We are in the final stages of planning our 1st trip to Italy for Oct. We have been gathering info from this board for some time. The last most confusing piece for me is Tuscany/Umbria. Please give me feedback/suggestions on our plans. We love the adventure of independent travel & meeting people out of the tourist trade.<BR> We arrive Milan 9-30<BR> Train to Venice - 3 nights<BR> Train to Florence - 3 nights<BR> Train to CT - 3 nights<BR> At this point we have 6 nights to see Tuscany/Umbria before departing for Rome for 4 nights. I have considered Siena for 1 or 2 nights depending upon when we could get in by train. Then train to Montalcino as a base, renting a car there. Tour around and go to Orvieto. Leave the car there and train to Rome.<BR><BR>Do these sound like good small town choices and how many days would you suggest for each?<BR><BR>Thanks so much for your help. Pam

PAM:<BR>I go to Italy spring and fall. Your intinerary sounds doable. My advice to you is to go to Slowtrav.com for more information about Italian touring than you could ever believe. Ciao e boun viaggio.

My wife & I returned from our second trip to Italy in May. Your trip sounds good. Took me a minute to figure out Cinque Terre. We spent 4 nites in Siena & it wasn't enough! One day was a bus trip to San Gimignano. Siena is still stuck in the 16th century & it's wonderful. We also traveled by train (2nd class, no problems & it's cheaper.) The market on Wed. is great. <BR>We took the train to Orvieto from Rome as a day trip. I would have liked to stay longer in Venice just wandering around. It's very dificult to find specific locations (addresses,restaurants,etc.)<BR>Have a good trip.

Charlie,<BR><BR>Did you go from Siena to Pisa? If so did you drive or train it? We will be in Siena for 4 nights and want to make sure we use our time wisely. Any place you went that you would advise against?<BR><BR>Thanks.

try www.citalia.co.uk it might just give you a little more info to help you along the way<BR>

Pam, You have 6 days to see some of the very best of Italia. The only good way to do it is with a car. Get your car as you leave Florence, and base yourself in either one or two locations for the 6 days. I would consider a rental somewhere near Montepulciano as a good location for both Tuscany & Umbria. Do Siena as a day trip from there. A one week rental is cheaper than 6 nites of hotels--and you may get kitchen too

Pam: I agree with Bob The Navigator. Tuscany and Umbria are driving country. You will see far more of these areas by car and have the flexability to stop where you choose. There are many places where you will want this flexability; little walled villages, Etruscan Tombs, wineries, etc. You will probably train to La Spezia from CT. Pick up your car there and turn it in at a rental location just outside of Rome. We did this. It was easy and we really appreciated the car in Tuscany and Umbria. There used to be an Avis location at the train station at La Spezia, but make your reservations through Auto Europe. Have a great trip.

Thanks for all your suggestions, especially Charlie, Joe, and Bob. I only wish the choice were clearer to me. We are going to take the car suggestion, but I am stiil debating the cities to stay in. I have my heart set on Staying in Orvieto before training into Rome. Two nights seems best to get the flavor of the town and have time to get to some of Umbria as day trips. That leaves 4 nights. I agree with you that we should only stay in one more location, but I am having a hard time eliminating locations. I am looking forward to being in small towns late at night, enjoying the less touristed times and not being worried about driving to the lodging. <BR><BR>My husband thinks we should do 3 nights in Siena and 1 in Montalcino, He doesn't think Montalcino offers as much. I thought Pienza and just enjoying the wine in October would make this a good choice. I am thinking that Siena is still very touristy. Anyone have further wisdom for us? Thanks again. Pam

Stay in Siena with a car. From Siena you can see Monteriggione (sp), Monte Oliveto Maggiore, Montalcino, San Galgano, and Chianti. Siena itself is great and did not seem touristy to me like Florence (although I also loved Florence). Stay there four nights and your last two in Orvieto. Montalcino is nice, but it's a drive from there to other places - way up on a hill on a narrow road - not a bad drive but I wouldn't want to do it at night. (I never heard that you can train to Montalcino.) I THINK you can visit Pienza from Orvieto, but I'm not sure. Orvieto gets a lot of good review here. Don't worry about seeing Cortona - nice, but not worth the drive when there are so many other things to see. BE SURE TO LEARN THE ROAD SIGNS BEFORE YOU GO - TAKE IT FROM ONE WHO KNOWS! The driving in Tuscany is really fun as well as beautiful. Enjoy! <BR><BR>Do a search on Buonconvento - it'sd kind of a "drive-through" town, but I read about a good restaurant there - can't remember the name.