Hi, long time reader here and have been to Italy and rented cars (autoeuropa) several times, but would like everyone's advise on my plan for next week.

Arrive with my wife in Rome and spend the day and next morning enjoying and recuperating.

We're renting a car to leave Rome for 3 nights in Tuscany (Montepulciano based), and then on for 2 nights in Cinque Terre. My plan was to rent the car on leaving Rome and keeping it to drive to Cinque Terre. That would be 4 days rental which is ~ $360 with full insurance (a little 2 door Lancia Y).

Now, my dilemma. After CT, we're going to Lake Como for 4 nights and then fly out of Milan on the 5th day. I had planned to drop off the car when we get to CT and spend our 2 nights there (stay in Manarola or Monterosso). Then we'd take the train to Varenna for our 4 nights in Lake Como. We have an early (10:30 AM) flight out of Milan on a Sunday, so I plan on spending our last night in Milan to avoid any hassles getting from Como to Malpensa the morning of the flight.

But, I found that I could just keep the car the whole trip for only an added $100 ($460 for 10 days with full insurance). I'd park in La Speza while in CT, drive to Como or Varenna and pay for parking there for 4 days, and then drive from Como to Milan and drop off the car the afternoon before we leave.

So for the extra $100 plus paring costs and about $80 in tolls and gas to drive from CT to Lake Como and then back to Milan I can avoid the train schedules, and enjoy the drive (which is nice in Italy as long as you don't drive into the big cities). But, I'd also have to look for and pay for long-term parking in La Spezia (or Monterosso) and in Varenna (or Como and take the hydrofoil). The trains would cost $208 for 2 tickets from CT (La Spezia) to Varenna and then Varenna to Milan. So, assuming parking is ~ $20 per day (??) for the 6 days I don't use the car, the additional car cost is ~ $100+$80+$120 = $300 vs ~ $210 for train tickets.

I'd like to hear from any Fodorites that have done it either or both ways and what you recommend. Has anyone done multi-day parking in Cinque Terre and/or Varenna/Como and know the cost and logistics? Should we keep the car, or just take trains from CT to Varenna and back to Milan? Thanks,

Bugaboos

A couple of years ago we drove to the Cinque Terre, planning to park in La Spezia and take the train to Corniglia for a few days on the CT. It turned out to be a little crazy -- we drove around La Spezia for an hour, trying to find parking, and couldn't find any open spots. It was packed with cars! So we gave up and drove to Corniglia. The last part of the road there was narrow but drivable. We parked (for free) just off the road within walking distance of town--it worked out well. We trained and walked between the towns and left the car where it was until it was time to leave the CT. Perhaps you would be luckier than we were and find parking in La Spezia.

On the same trip we drove to Varenna, where we were staying for several nights at Albergo Milano, and parked in a central parking area not far from the inn, checked in and dropped our bags, then moved the car to parking (free) along the road just outside of town and walked back. Not far -- that too worked out well. We used the car while we were in Varenna to do a daytrip to St. Moritz and enjoy a little bit of Switzerland. Long drive, but fun! We drove from Varenna to Lake Orta and spent the night there prior to our flight out of Malpensa.

I'm sure the train would be fine too for the places you plan on visiting. We just like the flexibility of having a car.

I would keep the car, but I would also stay in Monterosso with easy parking and I would stay in Menaggio at Lago Como--easier access and closer to MXP. I agree--more flexible.

Thanks everyone. Car sounds good to me too for flexibility as long as parking is available in CT and Lake Como. Bob, where do you like in Monterosso? I was looking at Villa Steno, but haven't heard back from them on availability.

As for Lake Como, I kind of like the Hotel Du Lac in Varenna or the Hotel Belvedere in Bellagio, but I'll look at Menaggio. What's a good moderately upscale place there? We're celebrating my wife's 50th so I can't go too cheap. Thanks

<<We're celebrating my wife's 50th so I can't go too cheap>>

LOL bugaboos - can I introduce you to my husband?

you could teach him [and probably some others] a thing or two!

regards, ann

In Menaggio you have 3 good choices---the G. H. Menaggio is my chocie and located at the ferry dock to Bellagio. The other lesser hotel is also named Du Lac--a small 3 star. The 3rd is named Bellavista and is also near the ferry dock and on the lake. The west shore is just more convenient with a car--Varenna is not.

In Monterosso, here is a nice B&B that is fairly new. www.ilgiardinoincantato.net

Have fun--sounds like a nice trip. We will be in Bellagio for a week in Oct.

Thanks for everyone's help. I decided to get the car for the whole trip.

I'm staying at a place in Monterosso that has free parking in the new town, so Cinque Terre is taken care of. And I think I'll just take the car on the ferry to Bellagio since the hotel there also has free parking for the 4 days. The 16 euros for a round trip is about what parking for 1 day in Menaggio or Varenna would cost. Downside is I'll have to come in via Varenna since Menaggio has only 1 car ferry in the afternoon and we won't get there that early. And going out there seem to be several more ferries that do take cars to Menaggio, but only on weekdays, not holidays, which seems to imply not on the Saturday we'll be heading out to Milan. Oh, well, it only looks to be an additional 30 minute drive from the Varenna side.

Ciao