15 nights in Italy, trip logic needed
 

Hi All:

Four couples are headed to Italy late May / early June. My wife and I are kind of the ringleaders of this since we've been there several times and the others haven't.

We're pretty sure of the locations and amount of time, but I'm not quite sure of the logistics. Here is the amount of time I'm thinking along with the areas:

Venice - 3 nights
Tuscany - 5 nights
Cinque Terre (actually Deiva Marina) - 3 nights
Rome - 4 nights

I would plan on some day trips in Tuscany, including Florence, Orvieto, San Gimi, and Sienna. We will have a couple of cars.

My question is the most convienent order. I'm thinking I'd like to start in Venice, pick up a car and make the rounds in Tuscany before dropping the car off in Deiva Marina. From there we would train to Rome. We would head home from Rome.

The other alternative would be to train from Venice to Deiva (long day of travel), then do Tuscany. We could drop off the cars in Orvieto before training to Rome. I refuse to drive into that city (been there done that).

Nothing at this point is in concrete with the exception of Venice. And we don't HAVE to start there.

Thanks for any tips / suggestions.

Mark

I like the first plan. My feeling is that people will be more ready to just sit on the beach after Tuscany, but not after only 3 nights in Venezia. Plus you get another week for it to warm up a bit more.

Does the train stop in Deiva Marina? If not, I think you will want to keep your car there. Just remember it will be hard to park it in the famous tourist towns (Portofino, Cinque Terre, Portovenere) on weekends. You may want to drive it to Levanto and take the train from there to le Cinque Terre.

I'd double check you can drop off the car in Deiva Marina. I know that Rapallo and La Spezia have offices.

By the way, I live in Liguria but have never been to Deiva Marina. Is it nice?

PS: If you can't drop off the car in Deiva Marina, consider dropping it off in Pisa and taking the train from there. You'll save yourself a lot of hours of travel.

I think the sequence is fine. I also agree with dropping the cars in Pisa to be well on your way to Rome. I am curious why Deiva Marina---Levanto would be more convenient and Portovenere far more spectacular.

Thanks for the info Zeppole and Bob.

Bob, what sequence do you think is fine, the one where we visit Tuscany from Venice, and then Cinque?

Also, the reason for Deiva Marina is because we stayed at a very reasonable hotel there that is on the water. About 110 Euro / night. I'm certainly open for other suggestions and will check out Levanto and Portovenere.

Zeppole, Deiva Marina is a real small town on the water that is popular with locals. It isn't Portofino or SM, but my wife and I really like it.

YMark,

I live closer to Genova and I've seen Deiva Marina many times looking down from the autostrade, but never taken that long and winding road to check it out. I can really appreciate enjoying what I'm sure is an "only the locals" feel and the cheap prices. Have you got a fave restaurant? If it's on the train line, I think you want to stick with it over Portovenere in June. Levanto gets considerably more day-trippers bound for le Cinque Terre.

Yes, I think from Venice to Tuscany first. Check out Villa Margherita in Levanto at about the same price but closer to the CT.