Allerona & Cortona in May questions
Feb 7th, 2010, 06:45 PM
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Allerona & Cortona in May questions
Hello fodorites!
We have 5 days in Paris in early May & then flying Paris Orly to Rome FCO, renting a car & driving first to Allerona, Umbria to stay 3 days at I Casali Di Monticchio, with cooking lessons included. Then on to Cortona for 6 nights at Villa Marsili before ending our trip in Florence. Our intent was to stay long enough in a hill town to feel a bit like a local. I am hoping to get some good input about Cortona which scares me a little considering prior postings, our reservations are firm.
We have already driven Rome to Venice & spent time in Montepulciano, Siena, San G, Chianti area, Montalcino, used Stu Dudley's Tuscany info and loved it all but we don't want to repeat the same trip. How about Assisi & Oriveto & Chiusi & Arrezzo for day trips? Anything you can tell me about this part of Tuscany/Umbria would be appreciated; interesting places to visit, restaurants, any general information you have to share. Thank you for your input!
We have 5 days in Paris in early May & then flying Paris Orly to Rome FCO, renting a car & driving first to Allerona, Umbria to stay 3 days at I Casali Di Monticchio, with cooking lessons included. Then on to Cortona for 6 nights at Villa Marsili before ending our trip in Florence. Our intent was to stay long enough in a hill town to feel a bit like a local. I am hoping to get some good input about Cortona which scares me a little considering prior postings, our reservations are firm.
We have already driven Rome to Venice & spent time in Montepulciano, Siena, San G, Chianti area, Montalcino, used Stu Dudley's Tuscany info and loved it all but we don't want to repeat the same trip. How about Assisi & Oriveto & Chiusi & Arrezzo for day trips? Anything you can tell me about this part of Tuscany/Umbria would be appreciated; interesting places to visit, restaurants, any general information you have to share. Thank you for your input!
Feb 7th, 2010, 09:15 PM
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We've spent 9 days in Umbria a couple years ago. We loved it. It is a "wilder" region than Tuscany, sort of like Tuscany un-tamed. Beautiful and we loved it.
If you have the werewithawl to do the driving I highly recommend a visit to Piano Grande. It is unique in its beauty and landscape. We visited with an Italian friend who did not even know of its existance!! He was astounded.
Aside from that Cortona is a beautiful small hill town which we also enjoyed. We stayed in Bevagna and loved the following places most : Assisi, Spello, Todi, Montefalco.
Food was mostly delicious anywhere we went but our favorites were as follows :
Il Cacciatore (Ristorante Il Cacciatore, Via Giulia 42, Spello; Tel : 0742-301603)
Montefalco and L'Alchimista restaurant for lunch (L'Alchimista, Piazza del Comune 14, Montefalco; Tel : 0742-378558; closed all day Tuesdays). This was our best meal of the trip. We went back for dinner a different night as well.
Have a great time.
If you have the werewithawl to do the driving I highly recommend a visit to Piano Grande. It is unique in its beauty and landscape. We visited with an Italian friend who did not even know of its existance!! He was astounded.
Aside from that Cortona is a beautiful small hill town which we also enjoyed. We stayed in Bevagna and loved the following places most : Assisi, Spello, Todi, Montefalco.
Food was mostly delicious anywhere we went but our favorites were as follows :
Il Cacciatore (Ristorante Il Cacciatore, Via Giulia 42, Spello; Tel : 0742-301603)
Montefalco and L'Alchimista restaurant for lunch (L'Alchimista, Piazza del Comune 14, Montefalco; Tel : 0742-378558; closed all day Tuesdays). This was our best meal of the trip. We went back for dinner a different night as well.
Have a great time.
Feb 8th, 2010, 06:34 AM
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I did a ten day solo trip to Tuscany/Umbria last May and had a fantastic time. The weather could not have been more perfect - ten glorious days of breezy, sunny, puffy cloud skies. I spent a day touring Cortona and really enjoyed myself. Though it was definitely more touristy than other hilltowns I visited, I loved the churches and found several Etruscan tombs that were fascinating. Enjoy!
Feb 8th, 2010, 06:48 AM
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My favorite restaurnat in Cortona is La Grotta, have the gnocchi, they are light as feathers.
We like to go down to Lake Trassimeno (sp) and there is a restaurant on the little island in the middle of the lake, a nice way to spend a sunny day.
Deruta, the ceramic town, is close by, a great day trip for me anyway.
We have spent a lot of time in Cortona, love it!
We like to go down to Lake Trassimeno (sp) and there is a restaurant on the little island in the middle of the lake, a nice way to spend a sunny day.
Deruta, the ceramic town, is close by, a great day trip for me anyway.
We have spent a lot of time in Cortona, love it!
Feb 8th, 2010, 07:35 AM
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We spent a week in Cortona and did day trips to Assisi, Arezzo, Lago Trasimeno, and Todi. We loved this area.Do not miss the monastery on the hillside of Cortona where St. Francis lived at one time, Le Celle di Cortona.
Another vote for La Grotta in Cortona. In Arezzo, we had a nice lunch at Ristorant Buca di San Francisco, adjacent to the church of the same name. Make sure you visit the church to see its beautiful frescoes.
Another vote for La Grotta in Cortona. In Arezzo, we had a nice lunch at Ristorant Buca di San Francisco, adjacent to the church of the same name. Make sure you visit the church to see its beautiful frescoes.
Feb 8th, 2010, 08:58 AM
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Thank you all so much! That is the kind of advise I was looking for.
My husband loves to drive & is pretty fearlessly so we have tackled Italy (even Rome), France & Switzerland by car. I am excited about all the suggestions; a restaurant in the middle of a lake! Interesting. We are starting to read up on the area's history and highlights. Civita di Bagnoregio look so amazing, how far a walk is it from where you park to the town? Thank you again.
My husband loves to drive & is pretty fearlessly so we have tackled Italy (even Rome), France & Switzerland by car. I am excited about all the suggestions; a restaurant in the middle of a lake! Interesting. We are starting to read up on the area's history and highlights. Civita di Bagnoregio look so amazing, how far a walk is it from where you park to the town? Thank you again.
Feb 8th, 2010, 08:55 PM
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We were in Civita di Bagnoregio just a few months ago. It WAS a truly amazing place. It is about a kilometer walk (or maybe a bit more) from where you park your car to the teeny town. BUT it is mostly a VERY steep walk so be prepared. Most people, even the ones who "looked" fit, were huffing and puffing by the time they got to the top. BUT it was SOOOO worth it. Definitely NOT to be missed.
Since we were with our Italian friend, he knew about a very very old lady (she was also apparently written up recently in Rick Steves's book so others now know about her as well) who sits outside her house on the curb and for the price of about one Euro, will let you walk into her garden in the back. She has a myriad of antiques and very old farm equipment which are amazing, along with a beautiful garden. But mostly the views from there are just not to be missed. SHe told us she recently lost her husband at the age of 90, and even though she is quite old and gnarled, you can see she was once a true beauty of a woman. She has the most beautiful blue eyes. It was a true real Italian experience.
Since we were with our Italian friend, he knew about a very very old lady (she was also apparently written up recently in Rick Steves's book so others now know about her as well) who sits outside her house on the curb and for the price of about one Euro, will let you walk into her garden in the back. She has a myriad of antiques and very old farm equipment which are amazing, along with a beautiful garden. But mostly the views from there are just not to be missed. SHe told us she recently lost her husband at the age of 90, and even though she is quite old and gnarled, you can see she was once a true beauty of a woman. She has the most beautiful blue eyes. It was a true real Italian experience.
Feb 9th, 2010, 05:17 AM
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Happy: I had totally forgotten about St Franceses cell. That was truly an amazing place to visit, thanks for shaking the cobwebs out of my feeble brain!
The island is Isola Maggiore, and the restaurant is in the only hotel, Sauro.
Passignano: the town where you would catch the boat to the island, also has a great selection of seconds pottery, so if you don't want to go to Deruta, you can shop here.
Arrezo has a great sunday antiques fair/market. I believe it is once a month, maybe the first sunday, check it out if it's your thing.
The island is Isola Maggiore, and the restaurant is in the only hotel, Sauro.
Passignano: the town where you would catch the boat to the island, also has a great selection of seconds pottery, so if you don't want to go to Deruta, you can shop here.
Arrezo has a great sunday antiques fair/market. I believe it is once a month, maybe the first sunday, check it out if it's your thing.
