zeppole:
We arrived on Nov. 1st departed on the 17th. First few nights in Chianti, then the Val D'Orcia, then Rome.

Many days were warm by mid-day, not even a jacket. But others were chilly. Every night was cold enough for a coat, especially the 2nd week in southern Tuscany.

Right. Nights in Italy can produce sudden chills almost all year round. People laugh at Italians for always having a sweater around their necks, even in July, but they know better. It's an incredibly drafty country, with cold air being sucked in all the time from the sea or Alps. Any time you go into the hills, or are at the coast, you have to worry about chills.

And in November, the weather can be highly variable.

>>everything is easily reachable from Firenze by car.<<

Except driving in and out of Firenze is a total drag, and finding a parking space and paying for it time and money consuming.

Pisa, Siena and Lucca also have parking problems and are better reached by train or bus in high season. I don't know about Arezzo. I've never done it, but I'd be surprised if you can't take a train there.

For a first trip to Italy seems overly ambitious to me. Also, for me, who travels often to Italy, car in Amalfi does not sound like a good time. It is too dangerous and too crowded.

I like to experience Italy the way it is meant to be exerienced, slowly.

Running from every toursit city, Rome, Milan, Florence and Venice for a few nights each is not my idea of a good holiday in Italy.

I would arrive in Rome and stay for 5 nights. If I arrive in Rome and leave from Milan, which I just did in May and June, I would continue to move North to maximize time.

Amalfi is great, no question. Naples rocks also. Since you are leaving from Milan, however, I would skip Amalfi all together and opt for Liguria to capture the Italian coastline.

I would leave Rome and spend two or three nights in Spello or other Umbrian hill town.

I would leave Umbria and head into Florence for 3 nights. I would try to head into florence on a Friday and stay until Monday. Hotel rates in the centro will be 1/2 price of week day rates.

Then I would get the car (if I really wanted to drive in Italy) to go to Tuscan hill town like San Gimignano, Siena, Chiusi or Montalcino for three nights.

Check the view out from this restaurant in San Gimignano:

http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...p;ref_item=368

See Chiusi here:

http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...p;ref_item=345

I would plan last three nights in Milan.

This leaves four or five nights to visit either:

Cinque Terre - coastline and Genoa is a great, often- over looked city. Northern Tuscan coast like Lucca and Pietrsanta is in this direction.

See Pietrasanta here:

http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...p;ref_item=373

Emilia Romagna - Parma, Bologna, Ferrara, need I say more?

Veneto - Venice, Padua, Verona etc.

Whatever you decide you will love your itinerary. I think Rome is a great place to begin your introduction to Italy. Campania is possibly a bit much for the first time, especially by car. Do not under estimate Milan - it is a wonderful city with very nice people as well.

Enjoy this local Milan trattoria while there:

http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...p;ref_item=369

Many more ideas for restaurants etc on the site.