Italy

All drivers must have an IDP
International Driving Permit-required by law
Get at your local AAA for about $20

Do your homework in driving in Italy -ZTLs, speed cameras, parking, tolls

There is probably a lot more you need to know- depending on what you plan to see and do
( ex: almot all major venues require prebooked timed entries)

Do you have a good guide book? The RS italy book will come in very handy

I haven’t driven in Tuscany, but that sounds fine, and otherwise, a couple days each in Venice, Florence and Rome is the classic introduction to Italy that millions of people have done for centuries, and you can’t go wrong with that.

This is a perfectly reasonable plan. As someone mentioned V,F,R is the classic first Italian trip for a reason. Venice is better to fly into than out of so your direction of travel makes sense.

Rural Tuscany is one of the few places you need a car to get places. Some people will train to Chiusi (Chiusi-Chianciano Terme specifically) and rent and return a car there since it is close to some of the famous southern Tuscan towns. But this is just a slight variation on the plan you've laid out here to save some driving.

Unless you have some other deciding factor check the weather in October and March and see which appeals to you more. The crowds in March will probably be smaller since it is earlier in the season.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

3 nights in Venice, 3 nights in Florence, 4 nights in Rome, is the perfect allocation in my opinion, unless of course you are interested in one place in particular and you have more vacation days at your disposal.

Regarding Tuscan countryside and small towns, the car is the best approach however certain destinations are more easily visited by train, and if you plan to visit those, you may consider a day trip from Florence by train rather than drive to them. They are basically the other provincial towns of Tuscany: Pisa, Lucca, Pistoia, Arezzo, and also Siena (easier by bus). However if you plan to go to Siena area by car (many hill towns are that way) then you may consider visiting it while there for those.

Florence is a good place to pick up your car and head south. But I wouldn’t return the car back to Florence if you plan to eventually go to Rome. I would return it in Rome. There is also,the possibility to return it in Chiusi (Avis Budget only) or Orvieto (Hertz only), which are on the way to Rome from Tuscany.

Check rental options at www.autoeurope.com

Renting a car in Italy can easily result in getting an expensive ticket after you arrive home.
Yes, a car is a good way to see Tuscan towns and cities, however, note that parking is a serious problem in most of these cities.
If you plan to do this recommend comparing driving a car, parking, when your lodging (is it available and how much) vs. taking tours from a city like Siena.
Check out the tours in TripAdvisor.com or other sites.

Another issue, is 3 days in Rome, that is way not enough to see the main sites.

Solid plan. Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Rome is the classic first-timer route and it works well in this order since Venice is a better place to fly into.

Must-dos:

Get an IDP (International Driving Permit) from AAA, about $20. Required by law to drive in Italy.
Book timed entries ahead of time. Uffizi, Accademia, Colosseum, Vatican, etc. almost all require pre-booked slots now.
Learn the ZTLs before driving into any town center. Restricted zones and speed cameras can result in tickets mailed to you months later.
Parking is hard in Tuscan hill towns. Plan for this during your car rental days.

Car rental tip: Pick up in Florence, drop off in Rome instead of returning it to Florence, to avoid backtracking. Chiusi or Orvieto also work as drop points on the way south.

Worth considering:

Adding a 4th night in Rome. Several people said 3 nights is tight for the amount to see.
Taking the train to Pisa, Lucca, or Arezzo (bus to Siena) instead of driving to every town in Tuscany, if you'd rather spend less time behind the wheel.

October vs. March: Both work fine. March tends to have fewer crowds and cooler weather. October is warmer but busier. Comes down to your preference.

Get a guidebook as everyone said ,Rick Steves' Italy guide was recommended and fits this route well.

Safe travels!

Note that Easter 2027 is March 28th and so the last week in March is likely to be more crowded.

If you choose October, early Octobers have been just as hot and crowded for us in the big three cities as Septembers, so we prefer late October (and we really prefer November, if that's an option for you!).

When driving around Tuscany (really anywhere in Italy)
I try to have a plan for where I will park. You can locate parking on google maps then get an idea of how things look as you approach the parking area by using street view.
You can even go as far as the entrances to ZTL zones and zoom in on the signage for the ZTL to familiarize yourself and hopefully avoid entering a ZTL.

Before you opt to rent a car to tootle around Tuscany, I suggest you read my thread about driving, with its ups and downs (literally and figuratively). Others chimed with with their mishaps as well. I had a car for 9 days and had a wonderful time. I'd driven in other parts of Italy and other European countries and Tuscany/Umbria was definitely the most challenging. My trip was late March to early April 2022. Italy was just coming out of the pandemic and foreign tourism was unusally light, though there were more Italian tourists than usual.

I'm including the links to Venice and Rome as well. I don't know if they'll be of much help since they were return visits and I didn't go to many of the famous sight.

My only other advice is to not try to do too much. Hardly anyone only goes to Italy once.

First of all, Florence is IN Tuscany, so you wouldn't rent a car TO Tuscany. I assume you intend drive around the Tuscan countryside, though.

If this is your first trip to Italy - which I assume it is - then you've planned to hit the Big Three which is what most people do, and you'll check off all the boxes.

Planning trip to Italy in October 2027. I have had great responses confirming flying into Venice 3 to 4 nights; Florence 3 to 4 nights and ending in Rome 4 nights is popular. My question is adding The Cinque Terre. We plan on staying in Europe for 14 days. Would like any advice as to this last suggestion. Last, would like any suggestions about our stay in Florence. When and where to rent a car and what specific towns in Florence would be the high-point of our stay. I understand about the zoning restrictions. So any advice regarding the best way to avoid that concern would be appreciated.

Venice 4, Florence 4, Rome 4 is a great plan
If you want to visit CT slot it between Venice and Florence and just be aware that it will take a good part of a day to get there so give it 3 nights ( 2 full days) if you can

You don’t need or want a car for any of the above locations

I think you mean “Tuscany” when you ask about where to visit in Florence?
You can just do a day trip or 2 from Florence either on your own or as a guided bus/private driver tour

ToursbyRoberto.com gets excellent reviews and books up early-see what he offers

I like Christine's plan. It's easy to take day trips by bus to hill towns like Siena and San Gimignano or by train to Pisa and Luca (some folks have reported seeing both in a single day). Having a car will increase travel time and frazzle nerves. You can also arrange a private driver/guide for a day of wineries or find tour from Florence. If you have an extra night or two, consider adding Orvieto between Florence and Rome.

Hi there! I support what others have written and regarding car rental, take advantage of rental car insurance. I drove solo around SIcily earlier this year and scraped the side of my car against a building while driving on a narrow street. The damage was around $800. Although I had to pay upfront, my insurance reimbursed me within a few weeks of my trip after filing the paperwork.

The rental car agency gave me an SUV similar to what I drive at home, which at first was exciting. In retrospect, a smaller car may have made me feel less nervous.

Good luck!