So I took recommendations from this site regarding my trip to Italy in either October 2026 or March 2027. I plan on flying into Venice and staying three days. Take the train to Florence. Stay in Florence for three days and then rent a car to Tuscany and stay there for a few days. Take a train back to Rome And stay in Rome for three days. Fly out of Rome. This seems pretty easy and I’m not as skeptical about the logistics of the trip now that I have had reassurance on where to fly in and where to fly out and that I need to stay in an additional week which I am planning on doing doing. With that in mind is there anything else I need to know.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
8927 posts
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
Posted by
Virginia
626 posts
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.
Posted by
San Diego, California, USA
1935 posts
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
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17492 posts
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