Thank you for your help. Is the Arezzo to poppi schedule also on the trenitalia website (I had a tough time finding it). Also, if we decided to drive, where would it be best to pick up a car? Rome? Arezzo?

Finally, my biggest concern is getting back to Rome. It looks like the return flight leaves at 1135am. I am thinking we may need to spend that night before in Rome.

Yes, you can find the schedule to Poppi on the Trenitalia site. I tried to pull up a sample here for you:

…trenitalia.com/b2c/…

Don't look to far ahead on the calendar as you won't find options.

Also, since you are unsure as to your flight arrival time into the airport (and also once you get bags,etc) I would just look at the Termini to Poppi flights. As I said, you don't need to book these now anyway. You can wait until you arrive and purchase at the Leonardo station.

As for the car: Yes, it is very easy to pick up at Rome airport (FCO). Try www.autoeurope.com for options. They are a broker for the major brands and tend to offer the best deals. You could also rent in Arezzo. There is a Hertz office directly across the street from the trains station. However, if you are arriving there on a Saturday after 4pm or on a Sunday, they are closed. There is a Hertz office in Arezzo but you would have to take a taxi there from the train station (about 10 mins by car), it is in a rather industrial area.

Yes, if your flight leaves at 11:35am, it is best to spend the night before in Rome. You can either find something right downtown Rome or there are two options out at the airport: Airport Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn. Both have free shuttles to Terminal 5 in the morning. You need to be at FCO at least 3 hours before your departure. The nice thing if you decide to stay at the Airport Hilton is that you can return the car that day/night before, walk from the rental return (it is the large parking garage attached to the Terminals) and then walk the catwalk flyover directly to the Hilton. They have a pool (Garden Inn does not), bar, restaurant (albeit not the best food you will have all trip), gym and best of all, a free shuttle that runs every hour each way to downtown Rome (you can pick up the schedule at the hotel front desk). It drops you very near the Vittorio Emmanual monument (near the colosseum). So you can spend your last night in Rome, eat dinner there, take the Hilton shuttle back to your hotel and be conveniently placed for your next day flight.

Are you going to Casa Ombuto?

Your help is appreciated more than words can say! I have looked at flying into Florence. It isn't much more and would be easier on the "back end." The problem is, car rental on a Sunday. I would fly into Florence, take a train to Arezzo and then either rent a car from Arezzo (which doesn't appear to be possible on a Sunday) or take local train from Arezzo to Poppi and then have the hotel in Poppi arrange for us to have a car for the week. Any advice in this regard?

Thanks again!

If you are flying into Florence then surely it makes sense to rent a car from the airport there and just drive to Poppi? There is no problem with picking up a rental car from the airport on a Sunday.

Yes, as Peggypatch has noted, if you are flying into Florence, you can rent a car there on a Sunday (Airport car rentals are open 7 days a week and don't close for the afternoon) and then just drive to Poppi. It is only about an hour+ drive. Use www.viamichelin.com for directions, times and toll costs. If you do rent in Florence, be sure to get some euros before you leave the airport at a bancomat (ATM) so that you will have cash for the toll - it is generally just much easier for tourists to pay cash. At the Arezzo exit, look for the toll booth with the sign above it with the symbol of a hand taking money. This indicates it is manned. However sometimes on Sundays it is not. If you end up at a toll booth that is not manned, don't panic. It will issue instructions in Italian but never fear. If you watch the board, it will light up in the area of where you need to do what next.

i.e First, the area where you insert your ticket will be lit up. Insert your ticket with Arrow end first, Arrow side up. Next it will read it and tell you how much you owe. Then if you are paying by cash, you will insert your eruo bills into the next area that is lit up and any change goes into the little hopper. Bills should also be insert with the end with the small silver strip first. If you are using a credit card, insert it as directed into the machine that says "Carta di credito". Wait until the gate goes up. Ignore any honking of horns that goes on behind you and just take as much time as you need.

Some great driving tips are here - which addresses everything from parking, tolls, street signs, getting gas, etc.

accessitaly.com/category/Driving-in-Italy.as…

ps: you should change your screen name/location. By using your email id, you are inviting spam.

I don't think I would go via Arezzo from Florence airport, I would travel south of Florence on the A1 and take the SP127 then the SS67 to Pontassieve, then the SR70 all the way to Poppi. It will take you about an hour and a half, probably less on a Sunday as there won't be much traffic around Florence. The roads are slower than going down the A1 and then back up, but the distance is shorter, fewer tolls and you'll save yourself about half an hour.

Grazie mille!

This is very helpful. We are planning on staying in Florence for a few days so arrival on Thursday, leave for Poppi on Sunday. Is there a place to pick up car in Florence and then return to airport? Maybe I could do this through European destinations? My husbands big concern is "getting out of the city."

Getting out of the city is usually ok with clear instructions (just watch out for bus lanes), it is coming back in that catches people out, so it is definitely best to return to the airport.

How many trains leave Poppi daily? Do they all go to arezzo?