Jim A
Senior Insider
So we cancelled, or perhaps I should say were forced to cancel, our 2020 Italy trip. So we immediately rebooked for mid September 2021. 11 nights, or does it count as 10 because one is on the plane :thinking1:
Getting back to the planning mode a little so I figured I'd drop this here for any tips/help. Worst case scenario we start all over again in 2022. Airfare is booked but nothing else. Torn between booking hotels that will offer a 100% cancellation and just waiting it out a little longer. Leaning towards booking in the next couple of weeks. Still just a loose itinerary but this is kind of how we are leaning. Trying to figure out when to rent a car. thinking just for a few nights and taking the train the rest of the time. I've never been to Italy. GM has been there at least a dozen times but always in the South. Would truly appreciate any recommendations for restos, hotels, wine tours or even sites to consider (I do have a couple Florence and I believe Bellagio suggestions from another thread on this board). Admittedly and in part on purpose we know we are hitting a lot of spots for a short time but the idea is we will be back many times pray1 and will circle back to the places we liked. Plus we really aren't planning on hitting tons of touristy spots in each City and mostly enjoy walking around and eating...and drinking...and hitting just a few can't miss spots. Last year Venice was on the agenda since we were flying into there, but we knocked that out this year for logistical reasons since we are not flying into there now.
Arrive in Milan at 7:30am. I'm more a fly later and get some sleep on the plane person, but this is the flight our Delta miles led us to and allowed for Delta One flights over. Probably taking a private car to Lake Como. Just not interested in public transportation after an all night flight. Two nights in Como (somewhere in Bellagio). Will have most of the first day and probably departing in the afternoon on the day we are leaving so thinking we'll have enough time to explore the Lake a little.
As of now the next stop will be somewhere in Emilia-Romagna. Also an option was the Cinque Terre and San Gimignano. Both would have resulted in us renting a car at this point but that wasn't the main issue. We will plan to hit Cinque Terre on another trip, perhaps one starting in the French Riviera and making our way slowly over before flying out of Milan or Florence. San Gimignano will have to be a day trip for now. We liked the idea of staying there after 90% of the tourists leave for the night but choices must be made. We will, however, regret passing on this view from the hotel we had picked in San Gimignano
In Emilia-Romagna we are leaning Bologna, Modena or Parma. Bologna the most convenient travel wise but loving the idea of Parma too. This stop is just for food and we aren't ashamed to admit it. The idea of the ham and parmigiano reggiano cheese and balsamic tastings won out and that's not even talking about dinners! We will likely stay here for two nights also. The first night we will probably arrive in time for dinner. Then the next day will be dedicated to tastings. Most likely a tour or two, or maybe just walking around and eating. Also may hit FICO Eataly World. Still up in the air.
The next stop is Montalcino for winery visits/tastings. We will drive here from ER or may take the train to Florence and then rent a car from there (partly to return to same location) but either way will have a car here. The idea is to leave early and have a lunch at great spot somewhere on the way (any recommendations would be appreciated) and then arrive for dinner or perhaps a stop at an enoteca before dinner. We have a bunch of wineries from which we love the wines, but would again like to hear it if someone has a recommendation for winery visits in Montalcino or Montepulciano or the general val d'orcia area. Haven't decided exactly where we are staying but it will be somewhere in the valley. Just don't enjoy Chianti or Montepulciano's the same way that we enjoy Brunellos, but a beautiful winery is a beautiful winery so we may stray a little for the right stop although not likely t oChianti because it will be too far from where we are staying (perhaps from Florence later on). I understand it is much different than let's say Napa and that the visits are generally longer so maybe we only visit a couple or we may just splurge for a full day wine and food private tour with driver/guide. Also, we have barely looked into restos here so dinners wide open. One night will be within walking/cab distance from where we stay due to of course the whole day wine drinking thingy.
The last stop is Florence. We will drive there and return the car when we get there and stop in San Gimignano on the way. There is a winery just to the South/SE of SG that we have looked into and are looking forward to visiting for a lunch/tasting/visit. We will then spend a few hours in San Gimi and perhaps even dinner. The last 4 nights will be in Florence. We will take a day trip to Siena and would like to also take a long day in Rome via the high speed train. Tiring, yes. Too much to see in one day, of course. Doin git any way, check. Then the last couple of days and most of the nights will likely just be spent in Florence. Ciao.
Getting back to the planning mode a little so I figured I'd drop this here for any tips/help. Worst case scenario we start all over again in 2022. Airfare is booked but nothing else. Torn between booking hotels that will offer a 100% cancellation and just waiting it out a little longer. Leaning towards booking in the next couple of weeks. Still just a loose itinerary but this is kind of how we are leaning. Trying to figure out when to rent a car. thinking just for a few nights and taking the train the rest of the time. I've never been to Italy. GM has been there at least a dozen times but always in the South. Would truly appreciate any recommendations for restos, hotels, wine tours or even sites to consider (I do have a couple Florence and I believe Bellagio suggestions from another thread on this board). Admittedly and in part on purpose we know we are hitting a lot of spots for a short time but the idea is we will be back many times pray1 and will circle back to the places we liked. Plus we really aren't planning on hitting tons of touristy spots in each City and mostly enjoy walking around and eating...and drinking...and hitting just a few can't miss spots. Last year Venice was on the agenda since we were flying into there, but we knocked that out this year for logistical reasons since we are not flying into there now.
Arrive in Milan at 7:30am. I'm more a fly later and get some sleep on the plane person, but this is the flight our Delta miles led us to and allowed for Delta One flights over. Probably taking a private car to Lake Como. Just not interested in public transportation after an all night flight. Two nights in Como (somewhere in Bellagio). Will have most of the first day and probably departing in the afternoon on the day we are leaving so thinking we'll have enough time to explore the Lake a little.
As of now the next stop will be somewhere in Emilia-Romagna. Also an option was the Cinque Terre and San Gimignano. Both would have resulted in us renting a car at this point but that wasn't the main issue. We will plan to hit Cinque Terre on another trip, perhaps one starting in the French Riviera and making our way slowly over before flying out of Milan or Florence. San Gimignano will have to be a day trip for now. We liked the idea of staying there after 90% of the tourists leave for the night but choices must be made. We will, however, regret passing on this view from the hotel we had picked in San Gimignano
In Emilia-Romagna we are leaning Bologna, Modena or Parma. Bologna the most convenient travel wise but loving the idea of Parma too. This stop is just for food and we aren't ashamed to admit it. The idea of the ham and parmigiano reggiano cheese and balsamic tastings won out and that's not even talking about dinners! We will likely stay here for two nights also. The first night we will probably arrive in time for dinner. Then the next day will be dedicated to tastings. Most likely a tour or two, or maybe just walking around and eating. Also may hit FICO Eataly World. Still up in the air.
The next stop is Montalcino for winery visits/tastings. We will drive here from ER or may take the train to Florence and then rent a car from there (partly to return to same location) but either way will have a car here. The idea is to leave early and have a lunch at great spot somewhere on the way (any recommendations would be appreciated) and then arrive for dinner or perhaps a stop at an enoteca before dinner. We have a bunch of wineries from which we love the wines, but would again like to hear it if someone has a recommendation for winery visits in Montalcino or Montepulciano or the general val d'orcia area. Haven't decided exactly where we are staying but it will be somewhere in the valley. Just don't enjoy Chianti or Montepulciano's the same way that we enjoy Brunellos, but a beautiful winery is a beautiful winery so we may stray a little for the right stop although not likely t oChianti because it will be too far from where we are staying (perhaps from Florence later on). I understand it is much different than let's say Napa and that the visits are generally longer so maybe we only visit a couple or we may just splurge for a full day wine and food private tour with driver/guide. Also, we have barely looked into restos here so dinners wide open. One night will be within walking/cab distance from where we stay due to of course the whole day wine drinking thingy.
The last stop is Florence. We will drive there and return the car when we get there and stop in San Gimignano on the way. There is a winery just to the South/SE of SG that we have looked into and are looking forward to visiting for a lunch/tasting/visit. We will then spend a few hours in San Gimi and perhaps even dinner. The last 4 nights will be in Florence. We will take a day trip to Siena and would like to also take a long day in Rome via the high speed train. Tiring, yes. Too much to see in one day, of course. Doin git any way, check. Then the last couple of days and most of the nights will likely just be spent in Florence. Ciao.