Unless there are 3 or 4 of you who can cram you and your stuff into a sub-compact car, I doubt you’ll save any money renting a car. I would probably fly between Germany and Italy and travel around Italy by train without a railpass. Check prices for tickets in Italy at www.trenitalia.com If you know exact dates and see any specials buy the tickets from the site if you can. Use http://reiseauskunft… the German rail site to price tickets in Germany and between Italy and Germany. If you see any great (like 29 euros for an overnight train) specials buy them. If you don’t see specials that work for you on either site, just buy the tickets at the station — always ask for the cheapest fare or if there are any specials available.

Thanks Oldlady, I really appreciate it. This site is great and I’ve read over it for days and finally broke down to get some advice. I was leaning toward flying and getting around by train, just wanted someone else to reassure me that I’m not completely crazy.