5 women, Italy, need suggestions

Old Feb 9th, 2016, 08:35 AM
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5 women, Italy, need suggestions

I will be traveling in Sept 2016 (for 10 days) with 4 of my female friends to Italy.

A little background - We are all in our early 40's, 3 of us have already visited Italy - albeit a decade ago. We've seen Rome, Florence and Venice (I did all the driving) We were able to experience a lot of touristy things. What we are looking for this time is some history, culture, wine, food and FUN (some nightlife)...I ask them and all they say is they want to sit in a piazza, people watch, drink some good wine and visit some sights.

Any suggestions for areas to stay that have charm but also central to visiting other areas? Are we better off staying in a city and then traveling to charming towns or vice versa? We have little experienced of the public transportation but that is also possibility. Maybe ever stay one place for a week and then a few days somewhere else.

Please help me narrow down the possibilities!
Thank you!
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 09:04 AM
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I would visit Florence for 5 days and Siena for the balance.
Albeit with lots of day trips--Lucca, Pisa, and hire a driver from Siena for 3 day trips to the hill towns of Tuscany. You can be creative for the day trips.
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 09:10 AM
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Several years ago we rented a villa outside Todi which is in Umbria. The villa had a pool and we were also able to have a lovely Italian woman come in to cook several evenings. We were able to have drinks around the pool while she prepared our meal. Since Umbria is central it is easy to drive or train to many areas of Italy. Not too big on night life however.
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 11:04 AM
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Do you want to drive or not drive?

If driving, Umbria is a great idea, Abruzzo or Puglia as well.

If you don't want to drive, consider the Amalfi Coast for its relaxation. Naples for its nightlife and sipping wine in piazzas as well as sights. I would investigate south - however you're looking at going in high season so your options will become increasingly limited for hotels especially if you choose Amalfi Coast. Take a look at this website - just the home page photo may be enough to persuade you.

http://www.positano.com/
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 12:02 PM
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My vote would go to Verona, which has one of the best cocktail hours in Italy, plus also cultural events in the evenings. If you stay in Verona you have lots of opportunities to go your separate ways on occasion using the trains. Venice is one hour to the east, and Padova a it less. Trento is one hour north on a scenic train ride. Bologna is just a bit more than an hour south. To the west is Lago di Garda and Milano. And then there are the smaller towns of Vicenza or Mantova.

Verona has beautiful piazze, gardens, wonderful shopping and you can probably find a 3 bedroom apartment that is quite affordable. You can arrange for wine tours -- the Amarone wine of the area is legendary.

Finally, Verona is simply a very beautiful Italian city with a wonderfully walkable and atmospheric historic center.
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 12:11 PM
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https://www.nileguide.com/destinatio...bars-and-clubs
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 01:35 PM
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I agree with the Amalfi Coast idea. A few years ago myself and 4 girlfriends rented an apartment in Positano for a week (followed by a few days in Rome) and we all agree it was one of the best vacations we ever experienced. Lots of relaxing and wine drinking, fantastic day trips, some nightlife and amazing views.
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 03:10 PM
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I am also in on the Amalfi Coast. So gorgeous...great views. We enjoyed a wine tasting in Tramonti one day at Tenuta San Francesco but we really just chilled out (except for the 1700 steps to Nocelle) and enjoyed wine with marvelous views.

September is a great time to go! We stayed 9 nights...6 in Positano and 3 in Conca dei Marini.
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Old Feb 10th, 2016, 12:36 PM
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I would choose between Verona and Siena. What time of year will this be?
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Old Feb 10th, 2016, 01:50 PM
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piazze in Verona

piazza delal Signoria

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/106345181.jpg

piazza Bra

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ra_-_Arena.jpg

piazza della Erbe

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GYdbFkb1z5...iazzaErbe2.gif

http://rete.comuni-italiani.it/foto/...75-500x334.jpg

On the riverside in Verona

http://www.tigellaverona.com/wordpre...1-1600x925.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dSgltJtjXG...0/IMG_2743.jpg

aperitivi in Verona

http://www.veronasera.it/speciale/bl...vo-verona.html

http://www.sebastian-pfuetze.com/sit...jpg?1352124098

http://vivereveronablog.altervista.o...-al-canton.png
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Old Feb 10th, 2016, 01:52 PM
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sorry for my typo: firt picture is piazza dei Signori
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Old Feb 10th, 2016, 02:03 PM
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people will scream at me for saying this, but I think of the Amalfi coast as more of a place where people get their own private balcony or exclusive terrace so they can look at sea views from high up rather than meeting up in public places, or having a plethora of piazze. Verona has so many piazze because historically and today, it is a crossroads of commerce. Also, while Verona gets plenty of tourists around its main sights (mainly during the day), in September it is also a place where Italians still outnumber tourists by a significant ratio, whereas the inverse is true on the Amalfi coast (possibly even Siena). Depends on what nationality of people you want to watch.

Also, the wine of the area of Verona is legendary, both red and white, and likewise light cocktails.
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Old Feb 10th, 2016, 07:12 PM
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I will offer a slightly different take...when I read your post I immediately thought of either one of the bigger cities Venice, Florence, Rome, Milan, Napoli for nightlife (and side trips possible) or the Amalfi Coast. I know the Amalfi coast is a major honeymoon and couples spot but it's the opposite for me since I've either gone with gf or solo. There are two really fun dance clubs (and I wouldn't be caught dead in a club in US) as well as a few nicer bars. For me it's always been a great girls trip spot.

I visited Verona for the first time last November and although it's an incredibly beautiful city with one of my favorite wines, the city felt completely cold and unwelcoming. I left the next day after arriving and headed for Milan. This may have been the season, the fact that I was traveling solo or any of a number of other factors but wheat I read in your post is FUN and for that I think the AC has it in spades.
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Old Feb 11th, 2016, 01:58 AM
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I have no idea why JenV found Verona unwelcoming, but there are plenty of people who go to Verona and don't have that impression at all. In November, one can expect Verona to be normally cold, but in September, the weather is typically lovely.

People can go round and round about what they find FUN, and nobody here knows your group. If what your group is telling you is that they really don't want cultural activities or history sightseeing, or they want nature views rather than beautiful architecture and Italian culture, that they find deliberately going to places of antiquity or the Renaissance being "touristy" whereas just sitting and drinking outdoors and clubbing is a FUN way to be in Italy, then certainly the Amalfi is set up for the latter.

The reason why many of us don't find the Amalfi scene FUN is that Italian life there has been compltely commercialized for tourists, and overrun by tourists, although hats off to the remaining locals who are pros when it comes being hosts and who work very hard. But not everyone's experience of the Amalfi is FUN: for others it is an annoying experience of tourist mobs, difficult transport issues, a lack of cultural variety or activity other than shopping, lower quality food and wine than can be had elsewhere in Italy. They dislike and can't wait to leave as much as JenV didn't like Verona.

Not saying you should go to Verona. That was my suggestion based on your initial post, since there are so many lovely piazze in Verona, nightlife is recognized by everybody as one of the best in Italy for variety, and the local transport is also excellent for variety -- lakes, food, wine, architectural beauty. But if your group would find it a burden to be in a small city, feeling like they "ought" to go sightseeing when what they really want is to be in nature and forget about that, and especially if they want to meet fellow travelers who speak their language -- lots of beautiful places in Italy, including the Amalfi, set up for that primarily.
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Old Feb 11th, 2016, 02:08 AM
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(And before anyone jumps on me, the Amalfi coast has breathtaking views. No one is denying that, and for many it is reason enough to go and visit over and over and urge others to join them. Many also like the shopping, and the sybaritic resort life, set up for fun, that pervades these once-isolated villages. People do go there for no other reason than to kick back and enjoy how beautiful the setting is, let time slip by -- if they don't get frantic about getting on that bus or boat to go sightseeing more views nearby. Bottom line is that Amalfi is stunningly beautiful with views and consumption being the top draws, and cultural sightseeing/social experience of Italy not a priority)
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Old Feb 11th, 2016, 03:41 AM
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I have to admit that the Amalfi Coast in season can sometimes feel like the Italian version of Disneyland. However, if you plan carefully, you can avoid some of that and begin to understand why so many people, including me, are obsessed with it.

Get out very early for day trips or hiking. If in Positano, head for Fornillo Beach rather than the town beach, although both can be very crowded during the summer months.

Take long lunches, then head back to your hotel where hopefully you've booked a room with terrace to enjoy some of the most stunning views on Earth.

For dinner, take a cab or arrange a transfer to Montepertuso, a mountain village about fifteen minutes away. My favorite place, LA TAGLIATA has amazing food, some of the best I've had in many trips to Italy. And the views from the top of the mountain down are gorgeous.

You can also arrange private wine tasting tours or cooking classes.

And yes, I've heard that there are two great clubs in the area. We've never been to them because we're slugs, but others here can help if that's of interest.

Lastly, if you're going this summer/fall book ASAP! There may be very limited inventory. Good luck
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Old Feb 11th, 2016, 11:27 AM
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<The reason why many of us don't find the Amalfi scene FUN is that Italian life there has been compltely commercialized for tourists, and overrun by tourists, >


This is utter nonsense that I have attempted to refute but Sandralist keeps on chirping this line like an annoying bird and because she has visited the area twice she knows it all.

The Amalfi Coast is *not* completely commercialised for tourists. What rubbish. Take a walk at the back of Amalfi and witness lemon groves disappearing into the infinite valley. Take the path between Amalfi and Atrani and you'll see locals - some even with donkeys - using the ancient pathways that have been there for decades. Visit Valle de Mulini and see abandoned paper mills and waterfalls - with not another person in sight. And these sights are within 20 minutes or less of Amalfi - purportedly overrun with tourists and commercialised.

The Fornillo side of Positano has locals going about their daily lives, shopping at the delis and the supermarkets. Local families keep their lilos underneath the Puppetto Cafe on Fornillo Beach and swim with their kids. The local primary school is just down from Hotel Poseidon and the local kids bounce their basketballs on a playground with glorious views that they are no doubt oblivious to as it's home.

As for the food, well the people at La Tagliata and their customers would beg to differ - and there are many other examples.

And as I have said before, the little villages like Scala, Nocelle and Furore rarely see tourists and those who take the time to go there have peace and tranquility.
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Old Feb 11th, 2016, 12:58 PM
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Blueeyedcod,

I so agree with everything above. A few years ago in the middle of July, we took a water taxi to a restaurant in one of the coves along the coast. We were among a handful of tourists that day (!), and the chef took us all into the kitchen, where a table piled high in vegetables from his garden and fresh fish on ice was offered in all kinds of
delectable configurations. We'll never forget that day!
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Old Feb 11th, 2016, 03:32 PM
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We seem to have coalesced on the Amalfi Coast. If you agree, there's lots to see there. In addition to Positano, Amalfi town, and Ravello, there are several smaller towns along the coast. Then there's the Isle of Capri, Sorrento, Pompeii and Herculaneum, Mt. Vesuvius, Paestum (Greek temples), Naples, etc. All of these are accessible by public transportation of one sort or another. Google images of these destinations.

Another thought in the same striking sea coast scenery category: the Ligurian coast (the Cinque Terre, Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, Camogli, Genoa). Again accessible by public transportation.

Or how about the Italian lakes? Lake Como is the most famous now, but there's also Lago Maggiore (part of which is in Switzerland) and Lago di Garda. And others.

Nightlife isn't a big feature of Italian culture, especially in smaller towns. Basically the nighttime activity is dinner which starts about 9 and goes on for a long time.
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Old Feb 14th, 2016, 09:59 AM
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Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions. I am elbow deep with looking at all the areas mentioned. Italy is just amazingly beautiful, I am sure where ever we land, our time there will be unforgettable!
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