I am planning a 2-week trip to Italy in June and could use some advice on the best order for my itinerary and how to best get from place to place. I will start in Rome w/5 nights, move on to Florence/Siena for 5 nights, and end w/4 nights in Venice. While in Tuscany, in addition to Florence and Siena, I hope to also visit San Gimingnano and Cinque Terra for a day trip -- and maybe even Pisa. In Tuscany, does it make sense to stay in Siena (or surroundings) the entire 5 nights and have a rental car for the surroundings (and take the train into Florence a couple of the days)? Or conversely, use Florence as the base and simply take trains to Siena/SanG/CT for day trips? I will be traveling w/husband and 9-year old, and they prefer not to change hotels too often. Please advise, including getting from Rome, and getting to Venice.

Note - I didn't mean SanG/CT/Pisa all in one day trip, but rather separate day trips.

The best way to get between the major cities, i.e. Rome to Florence, Florence to Venice is by train. The Cinque Terre from Florence or Siena as a daytrip would be a bit much, I would skip it on this trip.

Whether you want to stay in Florence or Siena and do your daytrips would depend on how much time you want to spend in Florence. We have done both. On our first trip we stayed in Florence and just took a daytrip to Siena. On our second trip we stayed in Castellina in Chianti and drove around Tuscany to Siena, SanG, Greve, etc. but did not go to Florence on that trip.

If you plan on spending 2-3 days exploring Florence then I would suggest you stay there, and do one daytrip to Pisa and another daytrip to Siena or SanG. Not sure how easy it would be to do both or those in one day without a car.

From Florence to Siena is a bus not a train, and I believe that is the same for SanG, but not sure. Haven't been to Pisa so can't comment on how to get there.

Hello erika, here is the website you can utilize for train travel for your trip in Italy: www.trenitalia.com
The English translation in up on the right corner of your screen. You do not need to reserve your tickets in advance (so many travellers have such a problem doing this). You can buy your tickets at the train station in Rome or at the AMEX office by the Spanish Stairs or at other travel agencies..your hotel in Rome can advise you.
Train versus rental car when in Tuscany depends IMO whether or not your husband and you are comfortable driving a rental car. It is nice to have in the countryside of Tuscany. But if you decide to stay in Florence then I would suggest that you take the train from Rome to Florence and then the train from Florence to Venice. If you stay in Florence it is better to take the bus to Siena versus the train.
Personally I would not bother with CT this trip but Pisa would no doubt be interesting for your 9 year old and you can take the train from Florence to Pisa for a daytrip.

Hi E,

I would fly into Venice VCE; pick up a car and tour Tuscany from a single base; drive to Orvieto to see the town and rop the car; train to Rome.

See www.kayak.com for airfare.

See www.autoeurope.com, www.gemut.com and www.novacarhire.com for cars.

See www.trenitalia.com for trains.

There is SITA bus service between Siena and Florence - 1:30 hr, 6.5E.

Enjoy your visit.