I've read with great interest the exchange regarding the folks from Detriot getting to Poppi from either Florence or Rome's airports.
I have the exact situation, BUT there are 15 of us traveling (our 50th anniversary family trip). Are there small buses that can take a group with lugugge from Poppi to a nearby villa, 5 kms away? I think we can follow the same train plan as the Detroit folks to get from Rome to Poppi, no? Thanks a lot.
Bill
Bill, will you have no cars or vans the during your entire stay? Poppi is fairly remote and if your villa is 5kms from the Poppi train station - it is even more remote. Is your plan just to stay at the villa the entire time? Or will you be staying at Casa Ombuto which does arrange tours?
This group may be able to help you:
carrentalswithdriver.com/chauffeur-driven-ca…
or these:
la-limousine-service.it/limousine-car-with-d…
http://www.limousineserviceilgirasole.it/
best-airport-transfers.com/arezzo-transfers/…
While these all list Arezzo, I would contact them and try to arrange something from Poppi (or maybe the Arezzo train station, since you will be going through there anyway?) - as Arezzo is the nearest big "city" to Poppi.
Thanks very much, that is great information and contacts.
We will probably rent a van for the entire stay (Sant Angelo Rlais) for transportation for near-by trips with part of the group at at a time. My main concern is getting from Rome to our destination and back) I was thinking of taking the train from the Rome airport to the nearest train station (Poppi?), and pick up our rental there.
Is this a reasonable plan?
Are you planning on only renting one van? You could easily rent 1-2 vans at the Rome airport (FCO) - check www.autoeurope.com for rates.
Unless you are planning on spending time in Rome and then heading to Poppi, driving out of FCO is quite easy. It is an approximate 3.5 hour drive from Rome to Poppi (exiting off the A1 at Arezzo).
I am unsure if there are any car rental agencies located in Poppi or Bibbiena. The closest main offices for rentals just might be Arezzo.
So you could either: Train to Arezzo, pick up rental car there and drive to Poppi/Bibbiena. Avis is directly across the street from the train station and your best option.
or Rent at FCO and drive all the way. Many car rental options.
Make sure not to get one of those Ducato vans. They are like driving an ambulance! Difficult to park as well.
The problems with renting cars outside of major areas (airports, train stations) are the hours. Even in Arezzo, they are closed on Sundays. On Saturdays Avis closes at 4pm but Hertz (not near the train station) closes at 1pm. So pick up and returns need to be scheduled around this.
However, it often does not cost extra (or at least not much) to rent from one location in Italy and return at another. For example, pick it up in Rome and return in Arezzo or vice versa.
Make sure all drivers get an IDP - International Driver's Permit - at your local AAA office (membership not necessary). You will need a passport photo (they can take one for you as well). Cost is about $15 for the IDP. It is the law in Italy to have one.
