two week vacaition in Italy with family

Since you'll only be in Siena one night I would suggest doing it as day trips from Florence. I don't know that I would take a 3 hour trip for just a day so you might want to bypass Volterra. I would also visit Orvieto as a day trip from Rome. It's just over an hour away and will reduce the hotel changes you have planned. I'm not sure which Civita you're speaking of but will assume it's Magliano. That's also just over an hour away from Rome so it's very do-able as a day trip. It might be better to visit Florence right after Venice and then do the Cinque Terre. The trip from Vernazza to Rome is only about 4 hours as compared to 6 from Venice. If you don't visit Volterre you can add that day to CT or Rome. Donna

Thanks Donna,
My daughter really wants to go to Volterra (its a Twilight thing) . Maybe we should spend two nights in Siena and a day trip to Volterra? Civita di Bagnoregio is the town next to Orvieto that looked like fun to visit. I was thinking it would be fun to stay in Civita di Bagnoregio but not sure. I will look into should doing both Orvieta and Bagnoregio from Rome. Maybe Venice to Florence to CT and then to Siena? With some day trips out of Siena? How long is the train from CT to Siena. My RS book only has train times from Florence to Siena. It looks like there is a more direct route. Thanks Shelley

I don't think Siena to Volterre is doable as a daytrip. The train ride is over 3 hours each way. There really is no quick way to visit Volterra. It's more than 3 hours from Florence and more than 5 hours from Venice. The trip from Vernazza (CT) to Sienna is almost 4 hours. That's a lot of travel time. With as much as you are planning to travel you'll be spending a very large portion of your two weeks on trains, in train stations and checking into/out of hotels. I would try to base myself out of 3 or 4 cities and do others as daytrips if you feel up to it. I'd play it by ear and would certainly pack lightly since the steps onto and off of the trains are very steep with no one there to help. Donna

Volterra is not that far from Siena. It probalby only about an hour 15 by car or bus. the problem with train travel between the two is that there is not a direct route. You go back north to Empoli west a bit and then down to Volterra. So a lot of unneeded backtracking. I think I would suggest this: Venice 3 nights (not 2) take a night from the CT Florence for your 3 nights CT for 2 somewhere either Siena or Voltrerra or in between for 2 or 3 Orvieto for 1 or 2
rome 3 I'm assuming that you don't want to rent a car. If you would do a rental, then you could pick up the car in La Spezia maybe and the drop it in Orvieto on the way to Rome. Having the car would give you some extra flexibility.

Thanks Ron and Donna,
Yes I was thinking of a bus for the hill towns. I know a car would be best but my husband keeps hearing stories of tickets and breakins with cars parked outside of the hill towns. Also, I was thinking maybe another day in Venice like Ron suggested. Does anyone know how to find out about bus schedules to the hill towns? Any thoughts as to whether CT is better on a weekday or weekend? Thx, Shelley

I really do not understand the hype over Civita da Bagnoregio. To even call it a town is an exaggeration. If you are going to stay in Orvieto and Siena, Montepulciano and Pienza are just two of the much more interesting towns between. If you must go, don't make it your base. It's much too cumbersome to get out from. If you're interested in history, Volterra is a good choice. However, I'd stay at least one night, not try to do a daytrip. There's a good Etruscan museum there, but check to see its closing day. Very often, but not always, Mondays are the day Italian museums don't open. There is also an excellent Etruscan museum in Chiusi which offers a guided tour into some tombs on certain days. Chiusi is easily reached from Siena.
Finally, I would suggest that you buy or borrow a good guidebook for Tuscany (not a general Italy one). I like Cadogan, but I'm pretty sure RS has one, too. It will help you pinpoint the attractions available in each locale, so you can plan to use your time effectively. Also, it will give you hours for museums. Don't forget that many attractions in Italy still close for 2 or 3 hours in the middle of the day. I would double check that kind of information on the websites of the towns or museums.

In terms of the Twilight thing, make sure that your daughter knows that the movie wasn't filmed in Volterra (it was filmed in Montepulciano). I like both towns, but not for the Twilight association! You might want to reconsider whether you might want to rent a car for the rural portions of your trip. Otherwise, you might spend more of your time in transit, or making sure you make a bus, than you want. The no-drive zones are primarily in the larger cities, such as Bologna or Florence. For places like Volterra, there's an underground parking garage right at the entrance to the city. San Gimignano, there's parking all around the outside of the city walls. Same, as I recall, for Siena. Orvieto, we parked in a piazza, but I think there's parking outside the walls there, too. In terms of breakins, mostly we drive from hotel to hotel, leave our luggage there, then sight-see. If not, we make sure our luggage is covered, in the trunk, or a covered back. And don't leave anything else valuable in the car (ipod, GPS, etc.). Especially in the more rural towns, we haven't been so concerned, and we haven't had any breakins in numerous trips to Italy (and elsewhere in Europe). Civita di Bagnoregio is somewhat interesting, but we had a car and were in the area. I wouldn't devote, for example, half a day to get there on public transportation. Also, keep in mind the flooding in Vernazza and to a lesser extent, Monterosso. Some of the trails between the towns are open, but not all. When we first took our 10yo daughter to Italy, she loved Venice and Rome most of all - spend more time in Venice. If it were me, I'd add a night to Venice, and spend a total of 3 nights in one location in rural Tuscany (Siena or wherever), skipping Orvieto. Everything is so wonderful, you'll just have to grit your teeth and cut something out of the itinerary.

OK, I guess I need to revisit the car rental plan. Thank you everyone for being politely persistant about renting a car for a few days. I will schedule Venice to Florence to CT, and then I can rent a car in La Spezia or Pisa, and head to Siena on Monday. Drop off can be in Orvieto, that way we can stay far away from the cities and have five days to get lost in Tuscany. One more question. They typically give you options for drop off and pick up at either City Offices or Rail Station offices. Is there a difference I need to consider?
Thanks again.

So, let's visit the car rental plan. I have always used AutoEurope for my car rental. They are brokers for rental companies such as Hertz, Avis, and Europcar. I suggest you look at their website and then finalize your rental by phone. If you rent in downtown Pisa, you will run the risk of the ZTL in that city. I'm not familiar with La Spezia. Renting a car at the airport is easier than a downtown location in that it's just easier to get to and drive from. It can be more expensive at the airport and train station. Check the price difference with the AutoEurope agent. Your husband will need an International Driver's Permit which he can obtain at a AAA office. No test is required. You just need two passport type photos (which they can take there) and $15. This document is required for driving in Italy. Buy a good, detailed Michelin map at a Barnes & Noble. If you have a GPS with European maps, that is also helpful. I'm not sure if I'd buy one just for three days. In ref to driving, just be mindful of speed limits and parking signs. Familiarize yourself with signs on the Michelin map. Generally, if you find a space in a parking lot (like Volterra), you have to buy a ticket at the kiosk in the lot and display it. In ref to preventing theft, like the previous poster said, do not leave luggage, maps or tour books visible in the car. If you get a hatchback, put everything under that cover. We also purchase an Italian newspaper and put it on the seat. Have euros available for tolls on the autostrada and just enjoy the freedom of driving. If you want some ideas for accommodations in the Tuscany area, PM me.

In Vernazza, try: http://www.elisabettacarro.it/ IMO, you have way too many different locations for your overnight stays- 7 in 14 days? Frequent moves are tiring and waste a lot of time.

Your right Bob, I now have it pared down to Venice, Florence, CT, Siena and Rome. We will spend several days in Siena and visit the area by car from there. Nice link for lodging, good prices too. thanks And thanks Denise, for the specific advice on car rental.
~S

In addition to Denise car rental advice, on choosing airport vs. city vs. rail station, look at a google map to see where those locations are. Then decide which would be the easiest in terms of time & money in getting yourselves to it, and you and the car from there to wherever you're going. Another thought to consider. Not sure of your current plan re Venice then to CT, or Venice to Florence, then on to the CT. We have driven TO the Cinque Terre several times, finding it easier (for us, may be a difference decision for you) and faster to do that. Some hotels, such as Villa Steno in Monterosso, have their own (limited amount of) parking, which is easy to get to. Picking up a rental car as you leave Venice is very easy - AutoEurope (we love them) is right in Piazzale Roma. Florence, take a taxi to a rental location outside of downtown. We haven't used euros for the autostrada for a long time; they take credit cards. I'm not going to assume (why should I) that your husband will be the only driver. Every driver needs to have an International Driver's Permit.

Shelley, if you decide to pick the car up in Florence, consider picking it up at the airport. You don't want to take the chance of being in a ZTL zone. It's also an easier transition to the autostrada. If you do want to have a second driver, say yourself, then try to rent the car from Europcar because they do not charge for a second driver if the second driver is a spouse. Personal message me if you want a lodging suggestion outside of Sienna.