I am new to this site. we are planning a trip for next summer. 2 families, 4 adults/4 kids 9-14. We plan to spend 3 days in venice, 3 days in florence with a day trip to bologna & parma, then on to a villa in umbria for a week, then rome 4 days, then amalfi coast 4 days. so many things to decide! our thought was to travel by train until we leave florence, then car to the villa and drop the car before heading to rome on train to avoid driving in rome. then-- do we take a train or get another car to amalfi coast?? also, any hotel suggestions in those cities that have clean, QUAD rooms at a decent rate? where should we plan to scrimp on the room and where to splurge? comments on our tentative plan?

Well - I think you wil want two cars - not one - for the time you're at the villa. Otherwise you - 8 people nd all that luggage - will be tuck in a giant people mover and will be joined at the hip the whole time.

Better to have two normal cars that are esaier to manage/park and everyone not have to be joined at the hip interminably. (By 4/5 days into the trip you will all be begging for some separate time - never mind the chance to explore different interests - and the money savings.)

You might want to red this post http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...=1&start=0

My opinion is that a car will provide freedom that PT will not but there are some serious drawbacks.

1) Automatics are not always available
2) For the Amount of Luggage and people your talking about you may need 2-3 cars
3) Three people with three big luggage fit in one european car with luggage in the back seat for luggage #3
4) Even a mini-van will not do 8 people with luggage.
5) When you will be in the big cities the car may remain parked a lot of time.

Despite all these downfalls and they are real a car will offer an incredible level of freedom especially if you want to explore. I am an odity as a fodorite many will favor PT, I just dont.

Oh ya one more thing for venice the car is definetily 100% useless, most travel before piazzalle Roma will be by foot or by boat, maybe pick your car up immediately following Venice if you fly in by Venice.

I shouldnt have drank that whole bottle of red,,,, For Hotels I will tell you we stayed in (2) Super hotels last trip to Italy, if you like luxury try the Hilton Cavalieri in Rome and the San Clemente Palace in Venice according to www.tripadvisor.com they are rated top five hotels in Italy. The Hilton especially was not so expensive and was out of this world especially the exec floor.

I agree that a combination of car and train would be best. Also agree that for the times you do have a car, you'll need two cars. If everyone can keep to a 22" suitcase plus one smaller "day bag", then four people and luggage will fit in a normal European car. If you need to have 26" suitcases or such, then you won't.

I would probably only do the car for the week you are in Umbria and do trains for the rest of the time.

In Venice we had a quad room for €150 at the Hotel Canal and Walter (July 2002). Very nice. I also stayed at the Hotel Violino d'Oro which was only €60 for a single (but it had a queen size bed) (July 2004). I don't know if they had quads or not but I like the hotel very much so it would be worth checking.

In Rome we had a quad room (also €150 in July 2002) at Hotel Picasso. It was OK.

In Florence I stayed at the Hotel Desiree for €45 for a single (July 2004, "special price&quot. Again, not sure if they had quads but I do recommend the hotel.

All those hotels had AC and I recommend them all.

Thanks for all your tips. yes, we are definitely getting 2 cars, thinking maybe a couple of small wagons. we are thinking of booking a villa called Villa Diana in Collelunga. anyone have any experience with that one?

Re car on Amalfi Coast part of your trip. We rented a car for 3 of us a few years ago and drove from Rome to the AC. We drove the coastal road which was beautiful. However, we stayed in Amalfi and the car just stayed parked as there was no place to park it if we went out somewhere. Then we went to Sorrento and the same thing. We left the car parked at the hotel and walked everywhere because of parking.

Also, in Sorrento we stayed at a reasonable and really nice hotel called Settimo Cielo. The hotel was on a cliff over the sea and we had a terrace overlooking the sea. Absolutely beautiful.