Finding a place to stay in May

[Oldcow]

Hello, my wife and I will be spending 3 weeks in Italy to celebrate 30 years of marriage. We have a place booked in Rome and the Amalfi coast for the first week or so and then want to make our way towards the Tuscany region where we plan to stay for 5 to 7 days.

Are we making a mistake not booking now and booking only once we have setteled and decided where we want to go? Is it an issue to get a place to stay "on the fly"? We are comfortable with VRBO, hotels, B&B...

Love your site, so much information that has already been a tremendous help. Thank you.

Oldcow

[Lourdes]

Ciao and happy anniversary! A wonderful way to celebrate

Well..... if you want one single place for those 5-7 days, I would recommend booking ahead.
If you're looking to stay in 2 or 3 places over those days, then you can wing it and book once you're here.

Also consider: what type of lodging do you want?

May is not yet high season across Tuscany but there are some types of lodging that rent by the week, not by the night.
Apartments in villas or farmhouses often rent by the week. Hotels and B&Bs by nights. So if you want the first, book ahead and have 1 base. If you want more than one base, not minding moving around, then you can go to hotels and B&Bs. It all just depends on what you prefer, and where you want to go.

You could book 2 places, one in southern part of Tuscany (you didn't mention, will you have your own car?) and another closer to Florence. That way less driving around once you're doing day trips.

I personally hate moving around too much every few days, but since you're already doing Amalfi and Rome with one base in each, you might also prefer to not move around too much.

[Oldcow]

Ciao and happy anniversary! A wonderful way to celebrate

Well..... if you want one single place for those 5-7 days, I would recommend booking ahead.
If you're looking to stay in 2 or 3 places over those days, then you can wing it and book once you're here.

Also consider: what type of lodging do you want?

May is not yet high season across Tuscany but there are some types of lodging that rent by the week, not by the night.
Apartments in villas or farmhouses often rent by the week. Hotels and B&Bs by nights. So if you want the first, book ahead and have 1 base. If you want more than one base, not minding moving around, then you can go to hotels and B&Bs. It all just depends on what you prefer, and where you want to go.

You could book 2 places, one in southern part of Tuscany (you didn't mention, will you have your own car?) and another closer to Florence. That way less driving around once you're doing day trips.

I personally hate moving around too much every few days, but since you're already doing Amalfi and Rome with one base in each, you might also prefer to not move around too much.

Thank you for the reply. We have rented a car. Seems to me the Tuscany region is small enough that having one central location would be best.

Although I am looking forward and have thought about staying in Florence, reading other posts indicates it would be simpler for parking if we stayed outside the city. I have taken note of several parking areas outside the city that will work, we can take public transit to the historical center.

Thanks again.
Denis

[Lourdes]

Sounds like a great plan! I highly recommend the parking at Villa Costanza, you can leave car there and take the tram right into SMN in the center. Read more about it here: http://www.visitflorence.com/blog/vi...isit-florence/