katiemac

Good morning everyone. I have been poring over countless Italy posts for a few weeks now and getting lots of great ideas for my first trip to Italy in November. My head is swimming. I don't want to ask too many redundant questions but I think it would be helpful to post an itinerary and ask for your feedback/suggestions/critiques.

First, some context: My husband and I (28 and 29) will be traveling to celebrate our first anniversary. We were married last October and had a pretty disrupted honeymoon in Tulum, Mexico courtesy of Hurricane Wilma (just back from Honeymoon Part Two using our credit and will post trip report this week). I had wanted to go to Italy but was "outvoted" at the time so now...finally...we're going this fall! My husband has traveled in Italy before, but he was in college at the time with a group. He did bring back some definite opinions though that have been shaping some of our trip planning. Basically: he LOVED Florence, wasn't big on Venice, wants to do more in Tuscany and then spend a few days in Rome.

So far, this is what I'm thinking for itinerary. I have debated back and forth over whether to include Venice. Pros: I haven't been and I keep reading how magical a place it is - and not sure how soon we'll be back in Italy. Cons: since we only have 10 nights, I don't want to bed hop too frequently and would probably only be able to stay 2 nights - also not sure if that time of year might be too chilly/rainy?

So, here goes...

OPTION #1:

Nov. 5-6
VENICE - 2 nights
Locanda Orseolo

Nov. 7-8
FLORENCE - 2 nights
La Residenza del Proconsolo

Nov. 9-11
TUSCANY - 3 nights
Considering Il Giglio (Montalcino) or Villa S. Andrea (Chianti)
**still most open with these lodging options - feedback or alternate suggestions welcome. We would like to have a good home base for touring, wine tasting, etc.

Nov. 12-14
ROME - 3 nights
Hotel Daphne

OPTION #2:
The alternative would be dropping Venice and adding 1 extra night each to Florence and Tuscany.

When we travel, our most enjoyable experiences tend to involve food & drink (wine), local festivals/arts, going off-the-beaten path a little, attending a performance or sporting event and taking in the "must-see" sights. I like to allow time to unwind and relax and don't like cramming a schedule so full you don't have time to enjoy the quiet moments.

Would this itinerary help us to capture those highlights or will we be running ourselves ragged (this is where Venice again may come into play...). Thank you in advance for any thoughts/critiques (please be kind) that might help us make a decision?

ira

Hi K,

Farmland you can see anywhere. There is only one Venice. Besides, Tuscany is not at its best in Nov.

I suggest splitting your time between Venice (4 nights) and Florence (6 nights) with daytrips to Siena and Orvieto from Florence.

You can fly into Venice VCE and out of Florence FLR or Pisa PSA.

Have a nice visit.

bardo1

I think both option #1 & #2 are a bit much.

Ira's suggested itnerary is a wonderful suggested improvement.

Another alternative would be 4 nights in Florence and 6 nights in Rome.

Rome simply isn't something you can just "squeeze in". People that attempt to often come away with an unfavorable impression of Rome. People that spend longer there are hooked for life. Either plan about a week in Rome or save it for another trip. You are very young and have roughly 40 years of European travel ahead of you.

SusanP

As Ira mentioned, Tuscany is perhaps not at its best in November. I certainly wouldn't want to leave Venice out. I would do 3 nights Venice, 3 nights Florence and 4 nights Rome. You're likely to have rain in November, so just come prepared for it.

katiemac

Is weather in Venice better than Tuscany this time of year? I have read on these boards about the flooding that seems to occur most often in November. My brother-in-law was there once when it flooded and said it was not at all pleasant, so just wondering?

jabez

I've been to Venice in Nov.and didn't
enjoy it all that much. Weather,though,is so hard to predict. My first choice is Rome and then Tuscany.
While Ira is easily one of the wisest "sages" here, I don't agree that Tuscany is just about "farmland".
With the distance and short daylight, I'd recommend Venice or Rome, Florence and a hill town.
The distance between Venice and Rome has me suggesting that you choose one or the other .

michellen

And if you do choose to see Tuscany, Montalcino is a wonderful choice!

italylover23

Your plan of Venice, Florence, Tuscany and Rome is too ambitious for 10 days. And if you only do the big cities, you miss the best part of Italy. I planned a similar itinerary for my 1st trip and was talked out of it, thankfully. I think this is my 4th or 5th trip, and I'm finally going to Venice. I recommend Florence, Rome and Tuscany. They are near enough to rent a car and not be rushed through on your trip. Pick somewhere central in Tuscany to stay and do day trips. There is a type of lodging in Italy called agriturismo. We used initaly.com to find a farmhouse in Tuscany to stay in. Let's face it, November is not the ideal time to see Italy, but it's when you can go. I'm going this November also. I recommend spending 3 nights in the cities and 4 nights in Tuscany, esp. if you are looking for "off the beaten path." We meandered through the Chianti region stopping anywhere that a sign said "vino." That was one of the highlights and the most memorable part of that trip.

katiemac

Thanks to everyone for your comments and suggestions. I feel like I really need to allocate more time to Venice to truly do it justice, so that may mean saving it for another trip. Somehow I think once I get over there I'll be making SURE I get back again!

Does anyone have suggestions on the best way to rent a car? If we fly into Florence and start the trip there, I'm guessing I don't need to pick up a car until I head out into the hilltowns since we shouldn't need a car at all in the city? Would you rent a car on the outskirts of town or take the train out (to Siena, etc) and pick one up there?

ira

Hi K,

Check with www.novarentacar.com and www.autoeurope.com.

They have locations from which it is not diffficult to get on the S222 South to the hill towns and Siena.

Have a nice visit.

Sea_Marks

We spent 2 1/2 weeks in Tuscany and Umbria and then Rome in November 2004 and had mostly good weather (just 2 days of rain, I think). We thought it was a great time to be there -- less crowded and it's truffle season and we went to a few truffle festivals/fairs. There is one in San Giovanni d'Asso in November. It's also cinghiale (wild boar) season. We picked our car up (rented through AutoEurope) near the train station in Florence the day we left Florence. It was very easy to get out of town and onto the autostrada to head for the hilltowns.

katiemac

Sea_Marks - sounds wonderful - we will be keeping our fingers crossed for good weather. I have also read about the truffle and olive harvests that time of year and am hoping we can uncover a local festival or two!

Auto Europe seems like a good resource for rentals - thanks to Ira too.

basingstoke1

Sounds like you have a flexible attitude towards travel that will do you good. If doing a daytrip from Florence to Siena, be sure to take the bus not the train. It is faster and puts you in a good location in Siena, just outside the wall. The bus costs less too and runs often. The Siena train station is far enough from the center that you would likely want a taxi. In Florence, the bus station is just up the street from the train station. As far as itinerary, I agree with Ira. Besides its your first aniversary. I am sure that your husband will see Venice with different eyes when there with his love rather than a bunch of guys. It is a romantic place. November can be glorious or rainy. Hope for the former and prepare for the latter.

chris1234

katiemac,

i did this exact itinerary two years ago. you can find my itinerary by looking under my screen name or search for Italy Trip Report. I will repost it for those doing italy this summer.

Margaretlb

Yikes, I was halfway through a long post when it disappeared. I'll try again.
Four days - definitely. I agree with Ira. Tuscany is dreary in November and it is just farmland to me (but I prefer cities, I'm no country girl). I spent a week in Florence and a week in Venice during the last two weeks of Nov 2005. I also stayed at the Proconsolo and it's a great choice. Located in the middle of everthing and Paula and Roberto are great hosts. The weather was not normal for Florence and I don't believe it ever warmed up to 40F. There was a constant north wind from the Baltics and my shopping consisted of searching for warm clothes! It even snowed the day we left (Friday after Thanksgiving) which Roberto said was rare. BUT the museums and churches were not crowded and dinner reservations were a non-issue. The train to Venice took an extra 90 minutes due to the weather. In Venice, we missed the morning snow (I would have loved to see that)and the weather all week was mid 40's and rain. Some days showers, some days rain all day. But no alta aqua although there was record flooding the day after we left. But, Venice was actually QUIET - NO crowds anywhere. Entire churches and museums to ourselves. In the Frari, maybe a dozen people; Ca'Rezzonico, empty except for my DH and the couple we traveled with; Ca'Doro, just us and some school kids on a class trip. On the Sunday, we walked through the San Trevaso neighborhood encountering only the local kids playing football in the campos. And at San Marco, being able to spend a full half hour admiring the Pala d'Oro and an hour in the Treasury - what a luxury. During that time of year, you can get a great rate on hotels.com for the Foscari Palace. Grab it if you can and you'll feel like royalty (best breakfast buffet you'll ever find in your life). In spite of the poor weather I would never consider Venice in any other season. Late autumn through winter is the right time to really enjoy this lovely city. An added bonus, the locals are relaxed and eager to talk to the tourists during this slow time AND one of the most expensive places (the most expensive in Italy) is actually very reasonable. That said - I'd save Rome for another time. This is your un-disrupted honeymoon, three cities is alot of rushing and spending time in train stations and on trains. Once you've seen Italy, you will return.

Margaretlb

One other thing, just around the corner from Res Proconsolo (make a right out of the front door, then the first right)there is a nice liitle neighborhood restaurant, Lo Scudo. Very good pasta and pizza that serves until 11pm. Also, right on Via Proconsolo, to the left from the B&B, is the Yellow Bar Restaurant. Really good home made pastas and very friendly service.

katiemac

Thanks everyone - I am scribbling ideas all over my notebook. I read a great suggestion on another post to take a good notebook/journal that you can stick/staple things in. I actually traveled to South Africa a few years back (more of a work trip) with someone who did that but I always thought that would be the best way to keep track of a journey with all of your little "clippings" from along the way. Will also help writing a trip report...

I'm especially enjoying restaurant recommendations - thanks for the Florence ideas, Margaretlb.

Still wavering on Venice...my gut is telling me Tuscany for this trip...I guess I do have a little more of that "country girl" in me. Most of my favorite travel experiences have been getting outside a city and exploring the countryside...loved going to Cambridge and Canterbury from London...wine country in Sonoma County and driving back up the coast to SF...gorgeous rolling hills outside Durban (Kwa-Zulu Natel) in South Africa. I went to college in the Shenandoah Valley in VA so something about that type of landscape is just such a draw.

My husband really wants to do Rome (and I don't get to make ALL the trip decisions...at least I let him believe that...haha), so it's looking more like this trip will be Florence-Tuscany-Rome and then return another time to really do Venice right.

MichelleY

Dear Katie:

It sounds like you pretty much have eliminated Venice. I hate to see you do that. We loved everywhere we visited in Italy, but Venice was on the top of the list. In fact, we weren't wild about Florence. We also went in November and found the smaller countryside towns were pretty dead, especially in the evenings. I liked you original plan, but would stick another night on Rome and Venice, and only have one in the countryside.

Good luck on your planning.

MY

bardo1

Michelle,

<<Dear Katie:
It sounds like you pretty much have eliminated Venice>>

and Katie's words:

<i>...and then return another time to really do Venice right</i>

So, if Katie doesn't go to to Venice on THIS trip, that means she has &quot;eliminated Venice&quot;?!?

katiemac

So true...makes my heart ache a little not to include Venice because I know I will be enchanted once I go but also don't want to race through an itinerary that leaves us exhausted and not fully appreciate all it can offer. We may add another day in Rome however since 6 nights of Florence/Tuscany combo should be plenty. My husband just reeeally loved Florence and wants very much to include that in this trip and also wants to return to Rome...c'est la vie.