MartiB

After much input from various people on this board (thank you!), I pretty much have everything in place for my boyfriend's surprise trip to Italy. For those who didn't see my previous post, this will be a 9 day trip on the first week of November. Since this is a surprise, and I can't ask him for any input, please check out the itinerary below and let me know if you think that I've allotted enough time for the following....

Rome - 3 full days - arrive Saturday morning - leave on Tuesday morning - take train to Bologna

Bologna - 2 full days - arrive Tuesday morning - leave on Thursday morning to go to Pienza - (while in Bologna, would love to fit in Parma and Modena as side trips - is that doable or too much?) - He is a chef, so Bologna is a must

Pienza - 2 full days - arrive on Thursday morning into Chiusi - pick up rental car - drive to various towns close to Pienza

Leave on Saturday morning - drive to Orvieto - drop off the rental car in Orvieto - spend the day - take an early evening train to Rome.

Spend Saturday night and Sunday day in Rome, and take early evening flight back home to NY on Sunday evening.

What do you think? Too much?

sjj

I think you should reconsider your itinerary. Four cities is way too much for 9 days. Also, is there any way of flying into a northern Italian city (Milan?) and flying back to the US from Rome? If you did that, you'd eliminate a lot of internal travel in Italy.

monicapileggi

I was going to suggest starting from the north too. Maybe fly into Milan and change plans to Bologna.

I really enjoyed my day trip to Ravenna from Bologna!

Monica

Italy 2006 journal, which includes Bologna and Ravenna: http://www.luvtotravel.homestead.com/ItalyJrnl06.html

Jean

I agree with sjj. If you haven't bought your air tickets, see if you can fly into Milan and out of Rome. Alternatively, when you arrive in Rome, fly immediately to Bologna and leave all your time in Rome to the end of the trip.

MartiB

Thanks for replying! Unfortunately, I've already purchased airline tickets, reserved and paid for rooms, as well as the car rental, so the itin will have to stay as is....But now, I'm getting worried that I've stretched it a little too thin. Is it possible to spend a bit of time in both Parma and Modena, with Bologna as the base, over a 2 day period? or would that be too rushed?
I could probably change the car rental drop off from Orvieto to Chiusi, so that we have a few more hours in Tuscany, but we would still need to take the train back to Rome from Chiusi on Saturday.

jabez

I'll be finishing the last leg of this trip to Italy at the same time. I hope all goes well.
Ok,I'd do this all a bit different.
Arrive in Rome and head north. Normally,I wouldn't spread myself so far in such a short time. If,however, these are "musts",I'd head to Bologna first.
It will be a long day, but staying in Rome, going north and then staying again in Rome really wouldn't work for me. Since you arrive in the morning, training to Bolgna should work fine.

9 days=8 nights.
Two nights in Bologna.

Pienza -two nights

Leave car in Orvieto and train to Rome.

4 nights Rome.

I think Bologn is okay, and has great food. I think that you can find amazing restaurants in Tuscany and Rome (or Florence for that matter). I just don't think Bologna is your best option gor such a short schedule.
What restaurants are musts in Bologna? I'd check and make sure that they are opened the days you arrive.
Because of the short days, your schedule really should be rethought.
With the short days, you will finf that you will see your days fly by in Tuscany. By the time you get to Pienza, the day is at least half gone.
Bologna in a nice city, but unless you skipTuscany and fly open-legged, I just don't get it.
Run a Google search on "world best restaurants" and you'll find most lists have more Rome and Tuscan reataurants that the restaurants in Bologna.
I'm sure your boyfriend can be more than overwhelmed in great food without Bologna.
There's is a reason most of us that travel often to Italy don't continue to place Bologna on their lists of where they always return to.
Save it and Parma (or even all the way up to Torino) for another foodie trip.

Jean

Well, if it's all bought and paid for, I'm not sure how our opinions will help. Anyway...

I wouldn't try for Parma and Modena in the same day. I'd pick Parma unless you own a Ferrari. I'd skip time in Orvieto for more time in smaller towns. Drop the car off as late as possible in either Chiusi or Orvieto and train to Rome in time for a late dinner. But that's just me.

bobthenavigator

Why Chiusi--that is an extra step. Just get the car in Bologna and drive to Pienza--it is not difficult. I would stop in San Gim. or Siena enroute.

MartiB

Thanks for the tip bobthenavigator. Do you know how long the drive is from Bologna to Pienza? Thanks!

daveesl

Just a thought, since your trip isn't until November, the hotel and car rental should be easily changed, with a slight or no additional fee.

The airfare is stuck, but you could do AirOne to Milan and then begin your trek back towards Rome. It's a great drive, do Autostradas when you want to boogey and do the side roads to relax. Car rentals don't really increase much between 3-7 days. 1 day is going to be the same as 3.

One of the reasons is that you are going to have 4 nights in Rome, but split between 2 visits. You can probably find a better deal with 4 straight nights, maybe even consider an apartment, which would probably be less than a hotel anyway.

You say Bologna is a must, but in reality you are only giving yourself 1.5 days max. Arrive Tues morn, leave Thurs Morn. Don't forget it takes time to check in and out of hotels.

dave

ira

HI M,

I also suggest getting the car in Bologna.

You can plan your route at www.viamichelin.com

What draws you to Modena or Parma over Bologna?

I would also spend a day in Orvieto.

Enjoy your visit.

MartiB

*sigh* I really just want to do EVERYTHING! ;-) I'll just have to reconsider. At this point, based on your suggestions, I will now be picking up the car from Bologna (rather than Chiusi) and driving to Pienza - neither of us speaks Italian, so hopefully this will be doable and uneventful.
I'll try to move things around to add a day here or there.
As far as visiting Parma or Modena, we can probably scratch that too, although knowing my bf, we'll probably have to go to one of those cities. Which one would would you recommend? Thanks for all your input!

bobthenavigator

MartiB,
map.google says 2:26 and 231 KM.
I would exit at Certosa exit just south of Florene and take the big road to Siena but exit at Poggibonsi Nord and follow signs to San Gim. As you leave there head south to connect with S-68 and then follow S-2 to Monteriggioni. This will take you 3 hours or more, but Pienza will only be an hour further. Have fun !

hazel1

MartiB - I think you can do most of what you want. The trip on a Eurostar train from Rome to Bologna is less than 3 hours - you could leave Tuesday morning on the 7:30 or 8:30 train and get to Bologna by 10:12 or 11:12 respectively. Spend the day in Bologna, eat great food, go to Parma or Modena on Wednesday (but not both), come back to Bologna, eat more great food, then pick up a car and drive to Pienza on Thursday. Spend Friday in/around Pienza, drive to Orvieto on Saturday, see Orvieto, turn in car, train to Rome in early evening. Dinner in Rome on Sat. night, see a little bit more of Rome on Sunday and return home.

It's a bit rushed for the way I generally like to travel, but I did do a one day & overnight stopover in Bologna on the way from Florence to Venice a couple years ago, and had a fabulous time there. Wasn't too keen on the idea at first, but was glad that we did it.

monicapileggi

There is lots to see and do (and eat) in Bologna, so please don't reduce your time there.

You're getting lots of good suggestions.

Monica

SusanP

I agree that it's too much, but if everything is paid for, I'm not sure how much we can help. Are your hotels really paid for and nonrefundable? That's rather unusual.

You keep saying "full days," counting the travel days. These won't be full days in your new place. It takes time to check out of the hotel, get to the train station or car rental place, travel the distance, check into the new hotel.

You really only have a day and a half in both Bologna and Pienza. I don't think you have time for a daytrip from Bologna, but would also suggest either Parma or Modena, not both. Actually, if you like amazing mosaics, I would choose Ravenna. I had planned to go there from Bologna in July but didn't because I wasn't feeling well, so I have to go back! Skipping a daytrip from Bologna would help a little bit to reduce all the moving around.

Pienza itself could you keep you busy for the day and a half you have there. I stayed there for three nights without leaving, and although I took my time, there's a lot more there than you can see in the two hours most people allocate to that town. Of course, it's also a great base to see other towns.

Orvieto is great, but I would skip it and go right to Rome Saturday morning to give you a little more time there. There is so much to see in Rome!

MartiB

After much begging on my part to the airline to change the flights, and emails back and forth to hotels, etc.. I was able to add one more day/night to each city - so now doing....3 nights in Rome / Bologna / and Pienza. Probably still not enough time to do everything, but better than the day and half that I had allotted previously. I'm skipping Orvieto altogether. Thank you for all of your suggestions!
Would be happy to get your thoughts on any day trips, or any "shouldn't miss" sights or restaurants. As I said previously, my bf's a chef, so our basic reason for traveling (anywhere) is to eat.
Thanks again!