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Car location drop off-does this make sense and how does this itinerary look?

My husband and I love art, wine, exploring and don't want to feel rushed-like most are past trips. We would enjoy staying over night in new towns so we can have a little wine and not worry about driving. I wrote our list out with the location of where we are spending the night. Please let me know how it looks and if you have suggestions.

My other question is does it makes sense when leaving Assisi to drop car off in Chiusi-train into Orvieto? I was told Hertz Orvieto wasn't a good drop off location due to poor service and not recommended (although it was still offered when I called)

I also considered dropping car off in Spoleto-train to Orvieto-but that looked like more time and we would have to make another train connection-sort of worried about that.

Th-May 7 Travel Day-arrive Venice noon Friday
Fri-May 8 Venice-recover from travel
Sat-May 9 Venice-sight see
Sun-May 10 Venice-sight see

Mon-May 11 Florence-travel mid day to Florence by train-check in-sight see-Homestay-hoping this will be a good experience-staying with a local who potentially will show us around
Tue-May 12 Florence-David and Dumo
Wed-May 13 Florence-food tour-sight seeing
Th-May 14 Florence-bus trip to Sienna-decided parking might be difficult, thought bus would be more relaxing-then could drink a little too and not worry about driving-heard this was pretty easy to do.

Fri-May 15 Montepulciano-pick up car Florence -near our apartment-drive to hotel-explore town-settle in
Sat-May 16 Montepulciano -visit wineries-eat lunch at a farm-sight see-not sure where

Sun-May 17 Assisi drive-then explore Assisi-maybe hire a tour guide
Mon-May 18 Assisi---visit Spello?

Tu-May 19 Orvieto--this morning need to drive to drop off rental car and take train to Orvieto

Wed-May-Rome-taking train into Rome 11 am-we have visited here before-so only spending night for travel
Th-travel back to US 11 am flight.

Posted by
15900 posts

If you plan to stay an overnight in Orvieto, albe you should drop off the car in Orvieto (Hertz is the only company there).

Regarding Siena, you could also visit it by car on your way to Montepulciano (maybe you could spend a night there too) instead of backtracking to Florence and then rent a car and go back the next day. There is plenty of parking in Siena near the stadium.

Posted by
55 posts

Some people really like Venice, so know that this is written by someone who wishes he had never gone there.

Consider renting the car and driving to Verona. Have inexpensive jet lag in Verona for two nights.

Add one or more nights to Orvieto. Or substitute an actual night in Siena for Orvieto entirely. Siena can be a rich, dense experience indeed.

Give strong consideration to reading The Decameron, by Giovanni Boccaccio, translated by Wayne A. Rebhorn. You can get free, often bowdlerized, translations from Project Gutenberg, but the Rebhorn translation is recent, North American, and first rate.

Posted by
7269 posts

Level of service at the drop-off location doesn't matter too much, as long as you get someone to inspect the car for damage - or even without that step, if you have paid for zero-excess insurance coverage. So drop off in Orvieto, if using Hertz.

Posted by
12 posts

I realized I forgot to explain my hubby and I don't drive well together, even in our home town. I have been reading about how it is more convenient to have a car in the country. Some people go on and on about how difficult it is to drive/park in Sienna-now I am considering just spending a night there. On the leg home, I was trying to avoid driving into Rome, just to reduce stress.