During the last week of April (2004) and the first week of May, my wife and I enjoyed 2 weeks of perfect work/personal life balance. 3 days working and 10 days vacationing in Italy. The basic itinerary was a weekend in Venice, 3 days working in Rome, and 7 days vacationing in Tuscany. While in Tuscany, we stayed at an Agritourismo near Montepulciano and had the use of a rented Alpha Romeo. So no packing and unpacking, just a week of short day trips in and around Tuscany including Montepulciano, Monteriggioni, San Giminiano, Cortona, Assisi, Vinci (as in Leonardo da), Montalcino, Monte Oliveto Maggiori and San Antimo. We made many wrong turns on the narrow winding roads. We got lost a few times but only once seriously. We ate and drank our way through one of the most scenic parts of Italy, if not of all of Europe. All in all, a terrific couple of weeks. Make sure to click on the thumbnails below to expand them.