Help with Tuscany

Evelyn Oz

New member
Hi, I have been planning our trip to Italy (in Dec) and I getting all confused. We are family of 4 -2 teens.
What I have planned is
6 days in Rome and Day 7: Travel from Rome to Orvieto by train. Spend the the day in Orvieto
Day 8: Pick up a car in Orvieto and drive to Assisi
Day 9: drive surounding area or see more of Orvieto - any recommendations?
Day 10: drive to Siena. Should we stay in the city or outside? We have driven in Switzerland and Austria before, so should we keep the car or return the car before going to Siena?
Day 11: Siena
Day 12 : drive / Bus around to San Gimignano and any other recomendations?
Day 13 : Head to Florence. do we drive or take the bus?
Day 14 : Florence
Day 15: Day trips to Pisa and Lucca from Florence by train or car?
Day 16: head to Cinque Terre and stay a couple of day. Read that it may not make sense to go there in winter but my Husband really wants to go there ? Should we stay at La Speiza or Vernazza?
On to Venice (3 days), Verona (1 day) Milan (3 days) and fly home.
Any advise would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
 
help with tuscany

Day 9: drive surounding area or see more of Orvieto - any recommendations?
- in Orvieto do not miss "Orvieto Underground" and the "Grotte della Rupe" - very beautiful and interesting.

Day 10: drive to Siena. Should we stay in the city or outside?
- I think it is better to stay in a little village just outside Siena (like for ex. Sovicille), so that you can easilly visit Siena, San Gimignano, the Chianti area, the Val di Merse, Val d'Orcia ...to do so, it is much better to have a car!
 
Thanks I'll go check out Sovicille.

After reading more bout Orvieto, am wondering if Orvieto is a good base to stay and have a car. We initially thought we would stay in Orvieto to pick up the car at Orvieto and drive to Assisi for a day trip and visit other towns in Umbria. Any other suggestion of a good town/hotel to stay to visit Orvieto / Assisi / Civita with a car.
 
5Terre in Winter

Buongiorno,

it may be cold and a bit of a challenge with the weather but Cinque Terre is well worth the visit. You might not spend as much time in December as you would have in spring or summer - but the walk along the coast and the quaint towns are still beautiful to visit. You could probably enjoy it just as a day trip from Florence, it would be a long day because you will want to start early since daylight hours are shorter in December (and 5 Terre in the dark is not as much fun) however, you would be back on the train and into Florence pretty early so you can relax on the ride.

It will also give you the opportunity to do something a bit different from the museums and site seeing in Tuscany - so your teens might appreciate a change of scenery ( so to speak )

I also suggest, if you feel comfortable driving, that you keep the car until Florence and then drop it off there. Orvieto to Assisi (and look at Perugia too!) is a great day trip. Are you staying in Orvieto? because if you aren't then after Assisi you should look at coming back towards Cortona before heading over to Siena.

Buon Viaggio!
 
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