My husband and I will be flying in to Rome Sept. 5th in the morning and immediately getting on a train for Orvieto. We will use trains or busses during our trip.
We plan to stay in Orvieto 3 nights, leaving on Sunday morning the 8th, for Montepulciano.
Montepulciano 2 nights, leaving on the 10th for Arezzo.
Arrezo 2 nights, leaving on the 12th for Lucca.
Lucca 4 nights leaving on the 16th for Ferrara.
Ferrara 2 nights arriving in Padova on the 18th.
Padova the 18th, 19th, and 20th, leaving for Ljubliana on the morning of the 21st.
Ljubliana 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and then coming back to Italy for 2 nights in Venice (24th & 25th)
before departing for home on the 26th.
I have many questions..............
Too much time in Orvieto? According to what I read in the forum postings, maybe?
How to get from Padova to Ljubliana most expeditiously?
Whether or not to go to Venice for such a short time, we've never been, and I admit to being a bit daunted by the prospect of finding our way around such a complicated city.
Our B&B is in the Dorsoduro district. We're big city crowd averse as the cities we've listed may have hinted at. But we've been told that as long as we're "in the neighborhood" we really should give Venice a chance to work her magic. We know to stay clear of Piazza San Marco and the Rialto bridge during the peak cruise ship times. I know I'm asking a very subjective question, but I respect the info you seasoned travellers so generously share.
I've purposely chosen not to revisit places we've gone to and loved in the past in order to create room for more places to love. If it helps, some our "faves" have been, Perugia, Urbino, Deruta, Parma, Siena, Verona, Gubbio and conversely, our "unfaves" Bologna, & San Gimignano.
Thanks for bearing with me on this long, long post!
I know I tend to overthink things, but I'm just hoping for a lovely time in bella italia.
What do you think?
emilyE
Posted by
Arizona
121 posts
We stayed in Orvieto for three nights two years ago and it was wonderful. The cathedral is amazing and the food is too. I don't think that it is too much time. We stayed in the same area of Venice that you are thinking of and it was perfect, away from the crowds but plenty to see and do. We loved just wandering around Venice don't skip it. Overall I think that your itinerary looks good. We are looking to go to Urbino and Umbria next trip. How did you get to Urbino? If you have any specific questions on Orvieto just message me.
Posted by
Denver
787 posts
I love big and small cities, and the countryside - my best vacations involve a mix of them, but we also rent a car, which makes getting between all those places a bit easier.
Yes, it is were me, I would take one day from Orvieto and add it to Venice. But I love Venice; we prefer to stay in the Cannaregio near the edge of Castello, or in Castello near Campo Saint Maria Formosa. Visit San Marco in the early morning, when it will be some locals walking to work and the fog and you. Stop at any point in the evening, and realize that all of the noise that you hear is from people only, no cars! Not having cars makes Venice seem much smaller than any of the small cities that you mentioned that you like. Consider buying a copy of J.Link's excellent little book, Venice for Pleasure and taking some of the walks in the book; it will take you into some of the neighborhoods, point you to sights you may not notice on your own, AND has copies of Cannaletto's work to compare to your view at the same spot that the painting's viewpoint is from. One year we were walking along one morning, I think on the Fondamente Madonna dell'Orto, and I decided I needed a quick espresso. We stopped in a nearby cafe - I was the only one drinking coffee, everyone else was having an ombre (glass of wine)!
Venice is complicated in that there are many streets/alleys. But keep in mind that you're on an island; sooner or later you'll get to the water. Also, many street corners have signs directing you to San Marco or the Rialto, so you can't get too lost.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16237 posts
How to get from Padova to Ljubljana on September 21? You are in luck, as the 21st is a Saturday, the only day the ferry between Venice and Piran runs. The crossing takes under 3 hours.
https://www.croatiaferries.com/venice-piran-ferry.htm
It departs Venice at 17:15 pm, so you would have the day to spend looking around Venice ( store your bags in lockers at the train station). You can decide then if you want to return for your last two nights, or go somewhere else (Trieste would be a good choice, easy to reach from Ljubljana and just 2 hours from Venice by train if you are flying home from VCE).
The ferry arrives in Piran at 8 pm, so I suggest you spend the night there. It is a charming town. If the weather is favorable you can go for a swim in the beautifully clear Adriatic in the morning (as we did in late September 2 years ago). Then take a bus to Ljubljana.
That takes a night from Ljubljana, but personally I would be fine with that. Ljubljana is lovely and relaxing, but one full,day and 2 nights would be enough for me.
Posted by
871 posts
Bus from Padua [Padova] to Ljubliana:
https://www.florentiabus.com/privati/index.php?dest=0_14838_2&part=8553
https://www.flixbus.com/bus-routes/bus-ljubljana-venice
Montepulciano has no train station. If thinking of renting a car, do not use Hertz in Orvieto. Take the train to Chiusi, Avis a couple of blocks from the station [closed Sunday]. You can drop it in Arezzo, across the street from the station]. If deciding to do this, steal a night from Lucca.
https://www.wanderingitaly.com/maps/valdorcia.html
Speaking of the Duomo in Orvieto...the best gelateria in town is across from the rear left side.
Posted by
Idaho, USA
7277 posts
Hi Emily, you are going to some wonderful locations! Here's some info:
I would stay two nights in Orvieto and give that extra day to Montepulciano. The main reason is that if you're traveling by train & bus (as we enjoy doing, also), there are less options on Sundays. For your route, you would be taking the train to Chiusi-Chianciano station to switch to a bus. There are less buses on Sundays. Here's their website:
Also, be sure to validate your bus ticket, and keep it handy. There were some inspectors who came onto the bus halfway through the ride.
When you arrive at the bus stop in Montepulciano, walk into the lobby and buy four orange small bus tickets. That little bus is the best bargain in Italy, as you will see when it takes you up, up, up to the main piazza! With your extra day in Montepulciano, take the bus one day over to nearby Pienza, another charming town! I should just add my link of my trip report from last year:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/solo-trip-to-italy-2018
Also, definitely do not miss Venice! It's such a special, unique city! There's a clock tower tour that we enjoyed one year - a small group, and it's very interesting to learn more about the history & enjoy a beautiful view!
https://torreorologio.visitmuve.it/en/pianifica-la-tua-visita/tickets/
Posted by
11153 posts
My first reaction was to take a day from Orvieto and add it to Venice. We stay in Cannarregio, north side, away from the crowds. Dorsoduro is a very nice area too.
I didn’t like San Gimignano either nor Deruta. We also enjoyed spending four nights in Lucca.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6500 posts
I haven't been to most of your destinations but I loved Venice and would recommend trying for another night there. I liked Padova as a day trip from Venice, would have enjoyed it more with one or two nights there, but three nights seems like more than I'd have wanted. To see the wonderful Giotto frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel you need a timed ticket, preferably bought in advance since same-day tickets may not be available.
Venice is worth at least two nights, preferably more. Dorsoduro is a great neighborhood, though far from the station. Get vaporetto passes for the time you're there. Getting to the airport, which is on the mainlaind, can take awhile, so allow ample time. If the flight leaves early AM, consider staying close to the airport the previous night -- all the more reason to give Venice itself more time.
Posted by
2494 posts
Perhaps take a day off Lucca and add it to Venice?
Posted by
OP
snohomish
8 posts
Thank you everyone for your "2 cents"!
Sorry this thank you is a bit on the late side but my 4 year old grandson arrived just after I sent off my post
and I had no time until now to respond.
We have decided to go ahead and take the Venice plunge based on everyone's enthusiasm.
It was tremendously helpful to learn that there is no train from Orvieto to Montepulciano!
I had looked at trenitalia's website and they seemed to tell me that there was. And on a Sunday! And it only takes an hour!
But in reading more in depth in Rick's book I see that the Montepulciano train stops mles away form the town and bus connections are few and far between. Wonder why?
Anyway, thank you Jean for the heads up.
I'm grateful to you all for your generousity,
Emily