Traveling in Tuscany
 

Six of us are making our first trip to Italy next month - and I am completely overwhelmed in getting things planned! We fly into Milan, and are taking the train to Venice for 3 days. The plan is to then take the train to Florence for 3-4 days and then train to Rome for 3 days and back to Milan to fly home.
QUESTION: Our grandparents are from Pistoia, Fuimalbo and Tori - all in Florence/Tuscany region. Is it better to stay in Florence and take day trips out? Can you rent a car easily for just a day to make the trips? Does anyone have a good suggestion on where to stay while in the Florence region. Thanks so much for the help!

If you want to have a car, and make trips every day, don't stay in Florence. There are incredible restrictions--and associated high traffic fines--for driving a car without a permit into the center of Florence. And driving in Florence is pretty bad anyway.

If you only want a car for one day, you might rent in Florence. I'd probably rent the car at the Florence airport--it's only 15 minutes from the center and you'd avoid all the craziness.

I have to admit I don't know where Tori and Fuimalbo are - Fiumalbo is near Modena, far from Florence. So you should certainly stay outside Florence if your focus is outside - as the poster above notes, driving in Florence can lead to costly mistakes. You can indeed rent a car but you might be better off renting a car with a driver then a lot of stress and lost time will disappear. I know for a fact that this driver does the kind of trip you are planning: http://www.greve-in-chianti.com/taxi.htm The same web site - http://www.greve-in-chianti.com/ lists many inexpensive places to stay although note that Greve is south of Florence, not in the direction of Pistoia. There are far fewer agriturismi and B&B in the area of Pistoia because it is less attractive than Chianti.

Thanks for the info Toscoman....

Many times a three day car rental will be about the price of a one day rental.