Clau

Hello everyone! This is my first posting, so be patient, please.

My husband and I are going to Italy for the first time on September 3 for 10 days. We are flying into Rome and out of Venice. We are planning on spending 3 or 4 days in Rome, 4 in Florence/Tuscany and 2 in Venice. Does this sound like a good breakdown? We won't be renting a car, so what is the best way to explore Tuscany out of Florence for 1 to 2 days ? Any tips on group tours/private tours that won't break the bank? Also, any recommendations on hotels and sights appreciated.

Thanks,

Clau

j_999_9

Some people will quibble about the time, but it sounds about right.

As for seeing Tuscany, I recommend Luca at hillsandroads.com for private tours. Friendly, nice guy, very professional. If you're staying at a hotel, you could inquire there about group tours.

MFNYC

I think it sounds fine. What is your hotel budget? As far as sights, you should check out the destinations section of fodors. It has lots of good info and suggested intineraries to get you started.

Myer

In my opinion, excluding museums you can basically see Rome in 2 days, Florence alone in 1 day and Venice in 2 days max.

Now pick any museums (most likely Uffizi and Academia in Florence and Vatican in Rome) and add time for that.

Touring Tuscany is another issue.

Mimar

It's better to fly into Venice and out of Rome -- if you have a long flight. Connecting flights leave Venice very early in the morning. Plus Venice is a great place to get over jet lag.

For independent excursions from Florence, you can take the train to Lucca and/or Pisa and the bus to Siena. We have fond memories of a bus ride from Chiusi to Siena that made us fall in love with Tuscany.

tune

I agree I would fly into Venice and out of Rome.Also the Tuscan countryside is a great place to spend a few days.I would spend a day in Florence and then get a car for a few days in the countryside dropping it in Orvieto and taking the train to Rome.have a great trip.

ira

Hi C,

I also suggest flying into Venice and out of Rome.

Since you will not have a car, I suggest that you take a day from Florence and add a day to Venice.

From Florence you can visit Siena via the SITA bus (1:30 hr 13E RT).

For more hill-town experience, you can visit Orvieto from Rome (1 hr by train).

What's your hotel budget?

iluvitaly

Well, I guess I have to disagree with just about everyone.

Planning our 9th trip to Rome right now, for 2 weeks, I can't even imagine thinking you can see all of Rome in 2 days.

And we have several times taken the open jaw option and prefer Rome first, ending in Venice.

Rome is chaotic, noisy, crowded, alive, amazing and impossible to see in a lifetime.

Following that, Venice is blissfully calm, serene and beautiful.
Gives one a chance to calm down and relax before that long flight home, wherever that may be.

Lovely juxtaposition for first timers to Italy.

kfusto

I prefer flying into Venice and out of Rome personally. I find Venice much slower paced and Rome exciting and love ending my trips there.

I think you are planning the right number of nights in the cities you are visiting, 2V/4F/4R. I could never do as Meyer suggest and rush through and prefer not to spend all my time moving from city to city.

CheBird

I would recommend 1 night or even just one day in Florence and spend the rest of your allotted Tuscany time in one of the smaller towns. We loved San Gimignano.

First-timers to Rome should set aside at least 4 days, so IMO, I think you've got about the right amount time allotted for that part.

annabelle2

I like flying into Venice and out of Rome, also, because Venice has that dreamy quality that seems to fit right in with jet lag. I like ending my trips in a more energetic place. However, it can also be great to land in a big city and get right into it, so really, either way is doable.

Is it 10 nights? Whatever the order, I'd try 4 in Rome, 3 in Florence, 3 in Venice. I like Ira's suggestions of either a day trip into Siena or into Orvieto. If you like to be on the move, you could even add a night in Orvieto between Florence/Rome, (taking a night from Florence)but that is a lot of stops for 10 days!

I liked this B&B in Rome:
www.nicolasinn.com

and these two places in Venice:
www.casamartini.it
or
Ca'Turelli B&B, booked through www.veniceby.com (under B&Bs)

Clau

Thank you everybody for your input!!! As far as the flight, we are flying with frequent flyer miles and this is the best that we could get, so we are flying into Rome first.

As far as budget for hotels, I would like to stay in the 100 euros range. Is that reasonable?

I still don't know what to do about Tuscany. If we do day trips from Florence via train/bus, will we be able to tour the cities without a car? We heard San Gimigniano is beautiful. What's the best way to get there?
Also, do you have any winery tours to recommend? We were told it is very hard to do one without a previous reservation.

Thank you a lot!

Clau

SusanP

I also like to fly into Venice and out of Rome. You say 10 days, but is it 10 days or do you actually have 10 nights in Italy? If so, I would agree with 3 nights Venice, 3 Florence with a daytrip to Tuscany and 4 in Rome.

I can also highly recommend Luca of hillsandroads.com for your daytrip from Florence. He is based in Siena but will pick you up in Florence and take you anywhere you want to go. He could easily take you to San Gimignano and a winery. If you know where you want to go, just ask him if it is feasible for a day. If you're not sure, he will recommend an itinerary based on your desires. However, if you choose to do a daytrip via bus to San Gimignano or Siena, you would do so without a car for those towns. And you definitely don't want a car in Venice, Florence or Rome.

And yes, the idea that you can do Rome in 2 days is unbelievable! Since Sept 2005, I have spent 25 nights there and will go back for 5 more in July. I have yet to take a daytrip from Rome, even though I intended to on the last two trips. There is so much to see there!