Canadians....first time outside of NOrth America. That in itself is scary. Our itenrary so far is as follows:
Arrive Rome - Rome 3 days. Rent a car, drive to LaSarcina (highly reommended - comments?). Do day trips for 4 days. Do we go to Florence or save it for another trip? Do we take the train from Siena to Venice (we depart from Venice). Would it be better to train from Rome to Siena and rent a car from there? The car issue is my final planning step and has me stumped......
Friendly Canadian eh?!

I would not take the train at all. I don't know where la Sarcina is but if it's in Siena, I would just take a train from Rome to Siena, and do day trips from Siena by using local trains or buses. YOu can also take a train from Siena to Venice but you have to change. I would not miss Florence, it's very very beautiful and you can see its essentials in one day IMO.
Check www.trenitalia.com for train schedules.

Congratulations Mishka! You'll love Italy...
We have followed this itinerary almost exactly. We were in Rome for 3 days, took the train to Chiusi where we picked up our rental car (Autoeurope). La Saracina (my favorite place!) is about a 30 minute, easy drive from the Chiusi train station. You will pass Montapulciano on the way to La Saracina. Day trips from La Saracina: Montapulciano, Pienza, Montalcino, Sant'Antimo (Abbey), San Quirico, Siena (to name a few). You can return the rental car to Chiusi and take the train from there to Venice. This is an easy, relaxed way of navigating through the car/train details. The kind, helpful ladies at La Saracina will help you each morning over breakfast with daily plans, maps, times, suggestions as well as arrange dinner reservations based on what you're in the mood for & budget. Happy travels! Hope this is helpful...

Hi Mishka,

I picked up my car in Chiusi too (Avis through Autoeurope), but would have preferred not to have to take a taxi to the rental office which was quite a distance from the train station.

Picking up in Orvieto is MUCH easier and makes the drive only slightly longer. You might take the chance to see Orvieto, one of my most favorite towns! Besides, the drive from there on is beautiful and easy!

You could drop in Siena. The train to Venice will involve going through and probably changing trains in Florence.

La Saricina looked wonderful from the outside. I didn't take time to go in.

Buon viaggio!

Hertz now has a rental office on the square where the train station is - according to Autoeurope - which should avoid the taxi to the Avis office scenario.

Sorry - I should have added that Hertz now has a rental office by the train station in Chiusi (I just rented from Autoeurope & will be using this Hertz location). We've also rented at the Orvieto location - it's not bad, but is a longer drive which, now with the Chiusi rental worked out, I didn't find was necessary.

hi Mishka--did not read the replies, so sorry if I am duplicating.... We took a very similar trip in reverse a few yrs ago--landing in Milan and staying there just one night to recover from jet lag, then a train to Venice for 2 nights and most of 3 days, a train to Florence where we rented a car--there are many rental agencies close to the train station--and stayed 4 nights in Tuscany in a small village. On one of our days there we drove to Siena for the day-- returning the car back to Florence at the end of that time, and then a train to Rome for 4 nights, and back to the US. It worked out very well. We did not see Florence, deciding to save it for a future trip. We arranged it in that order, in part, to avoid driving in or around any major cites. It remains one of our best trips ever--cannot understand why it took us so long to go to Italy!! BTW, I totally relate to travel anxiety but the outcome is generally worth the nerves!!

Hi M,

I would drive the car to Venice and drop it there or at Mestre and take the train into Venice San Lucia.

Thank you everyyone for your replies...and help! You have indeed made the final stages of planning much simplier (and I feel more relaxed!). I am so giddy about this trip I am making people sick!! THanks everyone -- I promise a detailed trip report upon my return!!!
Mishka from Canada

In the past, I've posted a driving itinerary through the Val d'Orcia - where la Saracina is located. Click on my name and try to find it. We've stayed at La Saracina twice - for 4 days each. It's our favorite hotel in Italy. Lucky for us, our closest friends purchased an apt in San Quirico - just 20 mins west of La saracona, so we now go there quite often to vacation in this region. I have more info on day trips in the area - e-mail me at [email protected] if you want a copy of my 20+ page Italy itinerary - with a heavy dose of Tuscany.

Stu Dudley

I need some help. I am planning a trip to Italy (have been there before) and want to stay in Tuscany, and I think in Monetepulciano, and take day trips from there to Florence, Sienna, etc.
Will be coming to Tuscany from stay in Rome. My question is whetehr to take train from Rome to Florence and ent a car there and drive to Montepulciano or just rent a car in Rome and drive from there. How far of drive is it from Rome to Montepulciano? My recollection is tht it is about two hours drive from Florence to Montepulciano, is that right or is it farther? Recommendations?

Thanks,
Tom

Tom

Take the train from Rome to Orvieto. Visit Orvieto. Pick up a car in Orvieto & 1 hr later you will be in Montepulciano.

You could also take the train to Chiusi - and 15-20 mins later you will be in Montepulciano.

Stu Dudley

Stu...thank you very much for your advice. But do youknow how long the drive would take from Rome airport to Orvieto or Monetpulciano?
Thanks, Tom

Hi S,

See www.viamichelin.com and www.mappy.com for driving directions.

Train from Rome to Orvieto is 1 hr.
See www.trenitalia.com

It takes 1 1/2 hrs to get to Orvieto from the Rome airport - a little longer on work days. From Orvieto to Montepulciano it's another 50 mins. Add 10 mins from the freeway to/from the Orvieto train station

Stu Dudley