Driving Itinerary...Civitevecchia To Venice

We will be driving (private transfer) from Civitevecchia to Venice. We'd like to stop for approximately two hours in the Tuscany region at a nice scenic winery for lunch. We'd also like to make a second stop for about an hour along the way. The tour company suggested to pick from the following: GROSSETO, SIENA, SAN GIMIGNANO OR CHIANTI AREA ie Greve in Chianti or Castellina, FLORENCE, BOLOGNA, FERRARA, PADUA.

We have already been to Florence and Orievto.

We would appreciate some suggestions of where to stop from our fellow cruisecritic members. It does not have to be from the list they provided but it does have to be on the way to Venice. We do not want to deviate to far off the route as we're already planning for it to be a long day.

If you haven't been to Bologna that would be a good choice and it's not far off the highway.

Really a tough question that we wrestle with all the time...when driving in Europe. Timing is an issue because you certainly want to stop around lunch time. If you have never visited San Gimignano, that would be high on our list for a stop...although it is a few minutes out of the way. You would want at least an hour just to walk through the walled town...plus extra time if you decide to eat lunch at this stop. Your winery idea also sounds like a good option (we cannot recommend a winery that meets your specifications) but that will likely mean heading over to the S222 route (the wine route that runs between Siena and Florence. We love driving the S222 through Chianti (it is picturesque) but this is going to add significant time to your journey. As to Sienna, it might be a little too big and congested for your purposes.

One compromise (not hard to take) would be to eat lunch at a restaurant with a view....either inside or near San Gimignano. It has been too many years since we dined in this area so we will not make a recommendation (which might be out of date). But here is link to a Trip Advisor page...that might give you some ideas:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g187901-zfp43-San_Gimignano_Tuscany.html

I will add my own biased opinion about Trip Advisor. When looking at restaurants...take their ratings with a degree of skepticism....and read through recent traveler reviews of each restaurant. The Trip Advisor system that ranks restaurants can sometimes present very odd results. Sometimes they are pretty accurate...but other times they make absolutely no sense.

Hank

I like brunello more than chianti so I'd be tempted to head to this place, Poggio Antico: http://poggioantico.com/english/ristorante_e.htm

I will add my own biased opinion about Trip Advisor. When looking at restaurants...take their ratings with a degree of skepticism....and read through recent traveler reviews of each restaurant. The Trip Advisor system that ranks restaurants can sometimes present very odd results. Sometimes they are pretty accurate...but other times they make absolutely no sense.

Hank

It's also worthwhile to read the Italian comments (use Google Translate if needed - it's not perfect, but it will give an idea) because sometimes tourists from other countries might think a particular restaurant is a bargain when locals are calling it expensive and too touristy.

Appreciate all the suggestions and tips. Now comes the fun of doing all the research. The problem is once you start the planning it's hard to narrow it down to only two places with so much to see.😃

Has anyone been to Greve and Montefioralle?

We stayed in Panzano and drove to Chianti and loved Greve in Chianti. We walked all through the town and soaked up the flavor of Italy. And the wine in the area is pretty tasty too!

We are planning to drive to Venice in September after getting off NCL spirit....may I ask who you rented your car from or private transfer...first time doing this and need suggestions....thanks

We will be driving (private transfer) from Civitevecchia to Venice. We'd like to stop for approximately two hours in the Tuscany region at a nice scenic winery for lunch. We'd also like to make a second stop for about an hour along the way. The tour company suggested to pick from the following: GROSSETO, SIENA, SAN GIMIGNANO OR CHIANTI AREA ie Greve in Chianti or Castellina, FLORENCE, BOLOGNA, FERRARA, PADUA.

We have already been to Florence and Orievto.

We would appreciate some suggestions of where to stop from our fellow cruisecritic members. It does not have to be from the list they provided but it does have to be on the way to Venice. We do not want to deviate to far off the route as we're already planning for it to be a long day.

We are planning to drive to Venice in September after getting off NCL spirit....may I ask who you rented your car from or private transfer...first time doing this and need suggestions....thanks

We haven't decided on a company yet we are just in the process of looking for either a transfer company or to rent a car. Sorry not that far along yet in planning.

When we went to Italy for 17 days in 2011 we traveled from Rome to Pisa by train. Rented from Hertz in Pisa and drove to Panzano. Toured around the region and dropped the car in Florence. After Florence we took the train to Venice and then the train to Milan where we flew home. GPS is a MUST if you are traveling anywhere in Italy. It helped find our way to Panzano and around that area and saved us a big headache.

Our favorite place in Tuscany is Montalcino, hence my screen name :D

I like brunello more than chianti so I'd be tempted to head to this place, Poggio Antico: http://poggioantico.com/english/ristorante_e.htm

Si, eccellente! We love this place!

We haven't decided on a company yet we are just in the process of looking for either a transfer company or to rent a car. Sorry not that far along yet in planning.

I've rented from Europcar and they don't charge a one way drop off fee within Italy. I'm using them this fall again to get from Florence to Civitavecchia.

I've rented from Europcar and they don't charge a one way drop off fee within Italy. I'm using them this fall again to get from Florence to Civitavecchia.

We have rented from both Hertz and Europcar...depending on prices. Its pretty easy to get a car without a one way drop as long as the drop is within Italy. If renting a car for 3 or more days, one should take a good look at both Autoeurope.com and Kemwel.com (they are sister companies located in New England) who are consolidators (discounters) for both Hertz and Europcar. You can often find a lower price....sometimes with a zero deductable.

Hank

We have rented from both Hertz and Europcar...depending on prices. Its pretty easy to get a car without a one way drop as long as the drop is within Italy. If renting a car for 3 or more days, one should take a good look at both Autoeurope.com and Kemwel.com (they are sister companies located in New England) who are consolidators (discounters) for both Hertz and Europcar. You can often find a lower price....sometimes with a zero deductable.

 

Hank

We are thinking of renting a car if we do not hire a private company but our concerns are leaving the luggage in the car while at lunch and during the stops. Also a regular sedan won't do as we may be either three or four people so we'd need a minivan which can increase the price to where it may not pay to rent a car and have to do all the driving. If we book a private transfer company the question once again is how safe is it leaving the luggage in their car as I'm sure the driver won't be staying with the car the whole time?

I highly recommend Fattoria Poggio Alloro about 10 minutes outside San Gimignano. We had dinner there last summer and it was fantastic!

http://fattoriapoggioalloro.com/?lang=en

Leaving luggage in the trunk of the car hasn't been an issue for us. We put it in and drive away and don't access the luggage again until we arrive at our destination.

As far as vineyards, we discovered Castello Monterinaldi in Raddin in Chianti, Italy. Outstanding! We shipped home wine and olive oil and had a delightful tasting. Yum! http://www.monterinaldi.it/

I cannot speak to the security of hiring a private van/driver as this is not our normal practice. As to leaving luggage in a locked car, there is a risk....although the risk factor certainly varies depending on where you are and where you park. You certainly need a car where you can store all your luggage out of sight...and this is not always easy with a rental. When we are doing lengthy driving trips around Europe we will generally rent a larger (and more expensive) car that has enough storage that we can hide all of our luggage in the trunk (boot) or in a covered hatchback. When we do leave our stuff in the car, we always carry our Passports, money and credit cards. In forty+ years of extensive travel we have managed to avoid any thefts. But it does happen and one must use a lot of common sense and some degree of caution in choosing where and when to take a calculated risk.

Hank

SF -

A private driver would be safe. Just as a precaution, leave your luggage locked and take the important items, such as passports and money, with you while you are away from the car. They will not leave you stranded anywhere if you hire a well reviewed company for the transfer. We have hired a car and driver a few times and never had any problems. Check Italy Driving Guide for the transfer. http://www.italydrivinguide.com/transfers.html We have used them and the service is excellent.

If you drive, never open the trunk where you are stopping. Plan ahead so you can walk away from the car as if nothing is in the trunk when you park. If at all possible, back up the car against a wall or tree when you park.

SF -

A private driver would be safe. Just as a precaution, leave your luggage locked and take the important items, such as passports and money, with you while you are away from the car. They will not leave you stranded anywhere if you hire a well reviewed company for the transfer. We have hired a car and driver a few times and never had any problems. Check Italy Driving Guide for the transfer. http://www.italydrivinguide.com/ We have used them several times and the service is excellent.

If you drive, never open the trunk where you are stopping. Plan ahead so you can walk away from the car as if nothing is in the trunk when you park. If at all possible, back up the car against a wall or tree when you park.

Good suggestions. :) We'd never leave our personal passports and items in the car. They'll be with us in a pacsafe bag. Thanks for the link. I'll check out the transfer company.

We will be driving (private transfer) from Civitevecchia to Venice. We'd like to stop for approximately two hours in the Tuscany region at a nice scenic winery for lunch. We'd also like to make a second stop for about an hour along the way. The tour company suggested to pick from the following: GROSSETO, SIENA, SAN GIMIGNANO OR CHIANTI AREA ie Greve in Chianti or Castellina, FLORENCE, BOLOGNA, FERRARA, PADUA.

We have already been to Florence and Orievto.

We would appreciate some suggestions of where to stop from our fellow cruisecritic members. It does not have to be from the list they provided but it does have to be on the way to Venice. We do not want to deviate to far off the route as we're already planning for it to be a long day.

If you are a wine buff, you might consider the small village of Bolgheri, about 2.5 hours north of Civitavecchia. It is home of several top-tier wines, including Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Guado al Tasso, If you cannot arrange a winery tour, you can sample the wines at a wine bar where you also can purchase wine to take home, At least two or three restaurants in Bolgheri serve the famous Tuscan T-Bone as well as other regional specialties.

If you are a wine buff, you might consider the small village of Bolgheri, about 2.5 hours north of Civitavecchia. It is home of several top-tier wines, including Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Guado al Tasso, If you cannot arrange a winery tour, you can sample the wines at a wine bar where you also can purchase wine to take home, At least two or three restaurants in Bolgheri serve the famous Tuscan T-Bone as well as other regional specialties.

Unfortunately we won't have time to visit that area as it would take us out of our way. However, it does sound great.

I would recommend Cortona for a short stop between Rome and Venice.

The village is on top of a hill and has lovely views. And it was the setting for the movie 'Under the Tuscan Sun'.

Or Assisi, another beautiful stop with lots of history.

We stayed in a small village in Umbria a few years ago and explored the region.

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Another vote here for Montalcino, and Poggio Antico in particular. The wines are among the best in Italy, and the P-A operation seems more like a working farm than a tourist site.

Please remember that current restrictions on carry-on items make bringing wine back far more challenging. I managed to bring 6 bottles back in checked luggage (wrapped in shirts) but I wouldn't risk it again. The winery will ship direct to most countries.

Lastly, a warning about AutoEurope: I have used them successfully in many countries, but I had a bad experience recently in Curacao. There was a minor problem with a rental, and Avis/Budget wouldn't address the issue because I had booked through AutoEurope. And AutoEurope wouldn't respond, either. I'm not suggesting they're terrible, but I would never use them again.

LP Dad