Here is a tentative itinerary for me and my wife leaving this summer. This is open to changes and suggestions. We have purchased tickets already flying into and out of Rome June 4-June18. Your inputs would be highly appreciated. Thanks!<BR><BR>June 5-7 As soon as we arrive Rome, take train to Florence; spend 2 nights. On 3rd day, get a car and drive to Tuscan Cities<BR><BR>June 7-10 Spend 3 nights in Tuscan countryside (any suggestions as to which city?). On last day, return car, go to Pisa, see Leaning Tower and take train to Cince Terre region.<BR><BR>June 10-12 Relax in Cince Terre. Any suggestions on which of the 5 towns we should stay in? <BR><BR>June 12-14 From Cince Terre, take train to Venice. Stay in Venice. On last day, take night train back to Roma.<BR><BR>June 15-17. Rome. Site see etc. <BR><BR>June 18 leave for U.S.

My first suggestion would be to make a list of sites that are &quot;must sees&quot; in Rome and Florence. That list will give you a good idea of the number of days to spend in each city.<BR><BR>Keep in mind that depending on your flights times, you really can't count on the first and last days to see much of anything.<BR><BR>My next thought would be to eliminate Venice so that you don't exhaust yourselves. You could do two days in Rome, then drive through Tuscany for three days, spend two days in Florence, three days in Cinque Terre and end up in Rome for another two days.<BR><BR>Have fun planning.

Here's my two cents worth,<BR>June 5-7 As soon as you arrive Rome, rent car and drive to La Badia Abbey outside Orvieto. Not a long drive at all. Spend 2 nights. It has a pool and is a nice base to visit Assisi. Nice place to unwind after a long flight. They have a terrific restaurant at the Abbey.<BR>On 3rd day drive to Siena via Pienza, Montalcino and Montepulciano.<BR>Eat pecorino cheese in Pienza. It is now our cheese of choice.<BR>June 7-9 Spend 2 nights in Tuscan countryside. My choice Palazzo Ravizza in Siena (see your other post for information.<BR>June 9 - 12 - Drive to Florence and dump car. We stayed at Hotel Hermitage on the Arno. Great rooftop place to relax in late afternoon sipping wine after a long day of sightseeing. Be sure to visit Il Latini for dinner one night. A blast. <BR>June 12-14 Train to Levanto &quot;gateway to Cinque Terre.&quot; Relax in Cinque Terre. I'd stay in Levanto (Villa Margherita. I left you info on your other post. Or try Porto Roca, a hotle above Monterosso.<BR>I agree to bag Venice on this trip. Too much.<BR>June 14 or 15 take train from Levanto to Roma and have fun. We stayed at Hotel Locarno. Nice three star.<BR>June 15-17. Rome. Site see etc. <BR>June 18 - Be sad, be very sad, because you will want to stay longer.<BR>Tom

Oh I forgot. When using Siena as base, go to San Gimignano, crowded but a must see. Then take a gorgeous drive to Volterra. Old ruins, Etuscan museum and far from the maddeing crowd. have a picnic by the castle.

Terrific trip Tom !<BR>It sounds like you have done it before.<BR>Hard to improve on this one. The best ideas--forget Venice this time, and do Rome last.

I would never consider eliminating Venice!! But I would change the order of things. Either go to Venice after Florence and before the Cinque Terre, or better yet do Rome first after arrival, then Cinque Terra, Florence and Tuscany, then Venice, and return to Rome for a final night from Venice before flying home.<BR><BR>San Gimignano would be my choice as a base for a few days of exploring Tuscany -- a great place to return to each evening.

Message: Terrific trip Tom !<BR>It sounds like you have done it before.&gt;&gt;<BR><BR>Bob, we did it, only in reverse and because we had a few extra days we included Venice, which I am so glad I did. In 2001 my wife &amp; me along with another couple spent 17 days in Italy.<BR>Here is our itinerary<BR>Flew to Milan<BR>Drove to Cinque Terre - 2 days in CT<BR>drove Florence - dropped car<BR>3 days in Florence<BR>Train to Venice<BR>2 days Venice<BR>Train to FL - picked up car<BR>2 days Siena<BR>2 days Umbria<BR>drove to Positano<BR>2 days Positano<BR>drove to Rome (via Pompei)<BR>dropped car<BR>4 days Rome<BR>I liked starting in the CT because there were no big ticket items I had to see right away. Just beautiful hiking in an area that I musty return to in the near future. I'm usually ready to come home after this long a trip, but i could have stayed in Italy forever. Tom