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Where Would You Add Two Days - Tuscany & CT Itinerary

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Where Would You Add Two Days - Tuscany & CT Itinerary

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Old Apr 22nd, 2014, 07:39 AM
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Where Would You Add Two Days - Tuscany & CT Itinerary

Last year we experienced our first travels to Italy and spent 10 glorious nights between Venice and Rome (4 nights Venice, 6 nights Rome with a day stop in Florence). We are now planning our Tuscany and CT Escape for early June 2015. Wish we could make it in May, but our schedules won't allow it. I sketched out a rough itinerary and actually have 2 days to fill. Fodorites are so helpful in planning a perfect trip so I wanted to run this by you for feedback:

Day 1: Fly into Rome from DFW; train to Orvieto; overnight Orvieto
Day 2: Train or bus to Montepulciano (rent car)
Day 3-4: Montepulciano with a day drive through Montalcino, Sant Antimo, Pienza, Monticchello
Day 5: Drive to Siena via Asciano route
Day 6-7: Siena with a day drive through Chianti (return car)
Day 8: Train/Bus to Rioggomore (day stop in Florence using left luggage at station)
Day 9-11: Rioggomore
Day 10: Train to Pisa
Day 11: Fly out of Pisa to DFW

With the above, I have 2 days to add "somewhere". I am not a fan of one nighters but with the airport situation, Pisa - I think - is unavoidable as I don't think I can get from CT to an airport the day of flight. If this is possible and/or advisable, please let me know.

I've always wanted to visit Orvieto so I figured we could spend our first day/night there when we arrive. I read about doing the left luggage at a hotel, but then figured by the time I did that and paid for our bags, we might as well just get a room for the night and head to Montepulciano the next morning.

My initial thought is to add a day to both Montepulciano and Siena or should I add another destination?

We prefer to spend our time "at" our destination not driving/traveling between destinations. Also, my husband would prefer to spend as little time as possible driving.

I know the day stop in Florence might appear odd but we did it last year and it worked out great so thought we could do it again since we will need to connect there anyway.

Thoughts?
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Old Apr 22nd, 2014, 07:52 AM
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I would not travel from CT to the airport for departure, but you don't sound that jazzed about Pisa--and Lucca has many many fans and is just as accessible to the airport as Pisa.
You have so many options though--any parameters to narrow it down? (i.e., village, city, mountain, coast?) However, I would probably just add those 2 days to the existing itinerary, or 2 nights Orvieto and 2 nights Lucca.
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Old Apr 22nd, 2014, 07:53 AM
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What time is your flight out of Pisa? Whether it's "advisable" depends on whether your flight is as 10:00 or 13:00. Some would still say it's not "advisable" even if later (train strikes and delays do happen), but personally I've done stuff like that and would consider it. In 2011 I took a train from the CT to Milan to catch an early afternoon flight without issue.

I'd probably add a night to Riomaggiore anyway, as it seems you are pushing it in regards to getting there. I loved the Cinque Terre. There isn't a whole lot to see there, but the towns are lovely and the hiking is great. Some of the trails may be closed however. I'd check the official website so as not to be surprised about trails open/closed. There are alternate trails beyond the ones that go directly between the five villages.

Why not add another night in Siena? Or do you really want to spread out and see as much as you can in the short time you have?

Many here like the town of Lucca near Pisa as an alternative to staying there. I personally didn't care for Lucca myself, though it is certainly a pleasant, interesting town, and you can easily get to the Pisa airport from there in a short time.

Pisa itself is an interesting city but not very nice in a lot of the areas. The area around the Field of Miracles (where the tower is) is a huge tourist trap, and parts of the rest of Pisa seem a bit rough. I stayed one night at the faded old Royal Victoria Hotel, right in the center of town, right on the Arno River. The hotel evokes some faded glory from a brilliant past but today seems run down. I still enjoyed my brief stay there.
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Old Apr 22nd, 2014, 07:58 AM
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Set up the way you have it, I would definitely add a day to each Siena and Montepulciano.(you can always go on a drive to Pienza or some other hill town if you feel like you've seen enough in these 2 towns)

You might want to check out this place, Villa Cambi, just outside Siena. We loved it, they are super nice people, the place is marvelous and they give wine tours at 18:00 to their guests. The grounds and pool are welcome pleasures if its hot AND they have airconditioning. http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/vill...61ea50056a89X1

I would also keep the car one more day and drive to La Spezia, foregoing Florence, where I would return the car near the train station and then train to Riomaggiore.

I'm one of those who likes to be where I'm supposed to be the night before my flight so yes, I would spend the night before my flight in Pisa (I like Hotel Bologna, personally)

I'll be interested in seeing how others work with your itinerary.
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Old Apr 22nd, 2014, 05:34 PM
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day stop in Florence would not be enough for me. I would add extra time in that great city. Cannot see or do much with just a day stop in Florence.....
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Old Apr 22nd, 2014, 05:36 PM
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Thanks for the reponses! Klondike, why do you recommend we drive to La Spezia - scenery, to save time?

We haven't purchased tickets yet but it appears the flight from Pisa will be mid morning. I like the idea of staying in Lucca instead of Pisa.

I think I would like to add one of our extra days to CT...we never can have too much time on the coast!
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Old Apr 22nd, 2014, 05:51 PM
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I suggest picking up the car in Orvieto. There is no train station or rental car office in Montepulciano. You should pick up the car in Orvieto and drive directly to Montepulciano. Check with Autoeurope.com and kemwel.com for best rental options. Keep in mind that the car rental in Orvieto is closed for a long lunch, so arrange to pick up the car before noon.

When you leave Orvieto, take the SR2 route to Montepulciano. It's a lovely drive. You could even take a slight detour and visit the unique town of Pitigliano and have lunch there. Be sure to pick up a detailed map of Tuscany.

I would add the 2 days to Montepulciano. There is plenty to explore in the area to fill your days and IMO it is the most beautiful area in the Tuscan countryside. You won't regret the extra time in the area.
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Old Apr 22nd, 2014, 11:42 PM
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<Klondike, why do you recommend we drive to La Spezia - scenery, to save time?>

Original Rationale: La Spezia is the last city (from the south) before the 5terre train stops. It is where you can buy your 5terre transportation day pass that allows you unlimited train access. A car is virtually useless in the 5terre. Why pay car rental and parking fees for 2-3 days when you are just planning on driving back to Pisa (1 1/2 hr autostrada drive, not particularly picturesque, imo)to spend the night and turn in the car?

You also don't say how many you are. For a family of 4 or 5 a car becomes much more advantageous over train travel, cost-wise.

What I didn't catch was your Lucca interest. There is train service from 5terre to Lucca and then Lucca to Pisa. Again, Lucca has a ZTL zone so if you still had the car at this point you have to deal with parking the car and walking in. If your flight doesn't leave in the morning, this would be a great alternative to Pisa if Lucca sounds more interesting to you than Pisa. There also is bus service from Lucca so IF there was a train strike, unexpectedly, you could still get to the airport.

The only advantage I can think of for keeping the car until the very end is if you have bought a lot of "stuff" during your trip or travel with a lot of baggage and need the trunk to store all out of sight. You certainly don't want to schlepp a bunch of stuff with you around 5terre travels!
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Old Apr 23rd, 2014, 03:57 AM
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Klondike, my original plan was to return the car in Siena then bus/train to CT. I really didn't have an interest in Lucca rather it was suggested that it might be a more interesting town to overnight versus Pisa, still allowing me to catch a late morning flight.

Travelers will be just my husband and I so we have some flexibility. Thank you!!
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Old Apr 23rd, 2014, 04:36 AM
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I would agree about renting your car in Orvieto, unless you'll be leaving Orvieto on a Sunday. Second best would be renting the car in Chiusi, where you'd have to change trains anyway if you took the train. Chiusi's rental agency is also closed on Sundays, and I think it also takes a long lunch break. There is no practical bus route between Orvieto and Montepulciano.

I would almost suggest adding a day to Orvieto, because between arriving tired on one day and leaving early the next day, you really won't have much time to see the town, which merits more than a hour or so. Maybe instead you could keep the one-night stay, but get your rental car after the post-prandial pause. Your hotel will almost certainly be able to hold your bags while you tour Orvieto in the morning.

If you have something specific you want to see in Florence, a stop over for the day is fine. Since you've been there before, you surely are able to make an informed decisions about how much time you want to spend there. I've occasionally spent a day in Florence, and once I did it en route to Rome, leaving the bags at the station. Just be sure you allow enough time for picking up the bags.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2014, 04:45 AM
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I like zoecat's suggestion of picking up the car in Orvieto the morning you depart and getting to see some of the beautiful countryside on the drive to Montepulciano by taking the departmental roads.

We have stayed at a wonderful agriturismo just a couple kilometres outside of Montepulciano that was a wonderful experience
http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/la-p...0e134b849743X1
We had their apartment that has a full kitchen. It is nice to have the option after a busy day of sightseeing and a big lunch to eat in with goodies bought from the local shops if one is in the mood. The view of the Tuscan countryside from the windows is beautiful!

No reason not to return the car in Siena if that suits you.

I like Lucca very much, but if you don't feel strongly either way and have never visited Pisa, it would not only be interesting but also simplify things and make your last day in Italy more relaxed to stay in Pisa discover it.

One warning, be careful of pick pocket especially at the Pisa & Florence train stations--usually groups of 2-3 women, like mother-daughter teams who target distracted or hurried tourists, even on the stairs or the entrance to your coach...beware. Otherwise, have a great trip!!!
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Old Apr 23rd, 2014, 04:49 AM
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Sorry, I see the name of the agriturismo doesn't come up by itself, but is a listing of hotels...it's La Pievina, the first one! They don't speak English but are most accommodating and lovely hosts.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2014, 09:48 AM
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Orvieto and Montepulciano are less than an hour apart. Unless you specifically wanted to spend the night in Orvieto I would rent the car at FCO and drive straight to Montepulciano. Then Orvieto becomes an easy day trip, you eliminate one stop and a potentially more difficult car pick-up (logistically speaking).

That would add one more night in Montepulciano, but I would still add one of your extra nights there. There is so much to see within 60 minutes of there I think it warrants the extra night. Check out Villa Poggiano just outside town. Stayed several times and it is wonderful.

The second extra night I would personally add to the CT. Have been and really want to go back. Simply beautiful. Not tons to do, that is true, and that turns some people off. But we like to just "be" at a place sometimes, and the CT is perfect for that.

Lucca is a great little town, and better than Pisa. It's a very easy trip to Pisa Airport (less than 25 minutes). We've stayed at the Hotel Palazzo Alexander. Small, nice, decent breakfast. Had a room with a wonderful balcony and great views.
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Old Apr 24th, 2014, 08:32 AM
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Thanks for all the great suggestions! Although I feel an agriturismo would be a wonderful experience that I hope to enjoy some day, at this point my husband and I are more of the "stay in the middle of town" type of people ... we want to be able to walk to dinner, stroll a bit, maybe stop at a wine bar ... and not have to drive anywhere.

I think I am sold on the idea of adding a night to CT and the other to Montepulciano and also on the idea of NOT stopping in Florence en route to CT since it will be a Monday - again - someday I will be able to give that beautiful place the time it deserves! So that would put the itinerary like this:

Day 1: Fly into Rome from DFW; arrive 7:30 am; train to Orvieto; overnight Orvieto
Day 2-5: Rent car & drive to Montepulciano; day trips to Montalcino, Sant Antimo, Pienza, Monticchello
Day 6: Drive to Siena via Asciano route
Day 7-8: Siena with a day drive through Chianti (return car)
Day 9-12: Train/Bus to Rioggomore; enjoy CT with maybe a day trip to Portovenere
Day 13: Train to Lucca
Day 14: Fly out of Pisa mid-morning to DFW

I'm still deciding whether or not to overnight in Orvieto and taking the scenic route through Pitigliano or just head straight to Montepulciano... hmmmm ...

While in Multepulciano, I want to focus on places in close proximity so we can enjoy ourselves and not rush from place to place. It's tempting to want to "see it all" but that just leaves us exhausted. We definitely want to visit a few wineries, have some nice lunches and enjoy the countryside!
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Old Apr 24th, 2014, 08:43 AM
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Oops ... I messed up the labels on my days ... so it would look like this:

Day 1 (Orvieto): Fly into Rome from DFW; arrive 7:30 am; train to Orvieto; overnight Orvieto
Day 2-5 (Montepulciano): Rent car & drive to Montepulciano; day trips to Montalcino, Sant Antimo, Pienza, Monticchello
Day 6-8 (Siena): Drive to Siena via Asciano route; Siena with a day drive through Chianti (return car)
Day 9-13 (Rioggomore): Train/Bus to Rioggomore; enjoy CT with maybe a day trip to Portovenere
Day 14 (Lucca): Train to Lucca
Day 15: Fly out of Pisa mid-morning to DFW
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Old Apr 24th, 2014, 09:19 AM
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Look at it this way....the train from FCO to Orvieto will take 2-3 hours, depending on the exact schedules and the wait times between trains. You will be catching one train at FCO and then transfering to another at either Termini or Tiburtina. Once you arrive in Orvieto you will then need another mode of transportation to the old town (funicular, mini-bus or taxi) and then a walk to your hotel. I think you are looking at a total of 3-4 hours from collecting your luggage to getting to your hotel, along with several transfers.

The drive from FCO to Montepulciano is about two hours. Add 30 minutes to allow for the rental process and it's still faster, easier than the multiple transfer train route, and you already have your car. If you train to Orvieto then you still need to get to the car rental agency the next day. I don't know where that is or how you would get there, but I would think it would be logistically more difficult than doing so at the airport.

BTW, renting at FCO doesn't preclude you spending your first night in Orvieto if you wanted to. I'm assuming you would drive straight to Montepulciano and then day trip to Orvieto/Pitigilaino. I would do that to avoid one check-in/out, but you don't have to, and Orvieto is about 30-40 minutes closer to FCO than Montepulciano.
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Old Apr 24th, 2014, 04:07 PM
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Good information. ...I didn't realize all the issues with the train...definitely will head straight to montepulciano and either visit orvieto as a day trip or save for another time.
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