Just looking for some suggestions. <BR>Our itinerary is <BR>Florence: 1 night<BR>San Gim : 3 nights<BR>Bellagio: 2 nights<BR>??<BR>SML: 2 nights<BR>Rome: 3 nights<BR><BR>We had planned to stay 3 nights in SML but the hotel wasn't available for the 1st night. As this day happens to be my birthday i am hoping for suggestion where to spend one night between bellagio and SML - another town on riveria, lakes, another hotel in SML or a town in between? <BR>Thanks

What is SML???<BR>Senza Miglia Laterali<BR>Sette Minuti lavabili<BR>Santa Maria Lavoratrice<BR><BR>In any case, just add your extra day to some other destination. It looks to me that you will be seeing more train insides than Italy.

I think that to most travelers (both to those from outside Italy, and to Italians), SML means Santa Margherita Ligure.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Dear Alex,<BR><BR>I would spend another night in Bellagio so that you would have time to ferry over to Varenna for a day trip.<BR><BR>On our last trip I convinced by husbnad to spend 4 nights everywhere & it made such a difference.<BR><BR>Have fun.

Alex, Maybe you have already been to florence so that is why you don't want more time there but if you haven't it is a wonderful city.

Rex<BR><BR>I am Italian, and to me Santa Margherita Ligure is Santa Margherita Ligure or, at best, Santa Margherita if I am already in Liguria.<BR>Afaik the only Italian city that is ever designed by the same kind of acronym is San Bebnedetto del Tronto, known as SBT mainly through the works of comics writer and drawer Andrea Pazienza and of therather boring writer Silvia Ballestra, the latter comes From San Benedetto, the former has live in San Benedetto for a good deal of years.

We just returned from our two weeks in Italy covering the same areas you outlined in your trip except Rome. How are you getting from point to point and what do you plan to do with three nights in San Gimignano? You also didn't mention the name of your hotel in SML. We stayed at the Continental and recommend it. If your hotel in SML can't accomodate you for the first night you might try something in Rappalo which is just up the road from SML.

Hi <BR>Thanks for the helpful responses. We are catching a train from Rome to Florence and then hiring a car for 8 days until SML and then catching a train back to Rome. THe only reason we are spending a night in Florence is because it is a Sunday and car hire places in the towns close to Rome aren't open on Sundays. <BR>We are just planning to San Gim as a base to explore Chianti and Sienna. <BR>So should one more day be spent near SML or Bellagio? Can anyone recommend a special hotel to stay at? We are staying at Belevedere in Bellagio and Hote Meteropole in SML. Thanks

You can cover Bellagio in the time you have scheduled and SML can be done in two nights as well. We had two weeks in total and spent three nights in each town but next time we would allocate more time for Tuscany. We enjoyed driving from San G. to Chianti and down to Maltacino area and stopping in the smaller villages along the way. On the way back from Maltacino one evening we happened upon a medevial festival in Montiriggioni (sp) and ended up spending most of the evening there before driving on to San G. In Bellagio we stayed at the Belvedere as well and really enjoyed it. It was a short walk to town which can be covered in half a day and I suggest taking the pedestrian ferry from Bellagio in the afternoon which stops at several towns along the lake north of Bellagio. A beautiful trip. You might check the Continental in SML as it is very close to the Meteropole but again I would consider more time in the San G. area.

We did a similar trip last October. We flew open jaw into Venice and out of Rome. We spent 3 nights in Venice - 5 nights in a villa in Tuscany (Montegufoni - and it was WONDERFUL) it was about 20 km from Florence - so we were able to day trip very easily in Chianti and Tuscany and still see Florence - and 3 nights in Rome. We rented a car on our way out of Venice and returned it in Rome. It I were to do it again - I would spend more time in Tuscany. Good luck planning.

Susanne:<BR><BR>If you rented a villa in Montegufoni you conldn't daytrip to Tuscany because you WERE in Tuscany!!! Tuscany is a large region that includes Firenze, Chianti, Arezzo, Pisa, Colline Metallifere, Lucca, Casentino, Maremma etc.

Presumably Venice the next time?

Alice:<BR><BR>That is why I said "in". We were able to drive to many places (but not enough BY FAR). It worked out very well for us. We rented an apartment for a week - and even though we only stayed for 5 nights - it was still cheaper than staying in a hotel. And the ambiance was wonderful.

Susanne:<BR><BR>Sorry.