Hi. Last summer my wife and I visited Italy for the first time. We spent few days in Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome and Sorrento. Then we traveled back to Rome to flight back to Arizona. It was our first time in Italy and we had a wonderful time. For the most part, we visited a lot of the main places. However, I feel we rushed and missed a lot. For example, we booked a day trip from Florence and visited San Gimignano, Siena and Pisa. Obviously, it was a big group, so we "hit" only the main attractions. It was a great day trip, but the size of the trip made it very quick, and we missed a lot.
We are planning to visit again in October 2025. The weather will be better, and the crowds will be smaller I believe. What is your opinion on visiting those places again? I was also thinking of renting a car in Florence to take a trip to those smaller cities. That way we can take our time visiting some small cities and some vineyards. We are open for suggestions. Thank you in advance
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11872 posts
How many nights will you have on the ground in Italy? What were your two-or-three favorite places of the 5 you stayed in last summer? Do you an idea of the sights and sites you would revisit or ones that you missed because of the rushed nature of your trip?
Mixing in old favorites and new places to discover is a nice way to construct a second trip.
A car certainly makes it easier to explore Tuscany but basing in Florence can be a parking nightmare. Perhaps look at a smaller town like Montalcino or Montepulciano as a base.
Posted by
Atlanta
5316 posts
Cosider not renting a car -- just going from place to place by rail and hiring a local driver to visit the places not served by trains. Parking can be a real problem, as well as ZTL zones, and speed cameras. Then too, the driver will miss a lot just because of paying attention to the road and traffic. Just food for thought.
Posted by
5413 posts
How many days? I would not necessarily try to replicate but instead pick fewer places and take them at a slower pace. Preparation can prevent problems with driving, and I would definitely plan on that for rural Tuscany.
Posted by
North Georgia, USA
1207 posts
What is your opinion on visiting those places again?
In November, we are taking our fourth trip to Italy since early 2023. We have been to other places too, but we keep returning to Italy. There is no other place like it, and there is so much to see you could never see it all. Sigh.
The last time we were in Rome, I said to my husband, "I could spend a month here, easily." We'll do it eventually but for now, I have to work to pay for our trips! :)
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16313 posts
I wouldn’t bother to rent a car just for the day. By the time you are done with going to the rental agency, rental paperwork, drive out of the city (then repeat for the return), you will have little time to visit places. It’s a different story if you plan to head out to the Tuscan countryside for a few days and stay in a small town or a farmhouse or country villa/hotel for a base. If you stay in Florence, then you are better off using buses or trains to reach smaller towns that are well connected to Florence.