IF YOU HAD 7 DAYS IN TUSCANY
 

AND HAD TO LEAVE OUT OF MILAN WHERE WOULD YOU BASE YOURSELF TO BE MOST CENTRAL LOCATED TO VISIT THE TOWNS OF TUSCANY AND UMBRIA THANKS A LOT LEAVING ON TUESDAY NOV. 7 DOROTHY

I'd stay over in three places: Florence, Siena and Perugia--all have lovely small hotels, great restaurants, are transportation hubs--and are the obvious great cities of the region, with much to see. If you wanted, you could easily visit other towns such as Orvieto, Todi and Assisi from these hubs. Just travel light. A rental car would help!

THANKS LOLA FOR YOUR GREAT INSIGHT I THINK THAT SOUNDS GREAT I WILL PRINT YOUR REPLY AND TAKE IT WITH ME OH BY THE WAY I DO HAVE A CAR RENTAL RESERVED FOR US TO BE PICKED UP AFTER 5 DAYS IN ROME HERE HOPING THAT GOES WELL BEST REGARDS DOROTHY

Wow! Fodor's is now almost as fast as directory assistance. A post, a reply, and an acknowledgement all in 22 minutes! Almost realtime chat! <BR> <BR>I assume you meant that you are leaving on Nov SEVENTEEN not SEVEN (since you posted this today, the 14th!) - - though neither 7, 17 or 27 is a Tuesday - - puzzling! <BR> <BR>I have no disagreement with the advice above, but I would temper by asking are you more pressed to "save" time or money? <BR> <BR>Staying in Florence will cost you a good deal more than other places you could stay (and add on the cost of parking if you have a car), but it will add two hours (at least) per day of enjoyment - - maybe even four - - if you don't have to deal with getting into the city and back out again. Maybe not so bad if you leave your car elsewhere and take the train in, but if you stay in a hotel INSIDE Florence you can bring your car in, and then see the city without the hassle of parking outsude the city proper, taking the bus and back out again, etc. <BR> <BR>There is a trade-off when visiting Tuscany - - stay in one place the whole time (thus avoid all that wasted time packing and unpacking and finding your new destination) and do day trips - - or move about and stay close to what you want to see. It's as much a question of style as a "right" or "wrong" way. <BR> <BR>Staying in one place means that the whole world of rental properties opens up to you (and virtually requires you to have a car). You get certain niceties (often a pool, a living room, the flexibility of meals at "home"), but then again it means responsibilities too. <BR> <BR>Please feel free to write me if I can provide further help in any other way - - sources of villa rentals, whatever. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex

Dear Dorothy: <BR> <BR>Lola's suggestions were fine. Don't forget Pisa. Kind of interesting as a day trip. <BR> <BR>Florence hotel suggestion: Monna Lisa (Yes, that's how it is spelled) Ask for Room 60. You won't be sorry. And, they have parking in their garden. <BR> <BR>E-mail me directly if you have any more questions. Could be rainy in Nov. <BR> <BR>

I would stay three days in Florence, two in San Gimignano( much easier to get in and out of than Florence and well located for seeing lots of Tuscany), and two in Orvieto, very charming and easy to drive to Assissi and Civita or other Umbrian towns. Of course, it would be nice to spend one night at Varenna in Lake Como since it is only an hour from Milan( maybe just spend two nights in Florence).