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15 days in Italy--I need your thoughts and ideas Please.

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My husband and I are planning a 5 week trip to Italy, Croatia and Spain in Sept. We will spend 15 days in Italy, 5 days in Croatia, and 15 days in Spain. Sooooo excited!! I have poured thru the RS Italy and Spain book. I have looked at his itineraries for "My Way Trips" and have gotten some great ideas. I have just started reading thru this forum and the valuable info. here.
My husband and I love art, architecture, and history. We also love good food, good wine, and people. Our favorite type of movies are the "slice of life" type where you feel you really get to know something about the people and the culture. We want to experience that in person. I have created an itinerary based on RS ideas and his itineraries combining his suggestions with our wants. Here is my basic plan. Since Croatia is 2nd on our Itinerary, I planned to start in Rome (3 nights), then to Orvieto (2 nights), Sienna (2 nights), on to Cinque Terre (3 nights), spend two nights in Lucca, and three nights in Florence. Then, on to venice for one or two nights before we train over to Trieste for the Croatia part of our trip.

Questions:
1. Is this too ambitious?
2. We want to stay in an Agriturismo at least once. Can you do that for a 3 night stay. Should we stay in between Sienna and Orviato in an Agriturismo and just do day trips out to Assisi and all the other wonderful Tuscan villages. Suggestions?
3. Can a person rent a car in Sienna or is it better to do so in Rome as we leave?
4. Do we really need a car or is the bus system between villages pretty good? We are a little intimidated about driving in Italy.
5. We would love to take a cooking class. I was thinking the Tuscany area would be best. Is that so? Suggestions?
6. We want to visit some wineries and olive farms. Is there one area better than others?
7. Is all of this doable by ourselves (and do we save money doing it by ourselves) or should we forget individualizing our plan and just go with a pre-planned tour. (for example RS Best of Italy?

8. The tours seem very expensive. Will it cost me more to customize my own trip?

Well, that's it for now. Thanks so much ahead of time for any suggestions or insights you have to offer.
Sher

Posted by
663 posts

You should definitely consider combining Siena/Orvieto/Lucca into a 5 night stay in an agritourismo. So Rome, Tuscany (pick up the car in Rome as you leave or in Orvieto), Cinque Terre, Florence, Venice. You might want to adjust the number of nights so that you have more time in Venice. Depending on what you plan to see in Florence, you may even want to just day trip there from the countryside, since the major sights can be seen in one very busy day with proper planning.

Buses and trains work very well to get to most places, but if you are planning to visit many farms and wineries then you are better off either renting a car OR joining a tour of wineries based from Florence. Also, buses can have very limited schedules on Sundays and holidays.

Obviously one can save a lot of money by acting as ones own tour guide. However an organized tour has some advantages. You dont have to spend much time planning, its all been done for you. The tour guides have done this trip enough times that they know the best routes to get in and out of the places you want to see, know the best order to see everything, no standing in lines for tickets because they've already taken care of all that, and they can enhance your trip with stories and history of the places you are at.

Posted by
17 posts

Thanks for quick replies. Glad to hear that one can rent a car in Orvieto and leave it in Sienna. I also really like the idea of the 4-5 day stay in an agriturismo in the tuscany area. I have been trying to check into wine tours in the Tuscany area on line. Also, I checked out the link that one of you sent and got some great info.

If anyone else has thoughts to share including places you stayed (country hotels, pensiones, B&B's etc), restaurants you loved, side trips you wouldn't miss etc. Bring it on. I'm all ears.
sher

Posted by
359 posts

I'd stay 5 nights in Florence with a day trip to Lucca instead of 2 nights Lucca and 3 nights Florence. Otherwise, looks good! You don't need a tour. I can always do my own trip cheaper.

Posted by
1009 posts

I would take time from somewhere and add to Venice. I think once you get there and have only 1-2 nights you will be sad. :( It was my favorite place in Italy. Try for 3 nights there. It is the perfect "slice of life" just wander around kind of place you are talking about...

Kim

Posted by
3 posts

Hi...planning for a trip to lake como and Amalfi coast , have a 3 weeks for it ...coming into Milan and out in Rome back to SFO ... Possible ? Open for suggestion ... Thanks !

Posted by
506 posts

I will always remember Rick Steve's saying," always travel like you are going to go back again". So another words don't over do your trip so that at the end you can't remember what you saw when. Savor the experience for the actual time that you have there. You need sometime to enjoy a couple hours having wine in a Piazza.

Posted by
3696 posts

Five weeks is a great trip... Definitely plan it yourself!
I would definitely have a car in Tuscany and try to stay in the countryside where it is quiet and beautiful and you can drive to all the villages you want to see on day trips. With such a long trip I would try to move around a little less. Also, I would add a day to Venice (if you get bored with it...you won't... you could do a day trip to Burano)
We always want to see as much as possible on any trip... and I have had plenty of whirlwind trips... but with 5 weeks you can afford to take a little time to take it slow and really savor the culture. While Rick's statement about assuming you will return can be a philosophy for some, it does not apply to everyone. There is the issue of life, children, money, time etc. that often prevents people from returning... granted, not on this site... but I always travel with the thought that if I can't return I want to come home with no regrets. I see everything I want and if I am lucky enough to return I know where I want to spend more time. First trip for me was a 'taste of many countries' and I have returned, but if I hadn't I saw enough to create memories for a lifetime.

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