We're planing to stay in Florence from Dec. 29 (coming in by train from Venice) to Jan 1 (when we pick up a car and drive down to Pompei arriving that evening.) But after learning about all the wonderful places to see in the regions around Florence and Tuscany, we're thinking since we were going to pick up a car in Florence anyway, maybe our time will be more enjoyable if we spent the 4 days on a mini road trip. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
Bob in NJ
I would spend the 4 days in Tuscany/Umbria on the road trip. So many great places to see!!! And just being on those back roads is awesome.
Pompeii is great - but not worth going there just to go there. (Unless you are flying out of Naples?) Save it for the next trip and center yourself in Sorrento for that one.
We're arriving in Pompei on the evening of Jan 1 (on our way to Rome.) We figured we can see the ruins and maybe pop into Sorrento and maybe Vesuvius before we head up to Rome on Jan 3.
What would be a good place to base ourselves in Tuscany so we can drive around and hit various sites?
About where to stay as a homebase in Tuscany: In May, we drove from north to south through Tuscany, staying in Siena, Assisi, and Civita. The most wonderful experience was staying at Romantica Pucci in Civita di Bagnoreggio. She has an elegant home, is a fine hostess, and serves lovely meals. The tiny hilltown of Civita is unforgettable, and you can reach Orvieto, Assisi, and even Cortona on day trips from there. Ask for the Magnolia Room (where Rick Steves has stayed twice!). Siena was our best base for the northern hilltowns such as San Gimignano and Volterra, and even Florence (stayed at Palazzo Ravizza). But, no matter which towns you choose to visit, you will pack home wonderful memories. We loved them all.
