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First Timers - Itinerary recommendations and answers to 3 questions - would love your input

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Hi!

My husband and I are planning a two-week trip to Italy for our 30th wedding anniversary - our first trip to Europe! Looking to squeeze in a three-night cooking class (nights 2-4) and three nights each in Florence (nights 5-7), then Cinque Terre (stopping at Pisa on our way) (nights 8-10), and ending in Venice (w/a day trip to Verona) (nights 11-13), . We're planning to fly from JFK to Florence and rent a car with which to drive from city to city; the return back to the States will be from Venice. I'm likely to make good use of RS's guide books and audio tours but would like to plug into some local tour guides as well.

That brings me to Q1: Can anyone recommend good local guides in each of those cities/areas? Also, I know trains are the way to go in Italy, so Q2: is going the rental car route necessary or wise? I'd like a car for at least the first few days since the cooking school is pretty remote, but wasn't sure about the feasibility of dropping it off once I start my Florence leg and just using trains the rest of the trip. Any thoughts? Lastly, I'm just beginning to research lodging...I love the Agriturismo concept but want to be close to the city centers most of the time...would love to find a way to split up the lodging to experience both. Q3: Has anyone done that and are there any specific hotel/B&Bs that you would recommend?

That's it! thanks in advance for any responses.

Diane
Baltimore, MD

Posted by
2504 posts

Q2 - I would say the rental car would only do you good for getting to your cooking class - assuming you're staying right in Florence, you have the ZTLs to worry about, parking is about impossible in CT, and the only place to park in Venice is the lot at the base of the causeway (expensively). On the bright side, the rail system works great. It sounds like a lovely trip, in any case.

Posted by
11852 posts

Hi Diane. We did a 3 week trip for our 25th anniversary and now we live here. Be warned!

Where is your cooking class? Depending on where that might be the best place to have your agriturismo experience. As charming as the agriturismo can be, we prefer a car-free travel style and staying in cities and towns were we can walk to and from dinner, especially important if you have wine. If you have a car for the cooking class portion, drop it in Firenze and continue by train.

I really like Hotel Pendini in Firenze, but mostly we stay in apartments. As to guides, are you thinking tours of specific sites or a general city tour? R.S. guides will have a lot of walking tours you can do on your own. Check out his audio tours too. I usually only recommend guides at archaeological sites and special museums, like the Vatican.

Posted by
1994 posts

A really good company for small group walking tours is context travel. Groups are limited to six and will go with fewer. The guides are amazing. I've use them many times and always had good experiences. They operate in both Florence and Venice. I'd suggest you take a look at their website and see if it's what you're looking for.

A car isn't going to be of use to you in Florence, the CT, or Venice. I would get rid of it before you enter Florence. The trains are a much more effective way of pursuing your route, once you're done with the cooking class.

Posted by
11613 posts

If you stay in an agriturismo, you will probably want/need a car. As Sherry said, return the car before you get to Firenze, or rent it when you leave. If you keep your present itinerary, you will probably want the car for your first nights but you will pay for parking it and not using it in Firenze; if you can reverse the order, you can rent the car as you leave Firenze, have it for your agriturismo stay and your stops on the way to Cinque Terre, turn it in there, and take the train from La Spezia or Genova (depending on where you stay in Cinque Terre) to Venezia.

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