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developing Italy itinerary

Thank you all for your help with my first post. I've narrowed down on what we want to focus on for this trip and think I'm getting closer to an itinerary that works well for our priorities this trip. I have been bouncing back and forth on staying in one location for our Tuscany portion or moving around a little bit. I've also been bouncing on night allowances to Rome/Tuscany. Unfortunately we do not have much time, 9 nights total, so we are really limited to what we can accomplish in a short time. We want to see a lot but not go crazy. And we do believe we will return several more times to Italy as we are only in our early 30s, so what we don't see this time can wait for another.

Friday April 14: Arrive Rome, train to Orvieto, pick up rental car, relax for the night. We spent a few nights here on the honeymoon so we do not need much time here.

Saturday: Saturday morning Orvieto market, visit Civita di Bagnoregio, Parco dei Mostri, drive to Montepulciano, settle in to relax and explore.

Sunday: Explore Val d'Orcia and southern Tuscany area

Monday: Same as above with a visit to Buonconvento for the Easter Monday antiques market

Tuesday: Drive to Siena and spend several hours here. Drive to San Gimignano to spend the evening and night.

Wednesday: Drop the rental car somewhere close to SG (ideas?) and train to Rome

Thursday, Friday, Saturday: Rome

Sunday: Flight out

I do not normally like one night stops but since we've been to Orvieto already, I do not think we need more than that. From what I've read, a night in SG is enough as well. We could always cut the side trip up north to SG/Siena if that's too much, I just thought it would be nice to see SG since we will already have a car.

Do you think we on the right track?

Posted by
8388 posts

Your itinerary looks great. If you're in San Gimignano, take the 1/2 hour ride over to Volterra--one of our favorite hilltowns
It's doubtful you're going to find a car rental return out in the Tuscan countryside--other than in Siena.
It might be easiest to drop the car in Florence at the airport and take the bus to the train station.

Posted by
81 posts

I agree dropping the car at the Florence train station (or near by) then a train to Rome is the best bet. The trains from Florence are likely to be the Freccia fast trains so you'll gain back time lost taking the car to Florence.