In June, I am taking my wife, our 2 kids (8 & 11) and her parents (late 70s) to Italy. I am looking for recommendations for apartments or hotels which can accommodate us. We will be traveling by train.
a. 2 nights Varenna
b. 3 nights Venice
c. 3 nights Cinque Terre
d. 2 nights Florence
e. 1 night Cortona
f. 2 nights Assisi
g. 1 night Orvieto
h. 3 nights Rome
(We can do 2 nights Orvieto and skip Cortona if advised)
Thanks for any recommendations.
In Venice, we have rented from this agency with good luck. Renting for only three nights is not a problem most of the time..
No personal experience with these folks but they get good reviews.
You might want to consider staying longer in spots, eliminating the one night and two night stops. Generally speaking the biggest pain about traveling is the actual traveling. In 17 nights you are in 8 different cities.
You will usually burn a least a half day or more when you change locations. Just with the process of packing, checking out, getting to the train, getting to the new spot and checking in and unpacking again.
For example , you might want to consolidate the Florence Cortona assisi orvieto to maybe three nights in Florence with three nights at another location and do daytrips.
If you have listed them in the order you are planning on traveling, then you might also want to move the stop in Florence to before the CT. Venice to the CT on the train makes for a very long day. It's about 6+ hours with usually 2 train changes.
the trip from Venice to FLorence is about 3 hours and then the trip from FLorence to the CT is about 3. Stopping in Florence for a while breaks up the long trip.
For Orvieto we enjoyed the Magnolia Inn. Serena's got two rooms(one with little balcony,kitchen, and living room) that join with a little anteroom. Great bathroom, frescoed ceilings, very clean and by the bus next to the beautiful Cathedral.We paid 60 euros for a double. There is one flight of stairs though. Her email is [email protected]. I know it'd accomodate five at least.
Hi Ben
I agree that you might want to rethink the number of stops for your trip. Each move will cost you at least half a day or more of prime touring time. Are your wife's parents in pretty good shape physically? How will they be with walking, stairs and heat?
Have any of you been to Italy before? Have you brainstormed with the group about everyone's personal "must sees"?
What experience of Italy are you seeking? Art and Architecture, History, some relaxing family time, food and wine, religious sites, scenery?
Both Orvieto and Assisi are doable as day trips from Rome.
Personally I'd consider adding an extra day in Florence then adding three nights in Rome and doing Assisi and Orvieto as day trips.