Vanessa

Looking forward to a weeks vacation in Tuscany without children. Could you reccomend key points of interest and a clean safe place to stay? We will have a car. Is Rome out of the question? We love shopping, wine and dining.

paul

go to your computer and use google for tuscany info. go to your library and look thru back issues of the major travel magazines--everybody writes about Tuscany and the area is very broad. You can easily come north from Rome by train and rent a car in a larger city. check hilltowns and italy on google. have a wonderful time and while checking Tuscany also see Umbria and Lazio.

Jan

Wow, sounds like a great trip! Can I come?! ;-)<BR><BR>I have a couple of questions: Have you been to Tuscany before? Why must you have a car? I am a huge car fan, but not for Rome. This is what I would suggest without further information. Ditch the car and use the train. Do Rome and Florence. Save the many wonderful, smaller, hilltowns for another time. They are very easy to do with kids and with a car. With just a girlfriend, I would concentrate on art museums, shopping and WINE (oh, and of course, eating!).<BR><BR>In Florence, we have stayed at Il Giglio which was very good, and Mario's which was fine (and has parking) although the host's charm could use some buffing. Both are three stars and reasonable. In Rome, we have stayed at Modigliani's which was small but spotless and the staff were super. Just above the Spanish Steps, which is near great shopping and central. I would stay in that area again.<BR><BR>Cheers,<BR>Jan

Vanessa

Thank you for your reply. You given me some great ideas!<BR>We had planned on renting a car for the hill towns but hmmmmm. we may need to rethink that.

Alice Twain

If you want to see the hill towns that you will need a car. no doubt. You just do not need a car in Florence or Rome. With only one week, I would limit my destinations to two: spend three days in Rome and three in Florence, three in Rome and three in the hills or three days in Florence and three on the hills (the seventh day will be for getting off and on the plane!). If you try to do too much you risk not having the time to see anything.