Wella_f1

I'm planning for a trip next September with my husband to Greece and Italy. It's our first time to both places, but our third trip to Europe. We will be flying from Cairo. Please check my itinerary and please feel free to criticize it. Also I would be very grateful if you can help me with some hotel recommendations.

1- Greece: 2 nights in Hydra and 3 nights in Athens. Do you have hotel recommendations for Hydra and Athens? a Central hotel in Athens would be great. app EUR 100/night as a budget.

2- Italy: 2 or 3 nights in Venice. Do you have hotel recommendations? app EUR 100/night as a budget.

3- Train from Venice to Pisa. Leave our luggage in the train station, visit Pisa Tower.

4- Collect our luggage and rent a car from Pisa and drive to Tuscany.

5- 2 nights in Greve: Do you have hotel recommendations? app EUR 100/night as a budget.

6- 3 nights in Montepulciano: Do you have hotel recommendations? app EUR 100/night as a budget.

7- Drive to Rome. Do you recommend leaving the car outside Rome or drive to the hotel, leave the luggage then return the car to the rental company?

8- 5 nights Rome: Do you have hotel recommendation for Rome in a central area? App EUR 100/night as a budget.

thanks
wella

kybourbon

I put a long list of places to stay in Montepulciano on this thread a couple of days ago.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...m#last-comment

Wella_f1

Hello Kybourbon. Thanks a lot for the useful hotel tips. Do you have any hotel recommendations for Greve?

Thanks,
Wella.

wckate

3 nights in Athens is pretty much over-kill. You can see Athens in a day, and the city isn't all that great to stay in. Most people I know, including us, just fly into Athens to go someplace nicer, and there are loads of nicer places than Athens. Just saying.

clausar

wckate

Next time you fly to Athens, i offer my self to show you around.
I am sure there is so much in Athens that you haven't seen

Mimar

Wella, how are you getting between Athens and Venice? As far as I can see, there are no direct flights. But I don't know your exact travel date.

Also I'd be inclined to pick up the rental car outside central Pisa, at the airport. Pisa's historic center has a lot of ZTLs, locals-only driving zones, where cameras snap your license plate and you get a big fine in the mail months later.

In fact, Pisa seems a bit of an outlier on your trip. Is it a priority? You could pick up a car leaving Venice and drive directly to Greve.

Mimar

BTW, plenty to fill up 2 days and more in Athens.

Wella_f1

Hello Mimar. As you said, there are no direct flights between Athens and Rome. I'll have to change planes in Rome with 1 hr transit. It's the only way. I even tried starting with Italy and then Greece, but i faced the same problem with no direct flights from Cairo to Venice. I'll have to do it that way.

as for Piza, i really wanted to see the Leaning Tower and the historic area there. I think i'll do as you said and rent the car outside Piza or from the airport. Is the airport so far away from the train station? is there a metro line that would take me directly there? Do you recommend a car rental company?

another question about driving also please, do you think i would drive the car inside Rome till i reach my hotel, leave the luggage then return the car? or may be you would recommend leaving the car outside Rome as well? I a bit worried about driving inside Rome.

Thanks a lot for your help.
Wella

kybourbon

You can't drive in the center of Rome either. It has ZTL as well as Florence, Pisa, Siena and even many small hill towns. It's pointless to have a car in places you can't really use it and pay 30-40€ parking per day.

>>>I think i'll do as you said and rent the car outside Piza or from the airport. Is the airport so far away from the train station? <<<

The airport is 5 minutes by train from Pisa Centrale train station. I would drop the car in Chiusi (not far from Montepulciano) and catch the train there to Rome. Another option is to drop the car in Orvieto (a bit further from Montepulciano - same train line as Chiusi). It depends on what company you rent from and whether they have an office in Chiuis or Orvieto. Both will be closed mid-afternoons, half day Saturday and all day Sunday.

FYI - Aegean Airlines has seasonal flights from Athens to Venice. In Sept., only a couple of days per week, but might be the day you need.

Mimar

Any flights Athens to Pisa? You could work your way from Pisa to Montepulciano to Venice, drop the car there and take a train to Rome.

We've driven in central Rome and received no fines in the mail. But it's definitely easier to train into the center of the city.

kybourbon answered your question about taking the train from central Pisa to the airport. The airport is near the highway, making an easy drive out of Pisa.

Wella_f1

Hi. I'm beginning to give up the idea of the car alltogether. Do you think i would have parking or driving problems in Greve & Montepulicano? The only reason i want to rent a car is to use it to visit Pienza, Bagno Vignoni & Montalcino while staying in Motepulciano. Are there other means of transportation to take me to those towns from Montepulciano?

Do you think i would skip the car rental?

thanks
wella

kybourbon

There are some bus connections, but you really can't easily visit those places without a car. There are fairly frequent bus connections from Montepulciano to Pienza (only about 20 minutes away), but not to Montalcino.

This bus map shows the routes/connections. Even though you could take bus 112 from Montepulciano and change to bus 114 to Montalcino, it doesn't mean the connection times work well or that it's easy as a day trip.

http://www.sienamobilita.it/mappe/Mappa_EXT.pdf

Pienza, Montalcino, Montepulciano all have restricted centers like many towns in Italy. You have to park on the edge (often in a paid lot) and walk in. Montepulciano does have a bus or two that runs through the center.

http://www.sienamobilita.it/mappe/montepulciano.html

Most buses have no Sunday service and some routes are more to serve local students going to school or people going to work.

If you rent a car, learn a few road signs. The first sign (red circle/white center) is the one you will see at ZTL's. Often there are cameras to snap your license plate when you drive past so they can send a ticket.
http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/road_s..._signs_cr2.htm

Magster2005

Here are some hotel recommendations that fit your budget:

Athens -- Attalos Hotel, really enjoyed our stay at this great hotel with rooftop terrace in a convenient location (and less than EUR 100 even with a balcony) www.attalos.gr/rates.htm

Venice -- Ca Riccio, lovely B&B near the Rialto Bridge (just be sure to get good directions -- we had a little trouble finding it) www.cariccio.com

BTW, I love Athens and think your 3 nights there will be time well spent. I especially enjoyed the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art (after seeing the Acropolis, of course!)

HappyTrvlr

You need to have a car in Tuscany.

Wella_f1

Thanks a lot for your help.