Italy: Advice Needed
May 14th, 2010, 07:03 AM
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Italy: Advice Needed
My DH and I are spending 3 weeks in Europe in late September to mid October. We have 8 nights booked in Italy. We have spent time in Rome, Florence and Venice on previous trips so would like to spend 4 days seeing some of the hill towns in Tuscany and then end our trip with 3 days in Rome .
Here are my questions:
1. We arrive from Dubrovnik at 7:25 PM (FCO). Do we rent a car at the airport and drive to a small town an hour away to spend the night or do we take a train to Siena and then rent a car (is it feasible to get a train at that hour)?
2. Friends have recommended Siena and Montepulciano as places to see, any other suggestions???
3. Should we find a place to stay for the 4 nights and make day trips or would it be better to stay at different places each night?
I hope our Fodor friends will be able to give us some much needed advice!!
Here are my questions:
1. We arrive from Dubrovnik at 7:25 PM (FCO). Do we rent a car at the airport and drive to a small town an hour away to spend the night or do we take a train to Siena and then rent a car (is it feasible to get a train at that hour)?
2. Friends have recommended Siena and Montepulciano as places to see, any other suggestions???
3. Should we find a place to stay for the 4 nights and make day trips or would it be better to stay at different places each night?
I hope our Fodor friends will be able to give us some much needed advice!!
May 14th, 2010, 07:11 AM
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Snowflake25,
Places to see http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/hs_planning.htm
Places to see http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/hs_planning.htm
May 14th, 2010, 07:39 AM
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By the time you get out of the airport, it will be close to dark and the dinner hour will have already begun. If you have never driven a car in rural Italy, it's too easy to get lost.
Were it me, I would reverse your touristing schedule. See Rome first, and when you are through seeing Rome, take a train to Orvieto or Chiusi and tour the Tuscan countryside -- and pick one place to stay, not four. Use your car to take you back to FCO.
If for some reason you really need to end your trip with 3 days in Rome, then I suggest you plan to spend your first night in Rome. That way you can find a nice dinner at 9pm in Rome, not possible if you try to get past Rome. Next morning, take a train from Rome's Termini station to beautiful Orvieto, which is only one hour away and has a car rental office. Were it me, I would want to stay long enough to tour Orvieto and have a wonderful lunch, then head into Tuscany in your rental car. When you are through touring the Tuscan countryside, drop your car off in a town with a convenient train connection to Rome -- Chiusi, Grosseto, Pisa, Florence, Arezzo or Orvieto or even Tarquinia depending on where you end up in Tuscany.
Many people find the nicest "sight" in Tuscany to be the countryside, and the towns they like best are the ones they discover on their own. Siena is a major medieval walled city, perfectly preserved (you can find many pictures on line), filled with frescoes and great architecture. Pienza, which is much smaller, is also of great artistic and historic significance if you are going to Italy to learn more about Italy.
You can use the Trenitalia web site to learn train connections and times.
Have a great trip!
Were it me, I would reverse your touristing schedule. See Rome first, and when you are through seeing Rome, take a train to Orvieto or Chiusi and tour the Tuscan countryside -- and pick one place to stay, not four. Use your car to take you back to FCO.
If for some reason you really need to end your trip with 3 days in Rome, then I suggest you plan to spend your first night in Rome. That way you can find a nice dinner at 9pm in Rome, not possible if you try to get past Rome. Next morning, take a train from Rome's Termini station to beautiful Orvieto, which is only one hour away and has a car rental office. Were it me, I would want to stay long enough to tour Orvieto and have a wonderful lunch, then head into Tuscany in your rental car. When you are through touring the Tuscan countryside, drop your car off in a town with a convenient train connection to Rome -- Chiusi, Grosseto, Pisa, Florence, Arezzo or Orvieto or even Tarquinia depending on where you end up in Tuscany.
Many people find the nicest "sight" in Tuscany to be the countryside, and the towns they like best are the ones they discover on their own. Siena is a major medieval walled city, perfectly preserved (you can find many pictures on line), filled with frescoes and great architecture. Pienza, which is much smaller, is also of great artistic and historic significance if you are going to Italy to learn more about Italy.
You can use the Trenitalia web site to learn train connections and times.
Have a great trip!
May 14th, 2010, 07:55 AM
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Hi Snowflake!
Saw that you're planning four nights in hilltowns in Italy. Great!
Last month my family and I visited a beautiful, unspoiled corner of Tuscany in the Val d'Orcia: Sarteano, just where Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany meet, and quite close to Montepulciano, Pienza as well as some less known Etruscan sites. Why hadn't I heard before about San Casciano (medieval city with a to-die-for five-star thermal spa) and Cetona (medieval city, beautiful views, excellent food)? Recommend you stay at this absolutely wonderful, simple (and affordable!) little house from the 1600s that we rented for the week: www.casacollecetona.com. The house is set in Fonte Vetriana, a charming village from the 1300s......breathtaking views over the UNESCO protected landscape.....not yet spoiled by tourism.......Perhaps you will also be lucky enough, like us, to help the neighbors bake bread in the village's bread oven!
Enjoy your trip!
Saw that you're planning four nights in hilltowns in Italy. Great!
Last month my family and I visited a beautiful, unspoiled corner of Tuscany in the Val d'Orcia: Sarteano, just where Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany meet, and quite close to Montepulciano, Pienza as well as some less known Etruscan sites. Why hadn't I heard before about San Casciano (medieval city with a to-die-for five-star thermal spa) and Cetona (medieval city, beautiful views, excellent food)? Recommend you stay at this absolutely wonderful, simple (and affordable!) little house from the 1600s that we rented for the week: www.casacollecetona.com. The house is set in Fonte Vetriana, a charming village from the 1300s......breathtaking views over the UNESCO protected landscape.....not yet spoiled by tourism.......Perhaps you will also be lucky enough, like us, to help the neighbors bake bread in the village's bread oven!
Enjoy your trip!
May 14th, 2010, 12:31 PM
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I knew I could count on my Fodor friends to help!!
Henry, I really enjoyed reading your post, will certainly be referring to your post to assist with our driving. There are so many helpful links as well!!
Zeppole, you have given us some great suggestions. We are now thinking about doing the Rome thing first and then heading to Siena or Orvieto by train. We will probably have to spend our last nigh back in Rome because we have a morning flight home. Any recommendations for an airport hotel??
Stephanie, another great suggestion...thanks!!
Henry, I really enjoyed reading your post, will certainly be referring to your post to assist with our driving. There are so many helpful links as well!!
Zeppole, you have given us some great suggestions. We are now thinking about doing the Rome thing first and then heading to Siena or Orvieto by train. We will probably have to spend our last nigh back in Rome because we have a morning flight home. Any recommendations for an airport hotel??
Stephanie, another great suggestion...thanks!!
May 14th, 2010, 01:22 PM
#6
There's no way I'd spend my last night in Italy at an airport hotel unless there was absolutely no other option. I don't care how nice the hotel is. I'd rather spend my last night having a good dinner, strolling the city, and getting up before dawn if necessary.
May 14th, 2010, 04:48 PM
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Make that 3 votes for last night in Roma. It's not so far from the airport. No need to miss a wonderful last night!
Also, be aware that the day of the week makes a difference when picking up/dropping a rental car in the smaller towns. Most are closed on Sunday and Saturday afternoon. Ask specifically for each rental office and plan accordingly.
Buon viaggio
Also, be aware that the day of the week makes a difference when picking up/dropping a rental car in the smaller towns. Most are closed on Sunday and Saturday afternoon. Ask specifically for each rental office and plan accordingly.
Buon viaggio
