We will be traveling to London and Italy in June of 2005. Please tell me what your thoughts on this itinerary.

We will be traveling with another couple for the London and Venice portion of our trip and these are the cities they chose. After London and Venice, we will be on our own.

5 days- London / Ryan Air flight to Venice

6 days- Venice with 1 day trip to Vicenza/Padua

7 days- Lucignano [is near Arrezzo] We will rent a car to travel around Tuscany.

3 days- Lucca

3 days-Florence

Any suggestions for special sights not to miss would be appreciated!
Thanks! Laurie

There will be a whole lot of us who cannot mount a cogent answer because we are drooling in envy, over your having 24 days in paradise!

Prima! You'll love having the time to get to know where you are visiting.

I'm thinking you COULD visit Rome for a day (from Arezzo).

Or Trento (from Venice).

Best wishes,

Rex

Hi Laurie,

3 days is a lot of time for Lucca.

I would make that 2 days and add it Florence.

Actually, I would do Lucca as a daytrip from Florecnce, but that's just me.

I would stay 5 days at Lucignano and 5 days in Rome..
It is not worth to spend 3 days in lucca..as a day trip is fine.

We spent three nights in Lucca and were happy. We did a day trip to Montecatini, hiked in the hills around Lucca as well as the old walls of the city, and enjoyed the town. Of course, it is also ideal for a day trip to Pisa if you haven't done that.

Anyone who has only done a daytrip to Lucca has certainly missed much of its charm (but where isn't that true?).

How refreshing to see such a wonderful itinerary, that isn't clogged with trying to see 12 cities in 8 days.

Don't change a thing!!

I think it sounds like a wonderful trip and would leave it much as it is, perhaps taking 1 day from Lucca and adding it to Florence. Enjoy!

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions! We are really looking forward to this trip!

The reason we are staying 3 days in Lucca is because we are planning to day trip to Pisa and maybe even one day to the Cinque Terre. I would like to get to know the town of Lucca at night after all the other tourists leave.

Patrick, I have not heard about the town of Montecatini. I will try to learn a little more about it. Thanks for the idea.

By doing our daytrips from Lucca, I hope to spend all of our 3 days in Florence with maybe just one small trip to Fiesole.

Thanks again for your suggestions and encouragement. It is good to hear from the experts!
Laurie

Laurie, I just read your itinerary and to keep it simple, you like to travel like I do.

I believe you will have a fantastic journey. And do give us a trip report after you return and get settled in.

A wish for a beautiful and fun time to you both.

The joy of going to Italy is that you have an infinite number of options in planning an itinerary. Who's to say what's the best plan? Sure, none of us would create the same itinerary. But, hell,yours sure looks good. And, the more you continue to research, the more you'll fill in....and yes, maybe even change. Considering there's still almost six months until you leave, you've made a damned good start.
Now, will you take us along?

Laurie, don't get too excited by Montecatini. It is one of those spa towns, taken over by the old there to take the "waters". But it is a lovely spot nevertheless.

I think all your reasoning is very good.