Need help with travel logistics Tuscany to Alsace, etc
 

We are just starting to plan our 2-3 wk trip for sometime in May of 2014.

Right now, the logistics of getting from point “A” to “B” and lodging in Pienza is where I need assistance.

We want to start in Rome (4-5 nights) and end up in Paris (4-5 nights.)
We’ve been to Rome but not Paris.

Two stops in between would tentatively be Pienza (3-4 nights to see that area by doing day trips).

We’ve been to Umbria, so Tuscany this time.

I chose Pienza because I’ve read that it is reasonably flat and easy to walk around. I’d like to find a hotel that has free parking at the hotel or very nearby that doesn’t require long walks back & forth just to park the car.
We would like to walk to different restaurants nearby for dinner each evening but not have to climb a hill to get there!
The hotel must have an elevator & A/C. Now that we’re older it is harder for us to navigate stairs (esp. w/luggage) and longer distances to walk.

We would probably take the bus from Rome to Siena and pick up a rental car there. Is that the best way?

Next area of interest is Alsace (3-4 nights)…not sure of the logistics of getting there from Tuscany…any suggestions?
Maybe drive to Florence, drop off car and fly or train to somewhere in Alsace and pick up another car maybe in Colmar or Strasbourgh?

Then the final step will be getting to Paris from Alsace. We could probably drop car & take a train or?

I would appreciate your input. You were all very helpful the last time I planned a trip. In fact, if it hadn’t been for your help, I would have canceled the entire trip!

Check for possible flights from Rome, Pisa or Bologna to Basel on EasyJet.

There is a high speed train between Strasbourg and Paris. There are rental cars at the train station in Strasbourg.

>>>I chose Pienza because I’ve read that it is reasonably flat and easy to walk around. I’d like to find a hotel that has free parking at the hotel <<<

In Pienza, the historic center (flat) is pedestrian only. It takes all of 5-10 minutes to walk from one end to the other. There are apartments and a hotel or two in the historic center (Relais Il Chiostro is one), but would not have parking.

The surrounding new town is also flat and very small. There are several hotels at the edge of the old town that have parking. It would take 1-5 minutes walk (several just involve crossing the street). There are a couple with pools also so it would depend on which amenities you desire.

Piccolo Hotel (1 minute walk to historic center)
http://www.piccolohotellavalle.it/homepage.aspx?Lang=2

San Gregorio (1 minute walk to historic center)
Their website doesn't seem to be working at the moment.
http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/resi...egorio.en.html

Hotel Arca di Pienza (5 minute walk)
http://www.arcadipienza.it/en/

Hotel Rutiliano (5 minute walk)
http://www.albergorutiliano.it/intro.en.php

Hotel Corsignano is also at the edge, but I don't think it has parking although you might find some street parking and there is a paid lot within a minute or two walk of the center.
http://www.hotelcorsignano.it/hotel.aspx

You could train from Rome to Orvieto or Chiusi to pick up a car (depends on day of week/time). Siena (also depends on day/time) is past Pienza and would involve backtracking if you picked up a car there.

thanks for the info! Easyjet has nonstop from Rome to Basel. Really didn't want to go back to Rome to fly north...maybe I'll just skip Pienza and go straight to Basel (for Alsace)and just do 3 places on this trip. Or I could substitute Provence area for Tuscany...too many decisions.