Brian,
I’m not clear…have you been to Italy before? If not, is there a reason you’re skipping Rome?
Have not been to Italy before. We thought Rome could be saved for another time since there’s a lot more to do there than we have time for and we wanted to avoid the likely increase in tourism due to Jubilee.
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Got it. The one thing I would add is that it’s a major airport and easier to get to.
25 year jubilee this year. I wouldn’t go any where near Rome. In truth, I would avoid Italy this year.
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I see you are still hoping to squeeze in Venice, but are under the delusion that a day trip would be better than where you are staying. For the most part, where you are at the moment in Italy is just as good as the next place.
For me that includes Milan (been half a dozen times), but I wouldn’t recommend it for a first timer.
Venice is awesome, for us, more so than the Cinque Terra which I also love, (12 plus times to Venice, 3 times to Cinque Terra). But part of that is I can’t do the long hikes between the towns anymore.
However, I’d only do it if I had three full days. It helps if you have enough points for one of the luxury hotels on the grand canal.
But the main thing is logistics. Easy travel. A day trip to someplace 40 minutes away is so much less stressful than 3 hours away.
It makes so much more sense to do a day trip to Sienna from Florence than Venice from Florence. Or Varenna and Bellagio lake on the lakes from Milan. Or Murano from Venice.
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Barry, I hear what you’re saying loud and clear. The thing is (for me) I find Siena and San Gigmignano and Lucca (places I’ve visited while staying in Tuscany) to be charming but really just smaller versions of Florence. Before I took the 45-60 minute day trip from Florence to any of these places, I’d sooner make the trip (for longer than a day) to Venice for something that is decidedly different from Florence.
I think that’s the minority opinion Mike, but I respect it.
Sienna = no cars allowed in city center.
Florence = a ton of traffic.
Agree in Venice if it’s a Florence -Venice itinerary. But not a day trip or even one night.
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Yah, given that he wants to visit Piedmont, Liguria, and Tuscany, he’s already going to have a ton of variety. You’d probably have to cut the first two to make Venice work.
I also agree that Siena or SG or Volterra feel much different from Florence.
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We’re fine cutting Venice from the trip.
Of the towns in Tuscany you all are mentioning, is it worth staying in any of them for a night or just doing day trips with Florence as the home base?
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Since it’s your first time, I would stay in Florence and if compelled to do a day trip, visit Siena or Lucca (or Bologna) since you can get there easily by train. Since your wife isn’t much into red wine, renting a car and visiting Chianti wineries is probably not high on her list. Though, like wineries in Piedmont, they also make some pretty decent rosato/bianco.
San Gimignano/Volterra would be more part of a Chianti-style itinerary: staying in one of the small towns and driving around visiting wineries and such.
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We are going in May and flying into Venice to make it doable and then taking the train to Florence. I went many years ago but my husband has not and we decided it was worth it as there is no where else like it. Still second guessing that decision but it is set now. Will let you know how it goes.
We are staying a couple of nights in Montepulciano and there is a lot to do besides wine tasting. We are staying at Stelle di Monte and it seems pretty authentic.
Do recommend checking plane fares daily as they fluctuate wildly. Also, if it is important to you, make sure to check the size of the bed at the hotel!
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For me, they are very different experiences and much more than just smaller versions. Both times we were there in the fall, Florence was jammed packed with a crowd/line everywhere (and roving packs of guided tours taking over a spot). Which is totally worth it for what is there. But San Gimignano and Montepulciano were much more laid back where you could casually scout smaller restaurants, drop in on the intriguing spot for a drink on their patio overlooking the valley of wineries and olive groves, etc.
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San Gnimignano is almost as crowded as Florence when the tour buses are there. Then it’s magical when they leave.
I think its mostly been said here. With only 10 days which is really only 8 with in and out travel, 2 locations is ideal 3 is tight but doable.
My strategy would be to plot the in and out 1st with air options. Both in terms of preferred locations, timing/layovers and price. If you have an option to fly to Venice, that could make that location work and then on to Barolo & Florence. The Luftansa suggestion was a good one to get to Turin, then head to Barolo & Cinque Terre or Florence.
The other is which stops are musts for you. If im in the area, Im goint to Piedmont for vino. I’d priorize that over a day in chianti, but you have to pick your preferences.
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I know it’s a bummer to have a big itinerary in your head and then have people tell you to halve it. But I think they are right. My wife and I did a second tour through Italy this past Spring. We are in our mid-50s.
1st Tour - Rome, Montalcino, Florence, Amalfi
2nd Tour - Langhe, Cinque Terra, Modena, Lake Garda
From those two experiences and your initial itinerary, I would echo the “Langhe/Florence for a few nights each,” and you could sneak in a final destination on your way to an airport. We did 3 full days in each no problem and you could easily add a day or two in Florence with day trips to Siena, Tuscany, etc.
We sadly were very disappointed in Cinque Terra. Stayed in Portovenere, which was nice. Planned 2 days of hiking. When people tell you how crowded the trails are, you need to double your imagining of it. You end up in peloton of 40 people … and then the pelotons heading in opposite directions have to wait for one direction or the other to use some of the narrow stairways, etc. We hiked one day and decided not to go back for the second.
Whatever you decide to do it will be a great trip. Enjoy!
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Don’t skip Venice. I was there two nights for Easter and didn’t feel it was enough. There is a lot to explore besides St Mark area and the Rialto bridge. Fun to get lost. Go to the Opera. Wonderful food
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I agree that doing two destinations is likely ideal. People aren’t understating just how many tourists are going to be in Italy this time of year, though.
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It can be a balancing act on whether multiple bases or single base with day trips works. On the whole I’d recommend the latter, as it avoids the hassle of transfers / packing & unpacking / checking out and in, but sometimes even a short switch of bases opens more options up or gives a change in perspective e.g. we once stayed in Ravello and Pogerola, two bases that ‘as the crow flies’ are only just over a mile apart… but as we were walking, opened up a wholly different set of paths.
In this instance I agree with J Patrick, of keeping the simplicity of one location, either in Florence itself (easiest to see the city), or in a rural place nearby (easiest to drive to different places). I’d be surprised if there wasn’t much to see and enjoy in Florence in 5+ days, but sometimes it’s nice to slot in a day trip. In this respect we usually never ‘ink’ anything into an itinerary. Instead I compile a list of options, both at the base location and daytrippable places nearby. That allows us flexibility to decide how we feel on the day.
It’s also worth noting Italian opening hours. In big touristy locations it can be something of an ‘open all hours’ thing, but outside of there shops will open c. 8:30-12:30pm, close for 4 hours, then re-open for another 4 hours (the precise times varying per shop). Restaurants fill the midday gap. Thus if arriving at a place around 1:30pm, it can seem like a desolate ghost town, with shutters down and few people around. When it all re-opens in the afternoon, people come out in numbers and this early evening passeggiata can be one of the most lovely Italian ‘joy of life’ experiences, and most notably in the more humdrum untouristy locations.
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Portovenere a super suggestion, avoiding the large crowds, with day trippers coming in by ferry small in number and easily accommodated. Easy flat strolling around. The other way to avoid the crowds in CT is to head uphill on the inland walks, which are bereft of the walkers of the coastal paths. That changes if any of the coastal paths are out of action though!
My favorite walk was Camogli to San Fruttuoso. Then taking the ferry out.
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