1st Time To Europe Traveler On RS's June 13 Heart of Italy Tour

-4. Seeing different places from Cortona does seem like a good plan overall. Do realize that the two Cortona train stations (Camucia and Terontola) are both a bit far away from the city center. You can still use public transportation - but you'll have to plan around the bus schedules to/from the train station, or take a taxi. On the other hand, if you rent a car you can probably avoid some of this. Driving in Italy has a whole set of factors to consider (ZTLs, etc - check out the Ron in Rome site, I'm sure he has plenty of information about driving in Italy).

-5. There are many Tuscan and Umbrian towns within your reach, but Venice is not a good day-trip option from Cortona. It is a 4 hour train ride from Camucia-Cortona. If you wish to see Venice, you should stay at least two nights - that way you have one full day there. Maybe skip Cortona and just head to Venice after your tour ends, if Venice is a priority.

-6. To take trains from Cortona to Venice, you would take a regional train to Florence and then a Freccia (fast train) to Venice. Fast trains connect larger cities and make minimal stops, if any, to smaller ones.

-7. I have stayed at Hotel Doge in Venice in 2010. It was clean, comfy and had air conditioning. The train will drop you off at the Venezia Santa Lucia station. There are many hotels in easy walking access from that area, or you can take the vaporetto (public boat, kind of like a bus system for Venice) over to other areas if your hotel is located elsewhere.

-8. You won't find buses in Venice - the canals and stairs everywhere make the vaporetto the main way of transportation. In other large cities there are buses for public transport but not tourist ones (I'm imagining you're thinking of Hop On Hop Off bus styles like in London? Otherwise ynot sure what you mean about tour buses).

Basically I would suggest you do some planning and figure out what you want to see. If it is Venice, go there - don't stay in Cortona. If you want to see Tuscany, than Cortona or another city like Siena might be a good place to base yourself.

What about 4 night in Cortona and explore the area around there. Then take the train to Venice and stay 3 nights in Venice. You can book your return flight to the states departing from Venice Airport.

Cortona is beautiful, and a big daytrip destination, so you will have it at its best when you return in the evening. However. you do have to coordinate bus and train schedules to get out of town and back. I always use the Camucia station.

As stated, no buses in Venice, but make it a two-night stay and get the Vaporetto pass for 36 or 48 hours. Buy it at the train station and use it on your first ride (and validate it at the scanning machine where you board every time you use it).

Get a good guidebook for this area. fhe RS one is good for first-time travelers.

Have a fantastic time in my favorite country!

Once your in Cortona you won't want to leave. The train ride to Venice will consume way too much precious time. We spent a week in Cortona and used it as a base one day thinking we use almost everyday as you suggest. We realized we arrived in a special place.
I'd look into a day trip via local tour company before renting a car. I rented a car and used it very little since we walked most the time. After a nine day tour you'll want to kick back, enjoy the charm. There is no better place in Italy to do it. And by the way, once your in Cortona you won't want to leave. Hmmm, I think I'm repeating myself. You might consider Venice / Northern Italy on a future trip.
Safe travels.

The best times to be in Venice are before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. Those are the hours that the day-trippers (from the cruise ships) flood the city. The water bus (vaporetto) is slow - takes a long time for the crowds to get on and off at each stop, boats don't go fast, and there can be traffic jams on the canals too. The only way to get around is by the slow vaporetto or on foot - and it's easy to get lost (fun too). Figure at least an hour between the train station and your hotel with luggage. If you stay at a hotel near the train station, you'll have long rides to the main sights. Soooo, 2 nights is a lot better than one.

Jimr_parks congrats on your recent retirement! In my opinion you shouldn't miss Venice. You should stay two nights. I stayed in 2009 at http://www.hotelcaprera.it/ which was reasonably priced, very close to the bus/train stations and comfortable. Venice is very small and easily walk-able so where ever you stay would be excellent.

7 we stayed and recommend Pensione Guerrato, close to the Rialto. Look as storage some luggage at the station if you are travelling 'heavy'. The vapareto are easy to manage from the station, There are 2 day time routes both up and down the Main Canal, one will be "slow" stopping at every stop while the other has less stops.

First, you really should join the travel group at 10 am, Panera in the Aspen Grove shopping center, Mineral and Santa Fe, on the third Saturday of every month (April 19th). You can get every question answered and more.

1. Tour bus are rare unless they float in Venice. There are no hop on/off barges. Many cities have the all day hop on/off tour bus that follows a route. When first in a new city we find these tour buses to be very helpful in getting a good orientation. We generally ride around once for orientation and then do the on and off on the next route.

2. Use trenitalia.com, check the British flag for English, and you can see the various schedules between all the towns in Italy. The small towns generally not serve by high speed trains as they mostly go between major cities. The Regionale are slower but much cheaper and often more convenient.