Florence Tuscany Venice - How many days and when?
 

Hi! My husband and I are thinking about a trip to Florence, Tuscany and Venice.
How many days should we plan on spending in each area (our max time in Italy would be 10-12 days including travel time from the United States).
What city should we fly into and out of?
Is it better to travel to these destinations in May or July?
Thanks for your help! I really appreciated all the help I was provided last year when I planned my trip to Rome & the Amalfi Coast!

Definitely May

"Best" flights vary depending on your departure city.

What are your interests? It might help us help you divide the time in each place.

May for sure!

Your departure city will dictate, but either will probably mean an early departure with connections in Europe.

With 9 nites to sleep in Italy, I would do 3 in Venice, 2 in Florence, and 4 in Tuscany--with a car.

Good luck in planning.

Interests include sight-seeing the well-known sites as well as the maybe lesser known but highly recommended by Fodors sites, eating pizza-pasta-gelato, drinking wine, walking around and getting a feel of wherever we are. We also enjoy taking public transportation in different countries. So with that said – what part of the trip would you recommend we rent a car - was it just for Tuscany?

Both responses said May is better than July. We went to Rome & the Amalfi Coast in May last year and LOVED IT! So I know May is a good time to be in Italy. But what specifically is wrong with July? Is it just hotter? What else?

If we go with the suggestion of 3 nights in Venice, 2 in Florence, and 4 in Tuscany, where should we fly into and out of?

I would fly into Venice and spend a minimum of 4 full days. Spend the rest of the time somewhere in Tuscany, with a daytrip into Florence. Fly home from Florence/Pisa.

July is hotter and more crowded. Florence can be brutal in the summer.

If we fly into Venice and spend a few nights there as suggested, what is the best route to get to Tuscany? Once we arrive in Tuscany, is it recommended to have a rental car? If so, would we get it after we arrive in Tuscany? Is a daytrip to Florence enough time in Florence? Would we drive from Tuscany to Florence?

Is Cinque Terra (sp?) nearby or a feasible location to add to this itinerary?

Any suggestions on sights to see, places to visit, things to do, food to eat, vineyards to definitely go to or even places to stay are greatly appreciated also.

Agree with all posters on May. Weather is more pleasant and less crowds. I love driving in Tuscany. You could as sugested fly into Venice (oh how I love Venice) and rent a car in Florence to visit Tuscan towns and then fly out of Florence or Milan.

Florence is Tuscany---you train there--get your car as you leave Florence and then drop it at the airport on your last day. Do you have a guide book and map? That is important.

Use itasoftware.com to research flights. Use multi-city option. Your home location will dictate choices, as I mentioned above.

I think how much time you spend in Florence, and whether your see it as a day trip or overnight there, really depends on your pre-existing interest in Italian painting, sculpture and architecture.

Many people need several days in Florence because there is so much they know already they want to see. But it is NOT a good idea to follow a guidebook's recommendations of "MUST-SEE" places in Florence. The guidebooks put into their "top ten" lists some very technically important museums and sights for art students -- but they are usually too much for people who are not students of painting and sculpture and Renaissance history.

Many people find it quite enjoyable to spend only a day in Florence, admiring the truly beautiful cathedral, seeing Michaelangelo's David (which takes very little time with a reservation), having a nice lunch and walking along the river and enjoying the feel of the small and rich Renaissance city.

If that sounds more like you, rather than an art student, consider renting a car in Venice and driving straight into the scenic countryside of Tuscany. Spend your time there, and twp nights before you fly, drop off the car and spend the rest of your time in Florence.

Dropping off a car in Florence city is often aggravating. Depending on where you've been staying in the countryside, you can drop off your car more easily in Arezzo, Pisa, Siena, Chiusi or even the Florence airport and then use trains or a bus to get into Florence.

Spend your last 2 nights in Italy in Florence, and then fly out from either Florence airport, Pisa airport or Rome airport (90 minutes away).

For a 12-day trip in May, I do think you have time to see the Mediterranean.

3 nights Venice
4 nights Tuscany
3 nights Lerici/le Cinque Terre
2 nights Florence/

for 10 days

3 nights Venice
5 nights Tuscany
2 nights Florence

or something like that!

PS: If you are really hoping to see a great deal of Renaissance beauty, you need more than 2 nights in Florence. For a 10 day trip, you should give at least 3 days or more to Florence.

Zeppole - thanks for the perspectives on Florence! It really helped! I'm definitely not an art student so 2 nights there should be good =) Are there any sites that I would need to make advanced reservations for in Florence?
So it sounds like we should consider flying into Venice, spend 3 nights there. Then rent a car on our way out of Venice and drive to Tuscany. How many hours is the drive? Is there a good path to follow? If we don't rent a car, can we travel by train from Venice to Tuscany and then pick up a rental once we arrive? Then we'll spend a few nights in Tuscany. You said we can drop off the car more easily in Arezzo, Pisa, Siena, Chiusi. Where are these places?

bobthenavigator - I just created an account with itasoftware.com and tried it out. What's the benefit or advantage of using this site versus other sites like Orbitz or Kayak?

dtph,

When you get your travel logistics squared away, you should put up another thread asking about making reservations for things you might like to see in Firenze.

The drive from Venice to rural Tuscany is about 4 hours. It is highway most of the way, and when you get off the highway, you are driving the simple roads of scenic Tuscany.

If you would rather leave Venice by train, you can travel to either Arezzo or Chiusi (you will need to change trains once) . It is a 4 hour train ride. Which is the easiest pick up point and which is the easiest drop off point for a car rental depends on where you are staying in Tuscany and where you headed after your Tuscan stay.

Where are Arezzo, Pisa, Siena, Chiusi? You need to start looking at maps of Tuscany!

haha! you're right! i do need to start looking at maps! will do =)

Hi dtph. I agree with the other posters - May is the preferred time to visit. Not as hot and not nearly as busy.

Assuming you fly into Venice and spend a few days, then for the next part of your journey, I would recommend you take a Eurostar train from Venice (Santa Lucia station) to Firenze (Santa Maria Novella station). The Eurostars are quick, comfortable, and between these two cities, there is only one brief stop (Bologna).

In Florence, I would spend at least two days in the city, before hiring a car there, and then continuing on through Tuscany. The Tuscan countryside is definitely best appreciated by having your own car. There is a scenic tourist road called the "Chiantigiana" (SR 222) which links Florence and Siena and leads you through typical, gorgeous rolling hills where they grow the chianti grapes. Plan to spend at least a day in Siena - one of Italy's best preserved and most beautiful medieval cities - one of my favourites.

Enjoy!

P.S. if you're thinking of visiting Cinque Terre (and if you liked the Amalfi coast, then you'd love Cinque Terre) then I would allow at least three days to do it justice. You can easily catch a train from Florence to Pisa and then on to one of the Cinque Terre villages. Monterosso al Mare is the biggest of the five and you will most likely find more accommodation options there.

Thank you Wooders101! I do prefer taking the train out of Venice rather than driving.
If I go to Florence next, is it better to rent a car when I'm ready to leave Florence or can I use public transportation from Florence to reach Tuscany and rent a car there?
Logistically, is it any better to go from Venice to Florence or Venice to Tuscany?

dtph,

It really does depend on where you want stay in the Tuscan countryside. (Florence is the capital of Tuscany.)

The scenic areas of the Tuscan countryside an actually be seen in one longish day of driving, from end to end. But most people like to pick one area to explore.

If you very much wanted to stay in the Val d'Orcia area, and you don't want to drive from Venice, it would make sense (at least for my travel style), to take the train to Chiusi and pick up a car there. Tour scenic Tuscany, and visit the city of Florence last. (If you want to see Siena, it might be easier to do it as a day trip from Florence by public transportation.)

But first you really need to understand better what kind of visit you would like in Tuscany, and which part of it you would most like to be in. You need to read a guidebook.

As for le Cinque Terre, I live not far from it, and my feeling about it is the same as my feeling about Florence: How much time you spend there is primarily about you and your enjoyment of your trip, not giving "justice" to a locale. If you want to do a lot of hiking in May, it is best to spend several days because by that time it is already so hot, you can only comfortably hike in the morning. If you want to relax by the sea and swim, you'll certainly want 2 nights there. But if you simply want to see five little picturesque villages hanging from cliffs above the sea, you can do that in a day by boat. It's not long there is a local culture, other than tourists.

Sorry for my typo! I meant to type "It's not like there is a local culture there." It's a picturesque spot for tourists.

FYI - You can use itasoftware without creating an account. Just click "log in as guest".

Hi dtph. After Venice, if you decide to take a Eurostar train south, then it will stop in Bologna and Florence. If you wanted to go by train straight to the Tuscan countryside from Venice, then you would still most likely stop in Florence and change to a regional train to take you to whichever Tuscan town you decide to base yourself in. I've not personally rented a car in any of the smaller towns in Italy, so I can't really give you advice about this, but because this whole area is a tourist Mecca, I'm sure it would be relatively straightforward.

If you decide to stay in Florence prior to touring Tuscany, then yes, I would recommend you pick up the rental car only when you are ready to leave the city. Parking can be tricky (and expensive) and traffic challenging in the cities, so I personally would avoid having a car with me until I really needed it. Likewise, if you tour Tuscany first and return to Florence at the end of your journey, I would return the car as soon as you arrive in Florence. Public transport options are good in Florence so you won't need a car while you're there.

I think 3 days in Venice is a really nice way to end your visit,
very relaxing, waves lapping and footsteps shuffling. You know how you always need a vacation after your return from vacation?
Venice is quiet, not like cosmopolitan Florence.
Don't get me wrong I love Florence too. It would be wonderful to have recent memories of beautiful Venice on your trip home.

Does anyone else have any thoughts on the order of the itinerary(keeping in mind that I will spend nights in each area)? I did do some reading on Tuscany as suggested and am interested in Siena, San Gimignano, Chianti, Montepulciano, Montalcino and possibly Pisa.

1.
Venice
Florence
Tuscany

2.
Venice
Tuscany
Florence

3.
Florence
Tuscany
Venice

4.
Tuscany
Florence
Venice

Your flight connections and prices will dictate. Avoid early departures from Venice---a real hassle.

Siena can be seen as a daytrip from Florence, as can Pisa. I'm not sure you have time to really enjoy both the Chianti and the area that includes Montepulciano/Montalcino. You can drive through both, but not really sink into both.

You might consider this:

See Venice
Take train to Florence.
See Siena as a day trip from Florence.
Rent car in Florence and head to Montalcino via Chianti scenic road.
Spend a few days in Montalcino poking around the countryside
Day before departure, drive to San Gimignano, then to Pisa. See monuments, drive to airport hotel either in Pisa or Florence, return car.
Depart next day.

Others may have other ideas.

Hi dtph. I think zeppole's itinerary is a good one.

Of course you do -- always good to agree with oneself. :D

We did three nights in Venice, three in Florence, and five in Tuscany (based in Pienza). It was perfect for us.

Good catch Surfergirl.

If you are going to visit Siena and want to visit Montalcino/Montepulciano, it makes more sense to pick up the car in Siena, not backtrack to Florence or pick up the car in Florence (Florence is notorious for traffic tickets for people unknowingly entering the ZTL) and visit Siena on your way to Montalcino (only an hour south of Siena). Siena has much more parking access so it's not so difficult to make a stop. It really depends on your flights in and out as to which route will make the most sense.

Wooders101 is not me. Different poster.

By the way, you two -- surfergirl and kybourbon? You both really should just get over me. You're not doing yourselves any good.

If you look above, you'll see that Wooders101 recommended le Cinque Terre, which I rarely do because it is so touristy, and also talked about doing "justice" to it with a fixed-3-day mindset -- an approach to travel I've opposed so vociferously on Fodor's the snarling tourist pack has repeatedly ripped me to shreds.

Wooders101 thinks more like you all than me.

Also, I have rented a car in Tuscany, and didn't know about the Chiantigiana road until Wooders101 brought it up.

"Good catch"? No, hate speech.

Listen, before you two and others go stalking poor Wooders101 all about the boards to bite his or her ankles with sour accusations of being me, click on the screen name and note all the advice about Australia. I've never been to Australia and know nothing about it.

Sorry dtph! Just wanted to nip that ninny-behavior in the bud!

(Childish behavior, I should have said.)

Wow---another record for Zeppole !
Six consecutive posts in less than :20--never ceases to amaze.

Wow, who would have thought I'd cause such a mystery. Nope, zeppole and I are definitely not the same person....

regardless of who you all are - thanks for all your help!