btewalt

Ok, our tickets were purchased this morning, and now the specifics need to be figured out for our first trip to Italy. I'm feeling a bit rushed to make reservations, due to Easter week. Here are my tentative thoughts for our time:

Arrive Rome Thursday morning, 3/17
Rome 4 nights (including Palm Sunday)
Tuscany 3 nights (any suggestions where to stay?)
Florence 4 nights (including Easter Sunday)
Venice 3 nights
Depart Venice Thursday morning, 3/31

Advice on Tuscany area vs. Florence during Easter Weekend? (Could do Rome, Florence, then Tuscany) We don't necessarily mind the crowds, but also want to maximize the sights, and assume many sights will be closed on Easter. Will probably take a day trip from Florence one of our days there. Looks like Monday after Easter will be our travel day to Venice.

Also, recommended areas to find a hotel/apartment in Rome, Florence, and Venice? We'd like to be able to walk places, but also (hopefully) have a quiet place to sleep--in a safe area. I plan on looking for apartments via www.sleepinitaly.com

Does this sound like a good itinerary, or should we change it a bit? I've read many postings on this site, and there seems to be so much helpful advice out there!

Jocelyn_P

topping for b

kybourbon

Monday after is Easter is Easter Monday which is a major holiday in Italy with most people off work. I don't know how you are traveling but the roads will be very crowded that day.

DRJ

Try Residenza Il Carmina on the web. Very pleasant apartments across the river in Florence.

Jocelyn_P

kybourbon,

What are the trains like that day? Will it be a problem getting off and on with their luggage?

btewalt

Good question about Monday. Are we better off traveling to Venice on Tues., thus cutting out a day there? We will be traveling via train.

TravelsWithStDavid

I would travel to Venice on the Monday after Easter, but make your train reservations before you leave. All the sights in Venice will be closed on Monday and the restaurants crowded, so it would be a good day to spend traveling. I don't think your luggage will be any more of a problem than usual. There is no help with your luggage at any time so don't take any you can't manage on your own. There is space on the trains to store it if that is your concern. The vaporetta, once you reach Venice, sometimes charges extra for a suitcase so be ready for that. Have fun!

panucci

I don't know your budget, but we stayed at La Saracina in Tuscanyhttp://www.lasaracina.it/menu_eng.htm. It was so wonderful! By far my favorite place we stayed in 6 trips to Italy. It is also within 16 minutes drive to three popular hill towns, Pienza, Montepulciano and Montalcino.

zozozo

We are visiting Italy same exact dates. Are you planing on visiting Tuscany without a car? If you are without a car Lucca is a wonderful town and is easy to tour without a car and you can visit other parts of area with Lazzi bus system. You might also consider Assisi in Umbria or Orvieto on way to Florence from Roma. We have stayed in both areas without a car but it is much easier to visit rural tuscany with a car.

btewalt

I think we will probably get a car for Tuscany. La Sarcina looks lovely, but unfortunately, well above our nightly budget. But I will check out that region of Tuscany. Thanks!

zozozo

We are staying at Il Giglio in Montalcino and it is 85 euro for a double with out breakfast.

StuDudley

If I couldn't splurge for La Saracina (which I have on 2 occasions), here is where I would stay. It's in San Quirico, the next village west of Pienza.

http://www.palazzodelcapitano.com/index_eng.htm

Stu Dudley

bookchick

Hi There,
You may want to try the guest house, Il Porcellino for Florence. Excellent location, wonderful prices, good service. For Rome, try the Hotel San Carlo. Prices are fantastic, and I don't see how anyone could possibly get a better location. I've stayed there several times, and service is the tops. Venice is tough, in that it's expensive. My experience is with Locanda Sturion, which is not cheap, but has a great location and excellent service. Personally, I'd stick to "the big 3" during this trip and skip Tuscany, but that's my own personal preference.

Buon Viaggio!

BC

btewalt

Thanks for all your wonderful suggestions. I just found out a co-worker will be in Italy at the same time, so we have rented an apartment in Florence called the San Lorenzo's (it has received good reviews on several websites). There will now be 4 of us, rather than 2. They will also travel to Venice with us for 2 of our 3 nights. Based on this, any suggestions on if we should stay in an apartment again, B&B, or,hotel while in Venice?

kybourbon

Jocelyn - I didn't use the trains on Easter Monday. We were traveling on the autostrada and there were major traffic jams. We were told that most families like to take road trips into the countryside to picnic on Easter Monday and that was why the roads were so crowded. Not sure if the picnic thing is true but it is a long holiday weekend so I'm sure many Italian families travel to relatives, etc.