2 weeks in italy, Milan, Lucca, Florence and Rome then back to Milan
 

Please, Please help!. My husband and I are flying into Milan Bergamo mid August. We have booked 2 nights in Milan centre then the next 5 nights in Lucca. We would then like to visit Florence then move onto Rome for 3 nights, before returning to Milan for our flights home.
Should we hire a car - we know there will be the cost of fuel and toll charges and parking too, so this could cost a lot! or should we use use trains/buses? Which will be cheapest? We will only have backpacks with us. Please reply as I am demented with trying to find ways to get around Italy. Thank you in advance for any replies.

No Venice?

Try www.raileurope.com to get an idea of point to point train tickets. Once you get an idea of rail ticket prices, you can then make your choices. You can also take a look at an Italy pass. There is also a drive and rail pass, where you can rent cars some days and take the rail other days.

I would absolutely NOT take a car into Rome. I've driven everywhere else in Western Europe, but I will not drive in that city.

>>>or should we use use trains/buses?<<<

It depends on which places/towns you want to visit.

I would not book my first two nights in Milan (why Milan?). If you must spend two nights in Milan, put them at the end of the trip where it will be convenient for your flight home. I'm surprised your flight is Bergamo as the major airports are Malpensa and Linate.

I don't see the point in staying in Lucca and then Florence when Lucca can easily be visited from Florence. They are an hour apart by train or bus (about 6-7€). I found Lucca really dull, but some people seem to like it.

I would add a day to Rome.

It's hard to say if a railpass would be a good value without knowing what towns you plan to visit. Trenitalia is the Italian train system. You can search schedules/prices, but smaller towns are only served by older R trains. Their prices will only show up if you enter a date within the next 7 days.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...0080a3e90aRCRD

I see this is your third post about the same itinerary. Click on your own screen name to find your previous posts.

Personally I fail to see what attracts people to Lucca.

Dining must: Antica Locanda dell'Angelo

Bergamo is a long way from Milan---I would go to Venice, then Florence, and then Lucca.

With this itinerary, do not rent a car! You cannot use it in the historic centers of Lucca and Florence, as they are off-limits to non-residents' cars, and you will get a huge traffic ticket if you blunder into the ZTL, as they are called. Traffic in Rome is totally insane, even to experienced drivers, and finding your way around is impossible. There are excellent train connections between these cities, anyway. A car is only a liability.

Definitely agree you do NOT want a car for this itinerary. Trains will be so much cheaper and easier.

If you are flying into Bergamo why not stay there at least one night. I visited it on a day drip from Milan a couple weeks ago and LOVED it. Great town. Especially is you are already there you should see it. The old town on the hill is magnificent, the lower town looked quite nice too.

Agree with the others that Lucca is pretty dull. I did it as a day trip from Florence one year and that was pleasant but I'm not sure I'd choose it as a base. I'd just do Florence (instead of both Florence and Lucca) and do a day trip to Lucca but also to Siena, easily done from Florence.

It looks like you already booked your hotels in Milan and Lucca but most reservations can be changed. In Milan you might want to look at Hotel Berna, it was a wonderful hotel and the breakfast buffet was amazing. Very close to the train station for coming and going but on a pleasant street. The metro is just steps away and you can be in the center in just a few minutes.

FYI - Terravision added shuttle buses between Bergamo airport and Milan in May. 5€

http://www.terravision.eu/bergamo_price_timetable.html