nysmom

I made a plea a couple of days ago about my last minute planning to leave in late August to Italy and France for 20 days.

Things that have gone wrong:
Bought cheap ticket on Alitalia

Things that have gone right:
Tailored my trip down to 4-5 choice places
Got one more traveling partner (helps cut cost and more fun)
Found some good deals on flights/hotels


But I still need some help, here's where i am so far:

Day 1-2 Florence

Day 3-5 Tuscany still planning to rent a car b/c I don't know if it's feasible to not do so but I know cars in Florence are a no-no so where should I pick one up? Also any suggestions on agroturismos to stay in? I'm really attracted to the idea of staying in a farmhouse w/ a pool Plan to visit Siena, San Gimignano. Pisa is a ? mark but how could we not...

Day 5-10: Rome Hotel Apollo/ want to take a day trip to Tivoli, any other suggestions for day trips?

Day 11-13: Paris Staying @ Le Grand Hotel Des Gobelins for two night

Day 14-19: Rest of trip being planned by friend (yeah!)

I'm still having pain about not being able to go to the Amalfi coast but it doesn't seem feasible. Please weigh in with your expertise, you all have helped me tremendously so far!

bratsandbeer

Rome - day trip - we are thinking of
the ruins of Ostia Antica in October. If anyone has been there, I would like to know if it is worth the time to go there.

StCirq

nysmom: A rental car for two days is probably going to cost you as much as a rental car for three, just so you know. I'm sure someone here can tell you a good place to pick one up outside Firenze.

brats: I don't know whether Ostia Antica will be "worth it" to you, but we thoroughly enjoyed our visit there.

zeppole

You might do better to extend your night in Firenze and do Siena as a day trip from there, by bus. Competition for parking around Siena is fierce.

You can pick up your car in Firenze.

Drop off your car in Orvieto, and see the cathedral while you are there.

You won't have time for another day trip out of Roma, but Ostia Antica, at the seaside, might appeal to you if it's a million degrees, but still take some sun protection.

It isn't feasible to go the Amalfi on this trip.

nysmom

Thanks! I'm traveling down to Rome so perhaps I could drop it off somewhere before I hit the city? I need pick city and drop off city!

zeppole

PS: More than one person has complained about the lines to pick up cars in Firenze. If you want to see Pisa, consider taking the train there, putting your luggage in the storage room at the train station, touring the monuments, and then picking up your luggage and the car. Just be sure you start this project early enough in the day to get to your nighttime stopping point before dark. You don't want to drive in the dark.

zeppole

Orivito is outside of Roma. It's an hour from Roma (by train).

zeppole

Sorry for the typo: Orvieto

nancy

If you like old ruins, Ostia Antica is definitely worth a day trip - it's very large and, as I have seen many ruins, it's right up there at the top.

I would highly recommend that while taking the train from Rome to Ostia Antica, you get off at the St. Paul Outside the Walls stop. I was amazed at the beauty of this church.

I'm always drawn into the magnificent European churches and I've seen so many that I'm almost "churched" out! However, St. Pauls is at the top five churches I've visited. I'm so glad we made the effort to stop.

Doing this will add a couple of hours to a day trip but so worth it.

nysmom

zeppole, that sounds perfect. I'll try and map that out...

TDudette

Unless you are a ruins fan, I'd vote Orvieto instead. Also, Pompeii over Ostia if that is do-able timewise.
Hadrian's Villa ruins are near Tivoli.
Have an amazing trip! TD