Pierina

We are 2 very active couples in early 60's going to Italy for the first time. This is our tentative itinerary. Fly into Venice sept 15. Looking at staying at La Rosa Deiventi or Hotel Bernardi.Explore venice for 2 full days. Prefer to keep cost under 125E with taxes included and prefer accommadations that include breakfast. Leave for Florence by train sept 18. Stay at MichaelAngelo Guest House. Plan on taking a Tuscany bike tour, bus to Sienna and San Gimignano, explore Florence. Train to Sorrento (change at Naples) sept 22. Stay at La Rosa Deiventi. Explore Amalfi coast by bus, Pompeii, Positano, day trip to Capri. Take train to Rome sept 30, stay at Orlando Innaorato or other suggestions for hotel, apt?? Fly home from Rome sept 5. Finding that alot of places don't have availability so need to get this trip booked soon. Any help with suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Gracias!

Pierina

Sorry..first time to this forum. Forgot to to tag this in Italy forum.

uhoh_busted

I think you mean fly home on Oct 5?

Some general tips : plan to spend more for your room in Venice. It is worth it. You can stay for less elsewhere to balance your budget. Use venere.com to research for hotels/ guest houses/etc. that fit your budget. We stayed at the Hotel Leon Bianco in Venice and loved it.

I like your plan to finish up in Rome as you will enjoy it more having been more "Italianized" by your earlier adventures. While we ended up staying elsewhere in Rome, I had gotten a good rate at Hotel Julia. You may want to check them for availability.

Pierina

Thanks for your tips! Will check out those hotels.Yes, I meant to say fly home oct 5th!

ekc

You don't have enough time in Florence if you are going to do all of those day trips, so leave for Sorrento on the 23rd at the earliest.

Pierina

I was thinking one full day to wander in Florence, along with the day we arrive, one day for Tuscany Bike tour, and one day bus trip to Siena and San Gimignano. Is this doable?

HappyTrvlr

I recommend more time in Venice and Florence.

uhoh_busted

I think your time in Florence is fine. If after your first day's wanderings you decide you want more time, just drop one of the daytrips (I'd suggest the bus trip - after this trip you may find yourself planning a more slow-travel vacation with two weeks in a villa Tuscany or Umbria in a year or two, and you can see Siena and San Gig then!).

Pierina

Can Siena and San Gimignamo be done in one day as a bus trip?

zeppole

Nobody knows what you mean by "done". It is probably possible -- especially if you get a tour -- but it is a bit puzzling that you are bothering to go to some of these places and spend so little time in them you won't see much of what there is to see in them.

Conceptually, if what you want is a trip with lots of time of hiking and bike riding and generally being on the go, it is easier to skip expensive, museum rich cities like Florence. (Why not just stay in Siena).

If you don't mind my saying so, you've essentially plotted a bus tour without the bus, so you'll be trying to keep up with the bus tour on your own, hauling your own luggage.

I've really nothing against anybody coming a very long way to talk a walk through Venice or a walk through Florence. But that's all you'll be doing. Walking past a great many things of great cultural importance -- sort of like somebody flying to Paris and walking through the Louvre without actually stopping to look at the art, just admiring the ornate palace and picture frames.

Don't force yourself to take an interest in the Renaissance or the art of Florence or Venice, but think about whether you'd rather be someplace else if wandering is your main pleasure. Lucca. Siena.

Jean

I love Florence, so I would want more time there than the one (plus) day you've allotted. (FYI, you may love Venice and want to take a later train on Sept. 18th, thereby erasing those arrival day hours in Florence.) If you end up loving Florence, you could decide, as uh_oh busted suggested, to drop one excursion out of the city. Or you could follow ekc's suggestion of adding a day to Florence and taking a day from the Amalfi Coast. I would add a day, but that's your decision to make.

In answer to your Siena/San Gimignano question, yes, it's possible in one day to bus to both towns and have a few hours to wander. You can DIY or you can join an organized tour out of Florence. You won't see everything in each town either way you go. The tour includes a guide in Siena and eliminates your having to research the bus info/schedules and find your way around. If you DIY, you could decide while in Siena that you would rather see more there and not continue on to San Gimignano. Here's one tour:

http://www.viator.com/tours/Florence...519-24283GROUP

Buses:

http://www.sitabus.it/sita-toscana/F...0-%20Siena.pdf