car rental

That plan works. To get around the Tuscan countryside, you'll want a car. It will be easy to pick up and drive from the Piazzale Roma in Venice. I would drop at the Fiumicino airport in Rome and take the train into town.

This is one of those questions where we need some more info to give you a reasonable answer. If your plan is to stay in the historic center of Florence as most folks want to and then venturing out to the Tuscan countryside for daytrips, then renting a car probably isn't a wonderful idea. Florence is a veritable minefield of ZTLs and restricted usage lanes all monitored by automated cameras. Many people, me included, think it is several expensive tickets just waiting to happen. Then factor in 4.3 million Vespas whose riders seem to have no regard for their own well being let alone your peace of mind. so if you had planned to stay in florence even for a night or two, then I'd rent to car on your Florence departure for the countryside. If you are going to staying in the countryside with a possible bus trip in to Florence, then renting in Venice is fine.

Your plan is fine. The trick in Florence is to stay at a hotel that has parking and that is in walking distance of the city center. Get your driving directions from the hotel. Then just leave your car there. You can see virtually all the highlights of Florence on foot.

Jerry, on your trip to Rome, you can also drop the car off BEFORE you arrive in the city. This article, detailing Car Rental Locations in Rome, gives you info on drop-off alternatives such as Chiusi, Orvieto, Viterbo, Civitavecchia... and also about 150+ rental locations in Rome. Make sure you've got your International Driving Permit for each driver. Good Luck!

Jerry, IMHO, No. I agree that Florence is a minefield of ZTL and restricted driving lanes. I've weighed in (and been slapped around...) on this topic on another post. Check out the Trenitalia web site and learn how to use it. There are plenty of posts here. It's 170 miles, or 277 km from Venice to Florence. You can cover that in a "slow" train in 3 hours for 19 euros per person, mini fare. Or, you can do it in 2 hours for 34 euros. This drops you at Florence main train station in the center of Florence. We got a cheap car for 3 days of our 21 days in Italy. It's costing us $80/day, plus gas and tolls. We are a couple, and we're using the train for our entire trip except Lucca to Parma for three days. We're in Milan, CT, Tuscany, Florence, Lucca, Parma, Milan. We leave Florence and train to Lucca to pick up our rental car and see Lucca, then drive around Tuscan hill towns from there. If you're traveling with more than two people, it might be worth it to drive. Italy has great trains and their public transit system is really built around them. We californians love our cars, but they can be a hindrance in Italy. I originally planned to get our car in Florence, but decided to make my life easier and take the train to Lucca for 6.8 euros ea. No gas, no tolls, no stress. After you tour Tuscany I would find somewhere convenient to dump the car and hop a train into Rome. Driving in Rome would be a nightmare, IMHO.

If you want to pick up your car in Venice and then see Florence, stay on the outskirts of Florence. We stayed at the Hilton Metropole. We had free parking and a free shuttle to/from the central train station. It also has easy access off the autostrada. The other option would be to take the train to Florence, then upon your departure, rent your car at the airport. I would not rent it anywhere else because of the ZTL zones. It is also easier to access the autostrada from the airport. I would drop the car off at the train station in Orvieto and then take the 1 hr. train ride into Rome. You could also stay in Orvieto. This beautiful, quaint hilltown is worth a day, or overnight, visit. Check AutoEurope or Kemwel online for car prices. You can also contact Gemut for comparison. These companies will match/beat each other's rates. Visit your local AAA office and get your International Driver's License for $15. No test is required. We have driven through Italy on several trips. However, we stay away from the large cities and the coastline. A car is perfect to explore Tuscany. Have fun on your trip.