Anastasia

Hi, everyone!

My family of 12 members will be in Italy this July and would like to take a day trip from Rome and Florence. We will arrive in Rome on July 8 and depart on July 11. From Rome, we would like one day during which we visit the following nearby cities/sites:

1) Civita di Bagnoregio
2) Pompei.

Then we will arrive in Florence on July 11 and depart on July 14.

From Florence, we would like one day during which we visit the following nearby cities/sites:

1) Tower of Pisa
2) Cinque Terre (Five Lands) and its 5 villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. We're looking for a driver who can drop us off at the most convenient village and we can take train rides through all five villages and enjoy the magnificent view from the trail between Riomaggiore and Manarola (the Via Dell’Amore, or the Love Walk).

Could anyone recommend a local driver (or tour guide) who can pick us up in his/her van that fits 12 passengers early the morning of July 12th or 13th, take us to these two sites and then drop us back at the hotel that evening? If so, please reply to this post with any details you could provide, including estimated total cost for our group (if you have that information).

If there are other nearby sites that you would highly recommend we add to the above itineraries (and still keep it a one-day trip for each one), please let me know. We're open to other suggestions as long as it doesn't increase the price too much; however, we do not have wine drinkers or cheese lovers in our group, so no need for wine or cheese tours.

We do *not* need a driver or guide for any tours in Rome or Florence, just for the day-trips to the nearby cities. And we do not really need a tour guide but mainly a driver who is reliable and can speak English well.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you can provide!
Anastasia

jamikins

No idea on drivers but have you checked to make sure the trails will be open in the cinque terre? I think I read most of them were closed due to bad weather etc...even the one between Manarola and Riomaggiore...

ekc

You don't have enough time in Rome for a day trip, let alone 2 day trips, unless you don't plan on seeing any of Rome.

KayTKay

I was just in Cinque Terre and the Via Del Amore is still closed. I think it is expected to remain closed until September. There are no other trails that are short and easy like that one. Just for your information.

bobthenavigator

Wow, that will be very expensive.
For Rome, that is 2 day trips since thay are opposite directions.
And, it will hard to see both Pisa and the CT in one day.

Do you plan to see any of Rome or Florence--not much time for that.

Rostra

Years ago somewhere I gave this website to 2 posters, 1 needed a family group (~12 or so) transported from Rome's airport to a Tuscany villa and return, the other was a large group conference from airport to Rome hotel and return.
Which they both did.

Anyway www.bus.it was very easy to use back then, pull-down Lazio and it listed all the mini-bus and big bus companies in Rome with the majority with having their own websites.

I don't read Italian and I can't work their new website but perhaps you can find that 'bus company list page' for Rome and Florence or maybe someone here that reads Italan can post that page for you.

If so, email a few of them with group size, dates, your hotel and destinations for a quote.
Also check-out their 'Fleet link' to see if they have minibuses.

Also try google rome "bus rentals" italy or "bus charters" italy tours etc.

I found this one in Rome www.italytourbus.com/aboutus.htm with a 19 passenger minibus.

For Pisa *alone* if you have no luck there with a minibus rental perhaps you can book 12 online tickets for one of the many 1/2 day guided bus tours to Pisa?

Good Luck!

kybourbon

>>>1) Civita di Bagnoregio
2) Pompei.<<<

You can't do those in one day as they are in opposite directions from Rome. Pompeii is about 3 hours south and Civita is about 2 hours north.

I agree with ekc. You don't really have time for day trips if you intend to see Rome at all.