Need help refining our Italy trip itinerary
 

My husband and I will be going to Rome for our first time. The plan thus far is to fly into Rome, stay for 4 nights then we would like to visit the following cities: Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Viterbo and then maybe one or two Tuscan towns. We fly out on March 7th and return on March 21st, so we have a total of 13 days in Italy. Please advise us on what would be the best course of action, in other words, in which order should be tackle the cities we want to see. Thanks! :)

I forgot to mention that on the return, March 21st, we fly out of Rome back home.

My suggestion would be 4 days in Rome, then train to Rome (1.5 hours) for 3 days in Florence; in both Rome and Florence, a car would be much more of a hindrance than a help. Then rent a car and find a place near Siena to overnight for 4 nights and take day trips to San Gimignano and the Tuscan hill towns of Montalcino, Montepulciano and Pienza (do not miss the Abbeys of Sant'Antimo and Monte Oliveto Maggiore, both near Montalcino), drive to Viterbo for one day and one night, drive to Rome, return the car, and spend your last night in Rome. Both San Gimignano and Siena are very different in the evening, after the day trippers have left. If you don't mind changing hotels more frequently, spend one night each in San Gimignano and Siena. (Parking is a problem in both towns. In Siena, the Palazzo Ravizza (within the walls) has a free parking lot just outside the walls. In San Gimignano, we stayed at a hotel outside the town, to which we returned after dinner in town.)

Sorry: That should of course be "train FROM Rome" to Florence.

Thank you Eloise! Anyone else?

I think Eloise gave you great advice. That's exactly what I'd do. We stayed at a B&B inside the walls in San Gimignano but were able to park in a lot just outside the walls. It seems many hotels and B&Bs have an arrangement with the parking lot for discounted rates. I think we paid about 10€ for 24 hours of parking.

I would suggest renting the car in Siena and dropping it in Viterbo if possible. Then make your way to Rome. Or return the car to Siena after Viterbo so you can just train it back to Rome and not have to deal with the driving into the city...

isis,
Consider going straight to Florence after arriving in Rome and save one day of travel. Bus to siena then rent a car to see Tuscany, maybe stay at an agriturismo in Tuscany. Drive to Viterbo and drop the car then train to Rome.