help - 9 women travleing to Italy!

Well, imagine that: I'm both a sister AND a s-i-l! Got room for a 10th? :-) I just wanted to help you get better responses - do you have any idea where in Tuscany you'd like to go? Likewise, what exactly does "Rome and areas around it" mean? For me, the answers to these two questions would help me advise car vs train. Off the bat (sorry, it's baseball season!), I'd suggest looking at agriturismos in 'Tuscany' - esp. if you want to relax in one spot and perhaps do daytrips. Many have family rooms, on up to family wings and cottages; you could be housed in two nearby buildings. Do you want at least a kitchenette for light-to-heavier meal prep, a fridge, etc? Is this a group that wants to commit to planning everything out in advance (ex buy train tickets online early for great discounts), or just get there and roam around? It'll sure be easier for 10, ahem I mean 9, to get acceptable lodging if all agree to lose some flexibility. You are very smart to be planning now - make your accommodations reservations ASAP.

Sure Eileen, come along - 10 makes an even number!
We would like to stay in anywhere is the Tuscan countryside and take day trips. I'd like to minimize the moving around as much as possible due to size of groupd. I was thinking a villa that would sleep our crowd if possible. Right now, some want to go to Rome and see the sights but again, don't want to stay is a large city like that. Something outside of the city but with easy access to it and sights around it, for example a day trip to Pompii. We are all pretty easy going, flexible and enjoy each other's company so I don't think there will be much splitting up of the group as in "you guys go your way and we'll go ours". Part of the fun of this trip will be the time spent together and the laughs we will have together - can't do that if you split up.

lisa, With your group of nine, were you planning to share rooms or get four double rooms and one single room? Some Hotels will be able to provide triples or quads, and you could possibly use a roll-out cot for the "odd" person. As you'll need to book a "block of rooms", I would highly recommend booking early! Staying in Agriturismo's is certainly one possibility, however many of them won't have the facilities for a group that size. Also, there likely wouldn't be much to do in the evenings except sit around the pool (if available). Staying in larger centres will allow not only good access to transportation, but a variety of restaurants and other things to keep busy with in the evenings. If you're planning to rent cars, it's important to be aware of the usual "issues" regarding driving in Italy. If you need further information, post another note. Some further information would be helpful.... > What is the time frame of this trip? > What type of budget are you working with? > Aside from Rome and Tuscany, where else are you planning to visit? > Do all of the nine participants agree on the places to visit? Good luck with your planning!

You might find that renting a large apartment would be less costly than multiple double or triple rooms. Nine is a somewhat awkward number of people. Whatever you chose to do for lodging, I would decide on an itinerary and then book early. As for transportation, you will definitely need 2 cars.

I suspect that by the time April 2013 rolls around the party of nine will have diminished to 5 or 6, which will make it much easier to plan for.

You people forget that I've been invited - right there in black and white! That's "10"...;-) I used 'agriturismo' as a catch-all: villa/apartment/anyplace with several larger, relaxed accommodations (lots of beds, kitchen, pools, BBQ grills/pizza ovens, patios/loggias for gathering) - often touted to larger groups, such as families, wedding parties, etc. And if booked extremely early, you have a good chance of taking over a particular property (if it's small enough). Would your party consider an apartment somewhere like the Trastevere area in Rome? It's strictly residential - no roaming throngs of tourists! You can get some screaming deals on huge, roomy apartments there, and the transportation options both into town and to the airport are very good. You don't need to worry about transportation this way (cars). Are you planning on really hitting the sights, or mostly hanging out together over many bottles of wine in a beautiful locale?

Not in Italy, but yes I've done this sort of planning before. But we planned on eating together in the evenings and splitting into various and ever changing groups during the day depending mostly on interest. That makes things easier. I second or third or whatever it is now the apartment in Rome suggestion. Lots of apartments are outside of the general tourist area but on the metro. I'd look for two close together at least one of which has a fairly large living area where you could enjoy your evening together. You could find an apartment or villa just about anywhere in Tuscany, but, I'd think about three times before committing to a place that requires you to drive. Nine people would require two cars and that could be quite a traveling hassle in terms of finding park and meeting again. If you don't mind splitting up, than two or three cars wouldn't be such a problem. The whole adventure sounds like fabulous fun.

There's a fantastic hotel on the edge of Siena that I absolutely love called "Borgo Grondaie". We've gone there just to stay there again after a previous trip b/c we loved it so much. It has many different buidlings all close together, from rooms to cottages with kitchens. The grounds are beautiful, a wonderful pool, laundry facilities (free), wonderful buffet breakfast. The owners/staff are great. There's a Coop grocery store a short walk from hotel. It's a little too far to walk into town, but you can easily take a bus. And the train station is close by. I highly recommend it, check out the website and see what you think. http://www.hotelsienaborgogrondaie.com/

With 10 (counting Eileen) I'd definitely stay in the city and close to public transportation, so people can split into groups. Trying to work out 2 or 3 cars and all the complications of driving sounds like a logistical nightmare. The Hotel Alimandi across from the Vatian has large family rooms that could probably sleep 4......you'll have to figure out the bed situation. Contact them directly, they all speak very good English and are very good at setting up tours. The neighborhood is quiet and not touristy, being on the "Museum" side, as opposed to the St. Peter's side.
I like the previous poster's suggestion re the hotel in Sienna, especially with its position in Tuscany, and also available transportation to Florence, etc. VRBO.com lists apartments all over the world, and I've rented through them in several countries (even in the U.S.), and that may also work, if you can get maybe 2 or 3 apartments in the same building in Florence or Rome -- again, both close to transportation for differing schedules! This trip sounds like a "Blast" and if Eileen doesn't go, let ME know. I also like wine :-)

OK, Lisa - I think we're up to 12; sounds like Jenny and Donna are in! I'll start looking at minibuses...

Hey! Don't forget me!! I'm a sister and sister-in-law too...

I have planned trips for groups of that size and larger and it can be challenging. I think the best plan would be to decide if you want to have a vehicle (or 2) or use public transportation and that will dictate where you stay. I have driven a van all through France a few times and it fit 8 people. We had 3 vans on one trip and it is always a challenge not to lose one another. A few times we had two cars with 4 in each car... same problem of getting lost. So, if you can all fit in one van you could have a great time staying out a bit and having adventures with day trips. I will contact a few friends who have had photography workshops in Tuscany and had everyone stay in the same place, and find out where they stayed. I would probably rent the vehicle in Florence, then tour around the countryside and return the car to Florence (airport) and then take the train to Rome. I would probably do hotels in Rome so you can be close to the action.
Well... since I have done this before I could be your driver...as well as document the trip for you as I am a photographer:)) I could give photo lessons too....hey, maybe you could just have the whole trip an open invitation!

has anyone noticed except for ken, all the replies have been female and mostly focused on the fun more than the trip planning ? I am too novice to contribute much but I would recommend taking the person who offered to be the driver and photographer. I've seen her work and photo books, impressive. I am a GS leader and I know our group dynamics are a bit different but we are a group of 9 so still need 9 beds, train or car seats, etc. The group size as not really been a problem and you may not have the problem of traveling with minors. Actually, several places it has been a place in that there has been options to have special tours just for our group. A cooking class that does not meet on a nite we were to be in florence advertises only 6 in a class but they offered to do a special class for us when we would be in town(our size was probably worth the extra nites work for them). We leave next month so might be better to comment when I actually know how things went but, we have reserved a bed and breakfast in florence that seems like it will be great. I think we have 4 of the 5 rooms in the house. Here is the info. Bed and Breakfast "La Casa dei Tintori" di Massimo Ingegno Corso dei Tintori 33 50122 - Firenze tel + 39 055 2639771 cell + 39 055 4640078 cell + 39 328 7665169
[email protected] www.casadeitintori.it

Just to catch up - thanks everyone for all your replys. We are considering all our options based on some of the information given here. And, yes, I do suspect that by the time the trip takes place we may be down a number or two which makes a van more feasible and less expensive than two cars. So again, thanks to all.

Stay IN Rome, not outside. That way you can have NO car, rely on public transportation (the options are great and easy read Rick Steve's Rome). If you stay outside, you will waste a lot of time getting to and from the city, and driving in Rome is a major nightmare, not to mention the parking! You can take an electric bus to most major sights, and if you tour the Vatican, you can get picked up at your hotel. We stay close to the Termini, because all manner of public transportation is available. If this is your group's first trip to Italy and Rome, you will find plenty to do in the city for all the time you have! Colosseum, Palatine Hill, The Forum, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Capitoline Hill, The Vatican (full day here), Villa Borghese, National Museum, Villa Giulia, Borghese Gallery, countless churches, museums and piazzas again, RS Rome! How wonderful that you all like each other well enough to travel together! Have fun!! Jan B

Re: Pompeii -- you can get there by taking a train (or bus or plane) to Naples, then on the Circumvesuviana. It will require a very LONG full day of your vacation. Honestly, with all there is to see in and near Rome, you are better off to stay closer to Rome, IMHO! I've been to Pompeii, and though interesting, the ruins at Ostia Antica are every bit as impressive, and much closer! Plus, you can get there on Metro B, and it only takes half an hour (or less). Check it out. Just my 2 cents worth! Jan