5 days in Italy - New Ideas (Done the big ones)

I don't think Montalcino has a train station, but it's easy to get there from Siena (which would make a good stop if you haven't been there) or some other town in Tuscany.

Bologna, perhaps?

Be sure to research the small hillside towns on what is open and available in January. We hit a few in "off season" and you could hardly find a resturant open and lots of places were closed with crappy weather. I would be interested in feedback from others regarding this, not the large cities but the Tuscan areas, etc.

I don't know what you could possibly do at the Cinque Terre in January (or any small place). Certainly not hike because the trails are likely closed in January.

I would stick to bigger towns or cities, at least you can find something to do even with bad weather. Florence is not a bad idea. Even if you've seen it, you can use it as a base to see other Tuscan towns. Also Bologna, Parma, Pavia, Bergamo, Mantua, Verona, etc. have something to offer.

Thank you for the replies thus far. Roberto, I appreciate the input. I wasn't sure of the hiking trails in Cinque Terre that time of year due to weather (was surprised the Rick Steve's book did not address this at all) so I wasn't sure. I think I have ruled that out now to either stay north and do Turin, Brescia, & Verona. Otherwise I am sort of leaning towards taking the train down to Tuscany and getting a rental car somewhere and then maybe doing Volterra, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, etc. Where does anyone recommend of taking the train to and getting a rental car closed to Volterra for example? I know it's not the best time of year but it's what we have available and we will still absolutely love being in Italy and seeing anything new regardless.

What about embracing the winter and heading to the Dolomites for some winter hiking? If that appeals to you, PM me and I'll give you some specifics. Another thought is to go to Torino an d make it your base. Very interesting city and lovely countryside.

If you decide on Tuscan small towns by car, I would rent a car right there in Savona and drive from there. Then on Jan 10, you could drive to Milan and find a place near the airport or on nearby lake Maggiore (Stresa? Arona?).

However, being January, you might want to check the weather before driving from Tuscany to Milan as the following weather events might make a miserable drive:
1. Possibility of snow on the A1 motorway across the Apennines mountain range between Florence and Bologna (and sometimes even between Bologna and Milan).
2. Fog in the Po Valley between Bologna and Milan.
3. All of the above combined, plus a couple of floods here and there.

If 1, 2 or 3 scare you, it might be better to return your car in Florence and proceed by train to Milan.

if you follow Laura's suggestion and head to the Dolomites, I would suggest stopping at Aquileia side trip.....AMAZING
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/825

As Roberto said, fog around Milano is no joke, it seems that every year pile ups make the international news.

Echoing Zoe's suggestion - Bologna. It's a really lovely town and a good base for day trips to Ferrara, Padua and Ravenna (gorgeous Byzantine mosaics) among others.

Bologna would not particularly be my first choice for charm, but it is centrally located and well served by train. If you decide to drive around Tuscany, I was quite happy with my driving route this fall, which included Lucca, Volterra, Massa Maritima, Montepulciano, and Montalcino (but missed Pienza).

I would look into Turin and maybe ski a day in the area.