FIrst trip to Italy - Help Planning Itinerary Please

It's only a couple of hours drive from the Rome airport to Manciano, so unless you're planning to spend time sightseeing in Rome, I don't see a lot of point in spending the first night there.

If you're arriving from an all-night flight you might be a bit tired, but I've always found that arrival adrenaline provides plenty of power for a 2-hour drive. After all, you'd spend a good deal of time getting from the airport to your Rome accommodation anyway, so why not spend that time getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city and head to the villa right away.

I don't really like the idea of traveling around Italy and having to find a different hotel to move into each night. Since this is your first trip, and you only have 7 days, I promise you, you'll find plenty to keep you happy just exploring the area around the villa.

From Manciano you're only about 1 hour from great places like Orvieto and Civita di Bagnoregio, only about 2 hours from Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino, Siena, and other great Tuscan hill towns. There's plenty to see in day-trips from the villa and you'll enjoy not having to pack up and move to a new place each day.

To be continued...

If you really do want to see some of Rome, save it until the day before departure. Drive back to Rome (2 hours), turn in the car, take a taxi or the train to downtown and take a tourist bus tour of the city. Then spend time walking around the historic center. In half a day you can walk to see Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, walk by the Forum and Colosseum, and see Piazza Navona. In October it's cool enough to do this walking without wearing yourself out. You probably don't have time to go inside these places (except Pantheon, it's quick) but you can get a lot of joy just being there. You could even take a taxi or the subway over to the Vatican and go in St. Peters. Then have a nice supper, spend the night in Rome and head to the airport the next morning for the flight home.

Assume you'll be returning some day. Don't wear yourself out trying to see it all this first time! Italy is wonderful in October. You're going to have a great vacation!

Thanks for your info. Patrick. Our flight gets into Rome at 8:30 in the morning, so my thought was to possibly spend the night that first night in Rome would allow us to solid days of sight seeing in Rome, with a nap :) But it does waste money, when we have a nice room with friends waiting for us in Tuscany. Glad to hear there is plenty to do in the hill towns.

I'd plan on mostly relaxing around the villa. Maybe a couple of day trips to Siena, Florence, Perugia/Assisi etc. MAYBE an overnight somewhere. Assume you'll be back.

You say you like art. Maybe plan to spend that first day and the AM of the next in Rome before heading up to Manciano. Give you a chance to get acclaimated to the time change, and you'd have time to see more than a few pieces of art! Personally, I'd do the Borghese in the afternoon after your flight (it's very calm and relaxing, and you'll bbe tired), then an evening stroll around Rome, nice dinner, followed by a good nights' sleep. Next day Vatican/St. Peters before heading to Manciano in the afternoon.

I'd highly recommend that your group rent a car(s) so you can explore around the villa.

Susan,

If you're planning on renting a car in Italy, you might want to search this site regarding the dreaded Zona Traffico Limitato areas that are prevalent in some cities (ie: Florence). Driving through one of these zones results in an automatic ticket, which you'll receive in the mail after you're back home.

Note also that you'll require an International Driver's Permit. These are compulsory in Italy and you can be fined on the spot for failing to produce one. This must be used in conjunction with your home D.L.

Although a Hotel in Rome would be an additional cost (since the Villa is already paid for), since you're so interested in art it would be a shame not to see the Borghese Gallery or other sites (note that reservations are compulsory for that - details in the Italy Guidebook).

Happy travels!

We arrived at 8am as well. We went out to Tivoli for the morning until our hotel was available and my daughters and and I had a wonderful visit to Villa d'este. On the other hand, my husband fell sound asleep in the middle of a piazza while waiting for us to get the first of many gelattos. Don't underestimate the power of jet lag.

I wouldn't plan on doing anything "important" that first day because, while we loved it, our memory of Villa d'este is a little fuzzy. The pictures are great though :-)

I would get to Manciano, take the nap, enjoy the scenery and plan on visiting Rome at the end of the trip.

BTW - Oriveto is amazing and was one of our very favorite places. We can't recommend it highly enough. Check out Ron in Rome's website for additional encouragement to make the journey.

Have a wonderful visit!

Thanks for all the feedback, I think we will look at staying 1 or 2 nights in Rome at the end of the trip, and off set that cost by turning in our rental car earlier.

Has anyone tried a day trip to Florence? I think it would be a 2 hourish drive each way. If it is too far, it sounds like there is more than enough to touring the hill towns, and maybe a winery tour here and there.

Susan

Since you have limited time I suggest going to the villa in Tuscany and spend the last night in Roma. You can take the Leonardo express train direct to the airport from there. The trains several times each hour. Make sure you each have a ticket and it is validated. The yellow validation boxes are located at each track platform.

There are neat places to visit in Tuscany to take up your time. Since you do not have many days you would not want to take up precious time traveling long distances between cities.

I always use Rick Steve's and frommer's guide books for planning.

Buon viaggio,

RB

We were in Italy in Sept/Oct for 5 weeks mainly in the top 1/2 of country and did not see it all so with only 7 days on the ground for the two of you, I suggest less is more. See the hill towns, especially Orvieto, spend most of your time at the villa, with a car and explore the area. Then as you noted, spend last 2 days in Rome, with no car and pick the key sites before you head back the modern world of Marietta GA.

Consider taking the train directly into Rome from the airport to Termini Station. Check your luggage there and get on the Hop On/Hop Off bus. A 24 hour ticket was about $30 when we were there and it was well worth it. It takes you on a 2-3 hour tour of Rome, stopping at all the major sites. Stay on through the entire circle to see it all and listen to the narrator as you go. Then you can pick a few places you REALLY want to see and get off on the second pass. This is good for jet lag too. If you do as others have said and spend your last day in Rome and you'll already know what you want to see. You will have plenty of art in Florence and hill towns such as Siena. Don't miss the Doumo and Baptistry in Florence. If you arrange to pick up your car at the airport, it's a short train ride back.

Unless you're extremely brave, do not try to drive in Rome or Florence. Instead, might I suggest you drive from your villa to a small town nearby, park the car and take the train into town. Their public transportation puts ours to shame and gets you pretty much everywhere you want to go. Good luck!!