Anyone have an opinion good or bad on Capalbio and its beach? Going to rent a car out of Rome, and on the way up to Tuscany and points north thinking it looks like a nice little spot to hang out for a few hours.

The marina of Capalbio mainly services a local community of artsy Romans wealthy enough to own a holiday home in Capalbio itself (which is a rather boutique town a few miles inland). It is rather utilitarian. If you don't need a seaview, then visiting the actual town of Capalbio might be more interesting.

Where are you going in Tuscany and what time of year? Do you need to hug the coast? If so, Tarquinia is a lot more interesting. If you simply want a swim and a fishy lunch, then Santa Marinella might work better than the marina of Capalbio.

If you are going on weekend, or in August, get as early start as you can if you want to avoid traffic jams along the coast.

Going to rent a car out of Rome in early-mid July. I don't need to hug the coast, but I want to hit a beach out of Rome after a couple hours drive for a swim. Capalbio Beach looked like a nice spot. I will look at Santa Marinella. I am also looking to avoid hordes of tourists, and I don't find Capalbio in many tourist guidebooks, which is what I look for.

After doing a bit of poking around on the internet, I also think I may visit Barrati Beach. We will be leaving Rome on a Wednesday early, so I am thinking we may check out Tarquinia, have a swim, then drive up to Barrati and have another swim and some food. We are staying that evening in Montalcino, and that does not seem like too much of a drive.

After Montalcino, we are going to stay a couple of days in Bologna. After that, heading to Bellagio on Lake Como. Can anyone recommend the most enjoyable route to Bellagio from Bologna? I want to avoid Milan. Thinking about stopping in Verona for a few hours, but not deadset on that. We like smaller towns where you can relax, avoid hordes or tourists, and just soak in the locals living their lives.

It is out of your way to go Verona, plus it is a busy city (almost as big as Milan) and in mid-July it will be swarming with tourists. (By the way, Bellagio will be absolutely overrun with tourists in mid-July).

Read up on the towns of Lodi and Crema if you-d be interested in an Italian town with tourist attractions and yet no tourists.


http://www.italythisway.com/places/crema.php


http://www.italythisway.com/places/lodi.php

Parma is a very small and wonderful city with spectacular attractions. You will see other tourists there, but not very many. Be sure you have scoped out ahead of time where the public parking lots are because, like Bologna, there are strictly enforced "no-go" zones in the old city center

http://www.italythisway.com/places/parma.php

I wanted to add that with regard to Baratti Beach, it is a nice place, but in mid-July any seaside destination in Italy is crowded. These will mainly be Italians along the Tuscan coast, but be prepared for traffic tie ups and competition for beach towel real estate.

I am o.k. with competing with Italians on the Tuscan coast! That's what I want to see. I just don't want to be part of the mass of other tourists. Appreciate very much the suggestion of Lodi and Crema Stevewith, I will look on the map. I realize Bellagio will be crowded, but we are going to rent kayaks and tool around the lake, so I am hoping at least to get away from most of the tourists that way.

O.k., so my route out of Rome is tentatively first on the Tuscan coast, then to Montalcino, staying there, then Bologna for about 3 days, and Parma, Crema and Lodi. From there, follow the river to Lake Como and hang out in Bellagio for a few days. I am excited to be able to check out the countryside and laze about in some smaller venues. If anyone has any other suggestions along my route, please feel free to alter my course cause I am not going to be in a hurry.

There are loads of interesting castles along that route if you want to see them.

http://www.castellidelducato.it/Cast...Field=homepage

This is also a nice guide to have if you are poking around that area and like getting off the beaten track

http://www.borghitalia.it/pg.base.php?id=4&lang=en