Help Refining Italy Itinerary,please?
 

Hi again -

I am getting there in deciding on our family's final itinerary for our trip to Italy in June, bu I could still use some help. Here are the basics: 5 of us (me, hubby, 3 kids ages 20, 15 and 8) will arrive in Rome on June 23rd. We leave from Rome (no choice) on July 6th. I have booked an apartment in the center of Rome through June 28th. My oldest then leaves for Israel, so we are left with 4 of us.

Since we will be in Italy for Il Palio, it seems ridiculous not to go see it, so I was planning to be in Siena for at least July 1st - July 2nd and I have the Hotel Grondaie tentatively booked (anyone know anything about this hotel?)

My question is this: I have a couple of days before and a couple of days after that I'm not sure what to do with. I was thinking about a couple of days on a beach (Viareggio? Other ideas?) Venice seems too far for that short a period. I don't know if my kids will be "cultured out" after Rome and really want to do much in Florence. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks a lot!

If you'll be in Tuscany anyway, have you considered hiring a guide (there are several named regularly on this site that people have liked) for the day and doing a tour of the area tailor made for your family's interests? Hill towns, winery, interesting lunch site, whatever appeals?

Tuscan hill towns around Siena are wonderful. You can visit San Gimigano and others. I like Eliztrav's suggestion of hiring a driver/guide.

I hope you already have your tickets to the Palio because when I got mine a month ago they were already selling out fast!

I've been doing a fair amount of research on where to go after my two weeks in Umbria and before flying out of Rome, and I've settled on Porto Santo Stefano. I'm going to spend a couple of days by the sea there and take a trip out to Isola di Giglio. You might want to consider the same.

Also in Tuscany, I read about a great science museum in Florence that might interest your kids.

Are you talking about the science museum in Florence? It is good -- Galileo's astronomical instruments (and his finger, of all things) and lots of maps/globes as well as early, creepy medical stuff.

It is right around the corner from the Uffizi. Been to it two times w/ 2 different groups of friends and everyone really liked it. Not crowded, and air-conditioned.