This is a FANTASTIC site. I already have so much information from reading that it is making my head spin. I am a big believer in setting up the logistics well in advance for a vacation, and I have a 25th wedding anniversary trip to plan for June 2009. My husband and I will have 3 weeks in Italy. Neither one of us have ever been (I saw the lakes area in northern Italy when I was 13 but that does not count!)Right now I am thinking about a trip that starts in Rome, heads to Tuscany (includes visit to Florence here), Umbria, and the Marches in the middle, and ends in Venice(passing through Ferrara on the way). But I could be convinced to reverse things and do it the other way around. Any and all advice about this plan is welcome. Also, I have some concerns about when to get a rental car and when to ditch it. I know that I don't need one in Rome or in Venice. But I will need one in between. So, since I will not be picking up or dropping off a car at the Rome or Venice airport, where/how do I get one? Stupid stuff like this is driving me crazy. Thanks for reading my rambling!

Hi, Laura.

Welcome to Slow Travel. Your trip sounds great. It's not stupid stuff when it's your trip you're planning. You might want to post your specific questions on the Italy board. I'm sure there will be lots of help there for you.

Cathy

Welcome Laura - I too am in the process of planning my trip for 2009.

Ask your questions over on the Italy forum and I am sure you will get many useful responses. I'm a dedicated train traveller so not a great deal of assistance on the car rental questions

Cheers
Christine

Thanks, Christine. I will post it there. Maybe someday I will be lucky enough to make it to Australia! Laura

Welcome, Laura-
Great to have another DC area traveler join the bunch.
I'm sure you'll enjoy Slow Travel as much as we have!
Anne

Welcome, Laura.
I can tell you that there is nothing like planning out your first trip using all the resources available here on Slow Travel. ~Sigh~ It just so happened that I was so successful after my first self-accommodating trip in 2006, that I immediately planned out a second one for my stepmother and me for this upcoming May!

Have fun during your intitiation of Slow Travel planning!

Welcome from another Washingtonian! I am sure you will get lots of good info on the Italy board.

I am looking forward to spring in DC, I hope it is a nice one! Can't wait for the Cherry Blossoms.

Welcome, Laura! It sounds like you will have an unbelievable trip in store for your 25th!

As always, great to see another DC person come out of lurking.

Hello and welcome! Have a great time planning the trip!

another neighbor! we ought to have a GTG, since we newbs have missed the others.