Italy: Round and Round Itinerary
 

Heading to Italy late March 2017.
I go every two years (my parents are from Italy).
My friend is going with me and has never been.

15 days. Please help!

Day 1: Milano. Arrive 9am. Visiting one of my best friends
Day 2: Milano
Day 3: Leave Milano, Train to Florence
Day 4: Florence (1/2 day to Pisa)
Day 5: Bus to Siena
Day 6: Here is where I get stuck. Rome? Get car and do Chianti? Asisi?
Day 7:
Day 8:
Day 9:
Day 10::
Day 11: Drive to Forno D'Ono, visit my relatives
Day 12: Forno D'Ono
Day 13: : Leave for Milano or Lago di Garda
Day 14: Milano
Day 15: : fly home, very early flight

Spend one or two days longer in Florence, then go to Rome. Don't rush, take it all in, you're lucky to have company so you can take turns in suggesting what to see on which day. Get a beautiful and detailed guidebook to inspire you - I recommend the DK Eyewitness.

Same. Do stay longer in Firenze. Stay in the region or go to Rome or ...

From what I can see, the drive back to Forno D'Ono (in Brescia?) will be a very long one, so getting much further away from Florence e.g. Rome only makes it longer. Maybe you could spend days 6-10 in and around Tuscany itself - Chianti area/Siena and head back.

Day 3 - Leave Milan and train to Rome.

Visit Roma a few days and then head to Tuscany/Siena/Florence.

Day 11 - Drop car (Florence?) and train to Brescia. Have relatives pick you up.

I would take the train immediately to Rome upon landing in Milan. It's a long train ride but it should be fine for your first day when you're jet lagged. Spend a few days in Rome then head to Florence. I would spend a week there so that you can do the day trips you want to do and also spend some time in Florence. After Florence, either drive or take the train to Forno D'Ono. After that, head to Milan so you can end your trip in the city you fly out of.

Thank you all! We are going to skip Rome on this trip. I have family in MIlano and Brescia so if I skip seeing them on this trip, I will be in trouble!

Do you suggest staying in Florence and going to Sienna, etc from that location?

Also, anyone been to Assisi/Perugia? Worth 2 days?

Thank you!

What does your friend who's never been to Italy want to see/do?

Siena is an easy day trip from Florence, via express bus.

I agree about staying longer in Florence--Siena, San Gim., Lucca, Pisa all vist-able by train or bus (or car?) from there.

Since you relatives are further north, maybe work you way in that direction via Venice, Bologna, Verona, Ravenna?

DH and I visited Assisi from Spoleto, then stayed in Perugia on another visit.. Below are the titles of my trip reports if you are interested. We did a big circle in and out of Milano on the first as we got a nice non-stop trip.

++Turin, Spoleto, Bologna and Bellagio TR

++Perugia and Rome by train and bus

Yes I like bourbon's idea - train to Rome- say to Orvieto rent car or Chiusi- putz thru Tuscany to Pisa and Lucca - end up in Rome - return car in Lucca if possible and train to Brescia.

I would assume anyone not having been to Italy would want to see both Rome and Venice with Florence being third- substitute Venice maybe for Lake Garda if friend really wants to see Venice (and who would not -IMO being the most sublime city in Europe visually)

Anyway book fast train tickets very early to get nifty discounts -local trips on regional trains just buy at the station - flat fare and dirt cheap-no seat reservations even possible- but take fast trains for Milan to Florence or Rome, etc- much faster and more comfy.

www.trenitalia.com for your own booking online- for lots on Italian trains check www.seat61.com-great info on discounted tickets;www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. kybourbon who posts above is an asbolute Italian train expert who along with some others, is always helpful if you encounter snags in the booking process or have any questions on Italian trains IME.