Depends on exactly WHERE you're going. If you're only hitting major cities then train is okay. We only travel with 1 20" suitcase each so getting to/from train station not much of a bother. We usually take public transport, almost never cabs.
BUT, if you're mixing small towns & country side then the ONLY way is to drive. Last trip was 23 days in Sicily. Four days in Palermo without a car & the balance in a rental. We rented a SmartCar. Absolutely great for Sicily. It fits 3 20" suitcases behind the seat. 3rd time we've rented SmartCar. Not great for autostradas. We've criss-crossed Italy several times, always in a car, always without reservations except in major cities. Les Neidell --- On Wed, 1/30/13, George M. Graves <[email protected]> wrote: From: George M. Graves <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [alfa] Once in a lifetime Italy trip To: "Dave DeRosier" <[email protected]> Cc: "AD" <[email protected]> Date: Wednesday, January 30, 2013, 12:27 PM I've done it both ways. Driving in Italy is such a joy, that I wouldn't do it any other way. Taking the train means that you have mind your luggage, everywhere you go. That's a pain. Also, once you get to a destination, you often find the train station miles from a hotel. In the car, you drive 'till you're tired, stop at a hotel out in the country, get a nice room and usually a good meal in the hotel restaurant, and get up when you want the next day, have a leisurely breakfast, and take -off at will. You only have to manage your luggage each evening and ear each morning. With a car, you go where you want to go (no trains to the top of Mt. Etna in Sicily but the road up to the top is interesting as is the restaurant up there). I got to drive the Alfa I had at 120 - 140 MPH all day on the Autostradas, Eat lunch at Autogrills, and drive fast on both the Mille Miglia route and the Targa Florio route. I even got to drive the Alfa for five laps of Imola and four laps of the Monza track. Can't do that on a train Regards, George On Jan 30, 2013, at 8:34 AM, "Dave DeRosier" <[email protected]> wrote: > Rob, > > > > Last June my wife, daughter and I did the same thing. I intended to rent an > Alfa and drive around. The Travel agent that set up the trip advised us > against it. Given where we were going and the length of time we were there, > the train would be a better option. I finally gave in and said we would go > on the train. I am so glad we did. The high speed train in Italy is > wonderful. Fast, clean, on time and very comfortable. If you are going to > any cities, a car is more of a problem than an asset. The traffic is > significant and parking is scarce. There are no cars in Venice and Rome and > Florence are very walkable and have good public transport as well as tour > busses. If you are visiting people in more rural areas then it might make > sense to drive > > If you have time, the Lamborghini Factory tour is magnificent and the new > Ferrari museum is wonderful as well. You can do the two of those in a day > easily and have a wonderful lunch in Bologna. > > > > Have a great trip! > > > > Dave > > > > David P. De Rosier DDS, Inc. > > Dentistry for the quality conscious > > www.drderosier.com > -- > to be removed from alfa, see http://www.digest.net/bin/digest-subs.cgi > or email "unsubscribe alfa" to [email protected] -- to be removed from alfa, see http://www.digest.net/bin/digest-subs.cgi or email "unsubscribe alfa" to [email protected] -- to be removed from alfa, see http://www.digest.net/bin/digest-subs.cgi or email "unsubscribe alfa" to [email protected]
