First time trip to Italy

That sounds like a reasonable trip... I think some might suggest reducing the time in Florence but I think its a wonderful town to just walk around and explore. I am sure there are differing opinions on the car vs train decision. For my style, I never rent a car as I feel they are a hassle. A car might be handy for the Tuscany portion and maybe the rest by train. Train travel I think typically takes a bit more of a toll physically but I like the freedom of not driving and have met some nice folks on the train.

Taking the train sounds good, keep in mind that you can take the bus from Siena to some hill towns. Happy 30th!!!

Five days in Florence is a lot. I would cut it to three and add the days to Rome but use the extra Rome days for a couple of day trips to Tivoli/Hadrian's Villa, Ostia Antica, and especially the Appian Way on a Sunday. I would fly open jaw -- into Milan or Venice and home from Rome. And still with public transit for two. Personally find trains a very relaxing way to move between locations.

Sounds lovely. I want to suggest you spend a day or (better) two in Verona (opera at the ancient arena, if the season's begun), which I personally liked better than Padova. 5 days in Florence is a lot, unless you really enjoy sculpture and Renaissance art. And if you do, 4 days in Rome isn't a lot.

Train everywhere except around Toscana.

Thank you for all of your excellent suggestions.

One more question. If we decided to shorten our stay in Florence and Toscana to a total of 6 days, would it make sense to spend a 4 days in Napoli and the Amalfi coast?

I agree with the other posters; unless you have a real serious interest in Renaissance art and want to spend a couple of days at the Uffize, 5 days in Florence is a lot. You could cut it down to 2 (or 3 with a day trip to Pisa and perhaps Sienna). A car would be an advantage in Tuscany/Umbria. I would recommend basing yourself in a hilltown to get a fuller sense of the region; in the evening when the sun goes down and the tourists leave its almost like going back in time. We've used Cortona, Spello, and Perugia as bases, and there are lots of other options. I wouldn't use Sienna as the base; it isn't a small hilltown like many others you can find. Depending on what you want to do in the region you could visit other hilltowns, the wine region, visit small towns on the backroads, etc. My suggestion would be to change to total Florence/Tuscany time to 6 days, and use the extra in the Amalfi region.

Other than the portion in Tuscany, you can easily do the rest by train & bus. With a car and a map you can drive around and decide to just drop in to see what some small towns not even mentioned in guidebooks are like, as well as easily get between hilltowns, wineries, etc. I strongly suggest bringing a GPS from home with you if you're driving. We have traveled in Tuscany just by using trains and buses so its possible but you're more at the mercy of the public transit schedules and its harder to get to some places. I'm with with the other poster who suggested Sorrento. Its a great base for exploring the Amalfi Coast region, and has a delightful passagiatta (evening stroll) where they shut down a main street to traffic.

One thing I'd caution you about is not being talked into doing too much. While I personally wouldn't spend 5 days in Florence, I do like the pace you have for this trip; not too rushed. When you start spending 1 nite here and 2 nites there you can end up feeling like half your trip is packing up from one hotel and moving to the next.

Thank you for your comments. They will most certainly help us in having a wonderful time in Italy.

steve,

First of all, happy 30th! I have a few comments to add to the others.

I agree that you might drop at least one day in Florence, however five days would be good as you'll be taking at least one day trip to Pisa. If you were to take another trip to perhaps Verona, that would leave three days for Florence, which is perfect.

Regarding the "5 days around Toscana", Siena would make a good home base for exploring some of the neighboring hill towns. If you plan two day trips (possibly with local tour companies), that would allow three days for Siena.

It would be a good idea to try and add at least one day in Rome, as there's SO MUCH to see there. I'd suggest dropping one day from either Siena or Florence and adding that to Rome.

As far as transportation, with careful planning the trains would be a far better option (although the trip from Florence to Siena is better by Bus). I tend to use car rentals "strategically" for visiting specific sights. The public transport is so good there, in most cases there's no need for car (visiting out-of-the-way hill towns is one exception).

Keep in mind that with car rentals, you'll need to have the compulsory International Driver's Permit (easy to obtain from any CAA office). Failure to produce an IDP if requested can result in fines on the spot. Failure to pay the fine can result in the car being impounded.

You would also have to deal with CDW, parking, tolls, possible vandalism or theft, and of course the dreaded ZTL zones which are becoming increasingly common in many towns.

On that note, happy travels!

Hi Steve, Congrats on your 30th. My preference is for the train whenever and wherever possible (so relaxing and scenic for both of you) but a car for Tuscany. We really enjoyed staying in an agriturismo for a few days and making our own meals from the local bounty available at the markets and Co-ops. Siena would also make a great base for Tuscany if you would like to partake in the evening activities of a hilltown. If you can fit in the Amalfi coast in your schedule, maybe take a day or two from Florence, it is so romantic, scenic and very different from the rest of your itinerary; the train, Sita bus and coastal hydrofoils make a nice combination for transportation. Sorrento makes a great base as it is the transportation hub and has more to do in the evenings.
Whatever you choose, you're in Italy with your favourite person and it's all fabulous. Have a great trip. Sherry

3 weeks in Italy........ Boy that will be a nice trip. With your time frame, and what you want to see, this is what I would do:

First, I would skip staying in Padua, and simply add a night to Venice and do Padua as a day trip. Padua is only a half hour away, so to me, it doesn't make sense to waste half a day packing up in Venice and moving down the road to a different hotel in Padua. So I would stay 4 nights in Venice., with a day trip to Padua would be plenty.

Next, you do have too much time allocated for Florence, especially if you plan on staying in Tuscan countryside. I personally would skip staying in Florence all together and simply home base in Sienna or another Tuscan hill town and day trip to Florence. Or if you are dead set on staying in Florence, maybe 2 nights, and then go with your plan of 4-5+ nights at a Tuscan home base. From there, with a car, you can visit Pisa, Sienna, and many more "hill towns".

From Tuscan "home base", I would take the train all the way south to Sorrento. Sorrento is the perfect home base for the entire region. Naples, Pompeii, Capri, Amalfi Coast, all warrant day trips. Sorrento itself can be seen at night and in the mornings. Better make it 4-5 nights here, and just relax.

After Sorrento, head back up north to Rome to finish your trip. Rome is big, fast, and hot. And has more sights than you could possibly see. But I would spend your remaining nights there.

In closing, Venice 4 nights> Florence 2 nights> Tuscany 4 nights> Sorrento> 4 nights> Rome 4 nights. If any days remain, just stay longer somewhere. HAVE FUN!!

Wow. These comments are EXCELLENT. Thank you very much. We will have a wonderful time!