Tuscany, Cinque Terre and Milan

If you are going to stay in Tuscany for 5 nights, I really would suggest a rental car. There are buses that will connect you to most areas but they do not run as frequently as you might suspect. With local buses, you really don't see as much as you could with a car. Also, Assisi is a bit of a journey from the Siena area by public transportation. It's actually in Umbria. We're currently planning a similar trip in September and we will have a rental car when we get to Siena.

Have you already booked your flights (so your return city is fixed) or do you have flexibility on where you will end your trip? I agree with Larry that you should first decide if you would be willing to rent a car. If you don't want to rent a car, realize that the whole point of an agriturismo is that it is rural, not near mass transit. So you wouldn't want to plan an agriturismo stay without a car, but instead, stay in a town with bus or train service. You would also have to check transit schedules carefully; many towns are connected only a few times a day, and service drops off or stops entirely on Sundays. Milan is certainly worth 1 day. I happen to like it, but many others don't (it doesn't match up to their image of "Italy"). Even though it's a very large city, it has efficient mass transit, so I find getting to attractions there actually easier than in many smaller places. Take a look at Rick's Milan TV show (should be available on Hulu or YouTube) to see if it appeals to you.

Hortensia, With only 7 nights total, I'd suggest skipping Milan and focusing on the Cinque Terre and Tuscany. From Lugano you can be at Milano Centrale in about an hour. From there it's about 3-4 hours to Monterosso (depending on which train you connect with). From the Cinque Terre it's relatively easy to reach Siena by train, but if you want to visit other hill towns within a limited time frame, then a rental car is probably the best way to do that. However, there are a few "caveats" to keep in mind when driving in Italy..... EACH driver will require the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. Failure to produce an I.D.P. if requested can result in fines on the spot! You can obtain I.D.P.'s at any AAA office for a small fee. You'll also need to be aware of the dreaded Zona Traffico Limitato areas, which are becoming increasingly prevalent in Italy. Passing through these zones can result in expensive fines, which you won't know about until several months after you've returned home. Happy travels!

Thank you all! Perhaps from Lugano I will see Milan on a day trip, then we can just concentrate on Cinque Terre and Tuscany. Thanks for all your input!!!!