Italy - Need help planning trip - Florence, Tuscany, Cinque Terre or Amalfi, then Rome.

You say 10 days including travel time. I assume that means you will be departing on Day 1 with an overnight flight, arriving on Day 2, and then departing on Day 10? That means you have 8 nights.

If you are okay not doing a lot of museums, I'd suggest skipping Florence (or visiting it as a day trip). Its main draw is museums, and while it is a beautiful city to wander around, so are many other of the places on your list.

Since you'll have a car, I'd recommend selecting a location in Tuscany, maybe one of the towns on your list, or maybe an agriturismo in a good central location, and use that as a base to explore wherever you want to go. Then drop the car someplace where you can catch a train to either Amalfi or Cinque Terre, and then train from there to Rome. You won't need the car except to explore Tuscany.

Also, to save time, consider night trains from either Cinque Terre or Amalfi to Rome.

I've been to Cinque Terre but not to the Amalfi coast, so I can't advise you on which you should do and which you should skip. Except that the Amalfi coast is a long way from Tuscany.

Count nights, not days. That's the only way you can plan accurately for your time on the ground.

Thank you for the quick response. Yes. We don't plan on doing tour guides - and visiting a lot of museums. I do want to spend at least a day if not 2 in Florence. Again same for Rome. Would like more of a day trip. So only plan on staying 1-2 nights -- since we are departing from there. We arrive in Florence very early in the morning. And we are okay with taking a night train to a destination.

Yes. Since we would like to see a lot of small towns within Tuscany. We do plan on renting a car. But also open to suggestions as far as taking the rail. Ex. If we do Cinque Terre - do we take the train there from Florence then pick up a car? and if we do Amalfi, where should we ditch the car? and where can we take the Train into Rome. Heard we DO NOT want a car in Rome.

Also should we be concerned with the weather if we go to Cinque Terre?
Another reason I'm wondering if we should do Amalfi.

You don't need a car at all, except for exploring Tuscan hill towns, which is possible without a car but much easier with one. Since you're set on staying in Florence, rent a car there for a day or two to do your hill town exploring, and return it to Florence. There's no reason to use the car to get to your next destination.

Whether you go from Florence to Cinque Terre or to the Amalfi coast or to Rome, the train is the way to go.

I don't know what the weather will be like in fall.

I agree with Ron about first seeing Florence for minimum of 2 touring days.
Then rent the car upon leaving town, dropping 20-30 miles south around Poggibonsi to stay at an agriturismo or bed and breakfast.
While you will intend to see all the hilltowns on your list, you certainly won't make them all. I'd say to try hard to see San Gimignano, Volterra and what your time allows. You will certainly not be able to make Amalfi or Civita.
After your Tuscan Hilltown experience, plan on dropping your rental car off in La Spezia where you catch a local train into the C/T.
Then take a train back to La Spezia where you catch a train down to Rome.

Hello Cprice. If you will be at ITALY a total of 8 nights, you will have 7 whole days at ITALY. I recommend :
First whole day in ITALY : Florence.
Day 2 : Rent a car at Florence. Day trip in Tuscany.
Day 3 : Check out of hotel in Florence. Drive car in Tuscany, and drop off car at La Spezia. Ride in a local train to a village in the Cinque Terre.

Day 4 : Cinque Terre. I recommend walking on the trail from Corniglia to Vernazza (in that direction).
Day 5 : Ride in trains from a Cinque Terre village to Rome, via La Spezia and Pisa.
Day 6 : Rome
Day 7 : Rome

Everyone has been super super helpful THANK YOU!
We are arriving early in the morning on the first day. Correct we should have 8 nights.
Now leaning more towards 1 night in Florence, and the bulk of the time spent between Tuscany and the Coast..with 1-2 in Rome.
Still torn between Cinque Terre and Amalfi. Logistically I'm thinking Cinque Terre....but weather-wise and since we will be ending our trip in Rome I'm thinking Amalfi.
I know a few of you mentioned Pisa. We do not plan on going to Pisa.

I said trains go through Pisa, going to or from La Spezia. I did not suggest getting off of the train at Pisa. Yes, if you will be in Florence one day (the day you arrive at the Florence airport) you could travel to the Amalfi coast from Tuscany (in one day). And after being at the Amalfi coast (or Sorrento) two nights, you could travel to Rome, and be at Rome three nights (two whole days). Are you thinking about this itinerary :
Day one : arrive at airport of Florence. And see things in Florence.
Day two : Travel in Tuscany.
Day three : Travel in Tuscany.
Day four : travel south toward Amalfi coast. (Hotel at Sorrento ?)
Day five : Amalfi coast
Day six : Travel to Rome.
Day seven : Rome
Day eight : Rome

Correct...

Or
Day one : arrive at airport of Florence. And see things in Florence.
Day two : Spend morning in Florence then travel to Cinque Terre
Day three : Explore Cinque Terre
Day four : Cinque Terre - then depart for Tuscany
Day five : Tuscany
Day six : Tuscany
Day seven : Rome
Day eight : Rome

Cprice,

I'm a bit late in the discussion but a few comments to add.....

Although you really wanted to see the Amalfi Coast, I wouldn't recommend it with such a short time frame. Transportation in some places in the south is not as accessible as in the north, so it would be more efficient to focus on Rome and north this time, as transportation will be quick and easy. The Cinque Terre is beautiful and unique, and that's an area I always enjoy visiting.

However, one minor point to mention. The weather at the end of October may not be "favourable" and if that's the case your visit may not be as pleasant as anticipated. The first thing you'll have to do is choose which of the five towns you want to stay in. Each of us have a favourite, and I prefer Monterosso. It's the largest of the five and therefore has the greatest number of hotels, restaurants and other amenities, and also the nicest beaches.

The latest Itinerary that you posted looks good, and that's the one to work with. A few thoughts on each of your days....

• Day 1 - If you're prone to jet lag, you may not have the energy to "see things" in Florence. If you're planning to see either of the famous Museums, reservations would be a good idea, possibly for the morning of Day 2.
• Day 2 - your hotel will probably store luggage for you after you've checked out, while you're out sightseeing. The trip to the C.T. will be about 3 hours or so with a couple of train changes. You might plan your timing so that you arrive there in the late afternoon.
• Day 3 - this will be the only day you have, so plan your exploring carefully. I'd suggest getting a hotel reservation ASAP.
• Day 4 - were you planning to take the train to La Spezia and rent a car there for the trip to Tuscany?
• Day 5 - Tuscany
• Day 6 - Tuscany (you might consider heading for Rome in the afternoon, as there's so much to see there).
• Day 7 - Where are you planning to drop your rental car? I'd suggest leaving as early as possible to maximize your time in Rome.
• Day 8 - Rome

A few additional points to mention. As you may be aware of, there are potentially expensive "caveats" to be aware of both with rental cars and using public transit in Italy. For example.....

• Cars - EACH driver will require the compulsory International Driver's Permit which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. You'll also have to be vigilant to avoid the dreaded ZTL (limited traffic) areas which exist in many Italian towns (DON'T drive in Florence!). Each pass through one of these will incur a violation ticket, which you may not know about until several months after you've returned home. There are also speed cameras, tolls, high parking costs and automated fuel pumps which may only accept Chip & PIN credit cards.
• Public Transit - When using Regionale trains, buses, metro, etc., you MUST validate tickets prior to boarding or risk hefty fines which will be collected on the spot! If using the fast trains such as Freccia, InterCity, etc., these have compulsory reservations which are specific to train, date and departure time. You can ONLY use the one train listed on the ticket. If you board the wrong train by mistake, again hefty fines collected on the spot.

Buon Viaggio!

Any suggestions on where we should ditch the car after Tuscany? As I have heard, we do not want to go into Rome with a car.
...and then would we just get on a train or bus? or hire a driver into Rome?

Any suggestions on where we should ditch the car after Tuscany? As I have heard, we do not want to go into Rome with a car.
...and then would we just get on a train or bus? or hire a driver into Rome?

Cprice,

Orvieto is usually a good place to drop rental cars, as it's easy one hour (or so) train ride from there to Rome. I'm not sure how many rental firms operate there, but Hertz is probably a safe bet.