itinerary help

Hello nealonfj48,

I am unclear about your plan. Are you planning on 1.5 weeks? Are you going to arrive in Rome from a nearby place or after a long-haul flight? Jetlagged?

Here's what I think your plan is:
Wed. land at FCO, get luggage, get to hotel, start (pretty zonked) sightseeing early afternoon (1/2 day)
Thurs-Fri Rome (2 days)
Sat. bus to Siena, get to hotel, start sightseeing around lunchtime (1/2 day)
Sun. day trip to Florence (1 day)
Mon. day trip to Chianti (1 day)
Tues. move to new location, rent car, sightsee (1/2 day)
Wed. visit 2 hill towns by car (1 day)
Thurs. return car, train to CT, get to hotel, start sightseeing around lunchtime (1/2 day)
Fri CT (1 day)
Sat train to Rome, get to hotel - sightseeing in CT before or Rome after train (1/2 day)

You'll have 6 full days of sightseeing, and the rest are 1/2 days. It's pretty rushed for my taste.

Do you know the pitfalls of driving in Italy? ZTL issues?

I agree. Your itinerary is not clear. Are you staying 5 days in Tuscany or just 3 days? Also, have part of a single day to see areas such as Siena is not realistic.

I would go directly to Siena on your arrival day and not split up your time in Rome. This will eliminate one change of hotels. Also, it might be better to stay in Florence and do day trips from there rather than stay in Siena and do the day trips from there. Florence is much better connected than Siena.

Can you be a little more specific in your itinerary?

Donna

I would do the day tour to San Gim. Head over to Volterra and stay there the night. Then you can depart Volterra for La Spezia.

Sorry for the confusion. Answers...
Yes, flying in to Rome from USA arrival Wednesday AM. Figuring light touring Wednesday, Ceaser shuffle et al on Thursday, Vatican on Friday.

Bus to Siena Saturday morning...touring Siena, day trip to Florence on Sunday, day trip into Chianti on Monday.

Rent car Tuesday AM, head to San Gim and maybe spend night in Volterra...
Wednesday Drive to Lucca (maybe Pisa) spend night in Lucca.

Thursday and Friday in CT, return to Rome on Saturday, dinner and ready for flight out on Sunday.

My question essentially was about driving. Should I rent a car/drive into Chianti, Volterra, San Gim, and Lucca? Busy? too busy?

thank you.

I'd suggest you go directly from Rome to Florence by fast train and visit Florence for 2 days.

Take a one day bus trip to Siena and back to Florence to spend the third night.
Then pickup a rental car in Florence center city and run down to San Gimignano and Volterra for the day. You could easily spend the night in Lucca that night.
One night in Lucca would be enough for me, as it's pretty quiet place.
Turn the car in at La Spezia and catch the local train into Cinque Terre.
If you have not made your flight arrangements, you should consider flying out of Milan or Pisa open jaw. But you can get from La Spezia to Pisa and down to Rome if necessary via train.

You could streamline your travel time by doing this.

Sunday

Train: Rome-Florence 1H32m prices starting @ 29E if purchased early enough.

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=ee13721bdd69a110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

Also check out The man in seat 61

There is a luggage storage @iFirenze SMN station "deposito bagagli open 6-23:00
5E for 1st 5 Hours

http://www.grandistazioni.it/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=86470fc45fa4b110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

Then bus to Siena.. Bus stop is by the train station.

Monday

Rent car Auto Europe.com

Tour Chianti

Tuesday

San Gimignano and Voltera

Wednesday

Siena-Pisa 90m 1H48m

Pisa-Lucca 10mi 21m either stay in Lucca or
continue to La Spezia 45mi 50m

Thursday

Cinque Terre

Friday

Cinque Terre

Saturday
Train: La Spezia-Rome

oops...forgot to add Drop car La Spezia