usvi-on-line
Italy questions
Italy questions
My daughter has asked me to go with her to Italy this year. I know, after reading Gromit's trip report that I'm listening to everyone's concerns. But we really do get along traveling pretty well. I simply have no expectations and do whatever she wants. Afterall she's been to Europe many more times than I have.
She is arranging the Rome itinerary, since she has a friend there studying art. She is arranging a few other destinations. My job is to arrange the Tuscany itinerary and the Florence itinery.
Since so many of you have been there several times, what are your favorite sites and places to stay in Tuscany area and Florence. Note that we get Starwood discounts or Marriott discounts. But would prefer local establishments in Tuscany for sure.
Also, we're debating on whether or not to include the Cinque terre area. Wondering if it's adding too much to the two weeks.
We will be renting a car after Rome. But will be getting rid of it in Florence before heading back to Rome to fly home.
She is arranging the Rome itinerary, since she has a friend there studying art. She is arranging a few other destinations. My job is to arrange the Tuscany itinerary and the Florence itinery.
Since so many of you have been there several times, what are your favorite sites and places to stay in Tuscany area and Florence. Note that we get Starwood discounts or Marriott discounts. But would prefer local establishments in Tuscany for sure.
Also, we're debating on whether or not to include the Cinque terre area. Wondering if it's adding too much to the two weeks.
We will be renting a car after Rome. But will be getting rid of it in Florence before heading back to Rome to fly home.
Number 1: you will be shocked at how fast two weeks goes!! We had a week in Tuscany alone and still didn't get everywhere we wanted. It was so cool to see the tower in Pisa and stroll the surrounding streets for a bit.
We loved San Gimingano (I don't think that's the perfect spelling)and Lucca a lot. We spent a brief few hours in Florence, but we much preferred the smaller towns in Tuscany. We opted not to go to Rome and instead did Venice and some of the lake area. Just leave plenty of time for wandering the streets of the towns in Tuscany and stopping to have a glass of wine or browse a shop or two. That part is truly amazing and really says "Italy" to me!
Enjoy your trip! We plan to return some day and I'd love to take my parents with us!!
We loved San Gimingano (I don't think that's the perfect spelling)and Lucca a lot. We spent a brief few hours in Florence, but we much preferred the smaller towns in Tuscany. We opted not to go to Rome and instead did Venice and some of the lake area. Just leave plenty of time for wandering the streets of the towns in Tuscany and stopping to have a glass of wine or browse a shop or two. That part is truly amazing and really says "Italy" to me!
Enjoy your trip! We plan to return some day and I'd love to take my parents with us!!
Nic,
I know, two weeks isn't enough. But since she's still working and I'm not retired quite yet, well we'll take what we can get.
With your comments, Cinque Terre is definitely out of the question. Rome for a few nights (Free at the St. Regis!) Tuscany, and the Florence is all we should be planning for.
Any recommendations on places to stay in Tuscany?
I know, two weeks isn't enough. But since she's still working and I'm not retired quite yet, well we'll take what we can get.
With your comments, Cinque Terre is definitely out of the question. Rome for a few nights (Free at the St. Regis!) Tuscany, and the Florence is all we should be planning for.
Any recommendations on places to stay in Tuscany?
-
sailorgirl
- Posts: 1644
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:03 pm
Terry I can give more details later but for now:
Are you renting the car to drive to Florence? If you are not staying at a hotel and they don't "clear" you car with the police you have to be very careful about driving into the center of Florence.
The Cinque Terre is a bit out of the way from Florence - if you are training it I usually advise against it - as you will spend half a day getting there and half a day getting back.
We can definitely help you with suggestions on what to see, where to go, and where to stay - in Florence and around Tuscany. I second Lucca - I think it is a great day trip. Siena is also - and there are a hundred smaller places in between.
Anyway feel free to ask more specific questions and also make sure you see my websites about Florence:
http://www.florence-on-line.com/
http://www.florence-journal.com/
There is a lot of good stuff in both of them. I have asked my better half to respond to you too about accommodations.
PS - there is a Westin in Florence in a great location - if you could stay there for free, I would not pass it up!
Are you renting the car to drive to Florence? If you are not staying at a hotel and they don't "clear" you car with the police you have to be very careful about driving into the center of Florence.
The Cinque Terre is a bit out of the way from Florence - if you are training it I usually advise against it - as you will spend half a day getting there and half a day getting back.
We can definitely help you with suggestions on what to see, where to go, and where to stay - in Florence and around Tuscany. I second Lucca - I think it is a great day trip. Siena is also - and there are a hundred smaller places in between.
Anyway feel free to ask more specific questions and also make sure you see my websites about Florence:
http://www.florence-on-line.com/
http://www.florence-journal.com/
There is a lot of good stuff in both of them. I have asked my better half to respond to you too about accommodations.
PS - there is a Westin in Florence in a great location - if you could stay there for free, I would not pass it up!
Anthony for Virgin Islands On Line
Hi Anthony,
I always hate to bug you cause I know that you're extremely busy.
We were going to rent a car to get around Tuscany. Does that seem like the mode of transportation for that area? We don't have to ditch the car in Florence, we could ditch it around Tuscany and take a train to Florence.
Suggestions on Tuscany accommodations would be wonderful. B&B's preferred, or small inns.
Thank you!
I always hate to bug you cause I know that you're extremely busy.
We were going to rent a car to get around Tuscany. Does that seem like the mode of transportation for that area? We don't have to ditch the car in Florence, we could ditch it around Tuscany and take a train to Florence.
Suggestions on Tuscany accommodations would be wonderful. B&B's preferred, or small inns.
Thank you!
-
Travelinmom
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 11:13 am
- Location: New York
Tuscan trip itinerary
Hi,
You will have the greatest time in Italy, but be sure
to spend the majority of the time in Rome (at least 6
days). I would spend 2 days in Sienna, 2 days in
Florence and 2 days in Venice. You can arrange side
trips to Pompei or the Isle of Capri while you are stayingin Rome.
I suggest taking the train to Florence and Venice as it is quite easy and fast. A good web site to find a hotel in Italy is venere.it They have the greatest maps that show where the hotels are located.
I also suggest you visit the travel forum for Italy
and read up on the recommendations as we do for St John.
Have fun!
Travelinmom
You will have the greatest time in Italy, but be sure
to spend the majority of the time in Rome (at least 6
days). I would spend 2 days in Sienna, 2 days in
Florence and 2 days in Venice. You can arrange side
trips to Pompei or the Isle of Capri while you are stayingin Rome.
I suggest taking the train to Florence and Venice as it is quite easy and fast. A good web site to find a hotel in Italy is venere.it They have the greatest maps that show where the hotels are located.
I also suggest you visit the travel forum for Italy
and read up on the recommendations as we do for St John.
Have fun!
Travelinmom
A car for Tuscany does afford a lot of freedom - but - if you are staying in Florence, then the train to Lucca, Prato, etc. and the bus to Siena are not only fun and economical, but everyone gets to see the countryside and you don't have to worry about driving and parking. That being said - you can't get to the little hill towns in Chianti or south of Siena etc. as easily - it may be a good idea to have the car for a couple of days, and use the train for some of the other things -
Terry wrote:Hi Anthony,
We were going to rent a car to get around Tuscany. Does that seem like the mode of transportation for that area?
Anthony for Virgin Islands On Line
Hi - Anthony's "Better Half" here... I'll give you my two cents too...
I would recommend taking the train from Rome to Florence. Use Florence as your Tuscany homebase. Then once in Florence, take day trips to all the surrounding cities, towns and villages you'd like to see - Siena, Arezzo, Pisa, Lucca and Bologna are all easily reachable from Florence by bus or train within about an hours ride. (The buses and trains are easy, clean, comfortable and relaxing - as opposed to trying to drive in unknown cities which can be stressful.)
For seeing Chianti and smaller hilltowns such as San Gimignano, Greve in Chianti, Panzano or Volterra (only a few examples of the many spots worth a visit) I would rent cars for the day, or for a few different days. Rental cars are easy to pick up in the middle of Florence (and by just doing daily rentals when needed, you will save yourself the trouble of night-time parking - expensive because you have to park in a garage - and potential traffic tickets - since much of Florence center is basically off limits to cars and set up for pedestrian traffic only).
To select a place to stay within Florence, I would recommend using your points to stay at the Westin. It's a great location and a great hotel - we have had friends stay there and they love it every time.
If you want something a little less corporate and more "local", I will PM you with some other ideas...
Hope this has been helpful, it's just my thoughts... and of course there are a million ways to see Florence and the rest of Tuscany...a place where I don't think you can ever go wrong no matter what you do! Let me know if I can help with anything specific down the road...
Ciao, Ellen
I would recommend taking the train from Rome to Florence. Use Florence as your Tuscany homebase. Then once in Florence, take day trips to all the surrounding cities, towns and villages you'd like to see - Siena, Arezzo, Pisa, Lucca and Bologna are all easily reachable from Florence by bus or train within about an hours ride. (The buses and trains are easy, clean, comfortable and relaxing - as opposed to trying to drive in unknown cities which can be stressful.)
For seeing Chianti and smaller hilltowns such as San Gimignano, Greve in Chianti, Panzano or Volterra (only a few examples of the many spots worth a visit) I would rent cars for the day, or for a few different days. Rental cars are easy to pick up in the middle of Florence (and by just doing daily rentals when needed, you will save yourself the trouble of night-time parking - expensive because you have to park in a garage - and potential traffic tickets - since much of Florence center is basically off limits to cars and set up for pedestrian traffic only).
To select a place to stay within Florence, I would recommend using your points to stay at the Westin. It's a great location and a great hotel - we have had friends stay there and they love it every time.
If you want something a little less corporate and more "local", I will PM you with some other ideas...
Hope this has been helpful, it's just my thoughts... and of course there are a million ways to see Florence and the rest of Tuscany...a place where I don't think you can ever go wrong no matter what you do! Let me know if I can help with anything specific down the road...
Ciao, Ellen
Ellen for Virgin-Islands-On-Line.com
I hope you didn't have your purse stolen.
Ellen and Anthony...I can't thank you enough and will surely have more questions. Plus would love to take you to lunch in Florence if you have time...Boccadama? Pm me
Anyone stayed at the Casa Portagiola in Tuscany? Good, bad, any feedback is good. If not, what B&B did you stay at?
Trip advisor is good, but you folks are so much better.
Ellen and Anthony...I can't thank you enough and will surely have more questions. Plus would love to take you to lunch in Florence if you have time...Boccadama? Pm me
Anyone stayed at the Casa Portagiola in Tuscany? Good, bad, any feedback is good. If not, what B&B did you stay at?
Trip advisor is good, but you folks are so much better.
When you say you are doing a Chianti tour do you mean you plan to, or have something specific picked out? There are several ways to go - a real tour with a guide, probably in a minivan so they are driving and you can taste or have lunch with wine without worry - renting your own car and setting up a visit(s) before via phone and email, or just driving yourself from town to town and vineyard to vineyard.
All are great -
I have only had a couple of "formal" tours - one was at Castello di Verrazzano which was very good. We did the short tour, but the longer one has lunch and probably would have been great.
http://www.florence-journal.com/florenc ... stell.html
I also have had many impromptu visits - which can be really fun. You never know what you are going to find and taste and have had some people invite me to lunch on the properties just because I showed up and was interested in their wine.
Or you can just hit some of the main wine towns like Greve and Gaiole, etc. and visit shops and taste there, etc.
See this page http://www.florence-journal.com/florence/italian_wine/ for lots of ideas - most of the wines mentioned there I think I have been to the vineyards. There is also some more info here http://www.florencewinemerchants.com/ especially for Rignana which is one of my favorites. If you call them you can probably set up a tour.
All are great -
I have only had a couple of "formal" tours - one was at Castello di Verrazzano which was very good. We did the short tour, but the longer one has lunch and probably would have been great.
http://www.florence-journal.com/florenc ... stell.html
I also have had many impromptu visits - which can be really fun. You never know what you are going to find and taste and have had some people invite me to lunch on the properties just because I showed up and was interested in their wine.
Or you can just hit some of the main wine towns like Greve and Gaiole, etc. and visit shops and taste there, etc.
See this page http://www.florence-journal.com/florence/italian_wine/ for lots of ideas - most of the wines mentioned there I think I have been to the vineyards. There is also some more info here http://www.florencewinemerchants.com/ especially for Rignana which is one of my favorites. If you call them you can probably set up a tour.
Anthony for Virgin Islands On Line