Greetings all! I could use some advice from those of you who have been to Italy. Do I drive or use the trains? <BR> <BR>We will have 3 adults total and here is our early itinerary. <BR> <BR>Rome <BR>Orvieto <BR>Sienna <BR>Venice <BR>Cinque Terra <BR>Milan <BR> <BR>I realize a car in the big cities is a major headache and we don't mind public transportation once we're there. I do hate lugging suitcases every where which makes the car very convenient. (I know I know, pack lighter, not going to happen with my wife...) Anyway, your thoughts? <BR> <BR>Thanks in advance!

Use trains, and take taxis from the train stations to your hotels. <BR>Has your wife visited the forum? Is she at least willing to take full responsibility for her suitcases (ie, she has to get them on and off trains, put them on luggage racks, & so on)? <BR>Someone--Rick Steves?--says that you should start travelling with children only when they're old enough to carry their own bags. I wonder if the same rule applies to spouses?

well, on our trip to Italy we did both. We used the trains for transportation between major cities, then a car when we wanted to get out in the Country side.I really liked taking the trains, and my husband was happy to not drive some of the time. <BR> <BR>I'm guessing from your itinerary that you are either flying in and out of Milan, or into Rome and out of Milan. Suppose you did something like start in Rome, take the train to Venice, then take the train back to Florence. Pick up a car in Florence for Sienna, Orvieto and Cinque Terre, then drop it off in Milan when you are done. <BR> <BR>You really don't want a car in Rome, or Venice. Particularly in Venice you will have to lug your baggage just as much whether you drive or take the train. <BR> <BR>Use Elvira's (I think?) suggestion on your wife. have her pack her bags a week in advance. Then have her carry them a quarter mile, and explain that she will HAVE to do this in Venice to get to the hotel. Boy will that bag get lighter in a hurry. It worked for me!

If you're indeed skipping Florence, I would recommend to pick the car in Rome (it's a piece of cake to drive out of town) and drive through Umbria and Tuscany to Cinque Terre, then through the Veneto and drop it in Venice. From there I would pick a train to Milan. <BR> <BR>In case you just forgot to put it in your itinerary, my suggestion would depend on what your intentions are regarding Florence (if you're staying in town and how long, or visiting on daytrips). It would also help to know how many days are you planning to spend outside Rome, Venice (and eventually Florence). <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>

Turnip, You want both on this trip but I <BR>would alter the itinerary. You have to train to Florence to get to Siena so you <BR>might as well get your car there. You <BR>should do the Cinque Terre after Tuscany <BR>--it will not be easy to get there from <BR>Venice. Use the car for Tuscany and the <BR>coast and then drop it in Venice and <BR>train to Milan. Frankly, I would sub the <BR>Lakes for Venice on this trip but do try <BR>to spend some time in Florence.

The Loons have learned that 5-passenger cars hold five people - but not FIVE BIG HONKER SUITCASES. Our five-passenger car held FOUR 21" suitcases and FOUR totebags; it would have held THREE big suitcases and FOUR totebags; therefore, 3 adults with mondo luggage need to rent five-passenger cars. Prices get dicey at this point. Gasoline is 3 to 4 times the cost in the US. You will be driving a manual transmission; the price increases by at least $200 if you get an automatic (IF you can get an automatic). <BR>All that said, a car is definitely a convenience - train cars have steps that only Wilt Chamberlain could reach, and when there is the 2 minute stop to pick up passengers, it can get hairy getting everyone and their luggage up those unsteppable steps before the train takes off. Of course, the adrenaline surge is fun. <BR>Beth's idea of train/car combo works well; you might check the Italian Railway to see if they have a train 'n' drive combo pass (certain # of days train riding with certain # of days driving). You also didn't say how long your trip will be; a couple of months, and a car LEASE or buyback program might be cheaper than a rental. <BR>And, yes, the Loons have a few simple rules. One is "you bring it, you drag it". Pack your bag a week or two before you leave; lift it over your head; carry it up and down stairs (try RUNNING with it); walk it around the block (1/4 to 1/2 mile) over bumpy pavement. You'll ditch a whole lot before you ever leave for the airport.

You know, I still packed a bag to large to get up those train steps! It was a 24in vertical on wheels, that was pretty heavy. When we were boarding the train in Rome, my husband got on first and just started walking down the car. I was standing there and realized I COULD NOT lift my luggage high enough to get it up the stairs in front of me. As I was trying to figure out how I was going to maneuver me and my bags through that narrow door, a very nice, very tall young man just reached down the steps, grabbed my bag and hauled it up. <BR> <BR>My husband wouldn't have helped. I packed it, I was supposed to carry it

I AM

Oops! Sorry for the short message...anyway, I AM a wife, and we returned from a similar trip just weeks ago. Our itinerary included Stresa, Venice, Florence, Gaiole, and Rome. We loved the freedom that a car provided, and we were able to see so much of the country - whenever we wanted. It's true that you must carry luggage at least some in Venice, but my husband bought me a large travel-pro on wheels just before our trip, and it was great! We took a water taxi to the Bisanzio, our hotel, and it was steps from the dock, with no bridge to cross. Very easy. The rest of the trip we were able to drive right up to the hotels. <BR>Our hotel in Florence stored the car in their garage for us at about $25.00 a day - a very good deal, considering parking in Florence is no picnic. But having the car meant that when my husband got bored with all the art, we could take a drive to the beautiful country side. I don't think we'd have seen Livorno or Bologna without the car, not to mention how wonderful a time we had exploring the Chianti region from Gaiole. <BR>Have a wonderful time, enjoy no matter what you decide.

Thanks for all the great suggestions!

My husband and I just returned from Italy and we called it our trains, planes and automobiles trip (with a few taxis, buses, subways, and boats thrown in for good measure)! We flew to Rome rented a car and left the city right away - you won't want to drive in Rome. We drove to the Amalfi coast first - in hindsight, we didn't really need a car there. We then went to Tuscanny which is great to have a car. When in larger cities like Sienna and Florence, we would get to our central destination, park the car and walk or take public transit until the end of the day then pick up our car and go back to our hotel (we stay in the Tuscan countryside). We drove back to Rome, dropped off our rental car and stayed in Rome for 2 days. Stayed in a centrally located hotel and virtually walked everywhere. Took the train to Venice and again stayed in a hotel close to St Mark's square and walked everywhere. It all worked out very nicely. Have a great time, Italy is beautiful. Email me if you need more info on hotels, etc.

Turnip, Just another vote for car and train. Just returned from Italy and did train from Rome to venice, Venice to Florence, Car rental in Florence and drove through Tuscany, to Cinque Terra and the lakes to Milan and left the car in Milan. The trains are fantastic and people are very helpful with luggage, although We had carry on it was very simple. But the car in Tuscany was great, got to see many things we wouldn't have on buses. and Cinque terra was not easy but doable with the car. It was a fanastic trip..hope yours is too.

We drove for 10 days around some regions of Italy and this provided such great flexibility and freedom. Italy is the type of country where there are undiscovered gems peppered all over the countryside and sometimes there is a town, a church, a lake, a vineyard where you just HAVE to stop. A car let's you experience the country landscape in a more personal way. The trade off is that in a train you may have more interaction with the locals. We compensated by eating and lodging in small hotels, B&B's etc... <BR> <BR>Now, big cities is a totally different story. DO NOT attempt to drive in Rome (other than to take trips outside the city). In Venice you need to park across the canals. Paulo's suggestions make a lot of sense. <BR> <BR>I remember packing a small tote bag and during the day I would pack a change of clothes for me and my husband and that's what we took with us to the room. A small bag of toiletries traveled really well. I guess I am on the minority as far as women whose husbands pack more than they do....

We got home about two weeks ago from (in order) Zurich, Luzern, Venice, Sienna and countryside, Monterosso, and Zurich. We did it all by train, except for bus trips in Tuscany. Everything went very well, but to agree with everyone else, it is impossible to pack too lightly! One of the most enjoyable things about trains and buses is the opportunity to meet people, both locals and other travelers. We had fun hearing other people's travel tales, and got lots of recommendations on restaurants, etc. I know having a car is good in many situations (we rented cars in France last year), but this time we decided to forego the aggravations of map reading, signwatching, etc. Either way, you'll have fun! <BR>