Help with Italy trip, please
 

Hi everyone,
My husband and I are planning a 2-week trip to Italy in early September. We have pretty much made most of our hotel reservations, but I am starting to have doubts about our itinerary and would appreciate some feedbacks.
- We are flying into Venice and out of Rome
-This our first time in Italy
-We're in our lower 30's and quite athletic and outdoorsy.

So, all said, here it goes:
- Arrive in Venice on a Sunday afternoon, stay in Venice for 3 nights
-Take a train to Cinque Terre. Stay there for 2 nights. We still don't have a hotel reservation for this leg of trip.
-Train to Florence. Stay for 3 nights.
-Rent a car to Siena/Tuscany Hill County, and stay in Siena for 1 night.
-Return the car to Florence, and take a train to Rome. Stay in Rome for 4 nights.

Do you think we should stay 1 night in Siena, or add one more night to Florence and make a day tip to Siena instead? How about Cinque Terre? We'd really like to hike in that area, but considering our time limits, would it be wiser to drop that and add one night to Siena, and one to Rome instead? Any ideas and suggestions will be highly appreciated.

No, I think you should spend two nights in Florence and spend another night in Siena.

I don't like CT, so won't comment on that. If hiking is your thing, it's probably a good choice.

I agree to spend another night in Siena, but I'd keep 3 nights in Florence and take the time from somewhere else. Siena is so different at night; we loved sitting in Il Campo and enjoying the local scene. Florence is also wonderful, and you'll just begin to know it after 3 nights.

Haven't been to CT, so can't advise on that. Whatever you choose, you will love Italy. Enjoy!

If possible, return your car someone near or south of Siena. (Orvieto perhaps? There are car rentals places not far from the train station.) No need for you to backtrack north to Florence to return it and then take a train from there to go south to Rome.

I am a major fan of driving to explore Tuscan hilltowns and have picked up cars in Florence on many occasions to start our journeys. That being said, I think you are forcing the issue to pick one up and return it a day later--it is expensive for short rentals (3 days or shorter) and difficult to get comfortable with driving in such a short time. Also you are planning to backtrack to Florence which will limit your range.

If you are going to keep to the same schedule, consider a day trip to Siena and possibly San Gimignano--both can be reached by bus. Perhaps add the extra night to CT--your train from Venice to CT will take 5 1/2 hrs and the return to Florence 4 hrs--so you will only have one day to explore the CT with a 2 night stay.

Have you priced the one-day car rental?

I'm in the camp of not-so-crazy-about-CT, so I'd skip it on this trip and add the nights to Tuscany in order to see towns other than just Siena. I agree with ellenem about returning the car closer to Rome.

We did a similar trip and I definitely agree with StCirq., add night to Sienna and drop a night from Florence. I also agree don't back track to Florence to return the car. We rented from Auto Europe and I found a return office on the out skirts of Rome where we dropped the car and took a taxi to the hotel. Worked out great. It was very enjoyable driving thru Tuscany. Have a great trip. You will fall in love with Italy.

We spent 5 nights in Cinque Terre last year and really loved it. That being said, its a bit of slog to get there from Venice and for only 2 nights I dont think I would bother. The point is for the beautiful views and hiking, and if you get all the way there and get bad weather on the one day it will be a shame. Timewise I would take the extra two nights and them to other places as above and save it for next time and allocate some more time there.

Thanks everybody for your help and suggestions. We decided to drop CT from our list, and added one night to Siena. We going to stay in Montepulciano :)

Good !
Where in Montepulciano?

Auberge Duomo in Montepulciano. have you been there, or do you have any other suggestions?

I think you mean Albergo---which means hotel in Italian.
That locaiton is hard to beat, but check on parking.
We will be in Montepuilciano for a week in May.--in an apt.

We haven't stayed in the Albergo Duomo but have checked it out during many stays in an apartment nearby. It says parking is included and there is public parking nearby as well. I think you will enjoy the location--its at the top of the town and likely you will overlook San Biagio and Montefollonico. How many nights will you stay in Montepulciano?
Like Bob, we will return to MP this year but not until October--to an apartment near Piazza San Francesco. Can't wait!

lol, you're right bobthenavigator. Auberge is the French word, with a same meaning. My bad! wasn't paying attention when I was typing the name.
And, yes, the parking is included. We are staying there for two nights, and planning on making day trips to Siena and other towns in the area.
Have fun both of you, bobthenavigato and macanimals, in MP- and, thanks for your help!

Have travelled most of the area by car, suggest returning car on outskirts of Rome, for the extra cost hire a GPS, map reading isn't easy in Italy, Our first trip we had 3 maps with 6 of us and each map had different roads on it. 2nd trip with GPS was far better.