does this itinerary makes sense: suggestions?
 

This is not our first trip to Italy but still wanted to get some advice.

This is just a rough idea and we are hoping for some feedback. My husband and I want to spend our 2nd wedding anniversary in Italy ( where we spent our honeymoon) My parents are also going to join us on this trip. Here are our thoughts

10 days ( October 2008)
Flying from Philly or NY to Rome (doesn't have to be)
Places to visit- Italian Riveria, Piedmont and Montalcino ( staying at the B&B we stayed at on our previous trip/day trips from here) After Montalcino my parents will continue on to Rome for a few extra days and my husband and I will return home. We will have 2 rental cars for this trip. We are flexible and open minded but this is a rough idea of what we'd like to do.

Any suggestions would be SO helpful.

Thank you,
Robyn

With only 10 days I would opt for 3 destinations. Check out the new flight into Pisa from JFK---I would stay north and skip Rome. Or, into Pisa and home from Malpensa[Milan]. Delta does both.

Bob,

Acutally my parents will probably stay longer than 10 days so they can add Rome ----but that is not a part of the 10 day trip....what are your thoughts?

Thanks,
Robyn

Wouldn't it make sense to arrive at Malpensa (Milan) and depart from Rome?
Piedmont, Portofino, CT, Tuscany - in that order.

...or open jaw into Malpensa and out of Pisa.

1. Piedmont,
2.Camogli/Portofino or Lerici/Portovenere,
3. Montalcino.

3/4 days Piedmont, (wine country, small cities), 3 days beach, 3-/4 days Tuscany.

I would choose three destinations. I would make it early in October, if possible, to catch the end of the harvest in Piedmont and increase the likelihood of good weather especially on the coastline.

thank you for the advice---We welcome all suggestions....

My parents will probably stay a few extra days and see Rome for the first time. We were in Italy the first two weeks of October last year and had the most amazing weather! We hope to plan this trip for the last week of Sept./ first week of Oct. overlapping our 2nd anniversary. If anyone has any other suggestions we love the help. We know we will stay at Palazzina Cesira in Montalcino, all other hotels or B&B's are still not decided........so far this is a great start!.
Thank you,

Robyn

Robyn, the weather this past October was spectacular here -- we actually served breakfast to the guests outside on the 14th of October(they had actually gone to Alba, bought a truffle at the festival there and I shaved it onto their scrambled eggs in the morning -- which reminds me-- the Tartufo Festival is also on during the month of October)...but that is not the case the majority of the time. The weather tends to get rainy and foggy toward the middle of the month, and so the chances are a bit better toward early October if possible.