After our 3-generation family spends a week together in a Tuscan villa in Vagliagli-between Siena and San Gimignano, my husband and I will have an additional day or two to explore before flying back to Boston. Current thought is to start the trip in Rome for a day before heading to villa. Knowing we have access to Florence and other wonderful Tuscan towns during our villa stay, I'm looking for suggestions for the last bit. We will be there in mid August, along with everyone else. Thinking Venice? Dolomite region-which may just be way too far away to both get to and fly back from, or ? We are very active, in our late 60s, love to walk, walk some more, explore, eat, drink wine, enjoy historical sites and art, all the wonders of Italy. So-we can't go wrong-but need to be practical. I also don't know if we ditch the car in Siena and do the rest by bus/train? Thank you for your suggestions. It is his first trip, and I haven't been in literally 50 years, making it somewhat like my first as well.

A day or two ain't much - if 2 days you could train to Venice and fly out of there. But if have to fly home from Rome just go back there- take a day trip to Ostia Antica if bored with Rome - ancient Rome's ancient port ruins evocative of Pompeii in many ways, Book trains early to get discounted fares - www.seat61.com has prescriptive advice on doing that; general info where to go by trains - BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. Bologna would be a nice city for food lovers plus is very nice - one of most underrated cities in Italy IMO.

Venice will be swarming.I'd hide out in the hills of Umbria. It's not as though you need to pick another CITY to visit. It's August. It's a maelstrom of tourists. Get away from it. Or, conversely,embrace it and deal with it.

Thanks-3 good suggestions. I'd thought of Bologna-will look into that-and welcome more thoughts. As for exploring Umbria-another possibility for sure. Any idea of a place/location to stay if we follow that suggestion? And return to Rome and look into Ostia Antica (although I can't imagine being bored with Rome). Never hear of it and will explore.

Consider more southerly parts of Umbria to put you in a shorter distance to FCO, if that's where you're departing from. StCirq (I think) for small towns not far from Lago Trasimeno which would be lovely itself. I tend to like art and St Francis, so Perugia and Assisi are high on my list. But if you prefer outdoors and walking you might want to consider smaller towns.

We can fly home from: Rome, Florence, or Venice. I would tend towards the city with the best price. So we entirely flexible.

I agree that the area around Lago Trasimeno has a lot to offer. Just the lake itself is lovely, as are many of the towns on its shores and the island in the middle of it. And then there are some great towns inland like Panicale and thereabouts, plus some fabulous old spa towns up in the hills if you like that sort of thing (very relaxing at the end of a vacation). If you keep the car you could drop it off in Chiusi (which is also worthy of a visit) or closer to Rome in Orvieto.

flying home from city with best price but figure if round trip to one costs and time in getting back to that city. Basically only Venice and Rome will work with open-jaw. I'd pay extra to fly home from Rome or Venice and landing in the other - a day travel time is worth money too.

StCirq, yes I was thinking of those places that you've mentioned and liked. I want to go there myself.

If you do end up on or near Trasimeno, see if there are any concerts at the castle (was once the castle of the Knights of Malta) in Magione. I saw a candlelit double-piano concert there that remains one of my most memorable evenings in Europe. Passignano is a nice town (great pottery if that appeals), Castiglione di Lago has a beach, some good restaurants, and a nice market, and the lace makers on Isola Maggiore are worth a visit.

Trasimeno Music Festival - venue

Great ideas-and a lot of food for thought. As I said-seems that we can't go wrong. I appreciate your help.