Hi there,

I have been following this forum for quite some time. Now, I would like to ask for your expert opinion. My sister and I (early 40-somethings) will be traveling to Italy for the first time (9/10-27/04).
We would prefer to stay at B&B?s in beautiful small towns - countryside, nature, and scenery- with things to do in the evening. However our budget is modest-up to $150 a night.
Transportation: By train or bus. Do we really need a car to enjoy Tuscany?

Our Itinerary ? Still subject to change based upon your recommendations
3 days Venice
2 days Florence ? or should we make it a day trip ?
7 days Tuscany ? Please share your your favorite towns and affordable B & B?s ? Sienna?
4 days Cinque Terre ? Riomaggiore and/or Monterosso
What would it be the best route, we will be leaving from NYC. My sister will return on the 9/27, I will be going to Barcelona for a few days (work) then I might be going to France for about 4 days (Collioure, Carcassone.)
Fodorites, can you please offer some suggestions, towns and b&b?s in Italy?
Eloise, Ira, Bob the navigator, I know is such a short notice but I would appreciate to hear from you as well. Carlos Sondoval ? I noticed your wife and you will be in the same cities/towns around the same time, do you mind sharing the names of the hotels where you be staying? We have until Monday 8/23 to finalize our vacation plans.
I hope we can meet with some of the fellow fodorites.

Thanks!!!!!

Hi Roxana,

It is not easy to wander through Tuscany for a week without a car. I don't think I would recommend driving around for first timers.

Some comments:

3 days Venice
Good. 4 days better

2 days Florence ? or should we make it a day trip ?

I suggest 3-4 days in Florence. You can visit Lucca,

7 days Tuscany ? Please share your your favorite towns and affordable B & B?s ? Sienna?

I suggest 4 days in Siena with daytrips to San Gimignano (bus schedules at http://www.sangimignano.net/bus/), Castellina in Chianti and Montepulciano (train schedules at www.trenitalia.com/en)

4 days Cinque Terre
I think that this is 2 days too many.
I would do one day and one night in Orvieto and then train to FCO for an afternoon flight to NYC or Barcelona.

I'm sure that others can give you some other helpful ideas.

Enjoy your trip.

Ira's suggestion for dividing up your time sounds excellent to me.

The only place where I can recommend accommodation in your price range is Venice. I'm beginning to sound like a stuck record on the subject of Al Campaniel, a B&B very near the San Toma vaporetto stop. The rooms are small (most rooms in Venice are small...) but they are nicely appointed and spotlessly clean. Breakfast is a do-it-yourself affair, with a variety of packaged baked goods and an electric kettle to make instant coffee with. (You can also go to a nearby cafe for a cappuccino and a cornetto...) The location is good: close to many points of interest in Dorsoduro, and there is a traghetto at San Toma (a gondola that plies back and forth all day for a fare of 0.40 Euros) that gets you to San Marco quickly and allows you to avoid the main tourist "drag" between the Rialto and the Piazza San Marco. Marco, who owns/runs Al Campaniel, is very nice and speaks excellent English. If you decide to stay there, book directly with him rather than through one of the hotel networks.

http://alcampaniel.tripod.com/

The Trattoria San Toma, on the Campo San Toma a few steps away, is inexpensive and good. Marco also recommended Casin dei Nobili, just off Campo San Barnaba, but it was full when I got there and I didn't want to wait. Others in this forum have said that they know and like it.

On my only visit to Tuscany (I normally stay only in Florence and Siena) that took in the hill towns, I was travelling with a friend who had a car. It was quite a few years ago, and "agriturismi" were not as thick on the ground as they are now, so we stayed in hotels.

The Palazzo Ravizza in Siena is wonderful. You might want to look into it and "splurge" a little. If you decide to stay there, ask for a room at the back, looking out on the garden and the rolling green hills of Tuscany. Dinner is served in the garden in good weather, and it is good.

http://www.palazzoravizza.it/

Roxana, You have gotten good advice above. I basically agree with the trip timing by Ira---if you do not have a car. But, with a car in Tuscany I would change it. I have always driven so I am biased, but that is your call.

As for hotels at 150E:
Venice--Locanda Barbarigo
Florence--Tourist House Ghiberti
Siena--Pal. Ravizza
Monterosso--www.pasini.it for both the Steno and Pasquale--but also look at Villa Margherita in Levanto

Hope this helps.

Hello,

we went to Tuscany for a week last year. We went to a village south of Sienna called Civittela and we rented a cosy little house called "Casina di Rosa".
We loved every single minute there. I wrote a review for this rental for a website which might be of interest for you too: http://www.slowtrav.com
They have a huge rental review section.

We had our car, so I actually didn't experience the problems taht not having one can provoke. Certainly, the car gave us a great freedoom, but we never used it to go to Florence or Sienna: we went by bus. There are buses stopping in the village or along the highway.
It was very convenient. But without a car we could have missed other great places. And it was not too difficult to drive there.
If you want to take a look at the house the url is http://www.casinadirosa.it/ and the other nice forum where you might find information for your hliday is http://www.slowtalk.com

Good luck,
Karina
(Germany)

Unless you basically want to do nothing, 4 days in 5 Terre is a bit long. It's a long way to travel and a lot of money to do nothing for a couple of days. It is pretty and all, but how many hours can you just look at the same pretty? You need more than 3 days in Venice.

Hi again, Roxana,

If you are willing to spend under $100/night in Florence, I can highly recommend the B&B Peterson.

See www.bedinflorence.it and my trip report
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

We don't go to Europe to kick back and relax as much as to see things. On our 1st trip to Italy, we wanted to be sure and get an overview of all so we hit Venice, Florence, Siena (rented a car and went all around 1 day) and Rome for 3 days each and it was perfect. We saw all the major sites and have been back several times since. I wouldn't miss Rome for sure unless you're just going to relax.

You may also want to get rick steve's book, Best of Europe. All his recs are outstanding values and locations!

Hi!
We will plan much of our trip around comments and suggestions from everyone here!
Thank you for all the wonderful recommendations!

Roxana