Hi all

I am in the process of preparing my Italy itinerary for late May early June next year. We are 3 adults and will be travelling from Paris to Rome where we have booked 4 nights. My original thoughts were 3 nights in Tuscany on the way to Florence - 4 nights in Florence including a day trip to Lucca 1 night in Venice (or possibly only a day trip) ending with 2 nights in CT.

My first plan was to hire a car in Rome and take the scenic route via Lake Bolsena to Orvieto - have lunch here and wander around the historic centre for an hour or two and then head to Montepulciano (or there abouts) for 2 nights. Allowing a day trip to see Montalcino stopping to see Pienza and San Quirico d’Orcia on the way. We would then travel to Siena and stay somewhere around here for 1 night to visit Siena and San Gimignano.

We could then either have 4 nights in Florence and do a day trip to Venice or alternatively on the day we drop the car back in Florence take the train to Venice allowing for a late afternoon arrival and a overnight stay. Then leave late the next afternoon back to Florence.

I do appreciate that this is quite rushed and we would only get an hour or two at each place. Being from Australia we are more than used to travelling long distances in a day and would expect to be on the road early and arrive at our destination late in the afternoon/early evening.

I have to say that we are not art/museum buffs and prefer nature and history so one less night in Florence could work and allow for the overnight in Venice.

Another option that may work better is to change it up and go from Rome to Venice and then do Florence, Tuscany and into CT.

So take the train from Rome to Venice for 1 night - arrive about 11.30am and leave for Florence late the next afternoon allowing us to enjoy the evening in Venice when the crowds are less.

3 nights in Florence including a day trip to Lucca. Then hire a car to drive to Siena (or there abouts) for 3 nights
allowing a day trip to Montepulciano and the other small towns nearby and a 2nd day trip to Volterra and San Gim.

From here the plan would be to make our way to La Spezia/CT either by train and leave the car at Siena or drop the car at Pisa or possibly La Spezia ( I haven't researched this last leg). This would allow us 3 nights in CT. We will then be taking the train to Nice.

If I do option 2 will I be missing anything of special importance by not driving between Rome and Montepulciano?

I do appreciate that I could probably do all of this by train but I particularly want to see some of the Tuscan towns that are more difficult to get to without a car.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
kb2509

Edited title from 'Itaky' to 'Italy' and added country tag.

With apologies, I’m not sure I understand your plan. I think one option you are contemplating is:
Rome, 4 nights
Tuscany (outside of Florence), 3 nights
Florence, 3 nights
Venice, 1 night
The Cinque Terre, 4 nights
BUT that’s 16 days (15 nights), not 14, so I'm reasonably sure that I’m mistaken. Perhaps you can clarify?

And a second option:
Rome, 4 nights
Venice, 1 night
Florence, 3 nights
Tuscany (outside of Florence), 3 nights
The Cinque Terre, 3 nights
That would be 15 days (14 nights), so again, I’m confused.

Personally, I would not try a day trip from Florence to Venice … so I’ve listed an overnight in Venice when presenting what I think you are considering. With a day trip, you would be visiting that magical city with hordes of others. And IME, part of the magic of that city is seeing it in different lights and roaming in the evening or early morning. YMMV.

I don’t understand why you would end in the Cinque Terre, nor do I understand your planned sequence under either scenario. Will you be going to Nice after Italy not matter what plan you choose? Why France to Italy and back to France? Why bounce around in Italy? Maybe I simply haven’t understood.

A car would be a benefit for exploring Tuscany. I would consider it a hindrance for any of the other places you are considering. I’d look for options to pick up as you leave for Tuscany and drop it off ASAP upon leaving that area, making sure you don’t have it while in Florence.

Whichever option you choose would be very rushed, but you already know that.

I hope that helps!

Venice for a single night is not worth doing. It would be like doing a single day in Melbourne or Sydney.

I'm having a hard time following as well.

Have flights been booked? If not, then you have the time and ability to make adjustments. Consider booking open jaw (or multi city) in one city (i.e. Rome/Venice) and home from your last point (France?).

Venice for only part of one day would be an utter travesty, imho. There is much more to it beyond San Marco. And since so many only go for a rushed day trip, you'd be sweating alongside all of them to see the same things. Do not underestimate how the lines are in San Marco, for instance.

Other than Tuscany countryside, I agree, having a car is unnecessary for much of this trip.

Remember that to have a full day of sightseeing in a place, you need to spend 2 nights there. Three nights is 2 full days and so on.

It seems like a lot of travel with a little holiday thrown in. Enjoying Italy is about interacting with Italians, seeing their art and their nature. Not driving in a steel box along the autostrada.

Do you know what a ZTL is?

Hello from another Australian. Have you travelled in Italy before? It will be very different from a driving holiday here. I think you are seriously underestimating how long everything will take. Things to consider are the language issues, getting lost, finding parking etc. Stopping for fuel, meals, toilets enroute will take more time than you expect. Also one night somewhere is not really worth it, even with 2 nights you only have one full day. I'd suggest reducing the number of places you have in your plan.

Thanks to everyone and sorry for the confusion. My husband and I are travelling in France first whilst my daughter is in London. We will meet in Paris and then fly to Rome. We will have 14 nights in total in Italy and then head to Nice where we have 4 nights. My daughter will then fly back to Melbourne from Nice and we will continue our French holiday and fly home from Paris.

We will only be wanting the car the Tuscany portion of the trip and plan to use trains everywhere else. I am aware of the ZTL zones and will certainly research them more before leaving.

I am trying to stick to at least the 3 night recommendation as much as possible to help with the packing and unpacking.

My main query was between option 1 and 2 - going from Rome to Venice then Florence, Tuscany and CT or Rome to Tuscany, Venice, Florence and CT.

I feel option 2 may be better but I was just trying to find out which option was perhaps more scenic.

Cheers

CT it depends on the weather and how many tourists there have been. If a lot of rain and a lot of tourists then avoid, it can be a mud bath. Early June is not early in the CT season. I prefer taking the boats along the coast visiting places rather than climb into the hills.

The trains basically go Rome, Florence, Venice or Rome, Florence, CT, Venice. Can you fly to or from Venice at the start or end of the trip. Going onto Nice just complicates this model but fine you will have to back track somewhere.

Venice needs a bare minimum of two nights, but really more

@Bilboburger - I have already booked the flight from Paris to Rome as when I was looking there wasn't really many flights from Paris to Venice. I could see what options go from Venice to Nice.

Not sure where you looked but checking a random day next May I'm seeing 10+ flights between Paris and Venice. Some from CDG some from ORY. Easyjet, AF and others. Other days are similar.

Venice to Nice Easyjet used to fly that route but I think they no longer do.

If you plan to visit Nice anyway, you could go by train from Paris to Nice, may be Paris dp 17.21 - Nice ar 22.57 (it will not get dark before 10pm in May) and then proceed slwwly along the Riviera up to 5Terre. From there you could go to Pisa - Lucca - Florence, do your 2days trip to Venice and visit finally Southern Tuscany on your way to Rome.

Lots of good comments. I would just add that getting to Nice will likely be a near-all-day thing unless you ended in Rome and flew from there. Any other starting point, either by train or plane, could easily take 5+/6+ hours. A flight from FCO to Nice is less than 90 minutes. For low-cost airlines, you need to check all the details... which days of the week they fly, which airport they use, what the luggage limits/fees are.

Considering the geography you're trying to cover in 13 days/14 nights, I'd seriously reconsider the Cinque Terre in this trip. If the CT is non-negotiable, re-ordering your route and taking the evening train from Paris to Nice that neckervd suggested is definitely worth considering. Or fly from Paris to Venice and end in Rome.

You admit this is rushed, so why do it? Do fewer stops so you can actually enjoy the places and have time to see things. As many have advised, a day trip to Venice is a bad idea. Since the flight to Rome is already booked and you are not art buffs, a more enjoyable itinerary might be:
4 nights Rome
4 nights in Tuscany
3 nights Florence
3 nights Venice
Fly from Venice back to France