Italy Countryside Itinerary help
Jun 28th, 2016, 03:39 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Italy Countryside Itinerary help
Planning a trip to Italy next spring arriving into Pisa and 8 days later will need to be in Venice. We will have a car and would like to stay in smaller towns or the countryside as we make our way to Venice; We have been to Italy many times and as everyone does- we love Tuscany. We have never visited Cinque Terre however there are so many conflicting reports on this area mostly related to the volume of tourists that I am not sure if we should.We have previously spent a week in the Dolomites.
We would like to stay 2-3 nights in places with beautiful views and preferably with a restaurant on site. We love to walk and visit small towns and villages. We do not plan to visit any cities.
I would appreciate any suggestions-Thank you
We would like to stay 2-3 nights in places with beautiful views and preferably with a restaurant on site. We love to walk and visit small towns and villages. We do not plan to visit any cities.
I would appreciate any suggestions-Thank you
Jul 6th, 2016, 04:21 PM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks I am exploring this web site.
I continue to feel unsure about CT -as everyone does I wish there was a similar alternative with less crowds.
Suggestions for other villages less spoiled by excessive tourists would be welcome-of course I am a tourist too.
I continue to feel unsure about CT -as everyone does I wish there was a similar alternative with less crowds.
Suggestions for other villages less spoiled by excessive tourists would be welcome-of course I am a tourist too.
Jul 6th, 2016, 05:26 PM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,969
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I haven't seen anything conflicting about CT.
It is a pretty place.
At the same time, it gets stifling amount of day trippers.
When there are no day trippers, the villages are peaceful and enjoyable. Day trippers would come home thinking it was a mad house. Overnighters would come home with different impressions.
Villages that do not get mass tourists during the day are that way for specific reasons. They lack mass appeal or incredibly difficult to get to. If your interest is not shared by ordinary tourists, a village offering only that particular interest would not get other tourists. For example, there is Chiusure in Tuscany. It is a tiny sleepy town. There is nothing special about the town itself. My interest was that it had a great view of Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore when the light condition was right. There were no other tourists even during the day. For that matter, hardly any residents.
It is a pretty place.
At the same time, it gets stifling amount of day trippers.
When there are no day trippers, the villages are peaceful and enjoyable. Day trippers would come home thinking it was a mad house. Overnighters would come home with different impressions.
Villages that do not get mass tourists during the day are that way for specific reasons. They lack mass appeal or incredibly difficult to get to. If your interest is not shared by ordinary tourists, a village offering only that particular interest would not get other tourists. For example, there is Chiusure in Tuscany. It is a tiny sleepy town. There is nothing special about the town itself. My interest was that it had a great view of Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore when the light condition was right. There were no other tourists even during the day. For that matter, hardly any residents.
Jul 6th, 2016, 07:50 PM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,386
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We have stayed at Agriturismo Antica Torre a few times. It's outside of Salsomaggiore (a thermal water town) and maybe 2 to 2 hours from Pisa.
It's absolutely beautiful there. You can take long walks on quiet roads. There are lots of tiny towns nearby... but nothing spectacularly picturesque. Monticelli Terme is charming and not far. We love to drive the countryside.
It is also about 40 minutes to drive to Parma and about an hour and a half to Modena . (as I recall... maybe check these?)
It's nothing fancy, but really clean (what I call an "ironed sheets" place.
The family that runs it (2 generagions) is so very nice!! The mother of the family makes the dinners every night... everything homemade. Always a smile. That woman is making pasta, stirring sauces, and everything else a good half of every day. (sundays they do something low key... not typical.)
We have also been to some superior restaurants out in the countryside nearby.
We like the room with the terrace, though it has a kitchen and living room, which we never really use. we just like having the terrace off of our bedroom. Hope that's of some use.
There are zillions of these to choose from... but she makes the best food we've ever had consistently at an agriturismo. (she posts the menu at breakfast and you just let her know whether or not you want to eat there that night.)
It's absolutely beautiful there. You can take long walks on quiet roads. There are lots of tiny towns nearby... but nothing spectacularly picturesque. Monticelli Terme is charming and not far. We love to drive the countryside.
It is also about 40 minutes to drive to Parma and about an hour and a half to Modena . (as I recall... maybe check these?)
It's nothing fancy, but really clean (what I call an "ironed sheets" place.
The family that runs it (2 generagions) is so very nice!! The mother of the family makes the dinners every night... everything homemade. Always a smile. That woman is making pasta, stirring sauces, and everything else a good half of every day. (sundays they do something low key... not typical.)
We have also been to some superior restaurants out in the countryside nearby.
We like the room with the terrace, though it has a kitchen and living room, which we never really use. we just like having the terrace off of our bedroom. Hope that's of some use.
There are zillions of these to choose from... but she makes the best food we've ever had consistently at an agriturismo. (she posts the menu at breakfast and you just let her know whether or not you want to eat there that night.)
