The last time I posted this, several posters justly questioned my
sanity and the state of my marriage. Accounting for the guffaws,
I offer this revision, which gives me 2N in Rome, 2N in Tuscany,
1N in Florence, 1N in Venice (30 May - 6 June)...

Monday PM - Rome. Hotel: Mercenate Palace near Termini.
Tuesday - Visit Vatican. Walk to Hotel. Bus Tour to Tivoli.
Wednesday - Visit Forum & Colosseum.
PM - Train to Florence. Rental Car to San Gimignano Hotel.
Thursday - Chianti Winery & Sienna. Return to San Gim. Hotel.
Friday - Pisa & Florence. Hotel: Porta Faenza in Florence.
Saturday - Train to Venice. Hotel: San Moise near San Marco.
Sunday - 4PM Flight to Rome. Hotel: Airport Hilton.
Monday - AM Departure.

This is my 4x, but my [current] wife's never been, so this is
to give her the basics. Comments? =Roger=

"Rog'" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected].. .
    > The last time I posted this, several posters justly questioned my
    > sanity and the state of my marriage. Accounting for the guffaws,

I recall the original - you spent a lot of time on the revision. And I
didn't "guffaw"


    > I offer this revision, which gives me 2N in Rome, 2N in Tuscany,
    > 1N in Florence, 1N in Venice (30 May - 6 June)...

4 locations in 6 nights is a tough trek, even if they are relatively close.
But that is probably a strong personal preference of mine to not move around
so much.


    > Monday PM - Rome. Hotel: Mercenate Palace near Termini.
    > Tuesday - Visit Vatican. Walk to Hotel. Bus Tour to Tivoli.
    > Wednesday - Visit Forum & Colosseum.
    > PM - Train to Florence. Rental Car to San Gimignano Hotel.
    > Thursday - Chianti Winery & Sienna. Return to San Gim. Hotel.
    > Friday - Pisa & Florence. Hotel: Porta Faenza in Florence.
    > Saturday - Train to Venice. Hotel: San Moise near San Marco.
    > Sunday - 4PM Flight to Rome. Hotel: Airport Hilton.
    > Monday - AM Departure.


Did you consider doing Florence on a day from San G.? and saving that extra
move?

Pisa then back to Florence from San G in the same day - that is some
backtracking. Have you been to Pisa. All there is is the tower, really, It
is not worth the time it will take on your itinerary, IMHO.

It looks like you are trying to place yourself so the trip to Venice is
easiest?

The individual train trips may be short, but you'll be spending a lot
of time going to and from train stations and to and from hotels. It's
ultimately your choice on how to travel, but recognize that you will be
spending much of your time going from place to place, and not having
much chance to experience the places you visit beyond just taking your
picture in front of "sights". Even if your wife has never been to
Italy before, I think she'd enjoy the trip a lot more if you cut down
the travel time and focused on just two of those places. You can
always come back in the future.

Rog' <[email protected]> wrote:

    > PM - Train to Florence. Rental Car to San Gimignano Hotel.
    > Thursday - Chianti Winery & Sienna. Return to San Gim. Hotel.
    > Friday - Pisa & Florence. Hotel: Porta Faenza in Florence.
    > Saturday - Train to Venice. Hotel: San Moise near San Marco.
    > Sunday - 4PM Flight to Rome. Hotel: Airport Hilton.
    > Monday - AM Departure.

1. You could consider being based in Florence and doing trips to
Chianti, S.Giminiano and Siena instead (drop one of these for less
hectic pace - for example, drink wine in Florence or SG and forget the
winery). Remember that transportation in Tuscan country is slow.

2. Forget Pisa.


--
Luca Logi - Firenze - Italy e-mail: [email protected]
Home page: http://www.angelfire.com/ar/archivarius
(musicologia pratica)

"Rog'" <[email protected]> wrote in news:vSr7e.49460$UW6.8420
@bignews5.bellsouth.net:

    > The last time I posted this, several posters justly questioned my
    > sanity and the state of my marriage. Accounting for the guffaws,
    > I offer this revision, which gives me 2N in Rome, 2N in Tuscany,
    > 1N in Florence, 1N in Venice (30 May - 6 June)...
    >
    > Monday PM - Rome. Hotel: Mercenate Palace near Termini.
    > Tuesday - Visit Vatican. Walk to Hotel. Bus Tour to Tivoli.
    > Wednesday - Visit Forum & Colosseum.
    > PM - Train to Florence. Rental Car to San Gimignano Hotel.
    > Thursday - Chianti Winery & Sienna. Return to San Gim. Hotel.
    > Friday - Pisa & Florence. Hotel: Porta Faenza in Florence.
    > Saturday - Train to Venice. Hotel: San Moise near San Marco.
    > Sunday - 4PM Flight to Rome. Hotel: Airport Hilton.
    > Monday - AM Departure.
    >
    > This is my 4x, but my [current] wife's never been, so this is
    > to give her the basics. Comments? =Roger=
    >
    >
    >

Do all of Tuscan adventure from one spot as suggested elsewhere

Is there a good reason for flying back to Rome and then flying out of rome
the next day? Why not just fly home from Venice? There are flights to New
York on Delta.

Have to agree that Pisa, skip it. It is probably the biggest tourist
trap in Italy if not Europe.
If you are planning to climb the tower expect to pay between 15-20EU
also the other building cost 5-8EU each.

While the tower and building are ok, they are not that impressive
compared to thoses in Florence or Venice.

"Claim Guy" <[email protected]> wrote:
    > "Rog'" <[email protected]> wrote:
    >> I offer this revision, which gives me 2N in Rome, 2N in
    >> Tuscany, 1N in Florence, 1N in Venice (30 May - 6 June)...
--------------
    > Did you consider doing Florence on a day from San G.? and
    > saving that xtra move?

    > Pisa then back to Florence from San G in the same day - that
    > is some backtracking. Have you been to Pisa? All there is is the
    > tower, really. It is not worth the time it will take on your itinerary,
    > IMHO.

    > It looks like you are trying to place yourself so the trip to Venice
    > is easiest?

== Staying in Florence will save us from driving back to S.G.,
only to return the next morning to turn in the car & catch the train.
== I've been to Pisa, and we may skip it, depending on my wife's
inclination.
== By the time we get to Venice, I expect we'll be ready to take
things "easier."
Thanks for the thoughts. =Roger=

"jcoulter" <[email protected]> wrote...
    > "Rog'" <[email protected]> wrote:
    >> I offer this revision, which gives me 2N in Rome, 2N in
    >> Tuscany, 1N in Florence, 1N in Venice (30 May - 6 June)...
---------------------
    > Do all of Tuscan adventure from one spot as suggested
    > elsewhere.
    > Is there a good reason for flying back to Rome and then
    > flying out of rome the next day? Why not just fly home from
    > Venice? There are flights to New York on Delta.

== I considered staying in Florence 3N and doing Tuscany
as a day trip; however, my wife really wants to try a bit of
agri-tourism in the countryside, so I found a place 3k from
S.G. that's a farmhouse turned into a 3* hotel -- Pescille --
and we can visit S.G. after or before the hordes of tourists!

== Our flights to+from Italy used frequent-flyer miles, so
we were at Delta's mercy in getting in & out. :-) =Roger=

<[email protected]> wrote:
    > The individual train trips may be short, but you'll be
    > spending a lot of time going to and from train stations
    > and to and from hotels.

Out hotels in Rome and Florence are well within walking
distance of the train stations. In Venice, the hotel is fairly
close to a vaporetto stop. So, I think that's manageable.

"Rog'" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]. ..
    > "jcoulter" <[email protected]> wrote...
    > > "Rog'" <[email protected]> wrote:
    > >> I offer this revision, which gives me 2N in Rome, 2N in
    > >> Tuscany, 1N in Florence, 1N in Venice (30 May - 6 June)...
    > ---------------------
    > > Do all of Tuscan adventure from one spot as suggested
    > > elsewhere.
    > > Is there a good reason for flying back to Rome and then
    > > flying out of rome the next day? Why not just fly home from
    > > Venice? There are flights to New York on Delta.
    > == I considered staying in Florence 3N and doing Tuscany
    > as a day trip; however, my wife really wants to try a bit of
    > agri-tourism in the countryside, so I found a place 3k from
    > S.G. that's a farmhouse turned into a 3* hotel -- Pescille --
    > and we can visit S.G. after or before the hordes of tourists!

San G is worth the stay - it's positively medieval after dark.

It seems a perfect Japanese zip-zap (all you can view) Italian tour... :)

I would rather prefer 3/4 days in one place, then move in one other place
for 3/4 days again... and let the rest for the next trip...

Anyway, welcome in Italy. (and don't miss Verona)

--

Giusy & Davide
Al Quadrifoglio B&B
Via 24 Maggio, 6
37126 - Verona
Tel. 338 2253681
www.alquadrifoglio.it


"Rog'" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email protected].. .
    > The last time I posted this, several posters justly questioned my
    > sanity and the state of my marriage. Accounting for the guffaws,
    > I offer this revision, which gives me 2N in Rome, 2N in Tuscany,
    > 1N in Florence, 1N in Venice (30 May - 6 June)...
    > Monday PM - Rome. Hotel: Mercenate Palace near Termini.
    > Tuesday - Visit Vatican. Walk to Hotel. Bus Tour to Tivoli.
    > Wednesday - Visit Forum & Colosseum.
    > PM - Train to Florence. Rental Car to San Gimignano Hotel.
    > Thursday - Chianti Winery & Sienna. Return to San Gim. Hotel.
    > Friday - Pisa & Florence. Hotel: Porta Faenza in Florence.
    > Saturday - Train to Venice. Hotel: San Moise near San Marco.
    > Sunday - 4PM Flight to Rome. Hotel: Airport Hilton.
    > Monday - AM Departure.
    > This is my 4x, but my [current] wife's never been, so this is
    > to give her the basics. Comments? =Roger=

In article <[email protected]>, Rog'
<[email protected]> wrote:

    > The last time I posted this, several posters justly questioned my
    > sanity and the state of my marriage. Accounting for the guffaws,
    > I offer this revision, which gives me 2N in Rome, 2N in Tuscany,
    > 1N in Florence, 1N in Venice (30 May - 6 June)...
    >
    > Monday PM - Rome. Hotel: Mercenate Palace near Termini.
    > Tuesday - Visit Vatican. Walk to Hotel. Bus Tour to Tivoli.
    > Wednesday - Visit Forum & Colosseum.
    > PM - Train to Florence. Rental Car to San Gimignano Hotel.
    > Thursday - Chianti Winery & Sienna. Return to San Gim. Hotel.
    > Friday - Pisa & Florence. Hotel: Porta Faenza in Florence.
    > Saturday - Train to Venice. Hotel: San Moise near San Marco.
    > Sunday - 4PM Flight to Rome. Hotel: Airport Hilton.
    > Monday - AM Departure.
    >
    > This is my 4x, but my [current] wife's never been, so this is
    > to give her the basics. Comments? =Roger=

Well, with the point of it being a quick overview, this sounds fine.
But. You could easily spend a whole day in Sienna and Pisa, and4-5 in
Florence. I guess in these cities you're not actually go inside
anything, just walk around? I mean, the cathedral complex in Pisa is
most of a day, taking in the Sienna cathedral is a must, and Florence
has 6 awesome art museum each taking a half day each, easy. See?

--
Dan Stephenson
Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

In article <[email protected]. com>,
Wierd Travelers <[email protected]> wrote:

    > Have to agree that Pisa, skip it. It is probably the biggest tourist
    > trap in Italy if not Europe.
    > If you are planning to climb the tower expect to pay between 15-20EU
    > also the other building cost 5-8EU each.

I disagree. They are costly, but the touristic stuff to which you
refer are all those trinkets ships nearby. Which every city in Italy
has. The Pisan cathedral is very nice to tour. The baptistry is plain
compared to Florence's, but when the singing starts the acoustics are
amazing. The view from the tower is incredible, and the nearby museum
with its 6' high angel-scupture candlesticks and all the other art and
artifacts was really keen.

    > While the tower and building are ok, they are not that impressive
    > compared to thoses in Florence or Venice.

How often does a person get to visit such a place? Agreed that
Florence and Venice are very very nice, but Pisa is a great visit if
you have half a day or so, depending on how long you like to visit
places.

--
Dan Stephenson
Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

On 14 Apr 2005 07:36:07 -0700, "Wierd Travelers" <[email protected]>
wrote:

    >Have to agree that Pisa, skip it. It is probably the biggest tourist
    >trap in Italy if not Europe.
    >If you are planning to climb the tower expect to pay between 15-20EU

Tower is 15 EUR - as of this morning when I was there, but didn't go
up.

I cycled to San Gimigianio - from Certaldo yesterday, I was pretty
unimpressed with the place, and it was extremely busy even in April, I
couldn't think of how I'd cope with it more in season.

Jim.

"Dan Stephenson" <[email protected]> wrote:
    > Rog' <[email protected]> wrote: ...
    >> Wednesday - Train to Florence. Rental Car to San Gimignano.
    >> Thursday - Chianti Winery & Sienna. Return to San Gim. Hotel.
    >> Friday - Pisa & Florence. Hotel: Porta Faenza in Florence.

    > Well, with the point of it being a quick overview, this sounds fine.
    > But. You could easily spend a whole day in Sienna and Pisa, and
    > 4-5 in Florence.

Agreed. But I've climbed the tower in Pisa, wandered back alleys
in Siena, seen nearly every art object in Florence, and bought local
crafts (now in my ex's possession). So, what I'm trying to do is
blend a standard highlight tour for my new wife with some extra
time in the Tuscan hillsides and Venetian canals for me. The last
time I drove to San Gim., it seemed like a neat place to spend the
night, after the hordes of tourists had left. =R=