Rome to Venice: B&B /Itinerary
Feb 27th, 2006, 04:29 PM
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Rome to Venice: B&B /Itinerary
We're landing in Rome June 21 and staying a few days, then we'd like to make our way to Venice. We prefer quaint B&Bs close to major attractions (yeah, me and the rest of the world!!). Any suggestions welcome.
Driving: Not crazy about trying to get out of Rome on our own steam with a rental car but would rather have own mean of transportation. Suggestions? Get out of Rome by train and rent a car somewhere else?Any advice on itinerary to Venice? Would also prefer not to have a car in Venice, but will need it again to make our way to Austria. Would it be preferable to keep and park it somewhere for 3 days? Exciting trip but overwhelming with details!!! Thanks for any help.
Driving: Not crazy about trying to get out of Rome on our own steam with a rental car but would rather have own mean of transportation. Suggestions? Get out of Rome by train and rent a car somewhere else?Any advice on itinerary to Venice? Would also prefer not to have a car in Venice, but will need it again to make our way to Austria. Would it be preferable to keep and park it somewhere for 3 days? Exciting trip but overwhelming with details!!! Thanks for any help.
Feb 27th, 2006, 05:43 PM
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What do you want to do between Rome and Venice that makes you want to rent a car instead of take a train?
There are no cars in Venice, so you can only park it. Might as well drop it off when you get to Venice and rent a new one 3 days later.
There are websites like B&B Italia that offer extensive lists of B&Bs.
There are no cars in Venice, so you can only park it. Might as well drop it off when you get to Venice and rent a new one 3 days later.
There are websites like B&B Italia that offer extensive lists of B&Bs.
Feb 27th, 2006, 07:35 PM
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B&B in Rome: Nicolas Inn (getting ever more popular so may be hard to get in). www.nicolasinn.com
B&Bs in Venice:
Ca'Turelli; book though www.veniceby.com
or my favorite,
Casa Martini; www.casamartini.it
B&Bs in Venice:
Ca'Turelli; book though www.veniceby.com
or my favorite,
Casa Martini; www.casamartini.it
Feb 28th, 2006, 05:28 AM
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Nessumdorma: Why a car? For the flexibility of stopping when you want where you want. I`m not a fan of seeing a country through a window and point at places where I would have like to see...You make it sound like there`s nothing much between Rome and Venice. However, maybe it`s the best way to travel. I really don`t know. I know that there`s no car in Venice (!), but was wondering if it was worth to park it for 3 days as opposed to pay a drop off fee, go through the process of renting again 3 days later and pay another drop off fee somewhere else when we don`t need it anymore. Suggestions?
Annabelle2: thanks for the suggestions; I`ll check it out.
Annabelle2: thanks for the suggestions; I`ll check it out.
Feb 28th, 2006, 05:43 AM
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AndieB
I think nessundorma questioned your choice of car because you provided no purpose for it besides getting from Rome to Venice. If we knew you planned to take a few days to do it, take side trips, explore off the main road, we would not question your choice. In order to suggest useful ways to pick up and use a car, it would be helpful for us to understand what you plan to do with it. Will you make this drive in one day?
I think nessundorma questioned your choice of car because you provided no purpose for it besides getting from Rome to Venice. If we knew you planned to take a few days to do it, take side trips, explore off the main road, we would not question your choice. In order to suggest useful ways to pick up and use a car, it would be helpful for us to understand what you plan to do with it. Will you make this drive in one day?
Feb 28th, 2006, 07:25 AM
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Sorry, Andie for not writing clearly. I did wonder if you simply planned to drive straight from Rome to Venice in a day. There is indeed a huge amount of things to see between Rome and Venice. It just wasn't clear to me from your first post how much time you had and what your interests are.
The first thing to decide is whether you want to see any towns between, say, Rome and Firenze, or Rome and Orvieto or Rome and Bologna -- or any other place with a car rental office outside of Rome. Because if you don't, it probably makes sense to take a train to, say, Orvieto, have a look at Orvieto (lovely) then rent your car there.
There are hundreds of marvelous B&Bs, farm stays and albergo ristorantes between Rome and Venice. Do you have any idea what route north you want to take? If you go through heavily touristed Tuscany in June, you might be safer booking in advance. If you go through Umbria and Emiglia-Romana, you may be able to wing it, although you should buy a book that gives you plenty of agriturismo (farm stay) choices, or print out lots of downloads from the web for B&Bs.
Regarding whether it is cheaper to park your car in Venice, or drop it off and rent a new one, I think probably latter, but I've never costed it out. But I'm sure you can easily find out the cost of parking in the municipal garages that serve Venice, and that a rental agency would give you comparison quotes.
Hope that helps.
The first thing to decide is whether you want to see any towns between, say, Rome and Firenze, or Rome and Orvieto or Rome and Bologna -- or any other place with a car rental office outside of Rome. Because if you don't, it probably makes sense to take a train to, say, Orvieto, have a look at Orvieto (lovely) then rent your car there.
There are hundreds of marvelous B&Bs, farm stays and albergo ristorantes between Rome and Venice. Do you have any idea what route north you want to take? If you go through heavily touristed Tuscany in June, you might be safer booking in advance. If you go through Umbria and Emiglia-Romana, you may be able to wing it, although you should buy a book that gives you plenty of agriturismo (farm stay) choices, or print out lots of downloads from the web for B&Bs.
Regarding whether it is cheaper to park your car in Venice, or drop it off and rent a new one, I think probably latter, but I've never costed it out. But I'm sure you can easily find out the cost of parking in the municipal garages that serve Venice, and that a rental agency would give you comparison quotes.
Hope that helps.
Feb 28th, 2006, 09:36 AM
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Dear Nessundorma,
Thank you - I realized that I wasn`t very clear in my first message. I guess it helps having more details! We really don`t have any plans or itinerary at the moment; we`re landing in Rome and than it`s pretty much "here we are, now what". We know we want to spend at least a couple of days to see the major attractions. We like having the freedom to stay wherever it stikes us on our way up north. I`m a bit worried about place to stay along the way, as you mentioned, but reluctant to book anywhere. However, I`m afraid that if we don`t have reservations, we may end up by paying more (yes? No?) We only know the exact dates we want to be Venice (June 25-27 or 27-29), whatever is in between is totally a mystery!! That`s why I`m relying on people with more experience with the region to tell me what`s the best route. We`re not particularly "crowd" people, so we'd rather see the country side than the bigger cities, but would make a detour if there`s a "Must-See" somewhere.
I appreciate all the help. Grazie!
Thank you - I realized that I wasn`t very clear in my first message. I guess it helps having more details! We really don`t have any plans or itinerary at the moment; we`re landing in Rome and than it`s pretty much "here we are, now what". We know we want to spend at least a couple of days to see the major attractions. We like having the freedom to stay wherever it stikes us on our way up north. I`m a bit worried about place to stay along the way, as you mentioned, but reluctant to book anywhere. However, I`m afraid that if we don`t have reservations, we may end up by paying more (yes? No?) We only know the exact dates we want to be Venice (June 25-27 or 27-29), whatever is in between is totally a mystery!! That`s why I`m relying on people with more experience with the region to tell me what`s the best route. We`re not particularly "crowd" people, so we'd rather see the country side than the bigger cities, but would make a detour if there`s a "Must-See" somewhere.
I appreciate all the help. Grazie!
Feb 28th, 2006, 10:43 AM
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AndieB, if you end up driving through Tuscany on your way to Rome, here is another B&B near Greve, in Chianti:
Podere Torre. Lovely and peaceful, in the vineyards about 10 minutes up a winding road from Greve.
You can access the website best through www.greve-in-chianti.com
Look for Podere Torre under B&Bs or rural accommodations or something like that.
As above poster mentioned, Umbria can be less crowded than Tuscany; I loved the place I stayed in Umbria but you need to book a week at a time...
Podere Torre. Lovely and peaceful, in the vineyards about 10 minutes up a winding road from Greve.
You can access the website best through www.greve-in-chianti.com
Look for Podere Torre under B&Bs or rural accommodations or something like that.
As above poster mentioned, Umbria can be less crowded than Tuscany; I loved the place I stayed in Umbria but you need to book a week at a time...
Feb 28th, 2006, 11:06 AM
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For a really nice B&B in Venice I can recommend
www.palazzoduodo.com
and there have been a few threads about it so you could try a search here too.
www.palazzoduodo.com
and there have been a few threads about it so you could try a search here too.
Feb 28th, 2006, 12:36 PM
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Andie,
The further east you go, the better luck you will have winging it.
I'm not looking at a map as I type, but if you were to start out in Orvieto and travel through Umbria and LeMarche, up toward Urbino, you will be seeing fabulously beautiful scenery, eating great food and taking the road less traveled -- at least less traveled than Tuscany.
From Urbino, you could head in the general direction of Ravenna, if you would like to see a fantastic art site, and from there move on to Venice.
I would recommend that you look toward staying in "agriturismos" or farm stays en route, because then you know you will have no trouble parking. There are books you can buy that list many, many such places for each province of Italy. (I got mine at Barnes & Noble, check their website.) Or you can check out recommendations on the Slow Travel website once you've decided which provinces you'll be in over the 3 days.
If you are extremely interested in graet art, you might pick an itinerary that takes you to Orvieto, then somewhere in the vicinity of Assisi, somewhere near Urbino, and somewhere near Ravenna. You can stay within a few miles of these small cities and easily make day trips into them to see the sights.
But if you are really not a crowd person and are more interested in fantastic scenery and out of the way places, you might consider heading from Orvieto toward Le Marche, beginning with the area near Monte Sibillini Park, then up through Le Marche (with it's many scenic fortress towns), and either into some of the farmlands of Emilia-Romagna (where I've never been) or up the Adriatic Coast. I can't recommend any good beach options on the Adriatic Coast, but there might be some. I've never really looked, but I hear it's overdeveloped and crowded in the summer.
To give you an idea of cost, I spent about 60 euros for a double at the Michelin-recommended Hotel Nene just a few kilometers from Urbino, and had one of the most memorable meals of my life in its restaurant. The Hotel also has a pool. High season may tack 20 euro onto the price of a room, but that price is typical for the countryside of Le Marche.
If you'd like to get an overview of Le Marche, check out the Marche Voyager website.
But you can find charming small towns and good food in Umbria and even Tuscany (especially northeast Tuscany) that are far from being overtouristed. (In Umbria, you might want to stay in the vicinity of Assisi, but visit a less touristed town instead).
As long as you make sure to stop for lunch between 12:30 and 1:30 you won't starve. Don't let your gas tank go below half.
If you haven't made your Venice hotel reservations yet, you need to do that first.
Hope that's a start.
The further east you go, the better luck you will have winging it.
I'm not looking at a map as I type, but if you were to start out in Orvieto and travel through Umbria and LeMarche, up toward Urbino, you will be seeing fabulously beautiful scenery, eating great food and taking the road less traveled -- at least less traveled than Tuscany.
From Urbino, you could head in the general direction of Ravenna, if you would like to see a fantastic art site, and from there move on to Venice.
I would recommend that you look toward staying in "agriturismos" or farm stays en route, because then you know you will have no trouble parking. There are books you can buy that list many, many such places for each province of Italy. (I got mine at Barnes & Noble, check their website.) Or you can check out recommendations on the Slow Travel website once you've decided which provinces you'll be in over the 3 days.
If you are extremely interested in graet art, you might pick an itinerary that takes you to Orvieto, then somewhere in the vicinity of Assisi, somewhere near Urbino, and somewhere near Ravenna. You can stay within a few miles of these small cities and easily make day trips into them to see the sights.
But if you are really not a crowd person and are more interested in fantastic scenery and out of the way places, you might consider heading from Orvieto toward Le Marche, beginning with the area near Monte Sibillini Park, then up through Le Marche (with it's many scenic fortress towns), and either into some of the farmlands of Emilia-Romagna (where I've never been) or up the Adriatic Coast. I can't recommend any good beach options on the Adriatic Coast, but there might be some. I've never really looked, but I hear it's overdeveloped and crowded in the summer.
To give you an idea of cost, I spent about 60 euros for a double at the Michelin-recommended Hotel Nene just a few kilometers from Urbino, and had one of the most memorable meals of my life in its restaurant. The Hotel also has a pool. High season may tack 20 euro onto the price of a room, but that price is typical for the countryside of Le Marche.
If you'd like to get an overview of Le Marche, check out the Marche Voyager website.
But you can find charming small towns and good food in Umbria and even Tuscany (especially northeast Tuscany) that are far from being overtouristed. (In Umbria, you might want to stay in the vicinity of Assisi, but visit a less touristed town instead).
As long as you make sure to stop for lunch between 12:30 and 1:30 you won't starve. Don't let your gas tank go below half.
If you haven't made your Venice hotel reservations yet, you need to do that first.
Hope that's a start.
Feb 28th, 2006, 12:43 PM
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Before I forget: Here is a link to a marvelously warm, family-run B&B and eatery in Montefalco (Umbria) that not many people know about, but which makes its own olive oil.
http://www.frantoiobrizi.it/
And in answer to one of your previous questions, if you are "winging it" you always run the risk of ending up paying through the nose if nothing else is available. But unless you are forced to resort to a five-star in Perugia out of sheer desperation, you are unlikey to get stuck with anything more than double your budget for a night. If these 3 days that you are traveling are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you should either book ahead or carry a cellphone with you so you can start calling ahead (out of your agriturismo book!) by midday.
http://www.frantoiobrizi.it/
And in answer to one of your previous questions, if you are "winging it" you always run the risk of ending up paying through the nose if nothing else is available. But unless you are forced to resort to a five-star in Perugia out of sheer desperation, you are unlikey to get stuck with anything more than double your budget for a night. If these 3 days that you are traveling are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you should either book ahead or carry a cellphone with you so you can start calling ahead (out of your agriturismo book!) by midday.
Mar 1st, 2006, 04:44 AM
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Oh Nessundorma... A start?? Looks like you planned my itinerary and it sounds exactly like what I want to do. You`re a gem. Can I bring you along?!!! Sounds like you travelled quite extensively in those areas. I do like art but for me, I like to see a country through the people who inhabit it. I stumbled by accident on an "agriturismo" place yesterday and thought it was a great way to go. Glad you mentioned it. I`ll check out the place you recommended. As much as I want to wing it, I have visions of having to sleep in the car on the side of the road! I may have more questions for you when I have a better idea of what you`re suggesting (I don`t have a good map with me).
Many thanks also to Julia T and Annabelle. Keep those ideas coming!
Many thanks also to Julia T and Annabelle. Keep those ideas coming!
Mar 1st, 2006, 04:58 AM
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Another little countryside B&B near Urbino is Villa Federici in a village called Bargni - it's such a marvellous place! I've been there only once, and ever since planning to return, and I've never made it (you see, nessundorma, I'm obviously too often in Venice!): http://www.villafederici.com/
The website is not half as good as the place itself, but it might give a first impression... and their restaurant is very good, too!
The website is not half as good as the place itself, but it might give a first impression... and their restaurant is very good, too!
Mar 1st, 2006, 05:08 AM
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Nessundorma,
You have helped me YET again....how did you know I was looking for a wonderful place to eat in Montefalco???We will be there for a stay in October and now I know where we will enjoy what I know will be a great meal...Thank you!
You have helped me YET again....how did you know I was looking for a wonderful place to eat in Montefalco???We will be there for a stay in October and now I know where we will enjoy what I know will be a great meal...Thank you!
Mar 1st, 2006, 05:45 AM
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Fantastico! Everybody's happy!
AndieB,
Of course I'm happy to come along! I'll meet you at Tazzo d'Oro in Rome. Don't worry about having to sleep in your car. Six Italian grandmothers will put their own children out on the sidewalks before they let that happen.
franco,
Get busy planning your return to land of Montefeltro, with its many historic and charming hilltowns.
Here's a fabulous place to eat (and sleep) the next time you are in Urbino
http://www.neneurbino.com/
Also, I've heard good things about this Locanda:
http://www.vallenuova.it/
Villa Federici looks really nice and the location is ideal if you want to see the fortress towns of Le Marche. I'll have to remember those fireplaces if I'm in the vicinity in colder months. I don't know if you like trufffles, but the town of Acqualagna near Villa Federici is reputed to have the very best truffles in Italy, and perhaps Europe. The time to go is November.
Traviata,
Please give my regards to Emmanuella Brizi. On the website she says "You come as a guest and leave as a friend" and it's really not hype.
AndieB,
Of course I'm happy to come along! I'll meet you at Tazzo d'Oro in Rome. Don't worry about having to sleep in your car. Six Italian grandmothers will put their own children out on the sidewalks before they let that happen.
franco,
Get busy planning your return to land of Montefeltro, with its many historic and charming hilltowns.
Here's a fabulous place to eat (and sleep) the next time you are in Urbino
http://www.neneurbino.com/
Also, I've heard good things about this Locanda:
http://www.vallenuova.it/
Villa Federici looks really nice and the location is ideal if you want to see the fortress towns of Le Marche. I'll have to remember those fireplaces if I'm in the vicinity in colder months. I don't know if you like trufffles, but the town of Acqualagna near Villa Federici is reputed to have the very best truffles in Italy, and perhaps Europe. The time to go is November.
Traviata,
Please give my regards to Emmanuella Brizi. On the website she says "You come as a guest and leave as a friend" and it's really not hype.
Mar 1st, 2006, 06:39 AM
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Traviata,
another wonderful place where to eat in Montefalco is the Coccorone restaurant. I've posted about it in another thread that you already know, though it has become a quite long thread: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34757496 - in my first entry there, you'll find two of my three favourite Umbrian restaurants, one in and one near Montefalco! (The third is the extremely basic "Taverna Castelluccio" in, of course, Castelluccio, which is quite another direction, though.)
And nessundorma, thank you for the Brizi advice, I'll try that when returning to my beloved Bevagna (another reason why I never came back to the Villa Federici - I just can't refrain from spending my time around Bevagna/Montefalco, my most beloved region in Italy).
another wonderful place where to eat in Montefalco is the Coccorone restaurant. I've posted about it in another thread that you already know, though it has become a quite long thread: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34757496 - in my first entry there, you'll find two of my three favourite Umbrian restaurants, one in and one near Montefalco! (The third is the extremely basic "Taverna Castelluccio" in, of course, Castelluccio, which is quite another direction, though.)
And nessundorma, thank you for the Brizi advice, I'll try that when returning to my beloved Bevagna (another reason why I never came back to the Villa Federici - I just can't refrain from spending my time around Bevagna/Montefalco, my most beloved region in Italy).
Mar 1st, 2006, 06:52 AM
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Ah yes, AndieB, and re: your question about car parking in Venice - if you mean to keep the car while being in Venice, I strongly suggest to park it at the parking garage opposite the Mestre rail station - the price is only 4,50 Euros per day there (which is about a quarter of what you're paying in Venice/Piazzale Roma). I found it through the owners of my favourite Venice apartment who have a map included on their website showing precisely how to get there: http://www.rosadivenezia.com/en/index.htm, click "prices and reservations", click "pdf-document" (sorry, their website doesn't assign web addresses to the single pages of the site...). From there, you can either take the train (approximately every 10 minutes) to Venice (15 minutes away), or the - cheaper - bus no. 2 which stops right across the street from the garage and ends at Piazzale Roma (10 or 12 minutes).
Mar 1st, 2006, 07:01 AM
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Franco,
When I was at the Coccorone in October, I noticed they now have rooms to let.
I don't necessarily recommend that as an option for you, AndieB, because parking in Montefalco is difficult. However, if you can call ahead and book a room at Frantoio Brizi, the family will save a parking space for you.
Also, daytrippers to Montefalco are well advised to buy a bottle of wine but drink it when they get back to their hotel or the US. It is perhaps the strongest wine in Italy. I wouldn't want to have to drive after drinking it. (I stayed at Frantoi Brizi.)
I'm glad franco can remember his meal at Coccorone. I can't.
Franco, Frantoio Brizi is in a particularly charming part of Montefalco, where the convents and tiny churches are. Take a moment to tour the family olive oil mill, which is both historic and utterly modern. It's just down in the basement.
When I was at the Coccorone in October, I noticed they now have rooms to let.
I don't necessarily recommend that as an option for you, AndieB, because parking in Montefalco is difficult. However, if you can call ahead and book a room at Frantoio Brizi, the family will save a parking space for you.
Also, daytrippers to Montefalco are well advised to buy a bottle of wine but drink it when they get back to their hotel or the US. It is perhaps the strongest wine in Italy. I wouldn't want to have to drive after drinking it. (I stayed at Frantoi Brizi.)
I'm glad franco can remember his meal at Coccorone. I can't.
Franco, Frantoio Brizi is in a particularly charming part of Montefalco, where the convents and tiny churches are. Take a moment to tour the family olive oil mill, which is both historic and utterly modern. It's just down in the basement.
