surprisealot

We have set our sights on a 3 week (not including travel time) family holiday in Italy in September.

With tips and hints from well travelled friends (and great suggestions from Fodorians) we have set aside a week for Rome (in an apartment) and a week in Lucca (also in an apartment within the walled part).

So now we are (again) asking for suggestions; we have been advised that not to go 'south' with a vague comment about safety. Please reply with your experiences here or any travel advice.

We do anticipate travelling through our stomachs through Italy (eating everything as we go) and we are all interesting in ancient sights.

We are in discussions about pompeii and its 'sister' sites....

advice please, we are a family of three (DS would be 13 when we travel) and like to be self guided, we wont be hiring a car and we do like basic to intermediate walks and being in the outdoors. Museums are of interest (depending on the attention of a 13 year old) and food and history and interaction with locals/being involved in everyday life, which is why we rented apartments so far....

surprisealot

P.S: having read over the 'undiscovered Italy' segment on Fodor's home page..

Has anyone travelled (or like to comment) on Puglia?

zoecat

My suggestion:

Umbria- Base in either Perugia or Spoleto and use trains and buses to visit the region (although having a car would be even better). Great food; nice walks in beautiful countryside(especially from Spoleto); great history; locals; etc- everything you're looking for.

Puglia might be difficult witout a car.

Jean

What did you want to see/do from Lucca? Have you determined how feasible/easy it is to cover your list without a car and using only public trans? Or were you planning generally to park yourselves in the town and not explore much of Tuscany (which is mostly far south of Lucca)?

I love Umbria, so I agree with zoecat's suggestion of Perugia or Spoleto. If it must be Tuscany, consider also Siena.

I wouldn't hesitate to go south, but other than the Naples/Amalfi Coast area I think it would be difficult to explore without a car.

Todd_Jenkins

One of the highlights of my 60 day trip to Europe was in fact Pompeii and Ercolano ... I really hope you will make time for those 2... also the museum in Naples is fantastic and you don't have to hit all sections of the museum if you get tired but it really is one of the best museums out there.

I really loved the craziness and vibrancy of Naples but not everyone seems to like it, I stayed there for 4 days but you may want to consider Sorrento, because it will be easy to travel around from there and you will also be able to take a bus trip down the coast which is gorgeous and windy.

On your next trip, plz consider visiting Siracusa, Agrigento, and Palermo in Sicily they are fantastic and the vibe is different from the north. Your trip sounds wonderful, take it slow and if you have time for a daytrip from Rome, Orvieto was awesome with its underground tour!

Sassafrass

Have been only to Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and the AC in the South, but love that part of Southern Italy and it should be great in September. A 13 year old would probably love the underground in Naples, Pompeii and perhaps even climbing Vesuvius. We never feel unsafe there.

A week in Rome is wonderful - lots to do and see and good day trips.

Lucca is lovely, but two days was enough for me there. One would have been plenty for my kids. Have you considered Venice area or CT?

surprisealot

great replies, and thank you, please keep them coming.
Sorry, for some reason DH is 'put off' by Venince.

Friends have reported: over crowded, not so nice aromas and HOT HOT HOT.

Please more information about the 'underground' in Naples and Pompeii - ie is it tunnel tours or basement level shops/hotels.

We have heard that the Naples museum is great.....

We have had great stories from familes that loved Lucca and stayed for a week touring on bikes through the streets and climbing the walls....mind you they had a little younger children.

CT (as DH puts it) is some hilly towns painted colourfully. yes not everyone in this family agrees with him.

We have heard that the walking trails at CT are often overgrowded and you have the 'need' to give way to on coming walkers very frequently as the track itself is not wide, is this true?

Sorrento has been pencilled-in as a base to 'explore' this region...any other votes for sorrento?

dreamon

Don't let people put you off Lucca. I could easily spend a week there. Apart from the town itself, you can ride out along the river, visit the hills behind Lucca by bus and train, visit the beach, visit Pisa, Florence and other major towns. You could even take a day trip to CT if you got an early start. And, yes, it gets very busy, mostly with American tourists. There is also a lot to do in Lucca itself and some good bars and restaurants.

However, don't have an image of Lucca as an Italian hill town because it's flat, which makes it a bit different to some other Italian towns which have lots of tourists.

ira

Hi sup,

To me, a week in Lucca is 4 nights too many.

>DH is 'put off' by Venince. <

Then tell him that he can spend a week in Lucca going out of his mind from boredom, but you are going to visit Venice for 4 days.

On my list, it is second only to Paris.

I also suggest that your additional week be spent on the Amalfi Coast.

You might wish to fly into Venice and out of Naples.

Enjoy your visit.