1st time to Italy...Cinque Terre, Florence and which Tuscan hill town?
 

My husband and I would like to go to Italy in October 2011, which will be for my 30th birthday! We have been to Europe once which was our trip to Paris in October 2008.

This being our first trip to Italy, I would love to visit Cinque Terre and Florence. I also want to visit a Tuscan hill town or two...depending on how much time we have. I am thinking, as of now, we will have 10 days in Italy excluding travel days.

1) Which Tuscan hill towns should we visit?
2) Which are your favorites?
3) What order will be best to make the most of our time? How many days in each place?

Thanks in advance!

My favorite is Siena - even though a large Tuscan hilltown - it is superb and IMO rivals Florence in its main square - actually Siena was an ancient rival of Florence but lost out due to some plague if i remember correctly

Easy to get to from Florence by car or bus (less than an hour and just a few euro.

Siena and Lucca are my favorites. However, I have not been
to many of the places not accessible by train so you may find
quaint villages you would like much more if you have a car.The
"car fodorites" will be able to give you lots of other suggestions.

We love Montepulicano and Pienza - beautiful hill towns with great wine and cheese - and wonderful food. The entire area is breathtaking!

Stay in PIENZA and visit-
SIENA - full day
MONTALCINO
ST.QUIRICO
MONTEPULICANO
PITIGLIANO (must visit this incredible hill town), SORANA, SOVANA - about 1.5 hours drive from Pienza
for this will need a minimum of 3-4 nights

enjoy

Will you be renting a car? Any special interests?

Are these all accessible by train?

louistraveler5,

Siena has to be my least favorite hilltown and Pitigliano is very far south of le Cinque Terre. To me, the pleasure of Tuscany is not in any of the hilltowns but in seeing the scenery. (Lucca is not a hilltown, by the way.)

I point all this out because you are really only going to get a shout-out here of people cheerleading for what they like to do on THEIR vacation.

It really does matter whether you rent a car, and what YOU like to do on your vacation. If you tell us more about your curiousity in seeing a hilltown -- a quiet one? one in wine country? One with dramatic architecture? One with a destination restaurant? -- maybe people can pinpoint one you would find most rewarding.

As to le Cinque Terre and how much time you should spend in it, there is often a big difference in weather between the beginning of October and the end of October. Are you planning on doing a lot of hiking? By the end of the first week in October, it will probably be too chilly to swim, and maybe too cool to eat outdoors at night. How much do you like to be in an extremely quiet village? Do you just want to see le Cinque Terre or spend days there? Because in October, it might make sense to base yourself in Lerici, or even Lucca, and day trip to le Cinque Terre with a car.

How interested are you in art and art history? Many people feel one day in Florence is enough, and find the large museums there overwhelming and tiring. Others who have a lifelong interest in Renaissance studies want to spend as much time as they can there.

Just curious as to why Venice isn't on your wish list. I can't imagine a first trip to Italy without seeing Venice. That said, Florence, the Cinque Terre, and hill towns of Tuscany are fabulous. I like Siena, but it is pretty large. Pienza is very cute. I'd consider it. I'm really glad we got to see Florence (especially the David, my favorite sculpture anywhere in the world), but Florence is jam-packed with people, and a day and a half were enough for me. I enjoyed the smaller towns more.

I'm always curious why people can't imagine going to a first trip to Italy without seeing Venice -- other than... lack of imagination?

Pienza is a Tuscan town entirely remade by Pope Pius II in the 15th c. to be THE Renaissance ideal city. Little did he imagine one day people would deem it "very cute" before heading off to suffer 10 hours in Firenze.

Imagination, as Jimmy Scott once sang, is funny.

Oops, sorry about saying Lucca. Think I didn't read the OP's
question very well and was just thinking Tuscany. However,
don't know that I realized Lucca was not a hilltown, so thanks
zeppole. I need lots of help!!! :)

Zeppole,

What are some of your favorite Tuscany hill towns? What is it about Siena that makes it one of your least favorite? Reason asking is because we were thinking of basing out of Siena for a few days & plan to visit a couple other places. We are more interested in scenery, wine, food ...

We will rent a car or hire a driver. Which places do you recommend?

We stayed in Arezzo for about a week (rented an apartment on the Grande Piazza) and did day trips to Siena, Florence and my daughter traveled to Cinque Terre (she was at Accademia dell'Arte in Arezzo) which was a few hours train ride from Arezzo. It was a good base; not touristy.

Our trip will be the first week in October. My birthday is October 4.

zeppole: We don't mind renting a car if we will need one. I don't have a particular reason (such as you said: architecture, restaurant or quietness) for visiting a hilltown. I just want to experience Tuscany! As for Florence, I don't dislike art but I don't love it either. Florence to me is the main focal point of Tuscany and where to start. How can you go to Tuscany and not go to Florence? As for Cinque Terre, I would like to do some hiking. I love the look of CT, how the towns are hugging the cliff and spill out to the sea. I love how it seems quaint. We want to stay at La Mala in Vernazza.

I read adventureseeker's trip report and was mesmerized by her writing and descriptions. She is the reason for me wanting to see Cinque Terre. I've always wanted to go to Tuscany.

althom1122: You can't imagine that I would take my first trip to Italy without seeing Venice. I would love to see Venice but for my first trip I did want to focus on Tuscany and Cinque Terre. Also I will only be there for 10 days. With our jobs it is hard to take off for longer than a week. I would love to go to Italy for two weeks or a month but we can't.

For future reference: My reference to Tuscan hilltowns is to experience Tuscany! I don't have any particular interests of why I would choose one town over another. I would just appreciate recommendations on which you think I would get the most out of my Tuscan experience!

"I love how it seems quaint." Maybe in October, but it would have to drastically change from its state in May.
If you don't want to see Firenze, then don't. Really, with 10 days pick your priorities--I just spent 9 days and don't regret seeing Firenze. I can go back--it will always be there. And if I don't, I have the satisfaction that I mostly spent my precious time where I wanted to be.

I meant I don't regret NOT seeing Firenze. I did regret CT a little bit.

yorkshire: I do want to see Florence. What was CT like for you?

Louise traveler,

Perhaps the main reason Tuscany has become so popular as a tourist destination is because it is very easy to drive in some areas of Tuscany's farmlands and vinyards, and for many people -- perhaps most -- the "Tuscan experience" is precisely about driving the country roads of Tuscany, through the rolling hills, with castle-towns in the background. Like you, most people don't have a reason for chosing one town over another. The experience they are looking for is a town that hasn't seen any modernity, that is still a medieval village. They like wandering in these towns.

So you probably want to rent a car for that part of your trip, but not for Florence or le Cinque Terre.

If you don't love art, consider seeing Florence as a day trip and walking around the Renaissance city to take in its grandeur without going into museums. I do recommend that you visit the interior of the Bapistery.

And since you are going in October, consider basing somewhere near le Cinque Terre with a car, and visiting le Cinque Terre only if the weather is nice.

For a true Tuscan experience, I suggest you divide your 10 day stay into two parts: Stay half the time in a farmhouse in the hills of Lucca or Pisa, and stay half the time in a farmhouse just south of Siena.

From the farmhouse near Lucca or Pisa, you can visit le Cinque Terre, Lucca and Pisa, and probably San Gimignano and Volterra. Park the car one day at a train station on the way to Florence and visit Florence by train for a day.

From the farmhouse just south of Siena, you can visit Siena but then the most famous hilltowns of that area: Montalcino, Pienza, Montepulciano and any others you discover on your own. My feeling is that people's favorite hilltowns are the ones they discover on their own and where they find the smallest population of other tourists.

mykidsmom,

In general, I take less pleasure in walled cities than other people do, and Siena in particular has the feel of a violent fortress, with a dark medieval current. Even the fresco art of Siena runs toward the dark. It has spectacular features, which I find it incredibly rewarding to see, but is is often so clogged with mobs of tourists it can just be downright unpleasant to be there. I don't enjoy spending time there.

While the wine of Siena is justly famous, I don't think much of the food. As for scenery, I most like the area around Montalcino (also famous wine) and Buonconvento, generally known as "le Crete," and also la Maremma, which opens out to the sea and which most people don't think of as "Tuscany" when it comes to tourism. I prefer open spaces and open views, and prefer undisturbed nature as opposed to intensely cultivated farms and vinyards.

I think if you use Siena as a base you will find yourself cut off from scenery in the evenings, in a competition for parking and road space and with a paucity of good restaurants. You might consider basing in a smaller town or on a farm that serves dinner. However, if you are traveling with kids, they might like the lively crowds of Siena and the medieval-castle feel.

bmarking

zeppole: Any recommendations for a B&B/farmhouse/hotel we could stay so that we can drive through the Tuscan hills and stop at towns?

I like to use this website because it has a great search filter and user reviews. You can select to search for specific amenities like a pool, a restaurant, a hill location -- whatever you like. I like a farmhouse with its own restaurant, because usually they grown there own food (and often produce their own wine and oil), and it is nice not to have to drive home after dinner.

I would recommend you search in the area on the map marked "Lucca' and the area marked "Siena" to start out.

http://en.agriturismo.it/tuscany/index.jsp

I always google up the names of places I like to see their websites to contact them directly, and also to see if I can find other reviews -- although my experience of most family-run establishments in Italy is that they are spotless and wonderful.

Tripadvisor is also a great resource for "specialty lodging" in Tuscany -- meaning farmhouses -- with current reviews. Check the webisites to see if they have restaurants.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g1...ny-Hotels.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g1...ny-Hotels.html

Whit out taking away anything to the splendor of Tuscany I dare to say that Tuscany is not Italy and Italy is not Tuscany. In your first visit of Italy I can't understand that you are worrying to visit the Cinque Terre and not Rome or Venice, to mention the two major art-history centers. But its your decision and I respect that.
For the best hill town I would go for Abbadia S. Salvatore, Montalcino, Montepulciano, San Casciano Bagni, Poppi, Anghiari, Barga, Cetona, Collodi, Montecarlo, San Gimignano, Suvereto, Sorano.

Check my blog for more info www.travelingtoitaly.com/blog

I ignored my instincts, as well as what I was outright told, and went to CT as a day trip. Could not resist the impulse. I don't think you would need to worry about October, but in May it was horribly crowded. The towns were overrun as well as the path. Gorgeous, just not my thing.
If I were to return to the area, I would stay in a town nearby and visit only to walk the upper, more challenging paths.
10 days is a nice amount of time--somehow time slows when you travel, if you let it. Sounds like it would be good for your to pick two bases. Enjoy!

I have read comments like gti-travel's many times on Fodor's, and I "dare say" that Tuscany is more Italy -- historically -- than gti apparently realizes. Who does he or she think Etruscans were? And where did they live?

A blockish, textbook approach to a "first-time" visit to Italy has sent millions upon millions of travelers fleeing Italy's art sights in droves and turning Venice into a mindless playground of hyper-consumption.

Rather than finger wagging, I encourage people to approach Italy as they would any other country rather than castor oil to be gagged down when you'd rather be exploring italy's extraordinary richness of natural beauty and charming village life.

Italians often speak quite disparagingly of Rome, and many throw up their hands at what has happened to Venice. There is profound history, beautiful art, deep Italian culture wherever you enter Italy, and wherever you stay. Don't be fooled into thinking you need a travel planner to tell you some formula for visiting one of the most open and welcoming cultures in Europe.

I went to Italy for 10 days and fit in Florence, Venice and Rome with a day trip from Florence to Tuscany. I agree with others, Venice is a must visit. It's not that far from Florence by train (approx 2hrs). I was in Florence for 3 days and I LOVE art and felt that was enough time. I took a day trip to Siena and San Giminiano in Tuscany, and one evening in Florence we took a train to Pisa to see the tower etc. I haven't been to Cinque Terra, so I can't advise there. Wherever you go, have a great time!

zeppole, lets clear first I'm "he," then that in your history lecture you forgot that, in Southern Tuscany, before the arrival of Etruscans there were the Umbrians and their territory was stretching from the Po River down South Pompeii.

You talk about "hyper consumption" as bad disease for Venice, when it was last time you were in Florence? Travel is a "hyper-consumtion" leisure activity and that's why Airbus Industries is building 800-seat airplanes. And Florence is not the "happy island" you would make your readers believe. The town, like it or not, is over crowed, noisy, expensive and over run. Still the most beautiful in the world.

I might understand you allergy for travel consultants, that is what I'm, but nobody invested you with the authority to give lectures about traveling philosophy. Of course chat rooms are full of experts that traveled a couple of times to a place and know every thing about that.

And are right these "chat rooms" experts that give the wrong information to people that do not need history lectures but just simple information on where to go, what to, what to see and fully taking advantage of their experience, and money. that they can better appreciate and remember the places they visit, the places they see and experience the culture of the visiting country personally without the lenses of chat room experts.

Happy traveling!

LouisTraveler - Zeppole has a valid point: no matter what the rest of us think has been an epiphany during our travels, these are still only personal favorites for reasons particular to ourselves. You should research the areas you think have inspired you to go there, and then choose a base that is sensible to explore as much as you can of that region. For example, I can never go to Italy without at least having 3 days in Florence somewhere during my travels, but that's because I always leave knowing I haven't seen everything I'd like to see. Similarly, for hill and fortified towns, I didn't like Siena at all, finding it too crowded even in November, but I loved San Gimignano which at least allowed me to step away from the modern day hustle and put myself back in time. Many go to Venice and only see the endless shops along the calli, but I look past and over them to see the jewel that it really is despite all that.

I enjoyed Montepulciano, Montecatini, Monteriggiano, Val d'Orcia,Montalcino, Pienza, and even the tiniest Lucignano and we based out of Pozzo, in the Val di Chianna. Radda in Chianti was also lovely, with a perfect little inn on the outskirts for a leisurely lunch. Cortona was charming and Lucca was lovely, but I didn't care much for Pisa - it will all come down to your own personal quest during your travels. For me, it's history and architecture, and some places appeal more than others. Further east, the small but beautiful San Sepolcro was lovely, as well, and if you manage a visit there, you will be very close to wonderful places in Umbria, such as Citta di Castello, Assisi and Gubbio within easy reach.

I understand your time constraints; I usually go for 4 or 5 days because of that myself, but I go often. Just don't cram too much in to what you finally decide may hold the greatest interest for you so that you can really soak in what it is you went to see.

Travel is meant to be a joy, not a chore or a test of fortitude, so you should pick places that intrigue you.

Sandra

Ignore some of the comments about Florence - it is well worth your time and the key to seeing it is getting tickets ahead of time to the museums, Duomo, Santa Croce etc. All should be seen and tickets will mean not having to stand in line. Also the Bargello and San Marco are must-sees and were my favorites. Give yourself a few days to see the sights and do spend a day in Fiesole - it is lovely and the views are wonderful. While in Florence, go up to the Piazzele Michelangelo to see a spectacular view of the city.

I have not been to the Cinque Terre but have been to some hill towns. My favorite is San Gimignano followed closely by Sienna where the cathedral is amazing. I also loved Lucca even though it is not a hill town. You might also want to check out Volterra.

Once you have seen Tuscany, plan a trip to the Amalfi Coast. As it is a very romantic place, perhaps an anniversary trip is in order. Must-sees are Ravello, Positano, and of course, Capri. I recommend staying in Amalfi as it is centrally located and the town itself is very nice.

Have a wonderful trip!

We just returned from Italy in April with 5 days in Venice and a week in Tuscany. During that week we drove up to Cinque Terre, parked at the train station in Levanto and took the train - based on recommendations online. What we found was that yes, it was mountainous, but nothing we could not handle driving ourselves. So the next morning our guys headed back to get the car, and they drove it to our B&B in Corniglia. We only stayed one night, but it was amazing.
Walking between Corniglia and Riomaggiore is a breeze (except for the 382 steps up the mountain back into Corniglia) and the paths between Corniglia and Monterosso progressively get more difficult. A beautiful place we are so glad to have visited and perhaps one day will return.

Our rental in Tuscany was just south of Firenze off the SR2 in a village called Badia de Pasignano...just west of Greve in Chianti. These villages are little jewels dotted throughout the province. We had a couple wonderful meals in the restaurants in town. We found it very central to many other towns, and close to Firenze altho we never spent any time there. We did a cooking class in our own home and another hilite was Magic Dinner at Castello di Verrazzano. A fantastic evening where we got more than our monies worth! www.verrazzano.com
On our last day we drove west to the coast to the city of Follonica - it was quite a drive, but we saw the beautiful Maremma countryside and enjoyed Ponente Beach in town.

We squeezed every moment out of our 2 weeks in Italy, including suntanning around the pool for 1/2 a day, but hey, I didn't go there to sit around! Make your vacation everything you want it to be.

I loved Pienza, with a side trip to Cortona.

I'm planning our 8th trip to Italy, traveling on a budget (time and money). We have learned something new each time. The most important lesson is to plan well, then release your attachment to everything going according to plan and enjoy whatever comes your way. On our first trip, we stayed at Relias San Pietro in Polvano, a lovely inn located remotely between Cortona and Arezzo. A car would be necessary for this as it it 7 km from the nearest train station. Driving in Tuscany is the best way to experience the area, but avoid driving into the larger cities (Florence and Sienna). Favorite hill towns: Cortona, Volterra, San Gimignano (off season), Pienza (day trip), and just south of Tuscany - Orvieto (with a day trip to Civita di Bagnoregio). We love Florence, although after our first visit we swore never to go back, because we made the mistake of scheduling it as a day trip and drove into the city. Now that we have discovered the treasures of Florence beyond the Uffizzi and Academia (David), we have a new list of things to see on our next visit. If you are there for two days, include Santa Croce on your must see list and spend an evening in Piazza Michelangelo, watching the sun set over the city.

To really experience the Cinque Terre, stay in one of the villages. We love Vernazza. Being there for at least two nights allows time for hiking the trails (which are amazing and various levels of physical challenge, from the easy path between Rio Magiore and Manarola, to the most challenging between Vernazza and Monterosso). Buy a Cinque Terre card, which gives you unlimited trips on the train between villages, as well as access to the trails. We stayed in Lerici and commuted the last time we were there and found that the commute took far too much time out of our days. I do not recommmend a car to get to the Cinque Terre - getting there is a huge challenge. If you do drive to the area and have a GPS, you can park near the train station in La Spezia and take the train from there to the Cinque Terre. Of course, if you are staying for a few days, the best choice is to travel by train to La Spezia. Your Cinque Terre card can be purchased at the La Spezia train station and is good from there to beyond the 5 villages.

Whatever your choices, revel in the experience and don't worry about all of the things you won't see on this trip - you will return.

I am surprised that none of you have mentioned that St. Francis of Assisi's (patron saint of Italy) feast day is October 4th. Assisi (although in Umbria - the "Heart of Italy") is not far from Sienna that buts up to Umbria. There is plenty of hiking because when you cross the street you are 50 feet in the air. A beautiful Medieval town with a lot of history. If you go down into the valley to the Basilica of Santa Maria di Angeli, you will find the small church called the Porciuncola (small portion) that Francis himself rebuilt. It is located inside the Basilica, as it is very small. If you go to confession, receive Holy Eucharist, and offer prayers for Il Papa, you will receive a great indulgence. This happens on no other day, but October 4. your birthday, and the feast of St. Francis. If you have a car, you can visit the "Hermitage" up in the mountains, where St. Francis went to pray. The Basilica of St. Francis houses the most famous frescos of Giotto, a brilliant Siennese artist. The Etruscans also inhabited various parts of Umbria, and there are small museums, such as Colimancia, a hill visable from Assisi and about 13 kilometres (6-7 miles) away.
There are many quaint towns and villages all around, both in the vallies and mountain hills, and a nice drive from Sienna.
October can be very nice, as sometimes September is molto caldo, but carry layers for the evenings.
No matter where you go, you will love it. The people, the culture, the food, the scenery and the wine are the best!

October is a great time to go to Italy, that is when my husband I prefer to go. Less tourist and the weather is great!!

If you love to hike, the Cinque Terre is the best place to go. The villages are lovely and the seafood is awesome!!! Vernazza is a great home base there. I recommend staying at Gianni Franzi (http://www.giannifranzi.it/index2.html). It is a bit of a hike up to it but the views are amazing (ask for a room with a view when you book it). There is also the Pirate Cafe (Il Pirata delle Cinque Terre). Great sweets for the morning & later in the day and dinner is incredible. Depending on how much hiking and down time you want there 2- 3 days.

Florence is a must do!!! Depending on how much of the art you want to see: 2-3 days but you really should take the opportunity to see the David's (Donatello's @ Il Bargello & Michelangelo's @ Accademia - make reservations for the 2nd one). Wander the streets and look at the amazing architecture. Must dos: Piazzale Michalengelo, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Boboli Gardens, Baptistery, Orsanmichele, Duomo, Giotto's Tower, and the market.
Some of the best restaurants: Yellow (across the street from Il Bargello), Da Il Latini (Via dei Palchetti 6/r - a little hard to find but so worth it), and gelato (many places around)!

As for Tuscan villages: Volterra is so beautiful. One of our favorites. So few tourists go. There is an amazing theater is ruins there. San Gimingnano is great. On the way to the Cinque Terre, if you are driving, you should stop in Pisa (do plan on a long time there - a couple of hours) and Carrara (just drive through and see the huge marble slabs - Michelangelo's marble for David came from here).

Someone mentioned Assisi, which is great but Umbria is a bit of a drive. If you go on parton saints day, keep in mind there will be fairly large crowds and it is fairly crowded even in the off season.

No matter where you go, you will have a great time. You can't go wrong. You have plenty of time to figure out what you want to do.

I've only been to Italy twice, both times with a very similar itinerary (taking group of students on a tour) and this is my impression: I love love love Florence (art, architecture, the bustle, and yet the REALNESS of it once you get out of the main areas), and my students all felt the same. The Baptistry is more appealing than the Duomo, and the Boboli Gardens were a real delight, and better than the Pitti palace they are part of. I was the only hardcore art lover amongst these travel groups, so I'm giving you a general consensus -- I LOVED the Uffizi, and seeing the masterpieces in person changed the way I felt about Renaissance art forever. The Botticellis left many of my group weeping at their beauty. Teenagers. That's saying something.
Venice has its charms, but feels a little like Disneyland to me, with lots of shopping. Try as we might to get lost in the backways and byways, we kept stumbling upon what were essentially marketplaces. So, mixed feelings - the charms didnt outweigh the drawbacks.
Hilltowns: Pienza - loved it alot - full of good food, artisans, and charm. quietish. Siena - has a magnificence, but also a sense of being crowded at close quarters with tourists. San Gimignano - we all like it - we went up to the very outskirts and climbed the old castle walls - the little courtyards around that area were restful and charming - away from all the shops. Had GREAT gelato here.
But hands down, outside of Florence, my favorite place is Orvieto. In Umbria, not too far from Assisi, which we didnt have time to visit, alas. Orvieto has the most beautiful duomo inside and out, with spectacular Signorelli frescos and a "jewel box" exterior that will take your breath away. Etruscan ruins, little side streets, relatively few tourists...all in all, soooo much worth a visit.
So, there are my two cents. We also went to Verona on the way to Venice and overnighted there, and found it charming --
Though I wouldnt go out of my way, I enjoyed the little squares in the evening - music, food, farmer's marketplace, etc.
Hope that helps somehow!

I haven't read all of these responses but I know that going off the beaten path in Italy is definitely worth it. Many Italians (and tourists) acknowledge Venice and Florence as museums instead of cities, as they have few inhabitants that aren't involved in the tourist industry and stand as monuments of the past. I think a few days in each is sufficient, as you're not going to learn a lot about language and culture there in the droves of tourists... Most of Tuscany is so, so SO touristy that it's worth it only because it's almost obligatory.
For a more intense, interesting and educational experience, I recommend an itinerary that includes Rome for at least a week, Naples for a few days, and Sicily if time permits..

I second all those who mentioned Montalcino, Florence, Siena and Volterra. I would add Abazzia Monte Olivetto Maggiore between Siena and Asciano. We spent 7 days on a farm outside of Asciano and made day trips to these and other places. We took the train into Florence and returned the same day–bad decision: we should have stayed a couple of nights!

Also the towns just over the Tuscany-Umbria border (Orvieto, Perugia, Assisi).

We started our 2 weeks in Italy with 3 days in Venice (should have been 4-5) and left Tuscany for 4 days in Rome (again should have stayed longer).

It has been 3 years and my husband who was my reluctant fellow traveller cannot stop raving over our time in Italy to all and sundry—they may be bored but we are not.

Buon viaggio!

My husband and I are also planning our first trip to Italy in October to celebrate a special anniversary. We are planning on two weeks, starting in Florence, traveling through Tuscany, then to Rome and finishing in Sorrento. We have been thinking of hooking up with a tour for the Tuscany part of our trip but after reading the comments here it almost seems like we could do our own thing in a car. True? Any thoughts/recommendations for Tuscany food/wine tasting tours?
Also, any suggestions for Sorrento/Amalfi/Positano?
Grazie!

Count me as one who's lukewarm about Siena. It's just one of those "I don't get it" times for me.

Thanks to all for taking the time to offer opinions....

Question....I couldn't possibly imagine driving without a GPS navigation...any suggestions here???...I have one built into my 'Google' Droid phone...not sure about available service with it.
I've learned allot....fyi...I stayed 4 days in Roma and then 4 in Positano....very nice combination the week after Easter when most all had left.... with flowers out everywhere and the temps so nice... wouldn't have missed the day long Vatican tour or walking 'ancient Rome' for anything...likewise for Positano and Capri area.

Nice spirited thread here. First time to Italy I can certainly agree with the suggestion that missing Venice and Florence is not a sin but i think Rome for 5 days is a must and 10 days... why not?

I like marroma's idea of heading down to Naples for a few days. Another fantastic city.

As for tour versus going it alone - seems to me this thread shows that Italy is so loaded with things to do that it is easy to get it right and just as easy to get it wrong. Regardless of whether the traveler decides to join a tour or go it alone, or do a combo I think a travel adviser is an excellent resource. The travel adviser knows the tours, knows how to travel alone, has probably done much of it so can help you just like many do here. Why not use a pro?