AdrienneB

This is the 3rd trip to Italy having spent a total of 5 weeks in Rome, Florence, Venice and the Amalfi Coast.
I find the southern areas of Basilicata fascinating, Tuscany compelling, and everything in between interesting as well.
Tell me where I should spend my 9 days complete with car (having driven both times before and still remain undaunted despite having been through Naples a couple of times), where I might find a bit of the undiscovered, the aged, the unusual, the best of Italia?

TuckH

How 'bout Valle d'Aosta?

cmt

Nine days would be perfect for JUST Sicily. It's not enough time to go all over Sicily, but enough to see quite a bit. Sicily is definitely worth a trip all by itself. If, in addition to the famous sites, which are popular with GOOD reason, you'd like to see some "undiscovered" parts of Sicily, try the Nebrodi Mountains area. (I've been told the landscape resembles that of Val d'Aosta, which I've never seen.) It's a beautiful green area with fruit and nut trees, unspoiled mostly Norman towns, remnants of Byzantine architecture, bits of Arabic ruins. You might stay at an agriturismo or a small provinicial hotel.

If you're interested in Basilicata, here's a thread on that region: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34401476

I think the Puglia region fits what you're looking for, too. I've never been there, but I'd love to go.

If you don't want to be quite THAT off the beaten track, how about the Emilia-Romagna region (Bologna, Ferrara, Ravenna, Parma, Modena, etc.). I'll be there next week.

Grinisa

Puglia would be my choice. Beautiful beaches, great cities (medieval old Bari, Baroque Lecce, the Trulli of Alberobello, the white city of Ostuni), the Norman castle at Andria, breathtaking coastline of the Gargano Peninsula, religious pilgrimage sites at San Giovanni Rotundo and Monte San Angelo, wonderful seafood all over but especially in Otranto and Gallipoli. Puglia is a great nine day destination.

bobthenavigator

Well, it really depends on your tastes. Surely Sicilia and Puglia are great destinations and worth your time. If I had 9 days, and had never been, I would do the lakes and Dolomites--a matter of taste.

AdrienneB

A detail that I forgot to include is that I am making this trip the first part of December. After consulting a few websites, the weather looks to be similiar all over Italy. Is that true? Wouldn't we perhaps find snow in the North?
I am taking a car and long to get lost in the countryside. I do prefer some sun and as much warmth as possible.
Anyone driven in the Basiliata region?
Do you take your cars to Sicily?

Grinisa

Basilicata is beautiful. Stick to hilltowns like Rivello or the caves at Matera because the coastal resorts will be closed for the season. Yes, you can take your rental car over to Sicily. The ferry between Villa San Giovanni and Messina costs between 12 and 20 Euro depending on the size of the car. In general, the weather in the north of Italy is going to be colder than in the south and yes, you may find snow in Aosta, Northern Lombardy, Piedmont, Trentino, the Veneto and Fruili. You can also encounter snow and ice on the mountain roads in Umbria, Abruzzo and as far south as Calabria, but it is unlikely.

bobthenavigator

Dec. changes everything. Go to Sicily.