10 days in Italy - good itinerary?
 

Hi!

I am planning a 10 day trip to Italy with a friend and I wanted some itinerary advice!

Here's what I had planned:
Arrive in Florence Mon 1:30 PM
rent a car at the airport and drive to Tuscany for Mon-Tues (drive through the countryside and see some or all of the following: Pisa, Lucca, San Gimignano, Siena)
back to Florence Tues night

Wednsday, Thurdsday - Florence

Friday, Saturday, Sunday - Venice

Monday, Tuesday, Wednsday - Rome

Thursday - home

I would have liked to spend more time in Florence, but my friend really wants to see Tuscany, and we need to be in Venice over the weekend. I was considering stopping in Florence for a half a day on the way to Rome, and spending 2 1/2 days in Rome.

I would also like advice on what to see/skip in Tuscany - I like history (walled towns and castles!), and my friend likes countryside scenery.

I know it's a bit packed, but we want to see a lot!

Any opinions/advice appreciated :)

thanks!

I'm assuming you're flying home from Rome. I would consider starting in Venice (get a connecting flight or take a train from your FLorence arrival), then work your way south to tuscany/Florence and lastly Rome.

I'd suggest driving to a smaller town, like Pienza or maybe Montalcino to base on Monday and Tuesday nights, you can visit Siena and maybe Montelpulciano from there. Tuscany is a beautiful, laid back place to recover from jet lag...but don't expect to really "see" more than two towns in one day (although you may drive through several). Then you can head back to and stay Wednesday and Thursday in Florence. I assume you are taking a train from Florence to Venice and then the train from Venice to Rome? Get a good map of Tuscany...you'll see that trying to include Lucca and Pisa takes you sort of out of the way.

Hi

How about Flying into Rome and out of Venice, or VV.

Arrive Rome stay 2 days. Get car.

Drive to Orvieto 1/2 day.
Drive to Siena Stay overnight
See Siena, Drive to San Gim and on to Florence. Drop off car
See Florence
Train to Venice

well, we do need to be in Venice over the weekend, and b/c of milage flights, we are flying into Florence and out of Rome.

Hi chanad,

I would recommend NOT stopping in Florence for 1/2 day. You will be toooooooooo rushed to enjoy it, and it's too much trouble to get on/off train or park car.

Save it for another trip.