Everyone has been so great and helpful on this blog! We are traveling to Italy in May for 17 days. During the trip we plan to spend 2 nights in Florence and 3 nights in Siena. We will arrive in Siena on a Thursday afternoon and then have 2 full days (Friday and Saturday). We will be leaving first thing on Sunday morning to Rome. I want to spend 1 of these 2 days exploring the tuscan countryside and I love the idea of renting a car so we can stop when we see something beautiful and go at our own pace. My question is - is it really worth it to rent a car for only 1 day (considering we will need an international license, insurance, etc = more hassel than a bus)?? That brings me to my second question - where should we plan to go?! More than anything I want scenery. The rest of our trip will be full of museums and architecture. I love little towns too but I mostly want the best tuscan hillside experience. We really aren't wine people (I know, I know) so that won't effect the decision as much. We will probably stop for a picnic along the way. What are your suggestions?!
Thanks so much!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15165 posts
In your shoes I would rent a car in Siena for 24 hours on Saturday morning. I would then use the car all day Saturday and either returning Sunday morning in Siena or drive to Rome or Orvieto with it and return it there. Make sure the rental office is open on Sunday morning at the return location (many are) and, if you decide to rent the car, find a hotel in Siena outside the ZTL (outside the city walls) and preferably with parking. www.borghiditoscana.ne
To decide what to visit. If you decide not to rent a car, then you should visit San Gimignano by bus or train (via Poggibonsi). But with a car you can see much more, also it will give you a chance to visit Orvieto, where you can return the car upon arrival in the morning. The rental offices in Orvieto are next to the station and from Orvieto to Rome it's a breeze via train.
Posted by
Atlanta, Ga
211 posts
For sure, rent a car. If you are concerned re driving, which you should not be, you Can find a driver/tour guide with a car thru the hotel. Well worth it to leave the big cities. We go to Italy most years. Haven't been to a big city in 10 years cause the countryside is so beautiful. I am a fan of Pienza, Montalcino montepulciano area. For a full day trip, you can make 2 of them to give you a taste for a future return trip.
We do love the wines, so Montalcino is our favorite.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32206 posts
Sarah, "considering we will need an international license, insurance, etc" Just to clarify, the International Driver's Permit is not a "license" per se, but must be used in conjunction with your home D.L. When visiting hill towns, you'll also have to be careful to avoid Zona Traffico Limitato areas, which are prevalent in many towns in Italy. Unlike Florence which uses a network of automated Cameras to record violations, smaller towns usually rely on "old fashioned methods" to identify violators. One advantage of the car is that you won't have to configure your schedule to match Bus timetables, so it will be more efficient. Happy travels!
Posted by
Gettysburg, PA
1589 posts
" you Can find a driver/tour guide with a car thru the hotel." Skip's point is well taken. Calculate the cost of a rental car & ask your Siena hotel to price out a driver for the day. My experience is that these 2 methods are very similiar in net cost, but the added value of the driver is invaluable. Much more relaxing & it will give you still another ETBD experience.
Posted by
Rocklin, California, United States
2 posts
I was going to post my own question, but saw yours instead. Hopefully you will find this helpful and someone else out there will have help for us at the same time! We were in Italy Sept 2012 for 15 days and wanted to enjoy some hilltop towns, just like you. We rented a car in Rome to spend one night in Siena, enjoying Orvieto along the way; Enjoyed the next day in Chianti, then returned the car to Florence. Seemed reasonable to want to have the freedom to make stops at will. Now six months later, we have been hit with RESTRICTED TRAFFIC ZONE hell. Where were the RTZ anyway? We didn't see any tolls being collected, or signs to look out for. We were LOST both getting out of Rome and getting to our Hotel in Florence, and any street that could get us "unlost" is where we drove. So far the cost of renting a car in Italy is 3 times the price paid to car rental company. We should have looked here for advice before our trip! Is there anything we can do now??