We are in the preliminary planning stages for a 15 day trip to Italy next May. We want to rent an apartment or villa in Tuscany, rent a car, and do day trips. We want to spend most of our time in the hill towns of Tuscany, taking things slowly and really getting the feel of the town we ultimately make our "base". Would you recommend flying into Florence and doing a few days there before heading to the country, or Rome? I thought if we flew into Rome we could spend 3 days doing a high level overview, then head up to Tuscany. I know that's not enough time to really enjoy Rome, but we have to fly into a major city on the carrier we're going with, so it's either Rome or Florence. Thanks!

Are you sure that Florence is an option for you on your carrier? Actually, Pisa is often more accessible than Florence and may be as near your Tuscan location. That said, a few days in Rome is always a good idea. If you do, consider training to Chiusi to get your car. May is a great time--we may do that as well. BTW, go to slowtrav.com for all things about rentals in Tuscany.

Thanks Bob. I will definitely look into flying into Pisa. I have been surfing on slowtrav quite a bit today, it has great info. Thanks!

You should consider applicable airfares for travel into Rome, Florence and Pisa, although small difference in price should probably not matter. You might also do an open jaw, e.g. fly into Florence and out of Rome. The decision could also turn on whether you're trying to accumulate frequent flier miles, as some airlines don't offer Florence or Pisa (Delta and Alitalia offer all three). Ultimately, the decision should turn on which city is more important for you: Rome or Florence?

Hi Rose - I've been working out arrangements into Florence from Miami and it seems that from the US only Delta and Alitalia fly there. Other airlines go into Pisa. I just found out that there is a bus from Pisa to Florence airport where you can get a cab or another bus that runs every 30 minutes or so to the train station in Florence. Having said all that, if you aren't going to stay in Florence, Pisa is probably your best choice. I have found also that flights to Rome are much cheaper than flights to Milan or Pisa, $200-300 less, and certainly more options going into Rome.

There is direct train service from the Pisa Airport to the Florence main train station.

Due to FF requirements, I will be flying from the US to Paris, and then connecting via a different airline to Italy. But it was very easy (and not more costly) to fly into Florence and out of Rome. Open jaw is a practical option if it suits your schedule.