Eab2012

We are traveling to Venice for a few days and then to Volterra (small town south of Florence) for a week. We can fly from the US direct to Rome, but either Venice or Florence requires a plane change in Europe.

What's our best option? Fly to Venice or Florence & rent a car? Fly nonstop to Rome and take the train or a car to Venice? We've traveled in Europe a lot but this is our first time in Italy so we're not sure of the pros and cons of train v plane v car.

We're also wondering about car rental policies. (In France it was no problem to pick up a car in one city & drop it off in another, and we might want to do that here also.). TIA!

Freda_Seddon

I arrived in Venice by train, from Vienna. Not sure how long it takes, but I took a night train and booked a sleeper. Arrived fresh - was able to start my day early and really enjoy the city. Airport travel is something I avoid due to all the security stuff- time wasted and frustrations.
I loved Volterra- took the train from Venice to Florence and rented a car there. Florence is a difficult city - IMO - to drive around - so make sure you get some good maps/GPS. Pisa and Lucca are near to Volterra.
Can you fly into Milan? What about an open- jaw flight?

Jean

If your flights are in/out of Rome, I would train Rome-Venice and rent the car as you're leaving Venice. Drive to Volterra and then decide where you want to return the car: Pisa, Florence, Siena, Chiusi or Orvieto. Driving into Florence is tricky, so I'd probably choose the airport and bus or taxi into town or pick another city. Siena is the closest to Volterra, but you might like to explore the area west of Chiusi or the town of Orvieto before giving up the car. Train to Rome.

Were you planning to spend any time in Florence or Rome?

Eab2012

OP here. Thanks for the info! We are planning a day trip or two to Florence from Volterra, but not an overnight there. I looked at flying into Venice & out of Florence, & this seems only slightly more expensive than a RT. There seem to be good prices to/from Bologna, also. I don't think we could get a direct flight to Milan; pretty sure our only option for nonstop is Rome.

Mimar

I'd fly into Venice. So what if you have to change planes. It's quicker and easier than switching to the train. And take the Alilaguna shuttle boat into Venice. You can pick up a car at Piazzale Roma as you leave Venice.

And look into flights out of Pisa. It's a big airport with international flights.

Lexma90

Fly into Venice, out of Rome. Even with one connection, it will still more efficient overall. And when you're checking fares, use the "multi-city" option; round-trip and open jaw flights usually the same price.

Jean

I don't think a day trip (let alone two trips) to Florence from Volterra makes much sense. It's easily a 90-minute drive each way, and your parking spot will probably be several minutes' walk from the sights you'll want to see. So it could be nearly 4 hours of travel. If you're early risers, OK, but are you also comfortable returning to Volterra in the dark?

There is bus service between the two cities, but AFAIK it involves two companies and a change at Colle Val d'Elsa. You'd have to see whether the bus makes more sense than driving and if there is a return combination that gives you enough time in Florence.

http://www.sitabus.it/sita-toscana/F...-Siena2010.pdf

http://www.cpt.pisa.it/orari/extra/linea770.htm

IMO, it would make more sense to spend 1-2 nights in Florence either before or after the time in Volterra.

Eab2012

OP here again! Many thanks for the additional info. Some posters have suggested that driving & parking in Florence is difficult, which is useful info. Is this a concern overall, i.e., in the countryside around Volterra and for day trips to Siena, or is this just a particular problem in Florence? Thanks again!

Mimar

Florence in particular, but other bigger cities also, have locals-only driving areas (ZTLs). If you accidentally drive in one of these, a camera photographs you, the car rental company looks up who was driving that car on that day (and charges your credit card for this service), and you get a ticket in the mail.

As a general rule, when visiting a town or a city in Italy, you want to park on the edge of town. Small towns you just walk in, bigger places like Florence you'll have to take a bus. That means it will take at least 2 hours one way to drive from Volterra and make your way to the historic center of Florence. 4 hours back and forth doesn't leave much time for sight-seeing in Florence.

You could drive to Poggibonsi and take the bus in to Florence. But I don't know what the parking is around the bus station in Poggiobonsi.