InMiami

My partner and I are going to Italy in the beginning of May. We are planning to visit Rome and Florence but we also would like to see some of the smaller towns in the area. Siena, Assisi, Orvieto, Montepuliano and Pienza are all locations that sound fantastic. With only 10 days we must choose wisely. Any suggestions which to choose? What a wonderful problem!

rex

Four nights Rome; if you really think that the urban pace of Rome is not for you, head to Orvieto on day 3, as a day trip (only an hour by train). Pre-schedule a car as a three day rental to depart from Rome. If you were not very taken by Orvieto, then cancel the car rental and take the train to Florence. Perhaps you could actually book two separate reservations: nights 5 and 6 or nights 8 and 9, and then cancel, based on your impressions of Rome versus Orvieto. If you decide to drive, then visit Assisi (overnight) en route to Florence. Then meander to Florence, stopping elsewhere on nights 6 and 7.

Or if you take the train directly to Florence, stay there nights 5 and 6, and make a plan for how you will travel back to Rome, nights 7, 8 and 9 - - if you even feel like moving out of your hotel in Florence.

You have a ton of choices that can all be fit into one very well thought-out plan (with or without some decisions made on the fly).

Best wishes,

Rex

LeslieC

Siena and Assisi have much to offer but each would consume an entire day and Assisi is a bit out of the way.

Montepulciano and Pienza, being more directly enroute between Orvieto and Siena could be experienced in just a few hours each. On the other hand, they are not nearly as interesting as the other 3 towns.

Personnally, with only 10 days total I'd spend 3 to 4 nights in Rome, 3 nights in Florence and devote 3 - 4 nights to Orvieto, Siena, and Assisi.

But, this would require you rent a car. If you don't wish to rent a car then you could see Orvieto by train from Rome, then on to Florence and see Siena on a day trip, by way of SITA bus from Florence. Lots of options.

bobthenavigator

If you mean this May you need to decide soon and make reservations.

cheriegal

I would listen to Rex - he has great suggestions. He put me onto Ryan Air and saved me a bundle 2 summers ago. I love Florence - so much art, great food, wonderful shopping - very walkable-It's my very favorite place in Italy. It's also very easy to do daytrips to Siena and other smaller Tuscan towns from. Have fun!

Budman

Where's ira??

This is for ira -- a cut/paste from one of his posts:

"have dinner at I Sette Consoli (Piazza Sant' Angelo, 1A, Phone: 0763.343911), one of the best restaurants in Italy"

By the way, that restaurant is in Orvieto. We're planning to have lunch there in honor of ira and all the other fodorites who recommended it. Pictures forthcoming.

ira

Hi In,

Any reason why you are leaving out Venice?

I, too, suggest Orvieto as a daytrip from Rome.

Siena is an easy daytrip from Florence.

ira

Hey budman,

When do you leave for Italy?

Budman

ira, doing Ireland next month and Tuscany in September. I told my wife I wanted her and I to do one of those "I Love Lucy" grape stomping wine tours.

She showed me an article last year about the "Festival of the Stompeda" which prompted this trip.

ira

>She showed me an article last year about the "Festival of the Stompeda" which prompted this trip.<

Reminds me of a 'travelogue' I saw many years ago on late-night TV.

It was about the spaghetti harvest in Italy. Happy natives picking the spaghetti from the trees and loading it into flower-bedecked donkey carts.

InMiami

Thank you one and all for the informative feedback. More specifically I have booked 6 nights in Rome, 3 nights in Florence and the last night in Orvieto. A car has been pre- rented for the leg leaving Rome. My Florence hotel has parking and is located on the fringes of the historic district. On the last full day I am driving to Orvieto and leaving for the Rome airport the next morning for a 12:20 PM flight. I am asking about the other towns because I am thinking of seeing Assisi on the way to Florence and Siena on the way to Orvieto. Any suggestions besides don't try to do too much! Thanks again.

InMiami

Ira,I would love to go to Venice. I was in Italy 20 years ago and missed it. With only 10 days my partner is afraid we don't have time to see it. Ouch. Maybe I will see it 20 years from today!

ira

>I would love to go to Venice. I was in Italy 20 years ago and missed it. With only 10 days my partner is afraid we don't have time to see it.<

That's a shame. Worse, it's a terrible shame. No it's awful. It's a crime. It's an outrageous, terrible, shameful crime.

How can your partner even consider a visit to Assisi more important than Venice.

Take at least one night away from Rome and go to Venice.

Better yet, forget Rome and do Florence 3 nights, Venice 2 nights, Tuscany 4 nights and overnight in Orvieto before going home via Rome.

rex

<<I would love to go to Venice. I was in Italy 20 years ago and missed it. With only 10 days my partner is afraid we don't have time to see it.>>

I agree wirh ira, that this is distressing to read - - and I do NOT believe in the concept that some places are more important than others. But I read about your plans with the notion that you will be back to Italy (and its nearby neighbors to the north) some time in the foreseeable future, when it suits you.

But to read that you missed Venice once before - - that you remember how you have regretted it TWENTY years later! - - and you're about to miss it again!!?? WHY??

For Orvieto!!??