sf7307

Where would you go and why if you'd only been for brief periods before to Rome, Florence, Venice and Viareggio. To give you an idea about "us", we love big cities and charming small towns, enjoy seaside towns for a bit. We'd like to see the "landscape" but only if it's very very special (Amalfi Coast, Big Sur Coast, Alps). (vineyards don't thrill us, and we were somewhat underwhelmed by the Texas Hill country!). Mostly we love architecture, wandering, local cafes, markets, places where it's great just to "be" as opposed to necessarily having sights or monuments to "see". For reference, we love NY, Chicago, Paris, London, San Francisco (where we live). We have very fond memories of Lisbon, Edinburgh, and of Antibes and Juans les Pins, and of Aswan and Luxor. We enjoyed day trips to Bath and Oxford and Cambridge. No place has ever left us completely cold, but some places we could "do" in a day or two that others might spend much longer- San Antonio, Strasbourgh-Colmar. We tend to be pretty superficial -- we've seen the Mona Lisa several times, but we would never stand there examining it for more than a few minutes!

So, do you have any suggestions for us. Italy just appeals to us.

stellamarina

We are very similar to you (also from the Bay Area!) and we're leaving for a trip to Umbria and Rome next week. We've never really done the Umbrian hill towns and think we'll get the architecture, history, charm and laid back type of travel we're looking for this time. We're making our base in Spoleto and driving around for a few days to check out some of the beautiful towns. Sounds like you might like that too...

CasaDelCipresso

Naples...with maybe a visit to the Amalfi Coast

Parrothead

If I were going to Italy, I'd allow at least 2 weeks but 3 would be perfect. I'd fly into Rome because it is a great place to start. I'd spend 5 of my nights there and walk everyday, all day. The Spanish Steps and Trevi are especially lovely at night.

Then I'd train it to Venice for 3 nights, again no car. I'd finish up in Tuscany for 5 nights minimum, more if possible. I'd get a car and visit Siena, San Gimgiano, Lucca, Assisi at a minimum. I'd spend 2 of those nights in Florence and the rest I'd drive from town to town.

I'd have a gelato every afternoon and vino rosso every night.
Indeed, that's what I'd do "If I were going to go to Italy..."

StuDudley

We're very similar to you too - and we live 3 blocks away.

I would camp myself in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany (near Pienza) in mid April - and enjoy all the perched villages, the beautiful countryside covered in what looks like green velvet (winter wheat) with cypress trees dancing up hills, Siena, simple trattorias, Orvieto, Montepulciano. You may never want to leave.

Do you have my 20 page Italy itinerary with a heavy dose of Tuscany??? E-mail me at [email protected] if you want a copy.

Stu Dudley

mnapoli

I love Verona at wine harvest time. The towns surrounding Verona (Bardolino,Soave, etc.) have wonderful wine festivals, and the whole area is magical!

hazel1

I second Stu Dudley's suggestion of the Val D'Orcia area for a stunning slice of Tuscany and I think I'd combine it with Bologna with its interesting, very different architecture, incredible food, and day trip possibilities to Parma, Modena and Ravenna.

Further south, Naples is an exciting and vibrant city, that I think pairs well with a more relaxing and highly scenic stay along the Amalfi Coast.

Peter_S_Aus

We "did" Venice a year ago, over Christmas. My trip report might give you an idea of where we like to go. It's rather long, and was fun to write. It's to be found here:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...st-verbose.cfm

In answer to your question, "If you were going to go to Italy, where would you go", my answer is Venice. We're going again this November / December, for a while.

rhkkmk

a week in venice is unbelievable....

wandering the towns of umbria and tuscany is very pleasant...

renting a house for a week in the country and just wandering around can't be beat if you center yourself in a nice area...

dutyfree

Have you thought about going to Sicily-great food,scenery,ancient ruins,seashores,big cities and great countrysides,etc. Its like Tuscany 20 years ago before the Americans invaded!

Flame123

What Stu said !!!!!!!

primeranoche

"We tend to be pretty superficial "

Val d'Orcia! What Stu said!

jelopez33

Here's my vote:a week or a little less in Rome,wandering,having gelatto,sipping coffe,and going anywhere,as all the city is a marvel.Then,as many days as you like at the amalfi coast(Capri included; and don't disregard Venezzia.

primeranoche

Oh wait. Forget what I said. Forget what Stu said!. The val d'Orcia can get kinda deep (literally) and is (historically) Renaissance-y --- meaning, Leonardo da Vinci's ideas and all that? (He painted that mystifying woman you and Stu keep glancing it.).

So, where to go?

PIEMONTE

Not a whiff of Renaissance there at all. They barely gave Leonardo a glance either. But lots of world-class wine, world-class food (delicious food, not like Tuscany), rolling vinyards, pampering villas, really appealing small towns and be sure to stay at least some nights in the big city of Turin. Not one art museum there you'd feel obliged to glance into BUT:

a highly amusing movie museum (sincerely)
car museums (home of Fiat),
a fantastic historic cafe scene (mirrored walls, painted ceilings, the works)
to die for chocolate,
terrific window shopping (via Po, via Roma),
a veritable Home Depot of food shopping market called EATALY
a few mummies (no kidding, like Luxor -- I've been to both)
occasional fog (in case you get homesick)
beach towns even prettier than Cap d'Antibes, also painted by -- well never mind -- all just an hour away

AND -- drum roll please:

THE SHROUD OF TURIN!

Good for a laugh at least, right? What could be more superficial than a shroud?

Any number of people on Fodor's will be glad to tell you exactly where to stay in Piemonte. They might even already have a mile-by-mile tour bus package they can e-mail you (minus the bus, of course. You drive-- and haul your own luggage.)

Have a great time, wherever you go! Glad somebody visited Fodor's who doesn't take tourism "must-sees to do lists" seriously. All we need now is somebody who doesn't take themselves on Fodor's all that seriously!

(I used to live in San Francisco. Funny, it bored me.)

primeranoche

PS: It's hard to go anywhere in Italy and not see vinyards. Just so you're prepared.

primeranoche

sf7307,

All kidding aside, I live in Italy and Piemonte really does tick all of your boxes as you wrote them in your first post, and you should seriously consider heading there, As understandably satisfying as the historic farm lands of the val d'Orcia are to many American tourists, it doesn't have a big city to enjoy at your fingertips, no endless variety of charming cafe life wherever you turn, or markets to compare with Piemonte's, and no doable access to the Mediterranean (or lovely seascapes once you're there.

Turin (Torino), Piemonte's regional capital, has great European style -- with many homages to French, British and Swiss grand cafe life, haute cuisine and chocolate-making, Even some Victoriana. Yet at the same time, it is Slow Food's biggest booster, proudly Italian. If you at all like risotto, you come to Piemonte. Even Thomas Jefferson came to Piemonte to bring rice back to America.

The Piemonte countryside is gives you access to Alps, and at lower elevations it is jammed fwith sleepy towns and castles set upon rolling, verdant hills, and -- this is no small plus -- you have a real sense of personal discovery there because you will scarcely run into any other English-speaking tourists. However, it beyond doubt the best area of Italy for modern tourism because of it's great transportation infrastructure and plethora of pampering accommodations in all price ranges -- relais, villas, b&bs, grand hotels, you name it.

The nearby beaches boast towns that are pastel beauties, filled with pristine charm and (between Genoa and the French border), all but unknown to American tourists. It is not unreasonable if you have more than a week to think of a foray into France as well, by car or train. If you want more super big city buzz (and pesto) you can visit Genoa, whose people largely built San Francisco (on much the same masonry and cable car principles they built Genoa) and whose fisherman gave the world the original "blu genes" (blue jeans).

Anyway, didn't want to offend anybody (including you Stu! Try not to seethe) and didn't want my joking around outrageously to get you to dismiss out of hand Piemonte. It has everything you said you were looking for.

notginny

I second visiting Siena. It's an absolutely gorgeous city where old and new world collide.

monicapileggi

Bookmarking!

Monica

bobthenavigator

Hmmm ! Interesting.
Italy has so many diverse places to see I would plan 3 trips in advance since you will return. Based on your comments about the Texas hill country I would save Piemonte for my 5th trip to Italy. This trip I would always support what Stu says--he is a true and very experienced traveler. However, I would add that Sicily may captivate you--here is my photo gallery that may whet your appetite for Sicily:

http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3828

sf7307

bob, I've looked at your Sicily pictures before, and it's intriguing! Thanks all for your suggestions.