Celiaanne

Hello,

We will be in Rome for a week and are tring to decide where to go afterwards. We don't want to do another "city." We've considered the Cinque Terre and Amalfi Coast, but are now thinking of Tuscany. We don't want to spend long periods in the car, but we don't mind an itinerary that would inlcude a few hours' drive between towns...

What we like: Wandering around little towns (not interested in a lot of shopping), having leaisurely lunches/dinners, great scenery (love the water), historical places (Pompeii?).

Any opinions on which of the 3 would be best?

nessundorma

What time of year are you going? If heat and crowds are a turn off for you, I suggest you explore Umbria, or the southernmost part of Tuscany, especially towns in the Maremma. Both areas are easily accessed from Rome, and the small towns are usually only a half-hour to an hour's drive from each other (if that).

Pompeii is a fantastic historic site, but it's not a good idea to try to combine it with Tuscany (or Umbria). For Tuscany, explore Pitigliano (and innumerable other historic places, off the beaten track) and in Umbria, I'd recommend a 2-day visit to Perugia in addition to the smaller hilltowns and even though you say you don't want another city, because it is such a unique, astonishing and historic city. Otherwise in Umbria, the smaller towns are full of charm and may be less "touristy" than much of Tuscany now is, and certainly it is less tourist-ridden than Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast.

Henry

Celianne,
E-mail me and I will send you some suggested day trips for Tuscany.

ira

Hi C,

I think a week is too long for the CT.

A week on the AC would be quite nice, but it does get somewhat crowded in season.

A week in tuscany, with a villa as a base and daytrips in the are would be my choice.

Any reason why you wouldn't want to spend a week in Venice?

nessundorma

Funny how different people are, but I'd much sooner spend a week exploring the areas around the CT by train or car than hanging around the Amalfi Coast for a week. (Unless you like shopping in tourist stores.)

I think it's a drag to go all the way to Venice from Rome, and there is no "little town" feel to it. Maremma (in southern Tuscany) offers nice hilltowns plus water and islands).

ira

>I'd much sooner spend a week exploring the areas around the CT by train or car than hanging around the Amalfi Coast for a week. (Unless you like shopping in tourist stores.)<

Hmmmm, when was the last time you spent a week on the AC?

Celiaanne

Thank you!

Nessundorma, Sorry -- we are going to be there from October 1 - 8. Heat and crowds are definitely a turn off! Thanks for your other suggestions. I've heard Umbria is the "new Tuscany."

Thanks, Ira. I was getting the idea that a week might be too much for CT. I've been twice to Venice, and I just don't think I would like to go again, especially for a whole week. I know I'm in the minority!

nessundorma, I'm with you on the shopping in touristy stores. I am definitely not looking for that. I figure you can buy anything you want on the internet! BUT, I realize that is an important part of most people's trip. Good for them too! Southern Tuscany and Umbria are sounding very good!

Henry, I'm sending you an email. Thanks!

nessundorma

ira, I spent 3 days in the AC a year ago April and wouldn't care to return unless perched high in a villa above Ravello away from everything else on the AC, with a tall stack of books and black notebooks and sketchpads. I do plan to go back to Napoli, Sorrento and Pompeii, and hope to stay for two weeks at least. But the touristy AC doesn't much interest me.

tcreath

We spent a week in Umbria in March and loved it. We stayed at a lovely agriturismo near Bevagna, and close to Assisi, Spello and Montefalco. We did do quite a bit of driving, but this isn't necessarily a necessity if you like to linger in some of the smaller towns.

If you like historical sights, the ancient, ruined Roman town of Carsulae is a great place to explore. DH and I love history and found Carsulae to be fascinating and almost eerie because it was completely devoid of crowds. Its within driving distance of most places in Umbria and definitely has an "off the beaten path" feel to it. http://www.argoweb.it/ternano/carsulae.uk.html

We have been to Pompeii and loved it, but if you are staying in Rome you should also consider the ruined town of Ostia Antica. Its an easy hour train ride from Rome, just as interesting as Pompeii (in my opinion, at least), and a lot less crowded. http://www.initaly.com/regions/latium/ostia.htm

Tracy

mothradave

Don't forget Assisi. It's pretty small and could be quiet by October. Great restaurants.

nessundorma

Just be careful not to go to Assisi Oct 4 or 5. It's St. Francis's feast day, and the place is mobbed.

Leely

Loved Umbria (okay, just Assisi and Gubbio) in late Feb-early March. Would return again and again in "off" or shoulder season.

I have to say I enjoyed Cinque Terre too, although this was over 5 years ago. We stayed for four days in Corniglia. There is nothing, zip, zero to do. That was part of the fun. The food was incredible, by the way.

Actually, all your options sound good. You're spoiled for choices, so let me add yet another. I haven't been, but what about Le Marche?

enroute

nessundorma,

It's quite interesting that I would pay dearly to spend a week on the AC, while you can't pay me enough to return to Napoli, where indeed nessun dorma.. (sorry, couldn't help it)

Also, whoever said shopping was the main attraction on AC?

Utterly bewildered,
-e

nessundorma

enroute,

There is surely nothing more individual and subjective than what makes for an interesting, memorable vacation. You'll never catch me on a cruise, for instance, or even in Hawaii. On the other hand, I wouldn't want to rough it in the Amazon nor would I want to go to the Olympics.

I can very well understand a vacationer not wanting to revisit Napoli -- or even Roma or Firenze or Venezia. I think the main attraction in Amalfi is the scenery (and for some people, the lavish hotels), but most visitors to the Amalfi people end up spending the majority of their time in the towns, which to me have a fraction of the cultural interest and charm of other towns and cities in Italy I've visited. Overwhelmingly, the culture in the AC towns is one of selling things to foreign tourists.

On the other hand, I am fascinated by Napoli, which scarcely makes any concessions to tourists, and I have much more vivid memories of the faces and artwork I saw and the streets where I walked than I do of all the scenery I saw in the Amalfi, which is undeniably dramatic and beautiful.

So people are different.

suze

ttt

Jean

I agree somewhat with Nessundorma about the cultural interest and charm of the AC. But I have to say, the most interesting Italian I've met is a paper maker in Amalfi. The tiny stone building he works in is centuries old and used to sit over a stream (now below the street). The papermaking machinery looks ancient. Antonio looks ancient. He doesn't speak English but works hard in Italian, a little Spanish, a little French to explain how he makes his paper. I was charmed by the entire experience and bought several things. Antonio's little "factory" is a bit away from the main tourist area of Amalfi, but he's my reassurance that Italy's cultural treasures can be located in even the most touristy of places.

CRAZY4TRAVEL

We just returned from Tuscany and Umbria. We drove 1170kms in 9 days but I agree with tcreath...it is not necessary if you choose to spend more time in a town and linger there. We loved Assisi and wished we had more time to spend there. I thought the town would be over run because of St. Francis (San Francesco)...but if you stroll the back streets...it is tranquill and charming. I'm sure it is even more so at night. We based ourselves in Spello and the towns of Assisi, Brevegna and Montefalco were are very close together.

Tuscany really stole my heart. The towns are picture perfect but the drives through the countryside are the real attraction in my opinion. Montalcino, Montipulciano, Pienza, San Quirco d'Orca, and Monticchiello are all very close together as well as well as the Monastaries of Mont Oliveto Maggiore and San't Antimo. We also had a private tour of the Altensino winery outside of Montalcino which was one of the highlights of our trip. You could stop in Orvieto on the way to Tuscany and it is a beautiful..and very interesting town with the most interesting cathedral and Etruscan ruins that are not to be missed.

Celiaanne

Now what! Umbria, Tuscany and Napoli, Sorrento, Assisi. They all sound wonderful and exactly what we are looking for. I guess it's just a matter of deciding what direction to head in from Rome.

I don't mind driving at all and I love to just explore whatever comes up, but I am going to do some sort of plan as far as reservations go. Everyone has such great sounding things to do and places to go.

tcreath, I am going to look into your links...they sound great.

As luck would have it, if we do go to Assisi, it would at the time of the Feast Day...

Thanks to all for the responses. More are always welcome!

tcreath

Celiaanne, I feel your pain! We always run into a similar dilemma when we plan our Italy trips. There is just so much to see and do! To be honest, I just head to Borders and start flipping through guidebooks with pictures and write down the places that interest me and go from there. We generally like "off the beaten path" destinations, which is why we chose Umbria, although we did take a daytrip to Tuscany (Pienza, San Quirico and Montepulciano) and loved every minute of it.

Good luck with your research and best wishes!

Tracy

vallenuova

White truffle season start on October 1st in northern Le Marche.... just in case you like truffles....