Rome last year. What a joy. Most used lenses were the 10-24 and the 18-55. I did take the 27mm using it one day just for the fun of it. I brought the 55-200 but it stayed in the hotel most of the time. You can talk about the niceties of prime lenses all day but remember you will be traveling during "high season" with tens of thousands of others. You might not be able to position yourself exactly where you want because throngs of others will be trying to do the same thing. I now have the 18-135 and would have taken that in place of the 18-55 and probably would have left the 55-200 at home. Most museums allow photography but no flash. The 35mm f/1.4 could be useful if the crowds allow you to get close enough. Many will be using their phones and tablets which don't zoom very much if at all. Remember that the Uffizi and Accademia are closed on Monday so plan accordingly. In Florence try to visit the Bargello. I found it very interesting and not nearly as crowded as the other museums. It's open on Monday if that becomes a problem. Now repeat after me "gelato is a very important source of protein and has to be consumed daily". Have a great time!!!

I'd recommend the 10-24 as well. You already have someone who lives in Germany suggest that lens. I was able to travel to Italy, Greece and Turkey last year and found the 10-24 to be very useful. That and the 16-55 were the lenses I went out with every day. I did take the 55-200 on the trip but brought it out only when I thought it might come in handy. Checking my EXIF data I seem to have used the 10-24 from about 15mm-24mm most of the time. You have all these other people debating the use of primes vs zooms so I don't have to burden you with my interpretation. I was recently able to find a new 18-135 for a, for that lens, reasonable price. If I were to travel to Europe now I would take the 10-24 and the 18-135 plus the 27mm prime. I'm not suggesting that you consider the 18-135 nor am I asking anyone to debate the pluses or minuses of this lens, I'm just adding what I would do today. If you feel comfortable with flash I recommend that you take a small one for fill in backlit situations. Regardless, you will be fine no matter what you take but most of all have a great trip!!