``Best place to rent a car?'' I'm not sure what best means to you?

You will have no problems not knowing the language in these tourist-heavy areas, but it is always a good idea to learn a few phrases like please and thank you and the basic tourist requests. Take a menu translator, at least.

A day trip to Florence is enough if you just want to see, say, the outside of the Duomo and Baptistry, the David, and one other thing. But if you have any interest in the Renaissance, or want to see the insides of churches and museums (where the art and history is ...), or tour the markets and piazzas and the Palace, you'll want to add some days.

In general I am in favor of spending at least three nights in any town, especially Venice. You'll be fighting jet lag the first day, and there's definitely more than one day's worth of things to see.

I think it is a good idea to mostly get around by train and then pick up a car when you get to Tuscany. Florence is the ``hub''of Tuscany as far as trains are concerned, but city driving (out of Florence) might be a little too white-knuckle for your newbie nerves. It would be fine to pick up a car in one of the small towns and drop it off at the (Florence) airport if that's where you leave from.

May I suggest you take one day/night from Tuscany and add it to your Venice time. As your plan stands now, you'll only have one full day in Venice. IMO, that's barely enough time to get your bearings.

Picking up the car in La Spezia would make sense for your itinerary. It's about 30 minutes by train from Vernazza to La Spezia. Make sure you know the open hours of the agency you choose as most close for several hours in the middle of the day Monday-Friday and have limited open hours (if any) on Saturday. Closed Sunday.

Will a day trip to Florence be enough [time]? It wouldn't for me, and I've already spent many weeks there. But this is really a decision you have to make yourself based on your interests. Once you've driven to Montepulciano, however, you're a bit far for a day trip to Florence. The drive would take about 90 minutes each way, plus time to locate parking in Florence (outside the limited traffic zone) and walk to the historical center.

There are few places to pick up a rental car in Tuscany outside of Florence (city and airport). I only know of Pisa, Siena and Chiusi.

Where it's best to return the car depends on where you're headed after Tuscany.

BTW, I love Montepulciano!! You've picked a great spot.

Jean's advice is golden, esp on picking up a rental car.

I also agree with her and capxxx on not having a car until you absolutely need it. Traffic is heavy on the main roads and much of what you see between, say, Lucca and Florence is unprepossessing.

I would add that if you do go to Florence as a day trip, you will need to leave very early in the morning to get a parking space and because lines for the major attractions are often long by the time they open. It is a city where having a ticket in advance is of great benefit.