Comments on Itinerary

Wow, Mary Sue! You have done your homework. You've about covered the whole country--at least the popular tourist sights.

Just make sure they have a rental car operation in Chiusi. Many of the small towns in Tuscany and Italy don't have rental car offices of any kind.

I especially like to ramble through the countryside in the Dolomites and The Austrian Alps. The most beautiful place I've ever seen is just north of Linz, Austria--east of Cortina and a short distance outside of Italy. The area also has some great resort properties. You never know what the weather is going to be in Northern Italy, as I've been snowed on as early as the last week of August.

Just be sure you have a good camera, as northern Italy can be incredibly beautiful.

Re whether there is a car rental office in Chiusu:
It's easy to check on the AutoEurope site. If not, I would think Perugia has some.

Wow! I live here and I am jealous! Great planning and good back-up plans for your time in the mountains. some of the lifts close early in the Ortisei/Val Gardena area, late Sept and ironically October 12. See this site for info. Perhaps Cortina and other areas have lifts open later you can use for your hiking pleasure.

Hi Mary Sue,
What an amazing trip!!!! Can I come along???? I will be traveling to northern Italy with my mom in a couple of weeks & we wanted to stay in Varenna, Lake Como, but having trouble finding accommodations, so I have not finalized our Itinerary ( Lake Como, Verona with day trips to Mantova & Padova, then stay in Bologna with day trips to Modena & Parma then back to Milan. Our trip will be 12 nights)
Yes, I know, this is a last minute trip.
Anyway, where are you staying in Baveno on Lake Maggiore? How long is the bus ride from Milan Malpensa Airport?
I would also like to know where you will be staying in Bologna since we plan to visit there. We are traveling an a moderate budget and would like to pay less than 100 Euros but will pay up to 130 if we need to especially around the lakes.
Thanks in advance & have wonderful trip! Any advice from the trip forum is very much appreciated.
Thank you!!!

Hi Macy. I have my eye on the Hotel Rigoli in Baveno and the B&B Bologna nel Cuore in Bologna. Both are quite popular, so I suspect they are booked for your dates. A Tripadvisor search shows that there are other options available in your budget range, both in Baveno and in Verbania, the next town up the lake. Both towns appear to be served by an airporter bus, and the trip takes about an hour. They are both quiet places - not much to do in town. Finding a place to stay in Bologna within your budget might be a challenge, since hotels seem to be geared to business travel, and are pretty expensive. That is one reason why we're doing a weekly rental. I have done no research on what might be available, but you might want to think about staying in Parma or Modena instead. Good luck!

Try looking at Nuovo Hotel del Porto in Bologna, I've stayed there a few times for less than €100. It'a a few blocks from Piazza Maggiore. Also Hotel Metropolitan, double for less than €100, very nice.

Renting a car:
I suggest using a consolidator, such as www.kemwel.com or www.autoeurope.com).
They both get contracts with Avis, Europcar, Hertz, generally at a cheaper price rather than directly through the rental companies above. Make sure you select the no insurance excess (zero deductible) option for peace of mind.
Avis, Europcar and Hertz all have an office in Chiusi. Europcar is the largest rental car company in Italy and generally they have lower prices compared to the others.

Returning a car after the Dolomites
Since you intend to go to Venice, you should return the car in Venice itself, not north of it. As you cross the Liberty bridge in the Venetian Lagoon follow directions to Piazzale Roma. As you arrive you will see a huge parking structure on the right (Autorimessa Comunale). All rental car companies have their office in that building.

Everything else in your trip looks great and well thought out.

Add me to the list of people who are very jealous!

If you use Roberto's idea of returning your car at Piazzale Roma, another poster warned that the causeway between Venice and the mainland has speed cameras, and if you are even a teeny bit over the speed limit, you'll get a ticket several months later. That can be true anywhere in Italy, of course.

Even if you have great weather in Alto Adige and don't need an indoor destination, be sure to see the Archeology Museum in Bolzano, with the Iceman. It goes into detail about the various Ages (Stone, Copper, Bronze, Iron) and has great exhibits that really enhance the understanding of what you're seeing (wait until you see the multiple layers of clothes he was wearing).