Here is our itinerary for our upcoming trip. Please realize that this is not set in stone, and we do intend to be flexible; I just like to have a plan. ANY suggesions or ideas would be very welcome. In particular, I'd like to know:

1. Are all of the activities listed each day "do-able" in one day?

2. I'm having a hard time deciding between Siena(market day) OR San G/Volterra/Monteriggioni/Lucca (see "Sept 8). Any opinions on this would be great.

Thank you all.

Sept 1 (Wednesday)
- Leave CHI 5PM

Sept 2 (Thursday)
- Arrive VCE 1PM, check into Forestaria Valdese
- Walk around, get acquainted
- Gondola ride in PM

Sept 3 (Friday) Venice
- Market on Rialto Bridge in AM?
- Secret Itineries of the Doge tour (Itinerari Segreti)
- Correr Museum

Sept 4 (Saturday) Venice
– San Marco Square
- Basilica di San Marco
- Murano

Sept 5 (Sunday)
- To Cretaiole, agritourismo in Pienza via Chianti
- Stop at Greve Wine Festival

Sept 6 (Monday)
- Pienza/St Antimo/ Montalcino
- Dinner in Montalcino at the Fortezza after wine tasting

Sept 7 (Tuesday)
- AM Horseback riding, hopefully include Sant'Antimo near Montalcino in the ride
- Bagno Vignoni for evening soak?

Sept 8 (Wednesday)
- Siena(market day) OR San G/Volterra/Monteriggioni/Lucca

Sept 9 (Thursday)
- Montepulciano in AM
- Cooking class at Cretaiole in afternoon followed by dinner there

Sept 10 (Friday)
- Market (Pienza or Montalcino)
- Tour Cretaiole’s Etruscan ruins in AM
- ??? City on way to Pietrolo
- Pietrolo hot springs in PM (near Civitella Marittima)

Sept 11 (Saturday)
- Leave early AM via car for ROM. Drop off car, leave bags at Beehive.
- Take a walk to get oriented: Piazza Novana, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Boca di Verita, Pantheon

September 12 (Sunday)
- St. Peter's Basilica
- Scavi Tour 10:45AM
- Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel

September 13 (Monday)
- Campo di Fiori early (8AM)
- Roman Odyssey tour of ancient city (with Rahul) Ancient Rome, Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Forum
- Shopping
- Rick Steve’s night walk

September 14 (Tuesday)
- 8:15 AM leave ROM for CHI

You'll get a lot of responses with a million different opinions on this but I get to be the first

It feels "hurried" to me but as you said, you'll be flexible so if you're tired and don't feel like doing something you won't and if you want to add something you will.

My comments are for Sunday and Wednesday.

On Sunday, the drive from Venice to Greve is 3 hours, from Greve to Pienza could take at least another 90 minutes - seems like a lot to me, especially with stopping at the wine festival.

On Wednesday, same kind of thing - the drive from Pienza to Lucca could take 2 1/2 hours (scenic route), 2 hours on the highway - that's four hours of your day, w/o stopping at SG or Volterra - again, I'm thinking too much.

I'd scale back at least on Wednesday - otherwise - go with it and enjoy!

I'd drop Lucca. I would have had more time in Rome, but for what you're trying to accomplish this schedule looks like fun.

I would drop Venice or Roma. If you flight plans are fixed, then I would drop Roma and drive to FCO from Toscana on you departure day.

Secondly if you are interested in an apartment stay instead of an Agrotourismo, I would, if you can, move your days so you either start your time in Italy arriving or leaving on a Saturday. That is because you have more otions for an apartment (which can be on a farm) if your stay is Saturday to Saturday.

Now you can stay 2 places for a week each (probably spending the same amount of money total on the apartments if you choose carefulle in Roma) and you r stays will be much more relaxed with loads less travel. If you fly into Firenze, you will have a total of 4-5 hours driving to your accomadations and to Roma total!

With a week in the Pienza area, you can take that day trip to San Gim and Volterra or even go farther afield to Lucca (but not all three on one day). You will also be able to see much more of the wonderful area from the Montepulciano vicinity to Montalcino, see Siena etc.

And I'll comment on Friday, your first full day in Venice. I think you might still be a bit jet lagged, and trying to see the Correr Museum may be pushing it. I know nothing about this museum...maybe it's small a easily seen in a hour or so, but if not, you may want to re-think. Others who know this museum may be able to clarify this point, I'm just raising it!

I think your plan looks very good. And as Kim said, as long as you are willing to drop something and change plans you will have a fun trip.
The only thing I would do differently is the Saturday drive from Pienza to Rome. I'd give myself a full day of no plans and no destination. Then, I'd make this the day I planned to 'get lost' I'd stay off the A-1 and take a circuitous route, giving myself a chance discover a few surprises of my very own.

Not bad--you have been doing your homework. I agree that Lucca is too far--spend your time in Volterra and buy some alabaster. I am curious where you plan to soak in Bagno Vignoni. Have fun--I know that you will.

When you are in Venice, you will be in St. Mark's Square the day you go on the Secret Itinerary, so why not go to the Basilica that day too?

For a three day trip, I would skip Murano and instead, walk around down near Via Garibaldi and all through Castello or explore Cannaregio up near the ghetto and on over to Campo San Giovanni & Paolo. You can even do both, it depends on your energy level.

The film festival will be going on - try to take in a movie in Campo San Polo, at the outdoor theater. It's a cool experience.

It will be crowded that week. If the crowds in St. Mark's freak you out, go later at night for a completely different experience.

During your time in Venice you do not spend much time on the Dorsoduro/San Polo side of the canal. The Rialto markets are not "on" but near the Rialto Birdge on the San Polo side. i would walk from the Rialto Markets up through San Polo and Dorsoduro. I'd check out the Frari, Scuola San Rocco, and continue on to the Accademia Bridge. From there you could cross back to he other side orcontinue alking up ot Santa Maria della Salute when you could get a vaporetto or traghetto across the canal.
I would not bother with Murano since you have a relatively short time in Venice.
I think Shannon's suggestions to explore Easern Castello or the Ghetto and Cannaregio are both excellent. You will need quite a while to go back and forth to Murano - let alone the time you spend there - which is why I'd skip it this trip, biut perosnally I'd choose teh rari and San Rocco over Giovanni e Paolo, but that is just a personal preference. I'd rather look at Titian's Assumption, the little Bellini in the Sacristy and the other works of art there than those in Giovanni e Paolo. The latter does have lots of dead does in it.
For the record, the Correr Museum is huge! We have visited it several times - usually for about 3 hours, and never have seen everything or even close to everything. I keep saying i will put on a blindfold and ask someone to lead me through the first several rooms so I can spend my time and energy looking at the later displays. It is wonderful but definitely not meant for a run through. Ruth

Responding to Ruth's post, I meant explore the area around San Giovanni & Paolo... not the church, though the church is worth a visit.

The Frari, indeed, is a must-see church.

Hi Rubia,

quote:

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Leave early AM via car for ROM. Drop off car, leave bags at Beehive.
- Take a walk to get oriented: Piazza Novana, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Boca di Verita, Pantheon

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Just an FYI - the Bocca della Verita is nowhere near the other sights on your list. Take a look at a Rome map - it's a taxi or bus ride away from the historic center.

I agree that you should leave Murano off your time in Venice - you'll see plenty of glass in the city itself!

<>

My reply is for Wednesday. I'd go to Siena, not because it's market day but because it's Siena and you don't have it elsewhere on the schedule.

Besides, San Gim/Volterra/Monteriggioni/Lucca in one day would be a killer and not do justice to the destinations, in my opinion.

Best wishes,

SALLY WATKINS, Certified Travel Counselor
SallyWatkins.com
Trip Planning, Italy, Travel Consultants

Rubia,
The Greve Wine Festival is Sept 10 - 12. I just read about it here:
http://www.localwineevents.com/Tuscany-Wine/event-4014.html
We'll be there, too. Also, Pienza on the 10th. Maybe our paths will cross!?
Karen

[QUOTE]
_September 12 (Sunday)_
- St. Peter's Basilica
- Scavi Tour 10:45AM
- Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel [QUOTE]

Unless things have changed drastically very recently, the Vatican Museums are closed on Sundays...so you need to move that activity to another day.

Ugh, and I thought I was so organized. Well, thank goodness I have you all to help. Since my hotels have been booked for months, changing actual sleeping destinations is out of the question. I did however make quite a few changes because of your comments. Any other help would be appreciated.

Colleen -- thanks for the tip on Bocca della Verita...I kind of threw that one in there at the last minute, so I'll remove it.

Karen -- Aaargh, thanks for pointing that out. And I was really looking forward to that. I guess we'll just tour Chianti on the way to Pienza. There is a cheese festival going on in Pienza that day, so maybe we'll make it to that. Perhaps our paths will cross...are you staying in Pienza?

Jim -- you're right. I had Sun and Mon events switched around (Scavi is booked for mon). Thanks for catching that.

Here's the new and improved itin:

Sept 1 (Wednesday)
- Leave CHI 5PM

Sept 2 (Thursday)
- Arrive VCE 1PM, check into Forestaria Valdese
- Walk around, get acquainted
- Gondola ride

Sept 3 (Friday) Venice
- Market on Rialto Bridge in AM
- Walk around down near Via Garibaldi and all through Castello and/or explore Cannaregio up near the ghetto and on over to Campo San Giovanni & Paolo.
- OR
- Frari, Scuola San Rocco, and continue on to the Accademia Bridge. From there you could cross back to he other side orcontinue alking up ot Santa Maria della Salute
- Film festival


Sept 4 (Saturday) Venice
- Secret Itineries of the Doge tour (Itinerari Segreti) – make reservations for this
- Basilica di San Marco

Sept 5 (Sunday)
- To Cretaiole, agritourismo in Pienza via Chianti...explore!

Sept 6 (Monday)
- Pienza/St Antimo/ Montalcino, wineries
- Dinner in Montalcino at the Fortezza after wine tasting

Sept 7 (Tuesday)
- AM Horseback riding, hopefully include Sant'Antimo near Montalcino in the ride. Monks chanting 12:45 and 2:45,
- Check into Bagno Vignoni for afternoon soak

Sept 8 (Wednesday)
- Siena(market day)

Sept 9 (Thursday)
- Montepulciano in AM
- Cooking class at Cretaiole in afternoon followed by dinner there

Sept 10 (Friday) -- fit these into different days?
- Market (Pienza, Montalcino)
- Tour Cretaiole’s ruins in AM
- ??? City on way to Pietrolo
- Pietrolo hot springs in PM (near Civitella Marittima)

Sept 11 (Saturday)
- Leave early AM via car for ROM. Drop off car, leave bags at Beehive.
- Take a walk to get oriented: Piazza Novana, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon

September 12 (Sunday)
- Ancient Rome
- Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Forum
- Shopping
- Rick Steve’s night walk

September 13 (Monday)
- Campo di Fiori early (8AM)
- Scavi Tour
- Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel

September 14 (Tuesday)
- 8:15 AM leave ROM for CHI

If you can roust yourself out of bed early,go explore the towns before they wake up Venice,florence and Rome can be nearly empty
between sunrise and 8am or so,and they are fabulous then! Venice esp.The first time I posted this I got a bunch of groans in response.
But last time I had a majority in agreement!.RR

For your dinner in Montalcino, actually go our of Montalcino to Bosco della Spina in Vescovado di Murlo just south of town. Go to Buonconvento and then head west. Incredible and not farther back to the Pienza area. Or closer to Pienza would be Trequanda and Conte Matto.

Also, a light lunch at Osticcio accompanied by a tasting of Brunello would be lovely. The view is spectacular and the food outstanding.

Thanks, Robert. I love that idea, actually. In particular, I'd love to do some early morning "jogs". Or would that be considered "ugly american"?

Dean, thanks. I've studied your wine and restaurant reviews carefully and will be bringing much of the info with me. I absolutely plan to try Osticcio. I'm assuming that Bosco and Conte are new finds as they are not in your current Restaurant Reviews?

>>To Cretaiole, agritourismo in Pienza<<

I know you will enjoy your time at Le Cretaiole....please say hello to Isabella for me.

Recent clients have reported excellent meals in Pienza at Il Rossellino (see the recent Slow Trav review) and Da Fiorella.

Thanks, Jim. I have those in my notes and will try. I will say hello to Isabella for you...based on my correspondence with her thus far, I'm very much looking forward to meeting her. By the way, I owe you a "thank you" as I believe you are the one who first recommended Cretaiole to me.

Rubia,Check out Run The Planet.
I did a run on the Island of San Erasmo in Venice with patrizia,she is listed as a friendly contact in venice.It also gives suggested running routes in cities all over the world.You can check out my running in Italy essay,I suppose by searching with those words.NO it is not ugly american to run, there are thousands of italian runners! Another runner on the board! RR

quote:

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Originally posted by Rubia:I'm assuming that Bosco and Conte are new finds as they are not in your current Restaurant Reviews?

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Well... we went to Italy last February and March and I sitll ahven't finished my trip reports....

But I did send Pauline the latest restaurant pages. SHe will be better than I was, in terms of procrastination, in getting them posted. I have added four restaurants in Montalcino, Bosco, Conte Matto, All'Antico Forno and Il Re di Macchia, as well as completing my Venezia reviews.

We look forward very much to yout trip report !
Please post back.
Any question, we hope we can be of help.
Sincerely,
Philip