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Italy-Rome-Florence-Venice-CT-PievePelego-Help with order of travel

Italy-Rome-Florence-Venice-CT-PievePelego-Help with order of travel

Old Apr 16th, 2014, 11:29 AM
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Italy-Rome-Florence-Venice-CT-PievePelego-Help with order of travel

My family and I - 5 adults and 1 13 year old will be traveling to Italy in June.
We will be staying approx 17 days.

My plan is to fly into Rome and either out of Venice or Milan.

Our time in each place is:

Rome - 4 nights
Florence (Tuscany area) - 2 nights
PievePelago (Family place in mountains) 4 nights
Venice - 2 nights
CT - 2 nights

Does anyone know the best route? I know we will be going up the mountains when going to PievePelage, but not sure about the other areas (just don't want to go up thru mountains and then down and back up).

I would like to add another town somewhere, possibly Lake Garda area, if we drive from Venice to Milan? or maybe if someone could make a suggestion that would be great.

Does anyone know the best route to take for this trip. And if someone can recommend a great site that shows mountains, driving etc.

Thanks I have been reading so much information, so anything you can suggest would help.
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Old Apr 16th, 2014, 11:42 AM
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first question - is it Pievepelage near Modena that we're talking about? or somewhere else?

need to know that first, before we can talk about the best route!
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Old Apr 16th, 2014, 12:32 PM
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Yes it is, - Pievepelago is a Province of Modena in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna
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Old Apr 16th, 2014, 01:26 PM
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Too much moving around for my taste and you want to add another destination on as well. Not a good route at all in my opinion.

I suggest you consider using the Rule of 3s for initial planning. In terms of travel that says, 'never spend less than 4 nights/3 full days in a place unless it is just an overnight stop between A and B.

Note the 'less than', it is a minimum. Most people would agree that places like Rome need more than 3 days. Note the 3/4, that allows for a travel day between stops. Even when places are only a couple of hours apart by train etc. you still lose most if not all of a day making the move.

The common phrase used and that you seem to be aiming for like many people, 'is to see as much as possible'. The problem is when people confuse the word 'much' with the word 'many'. They are not synonymous. The way to see as 'much' as possible is to spend your time IN places, not in BETWEEN places. In travel as in many things, less is more. Move less, see/do more.

If your 17 days includes your arrival and departure days then that means you actually have 15 days to spend IN places. Divide that by 4 and it will tell you that you should probably plan for no more than 3 or maximum 4 stops. You've already got 5 and are talking about adding a 6th.

So I would suggest Rome, Pievepelage (since it is a family place)and either Florence or Venice. Not both Florence and Venice and certainly not adding another to the list. As for CT, that's no loss, drop it completely from your thinking.

With only 3 stops you will have only 2 travel days besides your arrival and departure days. That's far better than moving 4 or 5 times.
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Old Apr 16th, 2014, 01:46 PM
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thanks for confirming where Pievepelange is.

I tend to agree with Dulcius that you're trying to cram too much in. I think that you might have time for 4 places - I would go for Lake Garda, in between your family stay and Venice. That would make a varied and interesting trip, but you could easily lose Lake Garda and still have a great time.

just how many nights do you have, BTW?
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Old Apr 16th, 2014, 02:48 PM
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Thanks for your input and I also agree with your thoughts about travel time etc. We are thinking of extending our trip to possibly 19 nights/20 days. I wanted to add the CT since none of us have been there before and I wanted to add someplace on the coast. If we did keep the CT and possibly Lake Garda, what would be the best route? I am also open on the airport that we are flying home from if that helps.
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Old Apr 16th, 2014, 02:58 PM
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You need to plan your trip around the FACT that you are SIX PEOPLE committed to going to Pievepelago -- not according to some mythical magical formula or °rules" for Italy of X number of stops = happy Italy trip.

To get to and from Pievepelago you need to plan to pick up an adequately sized vehicle at some point to get there. You will probably need to go to an airport to pick up a big enough car or van.

You also need to look into the costs of 6 train tickets vs. the cost of car rental.

You don't mention what time of year you are traveling, but if it is summer, then you need to think about whether you want to be near water (and what the crowds and costs of parking will be) and whether you really want to be sightseeing in crowded hot cities like Florence, Venice or Rome.
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Old Apr 16th, 2014, 04:48 PM
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We are leaving early June, but cannot change this since 2 of us attend school. I know the weather will be hot but really don't have a choice. I think Rome is a must since my family really wants to go there. My biggest fear is that we will be extremely hot and agitated, but since we are going to Rome and need to come South would you suggest not doing Florence?
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Old Apr 16th, 2014, 05:54 PM
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I meant move North from Rome.
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Old Apr 17th, 2014, 01:44 AM
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I've been to the Cinque Terre twice, and I could have died happy without seeing it at all. In the summer, all of the towns are sinking under the weight of the tourists. The towns live on tourism, nothing else. The best thing about the Cinque Terre is the hiking on the high trails, but you have to have suitable hiking shoes and a certain level of fitness for that, as there's some climbing involved. Most of the lower trails have been closed for several years because of the risk of landslides. Unless you're really into hiking, the long trip to get there just isn't worth the experience of being there.

You'll need a car for the time you're in Pievepelago (which isn't a province, by the way) but I would consider carefully where a car will be useful and where it will be just an expensive nuisance.

If you want to see a place on the coast, you might consider the Maremma region, or somewhere else on the coast that's not on Rick Steves' top ten list. I'm not the best person to advise you, because I've spent little time on the Tyrrhenian coast. I really liked Isola del Giglio, and Elba was also very nice.
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Old Apr 17th, 2014, 05:37 AM
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Pievepelago is in the province of Modena.
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Old Apr 17th, 2014, 06:30 AM
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Where do you come from culateru2? I would not expect Italy to be particularly hot in June. Warm sure, hot not really. What do you define as 'too hot'?

I do know some people who think anything over 25c is 'too hot' and others who don't think 'hot' applies till you hit 30c at least.

The average high for Florence in June is 27c/81F. Is that too hot?
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