nogirl

I am helping my parents plan their 40th anniversary trip to Italy in May. I haven't been to Italy in 6 years, so I am a little rusty and I have only visited a few areas. This is their first trip to Italy so I want them to see as much as they can without moving around too much. They would like to spend a week in Tuscany and are torn about where to go. We were thinking of doing 1/2 of the week in Lucca or in Greve and the other 1/2 in Cortona. I would especially appreciate any input about the Tuscany portion of the trip. They would love to do some wine tours and a cooking class while in Tuscany. I have come up with the following itenerary for them and would love some input regarding hotels, time spent in each area, the best way to get from one areas to the next and anything else!
May 9 Depart US
May 10 Arrive Rome at 6:30 p.m.
Private transfer to Hotel Daniel's (by the Spanish Steps) We tried the Piranesi, but it was booked for these dates.
May 11 See the Vatican
May 12 Tour Ancient Rome
May 13 Visit Piazza Navona and Trevi Fountain
May 14 See additional Roman sights such as the Villa Borghese
May 15 Take a train to Naples. Private transfer to Positano with a 3 hour stop in Pompeii. Check into Hotel Poseidon.
May 16 See Ravello and Sorrento
May 17 Take hydrofoil to Capri
May 18 Enjoy Positano
May 19 Private transfer to Naples airport, then fly to Venice. Check into to Hotel Nicolo Priuli.
May 20 Tour the Palazzo Ducale and Rialto Bridge areas.
May 21 Possibly tour Lido or Murano or go to the Accademia and the Peggy Geuggenheim
May 22 Tour Venice
May 23 Take a train to Lucca and check into the Palazzo Alexandra. Get rental car in Lucca.
May 24 Explore Lucca
May 25 Visit the Cinque Terre
May 26 Visit San Gimignano
May 27 Drive to Cortona and check into Villa Baldelli
May 28 Drive to Pienza & Montepulchiano
May 29 Drive to Assisi
May 30 Travel to Florence. Possibly drop car off in Siena and take a train to Florence or drive to Florence and return car there.
Check into Hotel Albani in Florence. See Sante Croce.
May 31 See Duomo and Academia
June 1 See Uffizi Museum and Piazzale Michelangelo
June 2 See Ponti Vecchio and Pitti Palace
Jun 3 Return to US

I was also wondering whether 3 days in Cortona is enough especially since one of those days will be spent travelling from Lucca or Greve to Cortona? Would it be better for them to have 3 days in Venice instead of 4 so they can have an additional day to see the areas near Cortona?
Also, how is the drive from Lucca to Cortona and from Greve to Cortona?

rex

My immediate question would be: have they ever lived out of a suitcase for 22 days before? Have they ever traveled to any country where English is not the first language spoken for more than 10 days?

If both answers are no, then I would strongly recommend reconsidering a trip of 12 days or less.

They anticipate having a 41st anniversary, hopefully...

May 2008 is forecast to be lovely in Italy (as is May 2007, and May 2009, etc...)

And they will be SO much smarter about how they would like to plan their second trip.

Best wishes,

Rex

toni_g_b

A few things that jump out at me about your itinerary:

Instead of staying near the Spanish Steps in Rome, I'd try to find a place closer to the Pantheon/Piazza Navona. It seems much more central to everything and has a more ancient flavor.

And I couldn't do 4 night in Lucca, even as a base of operations; there's only so much to see and do there. And you can visit San Gimignano on the way to Cortona. I'd add more to the Cortona part of Tuscany.

As for the drive, we did mostly 2 lane roads and it wasn't bad at all. It wasn't that we were afraid of the autostrada - we did plenty of them, too - but we wanted the opportunity to explore along the way to our next destination.

nogirl

Yes, this is quite a long first trip! But, they have the time and really want to do it. I think they would enjoy a week in Tuscany. I tried to find a villa they could rent for a week, but there aren't many for 2. Is there a location that is central enough where they could spend the whole week in one area in Tuscany and just make day trips and skip Lucca altogether? Or should they spend the week in 2 different cities? Maybe Cortona and Greve?
Thanks!!

Henry

nogirl,
Send me an e-mail and I will send you a week's worth of day trip from one location.

Henry

toni_g_b

We met a couple last year while we were in Monteriggioni and they were based in Volterra, and loved it. From there, your parents could do a day trip to Pisa and Lucca (it's about 1 1/2 hrs). Other days they could explore more of western Tuscany. From Cortona they could explore the eastern area. If they were looking for a single location, the most obvious is probably Siena. I think Cortona and Greve are too close to make it worth changing locations.

bblount

nogirl,
I am leaving in a couple of days for Italy, and I am doing a lot of the things you want to plan for your parents.... (Its our 40th anniversary trip also...). From what I read in your itinerary, it looks to me like you are doing a lot of back tracking, i.e., Rome to Naples, to Venice, to Tuscany, to Florence.... I have tried to plan our trip so we aren't back tracking at all.... We are doing Veince first, train to Florence, rent a car for a week in Tuscany, staying at a couple of places and doing day trips to lots of little hill towns, and kind of circling around back to Florence to drop off the car, then train to Rome before coming home........ I'm doing a cooking class in Figline Valdarno, and we have wine tours, dairy farm and cheesemaking tour, and and olive grove tour also........ I will post my trip report when I get back in 2 weeks, and maybe I'll have some suggestions that will work for your parents. This is our first trip to Italy also, and I'm certainly no expert, but maybe I can help a little..........

nogirl

That would be very helpful! I can't wait to hear about your trip and I am sure you will have lots of tips. My parents are using skymiles and could only get a flight into Rome and out of Florence. I keep calling, but nothing has opened up that would work better. Have a great trip and a happy 40th anniversary.

Hagan

We spent a week at the Castello de Montegufoni, a 12th century castle about 20 km SW of Florence. It was the perfect base for touring Tuscany, and was also lovely just to spend the day wandering the castle grounds. I strongly recommend them staying at least 1 week in a single place, so that they can feel "at home" and relaxed. Even though it's been 5 years since we were there, we still talk about it often and remember it as such a "magical" place. Congratulations to them - we're coming up on #43 this month!

WhineConnoisseur

When we spent time in Tuscany last year we based ourselves in Montalcino. We thought it was just perfect. We had only 4 nights there, but could have easily stayed longer. We tended to do more of south tuscany than you outlined.
Also, the CT involves a lot of hiking...I don't know what shape your parents are in, but something to consider.

I think this is a situation where you might want to use a specialized travel agent. I know that it seems to be frowned upon on this board, but with such a long trip....I just think if I were you I would like the help.

nogirl

Thank you so much to all who have responded. I think we will add a night to Venice and spend the week in Tuscany in one location. Hagan, I think you are right that they would like the chance to feel at home somewhere amidst all of the travelling. If anyone has any more ideas about a good location in Tuscany for day trips, please let me know! I think we'll skip Lucca and the Cinque Terra and focus on other areas.

Thanks again!