possie

Hello,

My husband and I have not really traveled since 2000 and now we are thrilled to be going to Italy in September for our 10th anniversary. We don't want too much hustle bustle as this is rare opportunity for us to do a trip without our 3-year-old son!
Here's my thinking: We fly into Rome Sept. 6, stay there a couple of days for a taste of the city, then rent a car and head to Siena for four days. There, we plan to roam around Tuscany, figuring Siena is a good central location. Should we spend a day in Florence? What do you recommend for our Tuscan adventure? We'd like to go to a special place for our anniversary dinner...maybe chianti or somewhere near Siena.
I have reservations at Residenza Cellini in Rome (recommended by Rick Steves) and Villa Scacciapensieri in Siena. Can anyone comment on these hotels?
Finally, we will have two days and nights after Siena and I'm thinking Orvieto or Spoleto ? or should we just head back to Rome before we fly out on the morning of the 14th?

Any advice would be much appreciated. My travel planning skills are rusty!

Thx! -- Frazzled working mom

passantd

My wife and I did a trip similar to yours but in reverse and ended in the Amalfi Coast taking a train from Rome to Naples and a cab from Naples train station to Positano.

I would most likely fly into Florence spend one day there, then drive to Siena for a few days (40 minute drive) -- we stayed at hotel garden and loved it. Just make sure to get the top notch rooms not the economy rooms. There is a big difference in the rooms and not a big difference in price. finally drive to Rome. The thing is it is a 4 hour drive from Siena to Rome and 4.5 to 5 hours from Rome to Florence. It is best to fly out of Rome or you will have to do a connecting flight from Florence to Rome/Milan and then Milan/Rome to home.

If you do fly to Florence, try to avoid Milan...that airport is an absolute nightmare.

How long do you plan to go to Italy for? Personally, I would do the same exact trip we did again - Florence, Siena, Rome and Positano. The amalfi coast is heaven but you have to go through hell (naples) to get there.

jck4

in Siena, make sure you go to the Cane e Gato. For information, do a search on this site and you will see my previous descriptions of this wonderful experience.

StephenG

passantd: "If you do fly to Florence, try to avoid Milan...that airport is an absolute nightmare."

Which airport? they have at least 2 don't they?

JeanneB

Possie:

So you have 8 nights total? The first day/night you're going to be jet lagged. Two nights in Rome, one jet lagged, would be almost a waste.

How about:
Fly into Florence: 2 nights
Siena 3 nights
Rome 3 nights

That would be a nice vacation.

Passantd:
I've looked at options out of Florence to Atlanta. Yes we have a stop in Milan or CDG. But none in Rome. Perhaps it depends on the airline.

nonnafelice

How early is your return flight from Rome? We have a favorite B&B about 90 minutes north of Rome (not far from Orvieto), where we especially like to stay when flying in and out of Rome. If your flight isn't too early in the AM, you could stay there after Siena and use it as a base to explore a few of the surrounding hill towns.

It's called L'Ombricolo, and is a beautiful, romantic spot, with an absolutely delightful hostess. You can read more about it here:
http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/ess_...ombricolo.html

or here:
http://umbriaonline.com/lombricolo/

tinarose

Stay in Orvieto for one night. I was there just 2 weeks ago and it was absolutely charming. On the main drag down the hill from the cathedral there are some cute shops and a great restaraunt with a wooden sign Hosteria (yes I know it means restaraunt but that is all that I got for a name). You will be able to sit on the sidewalk and watch the nightly parade. At that corner is a book and coffee shop, more of a bar really. At least one of the bartender/baristas speaks english and they were charming as well. You'll know it because it's the really crowded one. Next to that is handmade gelato. You will enjoy it.

jck4

jeanne and Possie - FYI, just found out from my husband that a coworker went to cane e gato a few weeks ago and, while still worth it, costs alot more (as does everything in Europe now) that when I was there in 2000, when our dinner was $75 per person, it is apparently now $115 per person. Yikes! but a great splurge. enjoy

passantd

The Milan airport was MXP. I have never been to CDG but if you are talking a big difference in flight times then go to Milan. The airport was safe just extremely hectic and I have been warned by many travel agents that MXP likes to misplace luggage -- especially on Al Italia. It is a very quick flight from Milan (MXP) to Florence but to get from the international to domestic is a real hike.

If you go to Siena there is a great cooking class we took in an area called Montestigliano. The teacher was amazing and so was the food and surrounding area. You should really check it out.

http://www.eccolacucina.com

possie

Yes, we have eight nights, and no choice about where to fly into...we already have our frequent flier tix in and out of Rome.
We're planning to pick up a car as we leave Rome to drive to Siena--is that crazy or should we take a train and get the car once we're in Tuscany? I know it's not realistic to only do two days in Rome at the front end, which is why I was thinking we should go back to Rome for the end of the trip. Is that the best plan? I like the idea of Orvieto or Spoleto or somewhere in Southern Umbria at the end, but maybe that would be too much emphasis on hill towns. Our flight out of Rome is at 10:30 a.m. so I think it would be possible to drive in froma location not far away ? thanks for the recommendation of L'Ombricolo, I'll take a look.

Mainly, I'm torn about what to do the last two days and what towns of Tuscany to visit during our four days in Siena. The problem is there's just too much wonderful stuff to cram into eight days!

Thanks for the Cane e Gato recommendation - sounds dreamy but it might be too steep for us. It would be special for a 10th anniversary, though, wouldn't it!?

Thanks for all the terrific advice. I'll appreciate anything else you can offer.--possie

jabez

You will have no trouble finding "too much to see" in Tuscany with such a short trip.
I personally would stay outside Siena because of the extra time driving in and out each day, but you should manage fine.
Why not go straight from the airport to Siena? Rent a car at the airport and drive there. Stop at Montapulciano for lunch and have a beautiful drive.
If you are for sure staying in Siena, you might consider the train from the airport. You can always rent a car when you arrive there.
You could finish with 3 or 4 straight nights there. Less packing, unpacking,checking-in and out,etc.
It's really not enough (as you know) time in either area, but you'll have a great time anyway.

eroz

We went on our Honeymoon last summer and Tuscany was our favorite part. I'd skip Florence unless you are really into art, it's a large city and you'll get enough of that with Rome.

With Sienna as a base, explore San Gimignano, Volterra, Monterigioni to the north, Abbey de Monteoliveto (sp?) just South by Buonconvento (Marios for dinner is great!). Montalcino, Pienza and Montepulciano between Rome and Siena were our favorites. Visit Contucci Winery in Montepulciano. YOu will love Tuscany, we spent 5 days there and could have stayed longer!

JeanneB

Do not plan to drive to the airport on your last day. You will want to be there by 8:30 a.m. for a 10:30 flight. And you certainly don't want to deal with turning in the car at the same time.

I think I agree with jabez. Fly into Rome, rent your car at the airport and drive directly to Siena. You will be tired and jet-lagged, but take it easy and you'll be there for a late lunch.

Stay in Siena for 4 or 5 nights, perhaps making Florence a day-trip.

Drop the car in Orvieto and train to Rome for 3 or 4 nights. This minimizes the packing/unpacking and dealing with hotels and maximizes your "enjoy time". You also won't have the car to worry about on the last day.

If you don't "want too much hustle bustle"...this is the way to go.

Bluebird

My husband and I stayed in the Jr.Suite at Residenza Cellini last year and loved it. Very nice hosts and beautiful,clean room.

auntieapple

We stayed at the Villa Scacciapensieri last year for our 25th wedding anniversary and really enjoyed our stay. Its like being a guest at a country home. Its a perfect location from which to enjoy vineyards, the tuscan countryside,(the Dievole tour recommended by the villa and luncheon was most romantic) and a day trip to Florence. Wonderful pool. Also, a bus stops right outside the villa, which takes you right into Siena which is a magical little city at night. We had a most romantic meal overlooking Siena from the hotel's outdoor restaurant under the stars...I would think that was a perfect anniversary dinner! The waiters doted on us and made us feel like young lovers...

For the 8 nights you are going to be in italy, I might be tempted to spend 4 nights at the Villa and then back to Rome...

possie

Thanks for the kind advice, and the reassurance on the two hotels we've chosen.

Good idea to go to Siena right off the bat but it just won't be feasible with our flight schedule. We get into Rome mid-to-late afternoon after changing planes twice in NY and Geneva, so as we North Carolinians say, we'll be dawg tired once we get off the plane. It would be too scary to drive to Siena directly.

So I guess we will stay in Rome two days, then Siena four days, then Orvieto or Rome at the end. Do the trains run often from Orvieto to Rome? Would it be possible to take an early morning train to airport for a 10:30 am flight?

Thanks again to everyone!

Eloise

For a 10:30 a.m. flight, you have to check in at 8:30 a.m. at the latest. The shuttle to Fiumicino goes every half hour and takes about a half hour. You also have to consider that it will take you 20 to 25 minutes to get from the track your train from Orvieto arrives at to the track for the airport shuttle. So let's say you miss one shuttle. Your time from Roma Termini to Fiumicino is about one and a half hours. To get to Roma Termini by 7:00 a.m., you have to leave Orvieto at 5:12 a.m., changing at Orte, and arriving at Termini at 6:47.
Do you really want to get up at 4:00 or 4:30 a.m. to catch that inconvenient 5:12 train at Orvieto?

There are a number of people on this forum who are much greater authorities than I am on catching the shuttle to Fiumicino at Roma Tiburtina, etc., etc., but even then I think it would make an uncomfortably early start in Orvieto.

JeanneB

possie: Given Eloise's nightmare! stream of connections, you might keep the car the night before departure. If you stay in Orvieto, you could plan to leave between 5:30 and 6 a.m. to arrive at FCO at 8 and turn in the car.

Personally, I wouldn't like cutting things that close and would probably return to Rome for the last two days.

uhoh_busted

We picked up and returned our car at the airport. Returning the car took all of 10 minutes, if that much. You may want to decide when you're there whether you want to go to Rome at the end (if so, turn in the car and get a shuttle to the airport the morning of your flight...that worked great and I believe our flight was about the same time as yours.)

geordias

Possie,

You will LOVE Residenza Cellini in Rome. It's centrally located and you can walk to major sites. Enjoy !!
geordias