I know I'll fall in love with Italy, never been there before. Would you please check my schedule and give your opinion?

September 2008

Day 1-3 - Arrive in Florence and stay at Hotel Colombo

Day 4-7 - Via train/bus, San Gimignano , Montalcino and Orvieto - no hotels selected but really like the looks of Giglio Hotel in Montalcino and Hotel Piccolomini in Orvieto.


Day 7-10 - Via train - Rome, no hotel selected here yet.

Our main objective is to eat well and take in as much culture as humanly possible so sleeping and shopping are low on the priority list.

comments, suggestions greatly appreciated.
thank you

I would pull a day from Rome and add it to your Tuscany / Umbria trip. With travel time between cities, you've got quite an exhausting middle there.

Others will tell you to concentrate on 1-2 cities with your 10 days, but my sister and I had a ball in Venice, Florence and Rome in only 7, so don't worry about it. Throw a coin in the Trevi fountain and you'll be back again to spend more time.

Check your transport options between those towns---not good.

I would stay in Siena and day trip to the first two by bus. Then train to overnite in Orvieto.

I'm only here to say that it may be true that you'll fall in love with Italia some day, but right now you're only seeing Tuscany and an unique spot in Lazio (Roma).

There's a lot more to love, when you get around to it.

I love renting my own holiday villa when I visit Italy, but for just three days, the area around Siena and Orvieto has plenty of lovely farm-houses...much cheaper than a Hotel and in the very heart of natural landscapes. I have been in Borgo Dolciano, nearby Chiusi www.borgodolciano.it, from where is easily reachable every town or village.

I would anyway suggest to rent a villa for the entire week, just between Florence and Siena and rent a car. My favourite web-site, when seeking for accommodations all around Italy is www.summerinitaly.com

You must come back and see more and more...10 days won't be enough ;-)

Have fun!

Thanks for all the advice, I will rethink my middle 3 stops, possibly choose one and stay for the entire 3 days, Montalcino perhaps? There is a lovely hotel, Giglio Hotel that seems to be calling....anyone know about this place?

Hi T,

You can easily visit Orvieto, Siena and San G by train or bus from Florence.

Why bother changing hotels?

We are starting our trip in Florence and ending up in Rome. I thought on our way to Rome we could take a couple days getting there and not have to back track to Florence.

In your opinion, which of the 3 stops (San G., Montalcino, Orvieto) would be best place to "camp out"?

If you're truly into food, I am shocked,SHOCKED that ira didn't tout I Sette Consoli in Orvieto. Some of the best food in Italy.

Sure, have stayed there and Montalcino is nice, but your problem is transportation. Pick location not hotels. Only Siena and Florence are transport hubs in Tuscany.

I would do as Ira suggests, stay in Florence and take day trips to Sienna and San G, but since Oriveto is enroute to Rome, maybe spend a night there before continuing to Rome. We stayed at the Piccolomini years ago for a night between Florence and Rome. It's a lovely hotel.

The advice from all of you is exactly what I'm looking for. Your experience and knowledge is invaluable not only for me but for everyone else as well.

FOOD is it for me, thanks for the suggestion. Transportation is an issue since we will not be renting a car which is why I'm concerned about getting around and back to Rome from Florence. I'd like to stop and spend a few nights somewhere before Rome.

Thanks for the suggestions, sure appreciate them all.

Agreeing with other posters. You can easily go to San Gim from Florence. If you go by train, give your self time to pick up the San Gim bus in Poggi Bonzi-it was up the hill from the station.

Orvieto's duomo is too stunning to miss IMHO. We didn't get to Montalcino so I can't suggest which town to stay in. We spent about 6 hours in Orvieto (trained from our base, Spoleto). Other Fodorites can say more.

As for cutting a day from Rome, please first decide if you love the countryside more than the city. You can spend a day in St. Peter's and the Vatican Museum (easily! maybe more); a day at colessum. If you love art, several hours at Borghese. The area around Rotunda, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain. If you get the impression that I loved Rome, you'd be correct. Have a wonderful trip and please write a report! And don't forget Bernini!

Thank you so much, I will consider all your suggestions. Food/Art are all important to us.

We have a friend who works at the Vatican and she will help us with arrangements in Rome. All the more reason I'd like help and advice for Florence and surrounding areas regarding hotels and restaurants. The sightseeing is a given.

I really appreciate your help.

While in Toscany, consider a visit to Siena and Pisa.

One other thought. Well, two. I think you'd find Florence less crowded in September.
Also, for any well-known landmark, arriving very early or very late often means beating the crowds.
We walked right in at 5 p.m. to a Bottecelli (spelling?) exhibit in Florence. Earlier in the day, lines around the block.

hi, timetoleave,

here's my twopenn'oth:

assuming you're arriving from the US, you need to factor in jet-lag, and the fact that you will probably lose the first half day at least checking into your hotel. so that gives you 2 and 1/2 days max in florence. NOT LONG ENOUGH, IMO.

indeed, you lose half a day every time you move from one plce to another.

so with 10 nights, this is what I would do.

days 1-5 [ie 5 nights]stay florence. tour florence and make optional side trips to siena, san gim, and fiesole [only 1/2 day required]. you can decide on th eday what you want to do, as they are all reached on the bus.

day 6 train to Orvieto. stay one night.

day 7 [after lunch possibly to give you the morning to explore, but you could decide this on the day] train to Rome.

this gives you 5 nights in Florence, and 4 nights /3 1/2 days in Rome. not enough in either, especially if you want to use Florence to tour, but a better balance, and just enough time in Rome to get an idea of it, especially as you have a friend there to help you.

please resist the idea to spread yourself/ves too thinly; Italy will still be there another time.

have a great trip,

regards, ann

I disagree with the recommendation to see your various Tuscany destinations outside Florence - - by sleeping IN Florence and "day tripping" - - by bus, train or other means of public transportation.

Days 4 through 7 call for a rental car, and picking the place(s) that are "calling to you".

Turn in the car once you have dropped your luggage at the front door of your hotel in Rome.

It is sometimes easier to follow itineraries if they refer to "nights". Are you going home on day 11? if so, I think that

nights 1, 2, 3 in Florence
nights 4, 5 in Montalcino
nights 6, 7 in Orvieto

and

nights 8, 9 and 10 in Rome

...is a perfectly good itinerary.

From wher are you originating, and how are you getting TO Florence? from another continent? or no?

Best wishes,

Rex

Thank you all for your suggestions. Rex, you have helped me sort out my nights, thank you so much. As I've been reading and researching, these are the places I would want to overnight most. We fly out early on day 10 so I might have to re-work one of the places.....hmmmmmmmm, how to choose!

I would suggest either:

* see Tuscany on day trips from Florence (but I think one or two of these would be plenty - there is a lot to see in Florence too, I and found the 3.5 days I had there wasn't really enough)

* skip Tuscany

* rent a car to have in Tuscany

* find one place (Montalcino? Siena?) and spend a few days there, focusing on seeing that town and its immediate countryside in depth. There are lots of opportunities for walking through farmland and such.

Trying to see a lot of Tuscany without a car sounds like a recipe for exhaustion to me.

The best option might be to skip Tuscany proper altogether and look for somewhere nice to spend two nights along the train line between Florence & Rome - Orvieto sounds like a good suggestion, although I haven't been.