Tuscany / Rome Itinerary Feedback

I think your plan is fantastic. We stayed in a rented farmhouse as our base in rural Umbria/Tuscany in 2014.. It’s wonderful to have a base where you can truly live like a local.

We were just in Florence with a side trip to Chianti. By the way you describe your travel philosophy , you will love it.

Are you driving or taking trains? If you are driving to Rome, you may want to stop in Ovierto.

If you are taking a poll, I would choose 6 days Chianti and 4 days in Rome.

Don’t forget that four nights in Rome equals three full days in Rome…. And you will lose a good half day, if not more moving from Chianti to Rome. Four nights/three days is time to see the major sites in Rome. Most of the ancient sites, the Coliseum, Forum, Pantheon, Circus Maximus, are all close together and it makes a nice day to visit them. If you find the crowds in Rome overwhelming after Chianti, there are a couple of trips outside the city. One is to Ostia Antica, a complete Roman city that was the original port for ancient Rome. It’s only about 30 mins. by train from the Testaccio area of Rome. The other trip is to the Aquaduct Park to see the remains of the hydraulic systems that bought water to Rome. Again just outside the city, accessible by bus. The final day could be devoted to just wandering around the old city. Maybe do a food tour, visit some of the stunning churches. The Ghetto with its mix of time periods. RS guidebook for Rome is most helpful with ideas. When you visit Italy you always leave knowing that you will need to return because there is so much to see everywhere.

I travel like you and I’d keep it as-is. You are very likely to go to Rome again, so if there is anything you want to see that you don’t get to, you can check it out the next time. I have many times regretted not staying in an idyllic small town days longer, but a large city with an international airport is likely to see me again, get my drift?

I too am inclined to say your present itinerary looks good. But before you make a final decision, maybe try to concretely think about what shortchanging Rome would look like. What are your must sees and can see them in the time you have allotted?

You are so lucky to be going to Pontremoli, one of my favorite towns in Italy! I'm pretty sure your friend will take you to the stele museum in the castle (Museo delle Statue Stele Lunigianesi), one of my favorite museums in Italy.

Wow - thank you to everyone who's weighed in so far! This community has been incredible in helping me plan this trip, and I genuinely appreciate everyone who took the time to share their advice and experiences.

Based on all the responses, I feel like I've got a pretty solid plan in place. I'm definitely going to take everyone's suggestions to heart and use them to help shape the trip.

I'm so happy to see someone who's carefully planning a trip based on THEIR preferences!

On your Chianti time, because it sounds like you'll have a rental car the entire time you're there, consider whether you would want to make leisurely drives on beautiful (and winding) roads within Chianti, to explore other cute Chianti towns (vs. your mentioned day trips). You don't need to decide now, of course, but it might be a more leisurely activity than two day trips into Florence, for example. Same with Arezzo; it's a good place to visit, but if you're looking for time in the countryside, you might prefer visiting smaller towns.

Re your time in Rome, in terms of shortchanging yourselves, make a short list of what places sound the most appealing to you. Make sure it's a short list, so you have plenty of time to sit in Roman cafes to watch the world go by. We spend hours on each visit to Rome in various piazze doing just that.

I think it sounds like a very nice vacation.
Agree with above that Rome is easily slotted in to any trip to Italy- we have flown in/out of Rome many times and usually spend 2-3 nights there and just do the things we either missed or loved. Sometimes we do nothing more than wander around and sit in the pizzas enjoying a spritz!
Make sure you book your timed entries to venues you want to visit- use only the official sites.

I am curious as to when/where you will pick up the car? Not wise to drive after an overnight flight and especially not that distance from MXP to Pontremoli.(Pontremoli looks lovely BTW)

There are multiple threads here that address pick up/drop off in Florence and how to avoid ZTL violations- look for posts by Roberto.
Do your homework on driving in Italy- ZTLs, parking, speed cameras, alcohol limits, etc.
You will not be driving in to any hill towns but parking in lots outside the walls. Be sure to visit the smaller charming villages especially in the Val D’Orcia area (Pienza, S Quirico, Montepulciano)
All drivers must have an IDP- get at AA before you leave USA. It is required by law and rental agencies can and do ask for it and will refuse a rental if you don’t have. We both carry an IDP even though my husband does the driving- just in case.

I think your allocation of time will be perfect for you. You are still in your 30s and likely to go back to Rome. You don’t have to see everything this trip. And you couldn’t even if you spent the entire trip in Rome.

The only issue I want to bring up is if you are okay ending your trip in Rome. I prefer to hit the big crowded places early in my trips. It can be jarring to arrive in a large city after a long spell in the quiet countryside.

My guess is you have purchased airfare and/or are locked into your days in Pontremoli. If so, no worries. Just be mentally prepared for the shock of the crowds and faster pace in Rome. You have received some good advice on how to slow things down if you need to or want to.

This sounds like a fabulous trip. I hope it is everything you dreamed of.

Thanks again for all of the thoughtful feedback!

A few responses to specific questions that were asked:

@ChristineH - you bring up a great point regarding the car. We are planning to pick up from MXP, but I may opt to just sleep in Milan the first night. I can usually get some rest on overnight flights, but it's best to not chance it. And great tip about the ZTL threads for Florence drop off - I planned to call Alamo to inquire about that.

@Carroll - we're indeed locked into our flights at this point, but hitting Rome last is a great consideration for future trips. That said, I do squeeze myself into a subway car like a sardine twice a day, so I may have a higher tolerance for crowds than most (unfortunately) :)

I have been to Italy and Tuscany many, many times. You may want to rethink your time in Chianti. Travel time to Florence could be 2-3 hour each way. I would stay in Florence for a couple of nights or more and a the a day or two in Chianti. You always want to leave something to return to for your next trip!
One of the issues I forget the first couple of times in Europe/Italy is that travel times are longer than we experience in the US. Destinations are unknown, freeways are smaller (two lane) and travel along local roads take longer (you MUST stop and visit that little village you drive thru or get caught behind a farm tractor on a two lane curving road!). Less is more has become my travel mantra. Remember travel days eat into your exploration days, packing, getting there, finding the hotel, settling in, and then visiting the location. those all take time.
LESS would be my recommendation!