Avinash

15 days in Italy
2 Couples - All are Architects. Since, we all are Architects, we would like to see and explore the Architecture and Culture in Italy.
MILAN - 4N, VENICE - 2N, FLORENCE - 3N, ROME - 3N, CAPRI - 2N - ROME TO INDIA

OUR PLAN - Road trip in between cities
1. Milan to Venice
2. Venice to Florence
3. Florence - Lucca - Pisa - Chinque terre - Florence
4. Florence - Rome
5. Rome - Capri
6. Capri - Rome Airport.

We would like to rent a car from one destination to another. We won’t be keeping the car once we reach our destination. We prefer hop on - hop off bus (except in Venice and Capri) for sightseeing.

Want advice regarding
1. Destinations between two cities, where we can take a sightseeing break. (Can be off the route). Example. Florence - San Gimignano - Siena - Rome.
2. Will the raod journey be economical as compared to train.

bilboburgler

Really gret question, never seen it done but I think you will be hit by a bunch of charges and time wasted hanging around car pick up places.

My gut says take the train as it is dead easy, takes you centre to centre and if booked now or soon reasonably cheap.

Cars are so last century.

Anyone else?

bilboburgler

"great" would be a better word.

The only time I might use a car is on the Florence/Siena/CT bit and even then doubtful, though if you add St Gim it makes more sense.

bvlenci

I agree with Bilbo. For most of your trip, a car would only be a nuisance. Between Milan and Venice, and on the tract from Venice-Florence-Rome-Naples, the train is much faster, and when you figure in car rental costs, fuel, parking, and tolls, it may even be cheaper, especially if you buy tickets far enough in advance to get good discounts.

If you do get a car, don't even consider driving it into the city centres, because all of the cities have large limited traffic zones, where only residents, and delivery and public service vehicles can circulate. It's very easy to make a wrong turn and end up with the car being photographed, which will result in a fine that follows you home, and a penalty charge to your credit card, from the car rental agency, for helping the authorities find you.

Finally, a car will hold four people and their luggage only if you greatly restrict the amount of the luggage.

For the Tuscany part of your trip, a car rental might be useful. However, you're trying to see an awful lot in 15 days.

The Hop-on, hop-off buses are not very useful in cities like Rome and Florence, because there are so many places where they can't go. Florence is very compact, and you can easily walk around the entire center. Rome is larger, but the central part, where most of the tourist sites are, is also pretty compact. Between walking and using the metro for the more distant things, you really are better off not using the tour buses, which can't get very near many of the things you'd want to see.

neckervd

Which kind of architecture are you particularly interested in:
antiquity, medium age, arab, renaissance, classicism, baroque, Mussolini area, Palladio, modern?
Italy has all of them

sandralist

In addition to spending hours dealing with car rental pickus and drop-offs, it can get extremely expensive to both take the train and then rent a car, especially if you are paying to do both on the same day.

So I would say make up you mind whether you want to drive or use the trains (and fill in with drivers for some places). But don't try to do both. If you decide to rent the car, face the fact that you will need to pay for parking at the edges of the city and DO NOT attempt to drive within the cities.

I also think you need to be more specific about what interests you most as architects. There is a lot of extremely interesting architecture from all eras between Milan and Venice, but if you are mainly interested in Renaissance architecture, then no point in lingering in the north. In addition, some of the remote and extremely touristy places you are planning to go have no architecture of any particular distinction (le Cinque Terre, Capri and I would even say San Gimignano) and taking time to get there is really going into eat into the time you have to "explore the architecture and culture of Italy". There are better ways to make use of your time if those are your priorities.

kybourbon

>>>We prefer hop on - hop off bus<<<

Not practical in many Italian cities. The historic centers are pedestrian so a hop off bus would only skirt the edges. In Rome, they have limited where they can stop.

>>>Since, we all are Architects, we would like to see and explore the Architecture and Culture in Italy.<<<

Do you have a specific list of buildings you want to see in each city on your list? I think your number of nights in each needs adjustment.

MILAN - 4N, VENICE - 2N, FLORENCE - 3N, ROME - 3N, CAPRI - 2N - ROME <<<

You don't really have time for this list. Two nights somewhere only gives you one sightseeing day. You haven't factored in the time it takes to get places. Capri is not so easy to reach. From Florence, it will take at least half a day or more. It doesn't make sense to go to Rome twice (wastes time). You need to put all of your Rome stop at the end to make it easy to catch your flight. I think you need to drop several locations (most likely Capri as it's an outlier in this itinerary and CT which would take 5+ hours to reach from Venice).

As for a car, you can't drive in Venice or Capri at all. Florence, Rome and Milan all have ZTL. In the cities with ZTL, you would have to find parking outside the ZTL which will cost 30-40€ per day. Essentially, you will be paying for a car rental and parking charges for a car to just sit quite a bit.

nytraveler

A couple of notes:

I would do trains except for the time in Tuscany. A car is not practical in cities, will just sit in a garage paying the car rental rate plus $40 per night for the garage. (Venice has no streets and the other cities have pedestrian centers in which you cannot drive a car and you can't take a car to Capri.)

Not sure why so much time in Milan versus Venice or Rome or Florence - unless there are a number of architectural must sees. It is primarily a business city and many of the buildings are more modern than traditional architecture you will find in other places.

It would help to know what type of architecture you are most interested in - to help focus the trip.

vincenzo32951

I think he/she said they would drop off the car at each destination, so there would be no parking/storage charges. Not that traveling by car is necessarily a good idea, in any case.

Milan has some great architectural sites, old and modern.

kybourbon

>>>I think he/she said they would drop off the car at each destination,<<<

Thanks. I didn't catch that when I first read the OP. That makes it just as impractical though. The extra hassle of getting to and from rental locations, standing in lines to get a car that many times and to return it would waste a lot of time.

>>>15 days in Italy<<<

You only have 14 nights listed so you can't possibly have 15 days in Italy. You only have 13 days to see things when you don't count your arrival and departure days. You've listed 10 cities/towns to see in that amount of time. You are really underestimating the time it takes to get places, check in/out of hotels, orient yourself to new towns and find your way to the things you want to see. Try to narrow it down to "must sees". Let each couple make a list as your list might be quite different from theirs.

BAHItaly

Ambitious..we have to most all the cities but not in one trip. My husband has driven all over Italy so can be done just better wear your aggressive alpha driver hat.
Easy to get around with GPS. Actually some crime in train ares. Always be vigilantThey do drive fast and will blink their lights for you to get out of the way. But we like the freedom and less scheduling. Hopefully, you will see Pompie the first PUD. We were hesitant to go to Naples; however, that's where the museum is that holds the Pompein artifacts and mummified people. Just No Jewelry, dress down. Capri is quite touristy we adored Sorento for a breather.
Amazing trip!,another thought, all vehicles are small. We had 4 in a Mercedes which you need for the size and the power. Do not go cheap on that,, very little luggage and a lot of movement so pack light must have carry on size only. Otherwise there could be some frustrated travelers and who is going to try to fit everything in car. tourists do not dress up in Italy!
Some place it's well worth 1/2 day tours with small groups( 5-10)We use Presto tours with American guides so we could understand most beneficial at Vatican, Appion Way and catacombs
Not sure about 4 nights in Milan. To me seems mostly a modern city except for Lords Last Supper fresco in small venue and only boll owed in room for about 10 minutes and of course the enormous duomo. So much more to see in other cities, towns and countryside. We fly in there, napped, ate, spent next AM at those sights and then left in late afternoon to siesta levant.
Enjoy!!

TDudette

Agree about trains. Please check out Rome's TRAM system--DH and I went all over the city using them and they aren't well-publizied IMO. The newer lines have electronics showing all station names. Very easy.

I also agree about 4 nights in Milan being too long (unless you have business there). Take 2 for other places.

Mimar

There are a number of villas and building by the architect Palladio around Vicenza, west of Venice. Here's a website: http://www.italia.it/en/travel-ideas...an-villas.html. A car would be useful for visiting the villas.

Venice is fascinating for architects. Just the issues of a city with no roads, no vehicular traffic, walkways and the canals only. And how did they make those buildings look so light, like they're floating on the water?

Plus of course the Renaissance architecture of Florence.

In general, I have to agree. If you give a list of Italian cities you want to visit, then a train between makes the most sense. If you buy the tickets early, like 60 to 90 days before you travel, you can save a lot.

Avinash

Hi All

Thanks for your suggestions,

Avinash

BAHItaly

For me, there is so much more offer in all the other cities than Milan. We only spent one night. Saw what we wanted to see the second day and headed off to Chinqa Terra but you are going to Venice. While the roads are decent, there is much traffic so allow more travel time. Make certain your car is powerful enough or you will be over ran by zeal eat Italian drivers and commercial trucks. In other words, do go cheap on car.
I would suggest going to Capri the restful part, after Florance cause it's tiresome just because the historical city is overwhelming with art and architure. Somewhat similier to Rome so break in between will desirable. Then you already be in Rome for next adventure. We stayed in Soerrento in amazing hotel in hillside(name?)
Another alternative to Capri would be a Tunscany villa again for a well deserved break. I adored that more than Capri/Sorentto which are are touresrty.
Seine is outstanding but most of all, please go to Pompie!!
While my husband did not mind driving, it is stressful since little signage and few rules and lots of scooters and motorcycles. Might nice to consider some trains.
Also, remember small cars, small luggage. Can have some things washesd at hotels or get an apt with w/d.