Hi

Need suggestions for a 8 day trip to Italy
Arriving in Rome on May 5th, at 5PM.
departing on May 14th from Rome (at 10:20AM)

I dont want to drive too much. Maybe just a little if required to visit hilltowns.

I have a basic itenerary. Please provide
inputs/suggestions
May 6 - train to Orvieto. check out Civita
take either bus or rent car in chiusi and
go to Pienza. Stay in a Agriturismo.
May 7 - Check out pienza/montalcino/montepulciano. (is car needed ? can i rent a scooter ? I cant drive a stickshift. automatic is tooo expensive)
stay in pienza
May 8 - go to siena by afternoon. spend the night in siena. (take crete senese drive ?
Is it doable by scooter?)
May 9 - take bus to florence. night in florence
May 10 - train to pisa. check out tower - continue to cinque terre. night in Cinque terre
May 11 - all day cinque terre - night train to Rome
May 12 & May 13 in Rome.
May 14 head back.

PLease provide inputs/suggestions for renting scooter instead of car etc.

Thanks a lot
travelbaba

Just curious - is scooter suitable for going up and down a lot of hills - will it make it uphill? I know nothing about scooters but wonder.

Hi TB,

You are doing a lot of packing and unpacking.

Instead of a scooter, I suggest a motorcycle, if you have a license.

I would pay money to see you on a Vespa with a suitcase! You really need a car. Pick up in Orvieto and use it to visit Civita di Bagnoreggio and hilltowns. Drop it in Siena and you can train from there on.

Travelbaba, you say you are willing to drive a little, but can't drive a stick and an automatic is too expensive, so which is it?

You have 6 months to learn stick shift. Surely you can find a day or two in there to take lessons.

You've apparently given this some thought. But there are four 1-night stays in this 8-day itinerary---3 too many if it were me. I like to stay long enough to get the feel of a place.

Hi, travelbaba - simply in a spirit of enquiry, and not criticising at all, is there some reason you are flying to Rome, but spending no time there whatsoever?

Assuming you are flying in from the US [ignore this if from UK/elsewhere in europe] i would suggest you spend your first 24 hours at least recouperating from your journey and recovering from jet-lag.

My next suggestion is that you slow down - your itinerary involves far too much travelling IMO, and not enough seeing.

Rome -Orvieto- Siena-Rome would be good, or you could add in florence at a pinch. Taking more time in fewer places, usually means you see more, not less.

Good luck!

Hi folks

WE are very interested in seeing Tuscany & Cinque Terre.

ASsuming I can pick up driving a stick shift soon, please suggest an itenerary.

I get the point about staying longer in one place versus travelling a lot.

OK. So, if I were to do this.
1) Fly into Rome at 4PM. Stay 3 nighths.
(2 full days + half day jet lag)
2) Day 3. Train to Orvieto. Keep luggage in train station. Bus to Civita & back. (rent car if available. autoeurope does not have car rental in orvieto).
3) Day 4: Pienza Area. Stay in Pienza
4) Day 5: Pienza Area. Check out Siena.
stay in Pienza.
5) Day 6: FLorence
6) Day 7 and Day 8 -> Cinque Terre.
Night train to Rome. ARrive in Rome at 7:00AM. Flight at 10:30AM. Is this too risky ?

Thats why I didnt want to come back to
Rome on the last night.

I'm open to changing my itenerary completely. I Really want to see the best of Tuscany & Cinque Terre in the 8 days.

Thanks a lot
TB

Also, is it practical to rent a scooter/motorcycle in Siena and check out Crete Senese & the Pienza area ? I can guess I could stay in Siena and rent a scotter/car for 3 days to check out (South of Siena) Tuscany for 2 days and (maybe) Volterra or Chianti for a day ?

baba:
There are several auto rental places in Orvieto. Pick up your car there.

I wouldn't risk the overnight train to catch your morning flight.

How is this?
Rome - 3 nights (2 days)
Pienza - 3 nights
--day 1, via Civita, Montepulciano
--day 2, Montalcino, Siena
--day 3, Florence day trip
drive to CT (stop in Volterra?)
Cinque Terre (return car) - 2 nights
afternoon train to
Rome - 1 night

Oops, I flubbed that.

It doesn't make sense to drive back to Pienza after Florence. Maybe you should save Florence for when you can really spend some time there. We were there for 2 1/2 days earlier this year and we really felt we shortchanged it.

Thanks JeneiB, annhig.

I want to sqeeze in Florence, even if for 1 day (atleast city tour & academia.)

I want to try and get back from CT by a night train and not use up a day for travel. Spending last 2 days in ROme seems better, 'coz that
way, I dont have to deal with travel, missing flight etc.

How about this ?

How is this?
Rome - half day + 1st night take care of jet lag.
--day 1, train to orvieto -> car -> civita -> montepulciano -> stay in pienza
--day 2 -> pienza, montalcino -> stay in pienza
--day 3,-> Siena, (side trip to volterra or cianti) -> stay in siena -> drop off car in siena.
--day 4, Florence day trip by bus. stay in florence or pisa.
--day 5 -> CT
--day 6 -> CT -> night train to Rome
--day 7 -> Rome
--day 8 -> Rome

What do you think ?
Thanks
TB

Do you have your air tickets already? If not, look into flights into Pisa (or Milan or Florence). Or an open jaw into Rome, out of Pisa. That would save you doubling back and make for a more efficient trip.

Yep. already have tickets.
I dont have to take the night train back.
Eurstar from Florence to Rome is just 1 and half hour. So, even if I'm in Florence the last day before I leave, I can come back to Rome for the night via Eurostar and leave the next day.

I agree that it is best to spend your time in Rome at the end of your trip so you don't have to worry about missing the plane.

I would change your day 3 from staying in Siena for the night to staying in Florence. If you visit Siena and drive through the Chianti region, you are not that far from Florence and I would suggest spending the night there so you don't have to move again, and you are already in Florence when you wake up.

If it was me, with only 8 days, I would skip the CT and just add the days to Rome. However, if it is a priority for you and perhaps you have been to Rome before, than I guess go for it.

Unless you are familiar driving scooters/vespas I strongly urge you not to consider that but take JeanneB's advice of learning how to drive a stick. You may find this thread helpful in solidifying this decision: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34865562.

Hi jgg,

Thanks.
So, I'm thinking
ARrive in Rome. Stay in Rome or Orvieto for the night.
Rent car in Orvieto
Day 1 - Civita -> Montepulciano -> Pienza
Day 2 - Pienza -> Montalcino crete senese drive -> Siena
Day 3 - Siena -> drive through Cianti -> drop off car in FLorence
Day 4 - FLorence -> train to PISA
at night (1hr) check out tower. Stay in PISA
Day 5 & Day 6 - Cinque Terre
(night train to Rome)
Day 7 & Day 8 Rome.
Fly back to San Francisco

What do you think folks ?

folks

Any suggestions on seeing the hill towns
by public transport ? (I mean bus)

If we make Siena our base, can we take bus or tour to Pienza/Montepulciano, Chianti,
volterra etc. ? If I have 3 days for
Siena & around, what are my best options with public transport. I know that TRA-IN buses operate out of Siena, but I'm not sure how practical it is to use them to check out the hilltowns.

Can I do this ?
From Chiusi or Siena take bus to Pienza.
Rent scooter to check out Pienza and Montepulciasno and stay there for a night. Return to Siena. Next day Take a bus or bus tour to Chianti area.
Another day, take bus to San G/volterra and return to Florence at night.

Is this doable ?
Thanks

HI T,

May I suggest that your first day you keep going to Florence?

It is not difficult and adrenalin will keep you going.

After an overnight, you can pick up your car, visit Tuscany and the CT and end up in Rome before flying home.

I like the idea of staying in Orvieto the first night. It is a comfortable driving distance from Rome and picking a car up at the Rome Airport is easy.

Good luck with your travel plans

Have you looked into a Smart Car? They are supper tiny and are considered semi automatic, also great on gas! Although not recommended for driving all over the country, it is good for exploring tuscany!

Hi Baba,

I really like your last itinerary - with car. Orvieto is wonderful at night and just a short distance from FCO or Rome. You could see the Duomo in the morning light and do the underground cave tour, then head out for the hilltowns.

Have some Brunello for me!

Buon viaggio!