Hi... My friend and I will be in Italy from June 22-July 16... In general, we usually wait until the morning of check in to book hotels because we like to stay flexible about our itinerary. Has anyone had problems in Italy doing this? We'll be in Rome, Tuscany, Florence, Emilia Romagna, the Cinque Terra, and Siena. Other than Rome (first arrival), we've booked nothing.

Does this seem like a mistake? I've heard that Cinque Terra may be a problem for us.

yes definitely a mistake, you will not get good rates I think. Use Venere.com, they have very good rates for most italian cities, especially milan. No credit card charges are needed for reservation as well.

I cannot imagine doing that in high season in Italy. You will find a place eventually, but you will take too much time shopping and will have to settle for leftovers.

This plan is fne if:

You don;t mind spending half your vacation looking for a place to stay - and end up with whatever those who planned in advance didn;t want

You don;t care howm uch you have tgo spend

You are willing to be flexible about location, room confirguration, amenities, private bath and cleanliness

You are willing to move on to another town if necessary

It's unlikely you will need to sleep on a park bench - but some of your choices may not be pleasant.

That plan does not sound fine at all. Better to book your hotels ahead.

Hi lisa,

You will be going to very popular places during the high season.

I suggest having advanced reservations, if you can get them.