Mid Sept to Mid Oct.<BR><BR>Arrive Rome: 4 nights (first I expect will be spent recovering from jet lag)<BR>Train to Cinque Terre: 4 nights<BR>Train to Florence. Rent car. Stay in Florence or drive to Siena: 1 night<BR>Drive to villa near Lake Trasimeno: 8 nights<BR>Drive to villa near Greve: 7 nights<BR>Drive to Florence (ditch car): 3 nights<BR><BR>My questions: Enough time in Florence and Rome? Too much time in Cinque Terre? Obviously we mean to rest and truly vacation while in Umbria and Tuscany but I'm a little concerned with driving around to see other places like Pisa, Volterra, Siena, Montalcino etc. How difficult is it to drive around these areas? How much time should we allow to drive say 10km, 30km? How fast km/hr do people generally drive? Is it warm enough to swim in Umbria and Tuscany in late Sept.?<BR><BR>I really appreciate any comments and advice. This is our first trip to Europe. Our goals are to stroll and look and relax.<BR><BR>Thank you.<BR><BR>Allison

Can't answer for your entire trip but was in CT for two nights in Nov. which was plenty given it was off season. If anything 3 would be the most i would recommend. Keep in mind in CT the main attraction is the hiking between towns.But I found 2nites(2.5 days enough). We also picked up our car at florence airport. It's easy and fast however i do not recommend u drive into florence. Stay clear of major cities. I would take the car to Sena and park outside of the walls. Driving in Chianti region is not bad but be careful Italains drive real fast and on turns u will finf them in your lane even if there's solid lines. I drove to San G. and it was not hard. Signs in Italy are great.but i recommend u drive in daytime and avoid nites unless u know the roads well. Driving is a expierience and at 4 dollars a liter for gas u want to enjoy it.

your time in Rome and Florence looks fine as long as u don't plan on day trips out of florence.

Driving around Tuscany isn't difficult. Navigating your way from point a to point b -- THAT can be a challenge! Secondary roads (which is everything else except the Autostrada) are not as well-marked as you may hope for. Make sure that prior to departure, you & your navigator know what towns/villages you'll be traveling past so you can be assured of heading in right direction. Italy is not big on east/west/north/south signage. More like, you head towards Pisa (western part of Tuscany). Definitely bring a map with you. Michelin's are good choice.

Hi Allison! In '92, my husband and I spent 10 days in Italy. We spent 2 nights in Rome ( I had been before and just wanted to show him highlights) and we picked up the car and drove to San Gimignano. We got lost twice in Rome and then missed out turn on the autostrada. We spent 4 nights in Tuscany and visited a different hill town or two each day. Italian drivers are fast and very aggressive, but my husband is also fast and aggressive, so he fit right in. We were lost in a turn around, and he just charged right out. You have to watch closely for signs, or you will miss them in a hurry. I navigated as he drove....quite stressful. Finding our villa was a challenge as there are many signs with arrows, but it is difficult to know for certain, which road the arrow is intended for. Once you get the hang of it, it is not so bad. We, then, drove from Tuscany to the Cinque Terre for 2 nights. We stayed in Levanto which was a greatlocation. We walked to the train station in the am and hopped to the first village. We hiked the 2 easy hikes and then took the train. It was in Sept, and it was HOT. Two nights was pushing it-tho I have relatives in the area, and we visited a little with them. I think 3 nights would be good and maybe 4 a little much unless you stay put in a village or two for a while or venture out a little further. We will be there in June and we are going to try Portovenere this time. I envy the amount of time you will have in Tuscany. This trip will be 19 days for us but we are moving around a lot..Next one, we'll stay put in Tuscany!<BR>Let me know if I can be of addl assistance. TheTraveler

Hi, I was in Italy in Sept. and only got to spend 2 days in the Tuscan region and that was in Montalcino...it was fabulous. I would highly recommend going there and if you like wine, try to get a tour of the Banfi castle. It was great! If you really like wine, take an extra suitcase...it is so cheap you will want to bring back as much as possible.

Hi, Allison. We are planning a trip to Tuscany in early July, and I was curious to know about the villa near Greve. Is it a private villa, or available for public bookings? Any info would be helpful. Also if you know where to find info on Tuscan wineries open to the public, that would be great!<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR>Mary