ljc4creb

If you are planning your trip this October, just wondering how much you have done? Have you chosen your hotels? This being a dream vacation, it is soooooooo much work, but so much fun. I'm surprised how many hotels are already booked. Having trouble figuring out where to stay in S. Tuscany before heading to Florence, Venice. Rome is first. I'm very nervous about renting a car, read some stories here. Any great tips on drop off/pick up, prices, etc. Oh my God, this is more work than planning a wedding! And still, more fun.

TravMimi

If you are using a hotel booking site and it says - rooms not available - it's most likely the hotel hasn't turned it's updated figures for that season in yet.

Keiracaitlyn

I am going at the end of October: 4 days and nights in Rome, 2 in Florence, and 4 in Venice.

So far, I have researched airfares (not purchased) but it seems that 4-6 months out I may get a better deal, so just getting daily fare alerts for now.

I have decided on hotels in 2 of the 3 cities I will be visiting, but have not made reservations.

Good luck planning your trip!

ljc4creb

Thank you for responding. It is nice to hear from people when you ask a question here. It helps and builds the excitement even more. I booked Residenza Cellini in Rome and Hotel Davanzati in Florence. Venice and Tuscany are difficult for different reasons. I booked airline tickets, direct flights and have decided not to check anymore and fall on the floor if the prices go down. Does anyone know how much wine you can stash and take home? Is shipping very expensive?

TravMimi

ljc - just curious. Do you prefer driving over train? Is that why you are renting a car?

Lexma90

We'll be in Venice in the middle of this October; got the air portion months ago, so we could use FF miles for business class. Several months ago, I checked with my first-choice Venice hotel, Locanda Orseolo (great views here at Fodor's), and they were already fully booked. At our second choice, which we've stayed at previously, their standard double rooms were already booked (so we booked a "superior" room). Just an FYI on my hotel experience.

I'm guessing you'll be renting a car as you leave Rome, or outside of it, and then dropping off the car when you reach Florence or Venice (whichever you visit first). For the southern Tuscany part, it makes sense to rent a car, as that's the easiest way to visit all those beautiful hilltowns. We've done that several times, with no problem at all. Don't be nervous, and enjoying the planning!

ljc4creb

TravMimi: I plan to take a train out of Rome to somewhere in S.Tuscany and hopefully get a car right there (still researching). Only want the car for the views and getting around. Want to go to Montalcino, Pienza, Monticchiello, and whatever is around there. Still trying to pinpoint a nice place that isn't too many Euros. I want to go to San Gim and Siena and am trying to decide if I could do those both in 1/2 day if I leave the southern part on my way to Florence (and drop off the car---maybe at Siena, I heard the drop off in Florence is nasty).

ljc4creb

Lexma: Where did you pick up your car and drop off? Any favorite S. Tuscany spots you visited?

TravMimi

ljc - understood. I'm a train person so I can't help with renting cars. You might post a question titled with something about renting cars. You'll get lots of good and specific advice.

BarbaraJ

We're going the beginning of October. My husband has a conference in Siena October 7-9. Since he just decided to go, we're just starting to plan. We'll probably wait on airfares, but am looking into hotels/apartments/villas now. Of course, it would help if we could decide where we wanted to spend our time!

ljc4creb

Barbara: Ok, you are waiting on airfare, you think the prices will go down? It is like mortgage rates. I want to know if I messed up by booking now but I couldn't take the pain. This is a 25th anniversary "prize trip"/dream trip and I am crazy-happy. Just new to leaving the US. No frequent flyer points or work related extras for me. I just know I'll have a great time and I'm ready for those pick-pocket people. It happened once to me in Boston on a trolley. I knew it just happened and stood in the middle of the trolley and demanded of the 6 guys sitting there who took my wallet. He ran off on the next stop into the crowd. I guess it still irritates me.

BarbaraJ

ljc - I may be taking a gamble waiting on the tickets, but lately everytime we've booked flights (all domestic) later than we usually would, the fares were less. I'll just keep monitoring it and decide. When we went two years ago in July, we were just making our plans about now. We also got the best airfare through AAA - it was almost $200 less for the same flight than any of the online sites.

You'll have a great time! The Italian people are so warm and friendly. Even if they don't speak English and you don't speak Italian they always make you feel welcome. This time though, I am going to try to learn a little more Italian!

monicapileggi

I'll be in Rome for 4 nights before going on a Celebrity 14-night cruise to the Mediterranean and Black Sea. One of the ports includes Naples.

Monica

rpowell

We will be traveling to Italy from Oct. 19-Nov. 4. We are planning a week in Tuscany (a villa outside of Florence in Londa), 3 days in Rome, 3 in Venice, 2 in Lake Garda and returning from Milan. We have finally reserved all of our lodging and are presently working on train/car travel. To see Tuscany I think we'll take a train from Rome and pick up a car in Chiusi. The problem with that location is that the rental office closes at 1:00. ( We also heard terrible stories about rentals in Florence) We're using affordablecarrentals. We're also trying to decide whether to buy a train pass or pay individual fares. I agree that planning is a huge job! I have gotten a lot of great information from this forum. Good luck.

jabez

We hope to go sometime between Sept 15 and Oct 15 or so. We're trying to get 4 BE award tickets from Delta and currently there are none available.
In 2005 we went in Oct. and the only negative to that time of year was the shorter days.
So, for me we have not made any reservations.

martite

Does anyone know what area of Siena to stay in? Any hotel recommendations?

ljc4creb

Thank you everyone. I guess I am not booking too early for things in October. However, is the car rental different? Should I do that now? I'm hoping to buy some wine and olive oil in Tuscany. Anyone know prices for the oil? My mind is everywhere!

jabez

Unless you need an automatic, you should be okay with rental cars.
My wife always brings lots of olive oil home and tells me that it's much cheaper in Italy than the states.
How much I have no idea.

octbride07

hi! i am going to the amalfi coast in the middle of october (14th - 22nd). pretty much everything is booked, except for the 1 night in naples. flights and hotels are done, but we're staying in smaller b&bs in positano and amalfi so i wanted to be sure to get a room. then again, its a honeymoon so i think we were just super ready / excited to plan ahead of time.

i must say though i feel like i got a particularly bad deal on the flights (also because of the wedding events we were very limited in terms of times that would work to fly out), so maybe waiting is the right idea!! can i ask, if anyone is researching jfk - naples by chance, are you finding much less than $1k / person with all the taxes etc? thanks!

ljc4creb

Octbride: CONGRATULATIONS!! Wow, you must be busy with all these arrangements. I booked my flight now because of work--have to request the time off and get it approved, blah blah blah. I have four children and those are arrangements also. I looked for a month or so and was surprised how much the prices were and watched them change a bit. I booked a non-stop flight to Rome from Boston. It was $720 and then the taxes and fee brought it to $942. However, it is non-stop both ways and that was a plus for us. It is overnight going and I don't want to waste any time wandering around watiting for changes of planes and lugging things. The flight was on every site "fodorites" told me and when 2 sites closed it I got nervous and just booked it. It is a game but for maybe a few hundred savings I may have gotten later, sweating it out, I got pretty much what I wanted. A friend went 2 yrs ago and waited one month before she left and got round trip for $675, huge layover---not for me. People that responded to my questions, pretty much are paying the same, give or take a hundred. Are going to Tuscany area at all?