3 is not too much in Florence.
I am looking at a trip Venice(2 nts)-->Florence (4 nts)--> Rome (3 nights) for the wife and kid in March. The wife may be 6 months pregnant at the time if all goes according to plan, and the kid will be turning 3 in July. Is this a bad idea? Pregnant wife I think would be okay but doing Italy with a toddler does not seem like the most ideal way to go to Italy but know it will only get tougher with more kids. Flights now are pretty cheap round trip out of NY.
Visiting the smaller towns you absolutely need a car, whether you're driving it or someone else is. We stayed in Trequanda a few weeks ago and visited tons of places in the countryside, but you're screwed without a car.
If you happen to be passing near it, there's an amazing place in Panzano where we ate about 10 different styles of beef. Google the butcher of Panzano for details. It's about halfway between Siena and Florence on a straight line, but there is no quick/easy way to get there so be warned.
There's a great little farm outside Pienza that we went to and made our own pizzas; if you like pasta there's a place in Montefollonico that I recommend highly - 13 Gobbi.
Also - use the "download areas" option on google maps to save all of the area you're going to. It will save your mobile phone battery as well as your sanity, as reception is sketchy and even when you have a signal, it's slower than we're used to. I saved everything in a rectangle from Montepulciano to Florence and it was so helpful.
Agree, with everything here. I think the place is called Solociccio or something like that.
Defs rent a car. Its not as bad as you think.
that's it. our favorite course was something called "rosemary in the ass." some kind of flank steak tartare rolled into a ball and served with a sprig of rosemary sticking out of it. we also ate muzzle - which was surprisingly delicious.
montalcino has the best wine in Tuscany.
Flying into Venice on May 11th and out of Rome on May 20th, whats the must see/do/eat in between? I'll probably get a car after Venice and just eat the one way fee to drop off when we get to Rome. Thanks for any recommendations (this is our delayed honeymoon)
do like the Italians: take life as it comes; no matter which way you go it will be great, no matter where you stop it will be great; avoid restaurants with foreign patrons and with a view; keep it simple and have fun
I have been to Italy many times and just spent ten days in Florence and the Tuscan countryside last October, its even better than in the movies
How many days in Venice and how many in Rome? You could train from Venice to Florence - stay there a couple of days and then rent a car to drive through Tuscany on your way to Rome. Maybe stop off for a night in Montepulciano or Pienza. You do not want a car in Florence, if you stay down in the city center. I think your plan totally depends on if you want to hit Florence on the way from Venice to Rome.
I wouldn't do Cinque Terre and Amalfi Coast in the same 10-day trip. If you want to do Pompeii, couple that with Amalfi Coast before heading to Rome.
Probably 2 in Venice and 2/3 in Rome. Cirque Terre/Amalfi Coast in between? If we do 2 nights in Venice and 2 in Rome, that leave 5 nights elsewhere. Is Florence a must do?