Italy- Florence to Cinque to Rome
 

Hello
We are doing a family trip to Italy next Spring. We are flying into Florence and out of Rome. Planning to only overnight in 3 places, 1 being Florence and the other being Rome. Was thinking we rent a car after our Florence stay to drive to Rome, looking for suggestions of a town to visit for a few nights. I was thinking Cinque Terra?? maybe it is best just to take the train?? We will have 11 nights and traveling with kids (11 and 12) .
Thanks!

Cars are useless for the Cinque Terre where cars are largely banned and trains and boats and footpaths constantly connect the 5 old fishing villages.

Cinque Terre is a major detour north from a Florence to Rome route.

A nice car trip would wind thru rural Tuscany and such iconic tuscan hill towns as Siena, Montepulciano and then to Orvieto where you could return the car and take local trains into Rome.

For train info check www.trenitalia.com for schedules and fares - for general info on trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

So Cinque Terre by train or drive thru either Tuscany or Umbria to Rome.

I'd say 3 days Florence
4 days Rome
and 4 days driving or the Cinque Terre though those are tiny towns with not much to do - especially for kids that age except beaches and in spring that may be a bit iffy.

You could also drive along the coast from the Florence area via Pisa (check out Leaning Tower) and stop at some nice seaside towns and go inland thru some of Tuscany to Orvieto, a really neat old town on a volcanic plug - kids will love the subterranean Orvieto tours of tunnels hewn out of the light lava rock thru the ages.

After returning your car in Orvieto, you can have the Hotel PIcchio store your luggage [for a fee}, then ride the funicular up to visit the town.

Or leave you luggage in the car at the car rental return before turning it in and take the funi up to the old town?

There is also the possibility of leaving bags in the rental office.