SarahDonington

Hi All,

I need some advice. I am planning a trip to Italy this summer with my three young-ish daughters (13, 10 and 7). We plan on flying into Venice - spending three nights there - and working our way down to Rome to meet my husband who will be arriving there two weeks after us. In that time before we meet in Rome I would like to spend a week in Sienna, but have 4 days between Venice and Sienna that I don't know where is best to visit. I would like to avoid renting a car and was hoping to rent villas over hotels. Any advice?

Thanks - would love your thoughts.

Sarah

PalenQ

but have 4 days between Venice and Sienna that I don't know where is best to visit>

Verona and Lake Garda are neat and right on the rail route you are taking - kids could have fun on the lake taking boats around.

Verona is a superb old city - could base in the Lake Garda area and day trip to Verona.

Trains - check www.trenitalia.com for discounted fares if you book far enough in advance to get them as they are sold in limited numbers and there are special deals for families and kids that age I believe.

For loads of great info on Italian trains check www.seat61.com - sage advice on discounted rail tickets; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

The Lugurian coast could be a nice beach area too - take trains from there via Pisa to Siena.

Jean

First, unless you've been to Venice before and/or know your daughters will have no trouble with the time change, consider adding a night to Venice.

A week in Siena without a car? In supercrowded summer? I'd reverse the thinking and spend 4 days in Siena and a week elsewhere. You don't say your dates, but if you'd be in Siena during the Palio (July 2, Aug. 16), make sure you understand what that would mean to your sightseeing plans. The Palio can be a reason to go to Siena and a reason to avoid it, depending on your interests and your opinion about crowds.

Renting villas rather than staying in hotels might not be easy in many places if you don't have a car. You'd have to choose carefully... Fairly close to a train station, walking distance to food markets, enough amenities and nearby sightseeing to keep you occupied.

Lake Garda would be nice, but only the south end (not my favorite part) is served by trains. Depending on where you stay, you'd perhaps be looking at a combo of train and ferry or bus (and time) to reach your final destination. Your journey to Siena could take the better part of a day. The train ride from the south end of the lake to Siena takes 5 hours, and the ferry from one end of the lake to the other takes about 3 hours.

Or you could split the time in a couple of towns in the general area between Venice and Siena. I like Verona a lot. Also, Ferrara. Many here are big fans of Bologna. It didn't charm me, but there's no denying it has interesting sights and wonderful food. And wherever you stay, it's very likely you'd transit through Florence on the way to Siena, so that's another possibility.

Wherever you go, make sure you understand the transportation logistics before committing. Or rent a car and give yourself more options.

dreamon

I think your plan sounds good. Siena is a good transport hub for buses and trains. Check http://tiemmespa.it/ for bus timetables and trenitalia.com for trains. There are also apartments for rent in the centre of town. Not sure about how your timing fits with Palio.

For your extra days, perhaps consider Lucca. Lucca is a flat walled town, with little traffic within the walls. You can cycle around the walls and out along the river; visit Garfagnana by bus or train; visit other towns such as Pisa, Florence, Prato for the day; there are towers to climb; and Lucca itself is nice to meander around enjoying churches, art, gelati, etc.

PalenQ

https://www.to-tuscany.com/?gclid=CK...FZIbgQodnnoMSA

good site on villas on farms!

annhig

My absolute priority in that situation would be accommodation with a pool.

I also think that not having a car is going to be difficult - getting the three girls and their luggage on and off trains will be a trial and then if you are staying in the countryside with access to a pool and cycles, what are you going to do when the older ones want t go shopping?

If it has to be a town/city without a car, then I would go for somewhere flat where they can cycle, run, etc. Lucca would IMO be much better than Siena for that very reason.

bvlenci

If you think about it, villas would be unlikely to be near a train station, or on a busy street with a bus stop. Not to say that there aren't any villas that are easily reached without a car, but finding one may be difficult.

I agree that Siena might not be the best place to spend a week without a car. You can take buses to some other towns in Tuscany, but the schedules are not easily bent to fit the schedule of a tourist, because they mostly serve high school students traveling from outlying towns to specialty schools in larger towns.

Verona would give you plenty of options for day trips (Padova, Bologna, Lake Garda, Ferrara, Vicenza, and even Milan) and is a pleasant city in its own right.

Lake Garda is also a good idea. There is a big amusement park (Gardaland) on the lake, which your children might enjoy.It doesn't have as many day trip options as Verona.

However, I think that even staying in Verona for a whole week might be a bit too much. You probably wouldn't want to go on a day trip every day.

PalenQ

Yes sans a car AgriDTourismo or villas are usually out in the country with poor public transportation.

Without a car I would cut the six days in Tuscany down to a few days in one hill town with an excursion perhaps to another.

Siena is a big hill town but a wonderful one -take day trip from there to Pisa by train easily done - see the Leaning Tower and again kids may love climbing it - a memory for a lifetime.

Jean

Sarah, the minimum age to climb the Leaning Tower is 8 (by the end of the calendar year), so don't go all in on that idea unless your youngest daughter will turn 8 by the end of 2017. If you can all climb, you may be required to show proof of age, so take the youngest's passport with you.

PalenQ

did not realize that with a parent there would be an age limit - good to know - there was a guide who took folks up last time I went so folks cannot go alone - it's a spiraling walk and yes places for young wandering kids to perhaps fall out so understand the age limit.

Jean

My mom still tells the story of taking us kids to Pisa in 1963 to climb the tower. My sister wasn't yet 6, a little slip of a girl who would rather skip than walk. Because of the serious tilt of the walkway, mom was terrified my sis would pick up steam on the downhill and just fly out of the tower.

dreamon

I know it's personal preference but I'd rather take three kids on trains and buses than use a car. When getting on and off the train, I'd put the oldest child in charge of the youngest and make sure each person has their own small bag to manage. Easy. Having a car, potentially driving on the other side of the road from normal, different road rules, navigating solo, parking, etc, would be stressful to me. Each to their own. Of course, it's different if staying out in a rural location but I took it that Sarah wanted to stay in Siena not somewhere rural.

Other alternatives for those extra days might be somewhere in Umbria, such as Orvieto or Spello.