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Northern Tucany / Southern Emilia-Romagna / Cinc Terre What to Do?

First trip to Italy

We're booked from 9/21 to 10/5 Fly into Venice and out of Pisa.
6 people age range is 50-79

We want to visit places and see what makes them special, get the feel and vibe of the place,

We enjoy good food and wine, but would not consider us Foodies, do like to visit wineries and taste.

Not really an artsy crowd don't want to fill the trip with Museums, churches , palaces. If its really special and a must see we're all in

and of course the ladies like to shop, nice stuff on a budget not looking for Versace

Any Recommended Tours , or personal tour guides?

Venice from 9/21-9/24
We've an apartment near the San Zaccaria ACTV stop

Looking for Restaurant Rec's
Is San Marco Basilica / Doges palace worth the visit?
Other rec's

9/24 back to Marco Polo to pick up two rental cars Drive to Bagni di Lucca
We've rented a house in this small village north of Lucca, that we're using as a base for day trips, my wife's grand parents are from this town.

Places we're thinking of but we are not limited to these,and we like small cute villages with shops, food , enoteca, wineries

Florence (Academmia Galleria, Mercato Centrale)
Lucca (The wall)
Pisa (The Field)
Cinc Terre (not sure at all we're not hikers, is the coastal drive OK , is there parking)
Rome one day there and back on Trenitalia for Vatican and anything else

Looking for Ideas / Things to see and do shopping and restaurant and winery rec's.

Thanks in advance for all of the advice I'll be filing a trip report when i get back ciao al

Posted by
16212 posts

First of all you don't need to go all the way to the Marco Polo airport to pick up the cars. That's crazy. Piazzale Roma is much more convenient, and cheaper too since you won't incur airport taxes. Call and change car reservations.

Many of the locations you plan to visit are best visited without a car. Namely Florence and Cinque Terre. You are better off parking at the Lucca station, and proceed by train.

Since you have cars take advantage to visit the many Tuscan villages and countryside. Rome is too far for a day trip from Bagni di Lucca. It's over 3 hours from Lucca by train (change in Florence)