Italy

Old Jan 2nd, 2017, 04:32 PM
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Italy

I am a 75 year young woman who have never traveled solo and have always wanted to spend time in Italy, especially Tuscany. Is it too late to plan for the beginning of May? Looking at the cost of living quarters the length of my stay will depend not on time but on money. My son will spend the first 2 weeks with me. We like to take our time, enjoy the scenery and the culture, see the must see sights, and soak in the beauty of the country. We do not want to visit a dozen churches, museums and art galleries, just the must see ones. We do not want anything fancy and would prefer small apts., or b&b's. Two bedroom would be best but we can make do with one. A private bath is a must and probably A/C would be a good idea. If anyone has stayed in or knows of a place, please let me know. Also if there is a site that you trust to find a place to stay that would be helpful. The planning seems to be a massive undertaking but since we don't like tours this is the only way to go. We will not rent a car so public transportation or drivers will do.
Our thought is to fly into Rome and spend 4 nights. We want to do the must sees in Florence but do not need to stay in Florence if we reach it easily by public transportation. If we could use a small town as a home base we could stay there a week and travel to the towns around it. We realize that the tourist sites will be crowded so we will be looking for someplace off the beaten path on our off time. I am asking for comments and suggestions on all of this. After we figure out the two weeks my son is there I be back on this site to ask for help on my time alone. I am buying a one way plane ticket so my time will be flexible for return.
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Old Jan 2nd, 2017, 05:13 PM
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Seeing the small local towns without a car is very difficult. Trains go to all the small cities and large towns and even smaller towns may have 1 or 2 buses per day for locals to get to the next larger town. But if you stay in the countryside or a town that is rally off the beaten track it means renting a car or hiring a car/driver which will be expensive. Also if the town is very small there may not be much to see/do and few restaurants.

I would pick a mid size town with decent transit that will give you a lot more options without the very high expensive of a private car and driver.
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Old Jan 2nd, 2017, 06:07 PM
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It is not at all too late to plan for early May. You have four months. Of course, the sooner you pin down an itinerary so you can buy tickets, the better.

It may sound good to have flexibility in your return, but in reality, it would be better to pin down your time and buy a multi-destination or multi-city ticket because two, one-way tickets will be much more costly.

You can get much better advice if you say what your total budget is and that of your son.

You are already getting some good advice about where to stay. If you planned only to hibernate and take walks, a place in the country or very tiny village would be fine, but not for any sort of sightseeing without a car or hiring an expensive driver. Trains are easy and very nice, going from city center to city center or close, but they radiate out from the centers of larger towns rather than connecting all small towns. Busses are good in some places. You might want to overnight in some of the smaller towns because they are always nicer in the evening when many tourists have departed.

Italy is so full of "must sees" even the ones considered by travel guides to be the top few are too many for the average trip. You will have to do some reading and choose for yourself what are your "must sees."

If you are spending 4 days in Rome, and your son has 2 weeks, does he want to spend all 10 days in Tuscany? Is there a reason he would not want to rent a car for time in the countryside? You could divide that time into at least 2 places.

Does he have a ticket yet? He should also look at multi-destination so he would not have to spend time and money backtracking to Rome. He could return from Venice or Milan.
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Old Jan 2nd, 2017, 06:08 PM
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Which museums, churches and art galleries are "must-sees" are honestly up to you (and your son). Get some guidebooks (bought or from your local library) and start noting what looks good to you. Or, if you really want to start with a list (I admit, my mom loves them), any of those "top 10" books will give you more than you have time to see and do.

Whichever towns or cities you visit, get the most centrally-located lodging that you can - that way you get the most value for your money. And, if you ask me, it's easy to find centrally-located hotels even in Rome and Florence that are on quiet streets. For example, we've stayed several times in Rome at Residenza Canali ai Coronari, which is just a block or so from Piazza Navona on a pedestrian street; it's a small family-owned (I believe) inn. In Florence, we really enjoyed La Casa dei Tintori, a B&B. It looks like it's owned by different people now, but the rooms look the same and the location is great.

I agree with nytraveler re public transportation and small towns. For your time on your own, consider someplace like Lucca or Siena, where you can spend time leisurely exploring the towns (actually, each of those are cities), primarily by walking.
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Old Jan 2nd, 2017, 06:44 PM
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Where are you from? Your trip postings seems to indicate North America.

If that is the case, these two statements are incompatible:

my stay will depend not on time but on money.
I am buying a one way plane ticket so my time will be flexible for return.

If you have already priced out the full price of EVERYTHING, it is ok.

BUT if you ASSUMED that you can buy one way plane ticket now and the return later while making efficient use of your fund, think HARD.

One-way fare, on legacy airlines can be more than a round-trip. That is just for getting there. You need to pay this high price again to get back. By the time you are done, you can end up paying more than TWICE for exactly same seats, although it gives you "flexibility." Your flexibility must worth A LOT to buy plane tickets this way.

If you are flying on point-to-point priced airlines (not legacy carriers), your strategy would work provided you can stick with point-to-point priced carriers both ways.

You can easily look at the plane pricing situation by using any of your booking site.
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Old Jan 2nd, 2017, 10:03 PM
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You've already gotten some GREAT advice from some of Fodor's true experts. Take their words very seriously!

You can use booking.com to find lodging -- it is a very reliable source.

You can use rome2rio.com to get an idea of your transportation options, but be aware that it is not perfect -- it isn't always up-to-date, and it is sometimes incorrect. That said, its a great place to start as long as you double check the information it provides.

A good guidebook or two should prove invaluable. Browse a few at your local library or bookstore to see which appeal to you most.

What is a "must see" depends on the traveler and NONE of us can say what yours are. As one example: Some people see what they consider the must-sees of Florence in a single day trip; I wasn't able to cover all my must-sees there in a full and very busy 5.5 days. Really, your trip, your call.

No bad decisions here -- just difficult ones!
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Old Jan 3rd, 2017, 12:27 AM
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I'm from Australia and we have to have a return ticket . I go to Rome every year as my fly in & out of. I have a great apartment 10 minutes from the Statzione cost €40 per person per night has everything that I book on a regular basis. Then I usually book Airb&b have to do your research as you have to stay more than 3days. Ask when you email about whatever you need no good when you arrive and it's not want you want. My self I would find an apartment in Florence as you can do lots of day trips to different cities and I don't lugg cases 2hard good luck jen. I'm off for 3mobths end of January
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Old Jan 3rd, 2017, 12:53 AM
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Congratulations and bravo on your first solo trip.
My taste of Tuscany was a lovely few days wandering Volterra, absolutely beautiful hilltop town; easy access - Florence to Pontedera train (30mins I think), then transfer to bus (about an hour or so, buy ticket on bus, maybe 4 euro) to Volterra. Cheap public transport, plus we stayed in a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom villa, Camere Renzi (we booked both bedrooms, it can be split), incredible value (lovely host, lives in same building), and what a gorgeous town to slowly wander, delightfully quiet in the mornings and evenings, a bit of a buzz with daytrippers in the day time. So many lovely alleys and churches, town gates and walls, wonderful panoramas of surrounding countryside, lovely little restaurants or takeaway panini places, stop for a glass of wine, stroll at your leisure. An absolute pleasure to visit slowly. My photos are in the middle of this album (shows the villa, too) https://flic.kr/s/aHskDja7Fy Good luck with your planning.
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Old Jan 3rd, 2017, 01:04 AM
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It's certainly true that staying in small towns severely limits your public transportation options, but there's a related problem with staying in a hub town such as Siena. These towns are indeed connected with small towns, but the schedules are mostly suited to students and commuters who live in the small towns and travel to the hub city in the morning and return home in the afternoon. If you want to travel to a small town in the morning and return to the large town in the afternoon, you'll have to do some very careful research and renounce some of the smaller towns that have only a few buses each day. On Sundays and holidays, there is little or no bus service in most towns.

Here are some possibilities for a car-free visit to Tuscany (and Umbria).

Chiusi is on a main train line connecting to Rome, Florence, and Siena. It has an attractive historic center, but the station is a bit out of town in a modern neighborhood. They do have buses connecting the center to the station. You could either stay near the station or somewhere on that bus line.

Siena has trains to Florence, although the bus is more convenient. It's a rather busy and touristy city, although with a very attractive center and beautiful duomo; people expecting a quaint village are often disappointed. Siena also has buses to various iconic Tuscan hill towns, such as Montalcino, Montepulciano, and Pienza. However, the schedules are a bit sparse.

For a small town with good transportation, it's hard to beat Buonconvento. It has buses to Siena and to all the towns I just mentioned as being reachable from Siena. Buses from Buonconvento to those towns take less time than buses from Siena, because Buonconvento is right in the center of the circle. There is also a train station in Buonconvento that connects to Siena in one direction and Grosseto in the other. You can get to Florence in less than two hours, changing at Empoli. Buonconvento has a very attractive medieval center that is an easy walk from the train station.

Arezzo is a very attractive small city on a train line connecting to Florence, Perugia, Assisi and Spello. The latter three are in Umbria rather than Tuscany, but are all well worth a visit.

Perugia (in Umbria) is an excellent transportation hub, with buses to smaller towns, in addition to the above-mentioned train line. It has direct trains to Florence, although they stop at every chicken coop and take two hours to get there. The trip should be scenic, at least.

If you stay in any sort of rural lodging, make sure to verify the distance to a bus stop or train station. Many Italian towns have a very large territory even if they have only a few thousand inhabitants. You wouldn't want to reserve an agriturismo in Chiusi on the basis that Chiusi has a train station, only to learn that your agriturismo is ten miles from the station.
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Old Jan 3rd, 2017, 07:47 AM
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If you're willing to think beyond Tuscany, consider Umbria. IMO it's a bit easier to get around using trains and buses in Umbria than in Tuscany. The transportation hub of Perugia is particularly well connected by bus, but you could see a lot by train if you stayed in Spoleto, Perugia, Foligno or even one of the smaller towns along the rail line connecting these towns (Trevi, Spello, Assisi).

Map and timetables:

http://www.fsbusitalia.it/cms-file/a...urbano_Web.pdf

http://www.fsbusitalia.it/cms-file/a...IT_Inv2016.pdf

http://www.fsbusitalia.it/cms-file/a..._Ann_ExAPM.PDF

FYI, some countries won't allow entry if you don't have a return ticket out. I don't know if Italy is one, but you should have a return ticket to show even if you plan to change the departure date.
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Old Jan 3rd, 2017, 11:06 AM
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In addition to adding significantly to your airfare costs, buying only a one-way fare may mean you won't be allowed on the plane, or allowed entry into Italy. That is a VERY bad idea. Immigration officials want to know you'll be going back to where you came from unless you hold a special visa.
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Old Jan 3rd, 2017, 12:32 PM
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StCirq is absolutely right about the need for a round-trip ticket to prove you're not intending to be an illegal immigrant. If you don't mind paying extra, you can get a round-trip ticket with flexible terms for changing a date. Even the cheap tickets often let you change a date, with a penalty. I did it once, for €300.
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Old Jan 4th, 2017, 09:56 AM
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Thank you all so much for your speedy and helpful replies. No one way ticket for me. I will rent a car while my son is with me. Sassafrass, will definitely check on your two lodgings. Adelaiden, will also check on your villa. Sounds like something I could do solo. Please any one else with specific places please pass them on. Jean, Spoleto looks very interesting. Vienci, I will look into your suggestions as well. I am interested in looking into an agriturismo after my son leaves but I need to deal with Rome, Florence, and a small town or two first. Although I haven't traveled solo, all my travel experiences were seeing less and seeing it well with time to enjoy the scenery and the people. After Rome and Florence, I just want to take my time.
For transportation to and from airports and train stations, are taxis, drivers, and uber feasible?
I will be checking into all suggestions and booking.com in the next few days and asking for more help. In the meantime, any more thoughts would be appreciated.
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Old Jan 4th, 2017, 10:59 AM
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Get the Michelin Guides to the areas you want to visit.
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Old Jan 4th, 2017, 11:29 AM
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For travel to and from airports, and train stations in large towns, taxis are generally reliable, but make sure you know what kinds of fares to expect, and what the local rules are. I don't think you'll find Uber outside of large cities.

Most agriturismi are not accessible to public transportation at all. You might be better off trying that experience while you still have the car.
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 01:50 PM
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Need help with logistics and obviously can't book anything until I figure it out. Right now I am thinking 3 nights in Rome,3 nights in Florence, and 2 nights in Venice. Then taking the train from Venice to Cinque Terre and spending 2 nights.Then taking the train to a city where we can rent a car( if necessary) and stay a few nights in an Agriturismo if that works. Makes no difference if it is Tuscany or Umbria It is the scenery and smaller town feel I am looking for. My son will leave me in one of the smaller towns where I will spend the next two weeks. What about Orvieto?
I know that many main tourist sites are closed on Monday, train travel may be limited on Sunday, Cinque Terre is not the place to be on weekends, and then there are a few holidays in May. Traveling dates are flexible for the beginning of May.
All advice will be most appreciated.
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 04:12 PM
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Are you sure that itinerary will give you time to see and experience the things you want? It seems rather rushed to me. I strongly recommend that you mark up a calendar, including your transportation time (that actual transit time plus un/packing, getting to/from a train station, checking into/out of your hotel, getting lost, etc) plus time for meals and whatever you want to see, based on opening hours listed on their internet sites. Then see if you really have time for this much moving around.
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 02:22 AM
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You can find agriturismi with access to a station but they are few and far between. Use the http://www.agriturismo.it website and their map feature to hunt one down. Supper may be an issue, but read a review and either they will provide or there will be pizza nearby.

Buonconvento is a lovely planes town, there are others along that valley which have good bus access.
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 11:02 AM
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Thank you for input. Does this sound better?
Fly into Venice (2 nights)
Train to Cinque Terre (2 nights)
Train to Florence (3 nights)
Rent car when leaving Florence
Tuscany ( 3 nights)
Drive to Orvieto (3 nights)or take train
Train to Rome (3 nights)
Son flies home
I take train to Spoleto
Train north to ? (5 nights)
Train north to ? (5 nights)
Train north to ? (5 nights)
Fly out of Florence
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 11:03 AM
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Have you checked age limits for renting a car?
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