Our trip to Italy
 

We just returned from a 12 day trip to Italy. Just thought I would post some thoughts:

Hotels - Our goal was moderately priced.

Venice - Residence Corte Grimani. Great place. Great location.

Florence - Hotel Casci - minimalist, but very nice. Would glady stay again.

Rome - Hotel Santa Maria (Trastevere area). Great hotel. The area is trendy and hip. 15 to 20 minute walk to anywhere, but the outdoor courtyard made it worth it.

What do we wish we would have done - spent a night and part of day in a small town. We spent a few hours in Orvieto and wish we had spent the night. Quiet and quant.

What are we glad we did?

- Florence - cooking class/wine tasting through Accidental Tourist.
- Hired a private guide w/ driver in Rome for a day. Expensive, but worth it.
- Near Florence is the town of Fiesole. We met a friend from Denmark who was staying at Frattoria de mani. You have to get into the countryside to get a feel for what is also great about Italy.

We are going to Italy in October and have toyed with the idea of hiring a private driver for a day. Who did you go to and do you mind me asking what you paid for that service?

Did you rent a car in Florence?

stacey,

FYI: Here's a link to a well-liked private guide in Tuscany used by many on this forum. His rates are posted on his website.

http://www.hillsandroads.com/

The Fattoria di Maiano http://www.fattoriadimaiano.com/en/ is some distance (3 kilometers or so from the center) from the center of Fiesole.

Pensione Bencista on Via Maiano in Fiesole: http://www.bencista.com/main.php
is very close to the center of Fiesole (1/2 kilometer away); the latter.

Both give you a taste of Tuscany in their country settings, although moderated by their proximity to Florence. I've visited both and once had a delicious dinner at Pensione Bencista while we were staying at a beautiful convent (now closed) in Fiesole.

While staying in Florence you can easily visit Fiesole by the city bus system. You will pass olive groves and some vineyards and many villas on the 25-30 minute ride.

I recommend catching the city bus (#7) where the route starts - at the train station - to be assured of getting a seat. It's a popular route with residents, visitors, and the students at the European University in San Domenico (the village below the hill to Fiesole).

Once in Fiesole, there are great vistas of the city of Florence and many other attractions. The buses run frequently in both directions and late into the night - until 11:30 or so - so you can have dinner there and the return to Florence if you choose.

Thank you for all the suggestions. It definately helps with the planning.

I would recommend that you contact Belt Limousene. We actually went through someone else that contracted with Belt for part of the trip.

The part with Belt was good.

I don't have the final figures on the cost (my wife does). Around $2,000. We had 7 people in a large van.

Met us in Rome, drove us to Venice. From Venice to Florence and then back to Rome.

We hired the driver because there were 7 of us. Our mothers both in their early 70's. Without them I would likely have used the trains. Very efficient, fast.