Trip Itinerary, Car Rental Questions

The drive from La Spezia to Siena is not so fast, but there's a lot of pretty scenery. The Apuan Alps from the autostrada near Carrara are dramatic and the Tuscan hills are lovely. I suggest getting an early start from the CT and rent from Avis or Budget (watch the hours, closed weekends) which is an easy walk from the La Spezia train station and will save you almost an hour. On the way you can visit Pisa easily(less than an hour from La Spezia) and you might be able to manage a quick but interesting visit around Volterra. You need an International Driver's Permit from AAA (assuming you're American). You can get some car rental tips here: http://www.apathtolunch.com/2014/12/car-rental-in-italy-pick-it-up-right.html

I don't know about Priceline, because for Italy I usually use a consolidator (www.autoeurope.com or www.kemwel.com), and select the full zero deductible insurance option. Generally Europcar is the cheapest, Hertz also is cheaper sometimes. Avis-Budget nearly always more money.

For your itinerary I would return the car in Sorrento, rather than Naples. Sorrento has rental car offices for Hertz, Europcar, Avis-Budget. Driving in Naples is not for the uninitiated.

From Pisa to Siena, I'd make a stop in Volterra. Slower route but that way you can kill one prime destination (Volterra) along the way.

Since you asked, I think your itinerary is too fast-paced and somewhat inefficient. It would be better to fly into Venice (or even Milan and go straight to Venice). You'll use too much time going back from Venice through Florence to the CT.

Here's what I see: 1 day in Florence (your first day is lost, by the time you get to your hotel and have a meal, most of the day's gone and you're zonked after the flight anyway), 2.5 days in Venice, 1 day in Vernazza, 1 day in Siena, .5 day in Orvieto, 1 day in Sorrento, .5 day Pompeii, 2 days Rome. 16 days vacation, 10 days sightseeing.

Here's an example. Day 13. Up bright and early. Pack and have breakfast. Leave at 8.30 with luggage, get to Pompeii around 9.15-9.30. Walk around Pompeii with all your valuables in your day packs for 3 hours, get to Naples around 1.30 with your luggage. Check the luggage, 1/2 hour to archaeology museum, 2 hours there. It's 4 pm and I haven't included time for lunch. Allow 1/2 hour to get back to the train station, 1.5 hours to get your luggage and on the train. That gets you to Rome at 6 pm and you still have about 1/2 hour to your hotel. Any time for lunch or seeing more of Naples gets you to Rome later.

I agree with landing in Venice if possible. If tickets are already purchased, take the train to Venice the day you land and then backtrack to Florence.

I agree day 13 is a very tough day. You might want to give it some thought.

I think it's too much travel and it's very disjointed.

First, I agree with going directly to Venice upon landing and working your way back to Rome. I would skip the CT this trip. It's a 6 hour train ride from Venice to the CT. Save it for another trip when you have more time.

For the Tuscany portion, I would rent an apartment or small house and base out of there for day trips instead of changing locations so often. You basically have a single full day in Florence, you can easily do this as a day trip if you choose a location between Florence, Siena and Pisa. You'll need a car for this part of the trip but that shouldn't be an issue.

I would take the train from Florence to Naples for that portion of the trip and then take the train back to Rome.

Donna

Not sure why you need a car at all, think it will probably not make things any faster with your plan.
That said, if you do get a car I think it makes more sense to keep the car and park in Sorrento , dropping the car off before reaching Rome.
Skip Naples entirely and this would allow you to drive to Pompeii.
Everything is a bit rushed, you are traveling to Sorrento but not sure you are going at all to nearby Capri or the Amalfi Coast both of which seem a shame to miss.

I think you could use another day in quite a few spots so hard to revise without a major overhaul.
Vernazza I think you would want another night, Florence another night, not sure the overnight in Orvieto makes sense with your plan, Sorrento another night or two, Rome another night, etc...

Changing you flights would be best change you can make but may not be possible. Flying into Venice and out of Naples would optimize your time in Italy.

I would do this on the train, I don't see anything in your itinerary that requires a car. And actually for Italy based upon the volume of people posting on this board about tickets, I would look for ways not to drive. You almost have to budget for a couple of $200 tickets the way it sounds. This might be a country, like Ireland! where it makes sense to spring for the super CDW, too. Sorry to sound so pessimistic, I have driven in about eight or nine countries in Europe but would not dream of driving in Italy. Trains are easy, fun, and cheap in Italy.

Thanks everyone for your input. You've given me a lot to consider.

I mapped out a pretty little drive through Tuscany on our way to Siena via SR 222. I appreciate some of your concerns about renting a car, and the layout of my itinerary. Understand, driving through the hills of Tuscany is part of our desired adventure. It may sound weird, but road-tripping is something my fiance and I do for fun on a regular basis. To be able to do this through Tuscany is a dream come true. Anyway, there are still a lot of great suggestions. We are most definitely taking the advice about dropping off the car in Sorrento, rather than Naples. Thank you!

Also, Orvieto is sort of a rest stop for us, halfway through our trip. Knowing our travel habits and needs, one quiet night in a beautiful town (with not much sight-seeing planned) is something that helps us re-energize. Also, it makes the drive from Siena to Sorrento a little shorter.

As for Sorrento, we plan on touring the Amalfi coast rather than stopping in Capri. Any thoughts on this decision would be welcomed :)

Unfortunately, flying into Venice is not an option, as our flight is already booked. I guess maybe taking the train straight to Venice rather than Florence first might be an idea to consider, since on the train back to CT there is a stop in Florence anyway. We were looking forward to the Festa del Redentore and the firework display, as my current itinerary has us staying in Venice over that weekend. Not sure yet what we'll do there.

Pompeii and Naples are optional side trips we were considering on taking en route to Rome. Originally, we were content on sacrificing a day in Rome for a split day between Pompeii and Naples. I really would like to hike Vesuvius, and at the very least have a piece of pizza in Naples. Is giving up a full day to explore Rome worth this? We would still have 2 full days to explore, and are staying in the Piazza Navona-Pantheon area, so we'd be able to walk to most places.

So 3 full days in Rome? Or 2 full days plus 1 day in Pompeii/Naples? Thoughts?

Thanks again everyone for your input!
-Al

Visiting Pompeii on your way from Sorrento to Rome is not a bad idea.
Since you plan to return the car in Sorrento, I presume that at that point you will be traveling by train.
Take the Circumvesuviana commuter train from Sorrento to Naples early in the morning if you can. About half way get off at the POMPEI-VILLA DEI MISTERI station. You can leave your luggage at either the station or at the Pompeii Excavation Site (both have a baggage storage facility).
After visiting Pompeii for a couple of hours, take the Circumvesuviana train to Naples. That is where you connect to the high speed Frecciarossa to Rome (70 min journey). If you want to spend a few hours for a pizza lunch and a quick visit in Naples, you can do that too before catching the train to Rome. Napoli Centrale station has a baggage storage facility where you can drop your bags while you do so.

The car is great for Tuscany countryside but really don't see that in your plans nor do you have extra time to add it in without dropping something.
You are stopping at all cities where parking is expensive and driving due to ZTL is a concern for each one.

As far as scenic drives, I found the scenery to be far nicer driving from Siena SOUTH not north of Siena so not sure how scenic the drive from La Spieza to Siena will be. I would take the fast route to Siena and then do the scenic route from Siena to Orvieto. Why not drop the car off in Orvieto and train from there?

I don't think it is worth the time to go to Naples just for Pizza. There is good pizza in Rome and Naples is somewhere I would not drive and would not want to be carrying any luggage around in either.

Overall you have done your homework so I am sure things will work out, but my advise is your plan is not a relaxing honeymoon, too many stops and every day is full. Most honeymooners take things a little slower pace than most 5 or 10 year anniversary trip folks tend to but you know your own travel habits.

I think your trip would be better for you and your fiancé if you kept Rome your furthest destination and gave more time to everywhere in between including your scenic Tuscany roadtripping. Save south of Rome for a future Amalfi Coast trip, the whole region there is amazing and needs much more time to see than you are allowing anyway.

In Orvieto, try to get a room at Hotel Virgilio that looks out on the Duomo.

Have you road-tripped in Europe before? I've done over 120,000 miles of road-tripping in the Western US - Europe is sooo different.

A few random thoughts:

In Florence be sure to check out the Baptistery doors when visiting the Duomo. They are almost as famous as the dome itself.

When driving in Pisa looking for the "Leaning Tower" remember it is more likely that you will find it if you look for signs saying "Torre e Campanile del Duomo" or something along those lines.

Be sure to stop in San Gimignano when driving from Pisa to Sienna. It is the medieval Manhattan,

Avoid driving in Naples if at all possible.

Do visit the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. It exhibits all the finer pieces recovered from Pompeii.

I agree with the the minority, take the train.

Thanks again everyone for the suggestions! Lots to think about, but it is coming together nicely now with your help.

To answer Chani, no I have never driven through Europe. Can't wait to get my feet wet though!

I asked because I love road-tripping in the U.S. and Canada. But I would only do it in Italy if I absolutely needed a car to get to places.