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Italian Itinerary

Since I've never visited Italy before, I would appreciate comments on the following itinerary in September. We thought that we would concentrate on Tuscany, Umbria and Rome, assuming that we will return for future visits to the north and south of Italy./we will take the train from Rome to Pisa, the train from Pisa to Florence. Rent a car in Florence and return ti in Orvieto or Rome. Also appreciate any hotel, B&B or apartment recommendations.

Pisa - 3 nights (business) - day trip to Lucca
Florence - 4 nights
Tuscany and Umbria - 1 night each in Siena, Cortona and Orvieto, visiting San Gimignano, Monteriggoni, Montepulciano and Assisi (if time allows
Cavita di Banoregio)
Rome - 5 nights

Posted by
16238 posts

You have not specified if you will have a car or not.
Pisa: since you have no choice but stay 3 nights for business reasons, maybe, besides Lucca, you might consider another day trip to the Cinque Terre. About 90 min away by train. Pisa itself has nothing to offer but a piazza with a cathedral, baptistry and a crooked tower. You can visit all of that in 2 hours (including lunch).
Florence, Tuscany and Umbria. Here it would be helpful to know if you are relying on trains or buses, or if you will have a car (which maybe you need for business reasons in Pisa, I don't know).
Until you chime in with that piece of info this is some info you might need.
Florence has severe traffic restrictions in the city center. Only residents with permit can enter. I don't advise to keep a car while in Florence, that would be a waste of dinero and a hassle. If you have a car, you either choose a location outside the city center, or even outside the city altogether, and visit Florence from there, or maybe you leave Florence to after the Tuscany's small town's visit (where a car is useful).
If you don't have a rental car, you should get one AFTER you visit Florence, to visit the Tuscan and Umbrian small towns and return it in Orvieto, before you go to Rome (by train from Orvieto, 70 min).
Tuscany and Umbria. You are changing hotels a lot of times with one nighters. Those are time wasters (pack/unpack/check in/check out), you should try to visit those places from a nice central base. For example if you choose a location near Siena and you have a car, you can visit Siena, Cortona, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, Montepulciano, Volterra from that location. From Siena to those aforementioned towns, it's less than 1 hr drive.
Orvieto can be done as a day trip from Rome. But if you want to stay there, devote one day to Orvieto and one to Civita (spend a couple of nights in Orvieto). Assisi is also an easy day trip from Orvieto by car if you have the time.
Orvieto is where you should return your car, then take the train to Rome for your last 5 nights. If you don't have 2 nights for Orvieto, you could borrow one from Rome. I think 4 nights in Rome (=3 full days) are adequate your first 15 nights in Italy.
If you DONT have a car and don't intend to rent one at all, then you should plant yourself in Florence and visit all those towns (except Orvieto/Civita and Assisi) from Florence (via train and/or bus). Then you move to Orvieto for a couple of nights (via train) and visit Orvieto and Civita (and maybe Assisi if you have time).
Assisi is a little over 2hr by train from either Florence or Orvieto, so you could visit it from either in approx. the same time (Orvieto is a little closer though).
Then after Orvieto, on to Rome (by train)

Posted by
1009 posts

I don't have much experience to offer, but when we went to Italy many years ago... I did not like it much at all. Looking back, I think it is because we had a stint of a different hill town every night, which turned out to be exhausting and a blur. Pretty much like what you have if I remember... like visit Pisa, go stay in Siena, next day visit Assisi on the way to stay in Orvieto.. next day see San G... you get the idea (I don;t think that was the order but you get the picture). Not really sure why we planned it that way. But anyway, I would home base somewhere and then maybe day trip out - or not. I would just stay somewhere and focus on that place.

I am slowing down for our trip this summer - giving Italy another chance! :)

The rest looks good though! :)

Kim

Posted by
61 posts

Thank you for the information. I have added our transportation modes to my original message. Your suggestion to return the car in Orvieto is great. I hadn't thought about doing this, because Orvieto is such a small town. I know that most people advise against one-nighters, but in small towns, I think that its fun to stay overnight when most of the tourists have left. This way, we can visit several.