Piccolina

I'm planning a trip with a friend for end of June for 10 days (excluding first and last day for travel) for somewhere in Italy. We are flying in from different place and will either fly into Milan or Rome. We could really use some suggestions on where to go in Italy!

We are thinking of Tuscany for 5-7 days plus another destination/region....It will be both of our first trip to the Italian country side.

Here are some criteria:

- We won't be visiting Venice, Rome and Amalfi during these 10 days. Friend will likely go to Rome on her own at he end of our 10 days together.
- Open to check out Milan if we're flying in there but I've always heard from friends that there isn' much to see in Rome. Thoughts?
- I've been to Florence a few times but don't mind visiting it again if it serves as the gateway to Tuscany


What we like:
- the road less traveled (not really in the mood to see a gazilllion tourists!)
- Luxurious B&Bs (doesn't have to be over the top but we do like to stay in nice places!prefer not to stay in hotels unless it has character and locally owned!)
- Great food (my friend is vegetarian though)
- Beautiful landscape
- Want to see the real italian country side or other beautiful Italian towns (FYI - I love the Dordogne - would love to experience something rural and rustic like that in Italy)

Questions:
- How long should we stay in Tuscany?
- What's another good location/region to add on to our tuscany stay for this 10 day
- If we don't go to Tuscany, what other parts of Italy would you recommend?

Many thanks in advance for your help!! Looking forward to your suggstions

noproblem

We are going to stay for two weeks in Tuscany at a place we are very excited about, the Relais Villa l'Olmo in Imprunetta. The place is in the countryside just twenty minutes outside of Florence and has a shuttle. Great views of the valley. Check it out.

Sassafrass

"there isn't much to see in Rome."
Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Vatican Museum, Pantheon, Borghese Gallery, St. Peter's Basilica, just for a tiny start. Though they are admittedly not off the beaten path, and they are not country side, it is hard to believe they are "not much to see."

kawh

we chase the thermal water on all of our vacations. this took us to Viterbo which was about 3 hours out of rome by car. (no trains.) you will not run into americans there-- in fact, they are distressed that they don't get their fair share of tourists in the town.

it is a lovely drive out there-- folowing a river part of the way. very green. once you get there-- you have your choice of the fabulous private thermal (very warm) swimming pool that the pope swam at long ago-- or the 'wild spas' which are scattered in the countryside. (one very near the pool-- you can see it in the distance-- kept up by the locals-- and across the road from a tractor shop, as i recall!) here is an article on them. the water is super hot-- they cool it by running it along these short, long cement walls. (oops-- site won't let me post a link... look up 'wild spas' and follow links to a ny times article.)

when we went to viterbo, we stayed at a wonderful b&b. not luxe-- but the room was like a king's. i will never forget the high, arched trompe l'oeil ceilings above our bed. it had acres of farmland behind-- and my hubbie spotted a rare bird from the bathroom. a grande old dame. it is close to many beautiful spots... we loved viterbo!!

kawh

oops-- the b&b in viterbo is called villa farinella. lovely mother and son run it. get the pink 'suite'.

dfourh

Hard to beat Susan Armstrong's b&b Casa Turrita in Montefalco. Perched high over Umbria like an eagle's nest, great daytrip drives to Spello, Assisi, Perugia, Norcia - - the list of hill towns goes on and on. Her daytrip and restaurant recommendations are spot on too. There are three upstairs rooms in the rural farmhouse, and a kitchen there too. Breakfasts on the patio in the morning breeze with a view over the hills. The reviews on Tripadvisor are uniformly 5-star: http://www.casaturrita.com/

Piccolina

Sassfrass - sorry, it was a typo. I meant to say there isn't much to see in Milan! Apologies. Speaking of Rome, I have been to Rome numerous times so that's why my friend will go on her own (her first time!)

Noproblem - wow Relais Villa l'Olmo looks amazing! will definitely look into it.

Kawh - how did you find driving from Rome to Vitebro? I'm a bit intimidated with Italian drivers. We've never driven in Italy before...

Sassafrass

Wow! My apologies too. Sorry, but glad to hear that. Your friend will have a great time. First time in Rome is always so impressive. Now, I think your trip will be great, just staying in a villa somewhere and soaking up Italy. I've traveled in the countryside, but not stayed in any great places like you are looking for. Some of the recs look wonderful though, don't they?

bobthenavigator

Viterbo is less than an hour from Rome and is on the train line---I am not sure where Kawh stayed.

kawh

bobthenavigator-- truly a navigator! ok... my memory is vague-- it was at sunset into night-- and i remember it as taking 3 hours. still-- you must double the normal italian driving time for us-- which maybe answers the above question about driving in italy. as my husband says-- the hood ornament has a practical purpose, which is to line up the car perfectly with the center line and go!
kawh

Piccolina

Thank you for all the B&B suggestions!

I would love to get some input on the itinerary - how many days would you recommend to spend in Tuscany? Is 5 nights too short? We would just stay in one base for the 5 nights. What would you suggest as a good base (criteria: not too touristy, would be nice to have a few good restaurants/trattoria in town for dinner, close enough for day trips nearby).

Aside from Tuscany, would you recommend another area that is close by (eg: Perugia/Umbria)?

Thanks so much!

franco

Well, it's of course also not true that "there isn't much to see in Milan", on the contrary: S. Ambrogio, S. Maria delle Grazie, with Da Vinci's Last Supper (which is NOT the main sight there, even if zillions of tourists think so - the church proper is!!), the Duomo, La Scala, S. Eustorgio, to begin with. The problem is just that all those (excellent) sights are surrounded by a really ugly big city.

<What's another good location/region to add on to our tuscany stay for this 10 day>
None, because
<How long should we stay in Tuscany?>
the entire 10 days! 10 days is not even enough for Tuscany, which needs (without Florence) minimum two full weeks. So in 10 days, you already have to choose which parts of Tuscany to skip - and no time for any other region, reasonably.

bobthenavigator

I would give both Tuscany and Umbria 5 days each.
In Tuscany, look at Terre di Nano near Pienza as a good base location. In Umbria, look at Genius Loci or Palazzo Brunamonti, both near Bevagna.