Italian Itinerary
 

Comments on this itinerary would be appreciated. <BR><BR>October 6th: Train from Rome to Arezzo. Pick up hire car in Arezzo and stay in San Gimignano for 4 nights (Hotel Leon Bianco).<BR><BR>October 7th - 9th: With San Gim as a base visit Sienna and Tuscany towns. Which places??<BR><BR>October 10th - 11th: Drive to Nice for 2 nights (Hotel?). Visit Monte Carlo <BR><BR>October 12th-14th: Stay at Santa Marg Ligure for 3 nights (Hotel Metropole). Visit Portofino and CT. <BR><BR>October 15th: Drop car at Genova and catch train to Rome. Stay at Hotel accademia for 3 nights. <BR><BR>Any comments on hotel choice, town choices, transport choices would be much appreciated. Is the drive from San Gim to Nice unrealistic in one day? <BR><BR>Thankyou<BR>

toping

Hi Alex! You've got some wonderful destinations, but many here including me, will suggest less backtracking!<BR><BR>Do you have to arrive & depart from Rome? Could you fly into Rome or Nice and out the other city? My opinion is that you will be spending too much time traveling. I've been to the French Riviera in October & it was very nice - but I wouldn't take days away from a primarily Italian trip to go there.<BR><BR>Those 3 days could be much better spent with more time in Rome, Umbria & Tuscany.<BR><BR>If you must include Nice - then definitely fly "open jaws". My opinion for what it's worth. <BR>Buon viaggio!

Thanks Dayle<BR>Yes we do need to fly in and out of Rome, but thanks for the suggestion to give Nice a miss, we definetly don't want to spend too much time travelling. What other specific sites in italy should we consider for 2 nights? <BR>Thanks again.

toping<BR>

Hi again Alex,<BR><BR>You don't say if you have been to Italy before. If not, most people would probably recommend a couple days in Florence after SML. You could drop the car in Pisa before going to SML or in Florence after.<BR><BR>You should try to add a day to Rome if possible! <BR><BR>Good day trips from San Gimignano would be Volterra, Siena, somewhere in Chianti.<BR><BR>Does this help?

Thanks Dayle. We have been to italy as a tour before (venice, florence and rome- so we have seen the major tourist sites). Would you recommend seeing another place (where? Bologna, verona, Lucca)for the 2 nights or just adding time to our san gim or CT days? Do you think we are doing the right thing with our car and train transport?<BR>Thanks again.

OK, how about rearranging the itenerary a little & starting with a couple days in Assisi or Orvieto & seeing alittle of Umbria? From there on to Tuscany and the Ligurian Coast.<BR><BR>Or, rearranging to include one of the lakes? We loved Lago Maggiore & the lakes are a whole different experience in Italy.<BR><BR>3 nights in SML is perfect. Many people love Lucca, but I haven't been there yet myself.<BR><BR>So many wonderful places to go, it's hard to choose. My last trip was 3 weeks & I would have loved 3 months!

How about 1 night in Verona and 1 night in Bellagio? Thanks again

Haven't been to Verona yet, but did a short day trip to Como last trip. I think it would depend on how you fit them in your itinerary & how much travel it would take to get there from say, SML. You might only end up with 1/2 a day each.<BR><BR>But, like the snowboarders in the US say, "it's all good".

toping

Would it be realistic to drive from San Gimignano to Bellagio and stay there for 2 nights before going to SML? <BR>Thanks