Helpful tips on this driving tour?

For your Day 7 Bologna “Tour,” do you already have something in mind, or even already arranged? Is this going to be in town, or possibly in the area?

There are guided walks done in a combination of Italian and English (emphasis on the former) put on by the city tourism office, which depart from the office on the north side of Piazza Maggiore. You can also wander the city and do touring your own, of course. With your car, perhaps you’re planning on driving to nearby places that day.

If you’d be interested, we did the day-long Italian Days Food tour two years ago, visiting sites where Parmigiano cheese, Balsamic vinegar, and Prosciutto are produced, plus lots of tasting, and an enormous, scrumptious lunch in a supremely scenic setting out in the country. See https://www.italiandays.it/tour-item/italian-days-food-experience-bologna-day-tour/ .

Parking inside the old city walls is probably problematic. Two years ago, we rented an apartment just outside the old ring road, on the south side. The apartment had parking, but there are also pay parking lots located just outside the old town. If you stayed inside the old town but parked outside it, finding lodging that wasn’t too far into the center might be worth considering. On our subsequent stay last year, we had an apartment inside the wall, but didn’t have a car.

Seems like all your time is spent just in going from one place to another.

THANK YOU, Cyn!!! Most helpful!! Will look through your other posts and see if your itinerary is posted.
Yep!! That’s the exact tour we’ve booked!! We are PUMPED!!! Thanks a million!!

For the fall Italy trips in 2021 and 2022 (both including Bologna), I haven’t posted full-fledged trip reports, although bits and pieces of the experiences have been mentioned here and there, in assorted posts and replies. Bologna has a lot to offer, but food is a major attraction. La Traviatta became a favorite for both lunch and dinner, although making a reservation may be important.

Walking the porticoes, they’re not a guarantee that you’d be protected from rain. We dealt with a huge downpour one day, and even if the rain’s not blowing on you in the portico, you’re not sheltered when you cross an intersection. Their tile floors are slippery when wet, too, but maybe you’ll have totally dry weather.

Orvieto is simple for driving. A parking lot is adjacent to the train station, from where you can take a funicular up into the town. From the top of the funicular we walked to our B&B hotel and the very center, but there’s also a shuttle bus to transport you to/from the center.

It's a shame you don't have just a little more time. Bologna is about an hour and a half north of Florence. That means from Bologna to Orvieto is about 3 hours by car on controlled access toll roads. By bypassing Tuscany, you're missing so many important travel sights and some fine hilltowns.

FYI: If you get a Hertz rental car, their office is across the parking lot from the Orvieto train station. You can turn your car in there and catch a 70 minute local train into Rome Termini.

Thanks, Cyn. Will check out.

David- SUPER helpful tip on Hertz!!!!!! Exactly the kinds of ideas we were hoping to glean from this group. Thank you!
Yep, hear you. I'll be based in Florence to visit the surrounding area for a little over a week after the driving portion mentioned in the original post. My friend on the driving portion has already visiting the Florence area, so we're trying to hit some new to us spots.

It is worth doing a bit of checking on the Hertz location in Orvieto. I think they are the only game in town but they got delisted by one of the well respected US based brokers used by a lot of folks here. I believe the delisting came about because of customer service.

I'd just look before I leaped...

If you are interested in hiking or grass green slopes, you are way early for the mountains. It is still ski season.

Thanks for the heads up. Will confirm on Hertz.

Yes, we understand we're too early for hiking. We're opting to see what we can. Thanks.

Nights 3 and 4 stay in one location. Possibly Ortisei or another in the Val Gardena instead of Bolzano. Once in Val Gardena simply drive the Gardena Pass to Corvara, then the Campolongo Pass to Arabba and then the Pordoi Pass to the Sella Pass (by Canazei) and back into Val Gardena via the Gardena Pass. The Sella Pass branches off the Gardena Pass, so on the Sella to Gardena (last leg) you’ll be by the start of the Gardena Pass, not driving it again. Magnificent drives, amazing up close Dolomite peaks and amazing Dolomite vistas plus charming small towns. All easily done in a day out.

Thanks for the suggestions.