We have 3 weeks to enjoy italy. We are traveling with 2 very well travelled and interested children of 10 & 12yrs. We arrive in Venice Sunday 19 June 2011, have booked 3 nights accom and then think it may be best to hire a car for the remainder of our trip. We thought it may be nice to go North this time but we are not sure which destinations are worthwhile visiting. Any ideas? Looking for somewhere to go between 22 and 25 June. After that we think we may hire a selfcontained accomodation in the countryside 18km from Florence from 25 june for one week (euro570 for the 4 of us - pretty good!). Would like to stay for 5 nights but everyone seems to ask for a week booking. From that location we would travel to Florence by train for a few days sightseeing and then further afield by car. eg. Pisa 130km, 100kmLucca, sienna 60km, Arezzo 65km, Volterra 82km, San Gimignano 65km. How does that sound? Is it too much time in the car visiting these cities as day trips? If I can find a 5 day accomodation should we stay in San Gimignano for a couple of nights. After the country accomodation we also have to choose a destination for 2 & 3 July. We have booked 4 July til our departure on Saturday 9 July in Rome and plan to drop the car off on our arrival into Rome. Any hints on car hire and good drop off location in rome etc would also be appreciated. We will be staying near the Pantheon. A lot of unkowns. Any info appreciated. Thanks.

Go a lot usually once a year at least for the last 20 years

Headed over there in April to the areas you will be going.

Care Hire is nice for the rural areas but lots more expensive

than regional trains if budget is a consideration.

www.lucca.info

www.hotelmetropole.it Portofino/Cinqueterre

might be nice to pick up on your way down to Rome also

VERY pretty...Happy Journey,

www.metropole.it bad link above sorry...

Stayed at the Red Villa here last May it was AWESOME!

Maybe you want to go to the Lago Como for a few days. It is a breathtakingly beautiful area. These apartments are great for a family and rent under a week http://www.residencelalimonera.com/

BTW the best apartment (the only one with lake view)is #31.

I could hardly read your one paragraph blast but I think you want ideas for norhtern Italy. Here are my sample itineraires---look at Bella Italia--my favorite:

BOB the NAVIGATOR’S FAVORITE ITALY ITINERARIES

After 24 trips to southern Europe, and having developed more than 220 customized TRIP PLANS for others, I am now older and hopefully wiser. Here is an updated version of my favorite itineraries & my “Bella Italia” photo gallery. I hope you enjoy.
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3827

1. BELLA ITALIA: Five destinations in 15 days—car & train travel
* Arrive in Milan[MXP] & depart from Venice[VCE]or vice versa.
* Itinerary to include the Italian Lakes, Ligurian coast, rural
Tuscany, Florence, & Venice. Suggested timing is 3-2-4-2-4.
* Option: Drop the coast & rent a villa in Tuscany[ 3-7-2-3].
* Best time to go: May & June or Sept. & Oct.

2. LA DOLCE VITA: Three destinations in 12 to 14 days-car & train
* Arrival & departure from Rome[ FCO] or arrival in Naples
* Itinerary to include Rome, the Amalfi coast, and Tuscany
* Best time to go: Easter to end of October
* Option: Fly into Naples & stay at 2 locations on the coast

3. CLASSIC ITALIA: Three destinations in 12 to 14 days-car & train
* Arrival & departure from Rome—may start trip in Florence
* Destinations to include Florence, Rome & Tuscany/Umbria
* Best time to go: Anytime, but May & Oct. are my favorites
* Option: Consider a weekly rental in Tuscany/Umbria

4. SICILIAN CHARMS: Five destinations in 15 days—car travel
* Connections to Catania & Palermo via Rome or gateway city.
* Itinerary to include Taormina, Siracusa, Palermo & more.
* Best time to go: March to November—May is best for flowers
* See: http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=634

5. THE VILLAGE SAMPLER: My favorite venues for those who enjoy natural beauty and quaint, small villages. Arranged north to south.
* Arrive Milan & depart Rome—car travel-- 3 nites per location
* Itinerary to include Lago Orta, Castelrotto/ Ortisei[Dolomites],
Portovenere[Liguria], Montalcino[Tuscany], & Spello[Umbria].
* Best time to go: May to October for the lakes and Dolomites
* Option: Pick 3 out of 5 and stay longer in Tuscany/Umbria.

melkamp,

Without knowing what interests your family it really is hard to advise. Would you all enjoy a few days on Lago di Garda doing outdoor activities, a trip to the amusement park Gardaland, and a visit to Verona?

Would you prefer a few days in Ferrara, Ravenna and Bologna, looking at mosaics, bicycling and learning to make pasta?

Also, it is extremely to confusing to understand whether you will traveling by train or car for the middle of your trip. (Although I will suggest that you take a coastal route to Rome, and stay a few nights at the seaside.)

Perhaps if you rewrote your question in the form of dates and locations, people could give you some specific advice. For example

June 19--21 -- Venice/w.o. car

June 22- 25 ---??????/w. car?

June 25 -- 30 -- Tuscany farm (day trips Florence, Pisa, Lucca) w/car?

June 30 -- July 3 -- coast? -- drop off car where?

July 3- July 9 -- Rome w.o. car/fly home

Something like that. There are wild beaches along the Tuscan coast, and a few islands, so your kids might like that. But if you are really sightseeing mavens, you might consider staying somewhere down the coast within reach of some coastal hilltowns and castles, and maybe even natural hot springs.

Thanks everyone for the info. Sorry about the way the question was worded,it was done last minute before bed on a long night behind the computer. From the information provided and some further research, I have been able to put some great plans in place and we are getting excited about our travels. Thanks again.