We plan on driving through Italy for 10 days and need help planning the itinerary. Any suggestions? We plan on doing the usual, Venice, Rome but would welcome suggestions to make the trip more memorable. <BR>

Just back from two weeks in Italy. One recommendation is a tour of Assisi with Anne Robichaud (www.annesitaly.com) Assisi, in itself, was great to visit and not far from other Umbrian towns, such as Spoleto, Perugia, Todi...We used Anne based on recommendations found on the Graffiti Board on the Rick Steves website (www.ricksteves.com)and were truely delighted with our day which included a delicious lunch in her home. She was especially effective with our rather usophisticated 12 and 10 year old children. Since you're going to Rome and Venice, recommend you balance this out with some country time in an agriturismo or country B & B in Tuscany or Umbria. Another town we loved was Orvieto, not far from Rome. Here's something that surprised us...driving on the Autostrade was a piece of cake, but we damaged our rental car on a very narrow medieval hilltown street...so buy an "Eyewitness Guide" and learn the road signs, especially 'pedestrian only'...and use great caution before venturing up/down a hill town street that looks too narrow! Fortunately, full insurance is mandatory in Italy - first time in my life I needed it!

kay, Ten days is not much--you will need to make some choices. Where do you ingress/egress? What time of year? <BR>Tell me more and I will try to help. You will not have time to do all 3 of the major art cites, so a north or central orientation will be best. Here are some samples that may help. I like the Bella Italia, minus something. <BR> <BR>BOB the NAVIGATORS’ FIVE FAVORITE ITINERARIES <BR>_______________________________________ <BR> <BR>MAGICAL FAIRYLANDS: <BR> * Arrive and depart from Munich--14 nites--May thru Sep.--car travel <BR> * ITINERARY: Salzburg, Dolomites, Venice, Lake Garda, Bavaria <BR>============================================ <BR>BELLA ITALIA: <BR> * Arrive Milan, depart Venice--15 nites--car & train travel--April thru Oct. <BR> * ITINERARY: The Lakes, Ligurian coast, Tuscany, Florence, Venice <BR>============================================ <BR>CLASSIC ITALIA: <BR> * Arrive & depart Rome--12 to 14 nites--car & train travel, all year <BR> * ITINERARY: Florence, Tuscan & Umbrian hilltowns, Rome <BR>============================================ <BR>LA DOLCE VITA: <BR> * Arrive & depart Rome--12 nites--car & train travel--March thru Oct. <BR> * ITINERARY: Amalfi coast, Tuscany hilltowns, Rome <BR>============================================ <BR>OF ALPS & LAKES: <BR> <BR> * Arrive and depart Zurich--12 nites--train travel--June thru Sep. <BR> * ITINERARY: Berner Oberland, Lugano, Lake Como, Luzern <BR>============================================ <BR>These are merely intended to be sample itineraries. <BR>_______________________________________

I visited Italy as follows: <BR> <BR>one night in Pisa, 2 nights in Roma, 2 nights on the Amalfi Coast (took a day trip to Capri which was the best highlight of my trip) then visited Pompei back to Roma (one night) then up north Florence, Milan and Venice (2 nights in Venice) <BR> <BR>My favourite places in Italy were Roma, Amalfi Coast, Pompei and Florence. <BR> <BR>I stayed in a superb and affordable little hotel on the Amalfi coast with a great view of the Mediteranian sea. It was in April and the weather was perfect. Summer is to hot to enjoy

Came back from 15 nights on 5/27. Boston to Milan to Venice (3 nights) Pensionne Academia (awesome)train to Florence (stayed only 2 nights because we didn't like it) rented car, drove to San Gimignano (4 nights)drove to Porto Santo Steffano on coast (3 nights-incredible) drove to Rome (3 nights could have stayed more) <BR>Feel free to ask questions.

Joyce - I assume you liked San Gim. if you stayed 4 nights. Where did you take your day trips to or did you just spend your days in SG? Also, what was it that you liked about Porto Santo Steffano? Can you go there on a day trip out of SG? Thank you very much.

Joyce, Where is Porto Santo Steffano?We just came back a few weeks ago from Europe. We were in Italy 2 weeks and stayed in Castiglioncello on the coast and drove almost straight over from there thru Volterra and S.G. and Siena. We also stayed a couple of days in Montecatini terme, which we thought was a lovely little town and really enjoyed the hotel we stayed in there. <BR>We drove one day on the Chianti (Hwy.??) <BR>and really loved the area around Castellina in Chianti.

Hi Leslie, <BR> <BR>How much did you pay for the Assisi tour? I might be interested.