DebbieAllen

I'm doing research here and on other boards but thought I'd post this as well. Thanks in advance for your help.

Planning my first trip to Italy for September (boyfriend and I). It will only be about 12 days long. I don't want to rush around and see "everything." I want to choose two, maybe three places to stay where we can get to know the area a little bit. Wander around, try lots of restaurants and go back to our favorites, shop at the market, etc. If all 2-3 sites were NOT the larger cities, that would be fine (though Florence interests me). I would love if if one spot was on the water, for swimming.

Travel time between the locations plays a part, of course, since it's a short trip.

For those of you who have seen a lot of Italy, which two or three places would you recommend for this type of itinerary? To recap, we want:
1. Variety in the locations (so we see a different side of Italy with each location)
2. Good spot for wandering around, eating, markets
3. Relatively easy to get from one location to the next (2-5 hours travel time is probably ideal, but might be unrealistic)

zootsi

Good question, and a good plan. Two of the most beautiful areas of Italy are Tuscany and Cinque Terre. You could do about 5 nights in Tuscan hill town, exploring the beautiful countryside. You could then do 3-4 nights in Cinque Terre, in a beachfront town. The rest of the time could be spent in Florence, Rome or both.
In Tuscany, some good options are Montepulciano, San Quirico d'Orcia, and just outside Tuscany is Orvieto. These are all meduim sized towns with lots of shops and restaurants, and surrounded by some very beautiful countryside. A car is a must in this area if you want to really see the area.
In Cinque Terre, consider Levanto, which is technically not IN Cinque Terre, but the next town over. Levanto is a small beach resort town with a very nice beach, lots of great places to eat, and spectacular hiking opportunites. Levanto is easy to access by car, and the walks to and thru Cinque Terre are just amazing.
The drive from Tuscany to Levanto is an easy 2-3 hours.
Have you been to the slowtrav.com website?

annhig

hi Debbie,

I agree with zootsi that this is a good plan - in fact it's how we've spent any number of holidays, long and short. as there are just two of you and you are travelling in september, you probably don't need to book accommodation ahead, unless you are planning to spend time in one of the big tourist centres like Florence or Venice.

i disagree with zootsi in one way in that I would not choose a hilltown as a base - you will spend a LOT of time driving up and down the same precipitous roads. visit the hill towns by all means, even spend a night there [the best way to see San Gim when all the tourists have gone]. 25 years ago [it's probably changed a bit sionce then] we spent a few days in Siena which made a great base for touring - it's big enough to give you things to do in the evening, small enough that it doesn't take too long to get in and out, and central to quite a lot of places you might like to see.

Garda on Lake garda is another lovely place which makes a good base - there are boats to all parts of the lake, [easier to get around all of the lake than it is if you stay at one end or the other] and you can get to Verona and Venice reasonably easily too.

don't know about the CT - but when you are looking at a base, you need to look at ease of getting about as well as how nice that place is itself.

have a great trip,

regards, ann

Gina817

What about Rome? We have spent a week or more there at a time and leave wanting more. There is so much to do and see...or just sit in a cafe and relax.

There are also several quick and easy day trips from Rome.

Good luck!

bobthenavigator

Lucca
Bassano del Grappa
Asti

zeppole

To experience Italy in 3 strikingly different ways, I suggest that you stay in Verona in the Veneto, Arezzo in Tuscany and Sestri Levante on the Italian Riviera. The last two are on the water and all of them are easily reached by train, and make good train hubs for seeing other sights. They all have terrific markets and well-preserved historic cores that make them lovely and enjoyable places to stay in their own right and get to know.

It is easy to find bed and breakfasts in all 3 places or moderately priced hotels. I live in Liguria, so I don't sample the local hotels, but were I headed to Sestri Levante, this is the place I think I'd find most charming to stay. And it's close to the train station if you want to visit le Cinque Terre (about 30 minutes away):

http://www.marinahotel.it/Benvenuti/BenvenPage.htm

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...n_Riviera.html

Arezzo is an easy train to visit Florence. This place would appeal to me:

http://www.palazzospadari.it/

Verona has no end of accommodations, and from there, you can visit Venice in a day trip, or visit Lago di Garda.

Another possibility you might consider is Ferrara. Even if you don't make Ferrara your base you might consider visiting it from Verona, or Florence if you stay there. If you are interested in Florence, staying there is not a bad idea, and Tourist House Ghiberti is a nice place to stay.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/200...nvents-holiday

If you stay in Ferrara, it is only 15 or so minutes to Bologna train station, making it possible to day trip to Parma and Ravenna.

Have fun choosing! No matter where you go in Italy, you will find beautiful, rewarding experiences.

zeppole

Sorry TYPO alert!!!!

I didn't mean to write "the last two are on the water" -- which would imply Arezzo is a sea town. Only Sestri Levante is on the water. (I was also going to suggest you consider Chiavari in Liguria, but it is further away from good day tripping. -- However, if you stay in Sestri Levante, I highly recommend a day trip to Chiavari!)

Also, I wanted to add that beyond the links I gave you to places I think I'd find charming, there are loads of other choices in Sestri Levante and Arezzo, in all price ranges. In Arezzo, just make sure you stay within the historic center, not in the area of modern business hotels outside it.

This is a private tour company's web page on Arezzo that compactly describes Arezzo, and talks about a festival in September. I'm not recommending the company, just giving you the link so you can read about Arezzo, which was one of the original 12 Estrucan cities and is today still a beautiful Renaissance city (its piazza was designed by Vasari):

http://www.arezzo-info.com/

isabel

You said you are interested in Florence and that is a great base. There's obviously tons to do right there but it also makes for nice day trips. I did Siena by bus and Lucca and Pisa by train. People have also easily done other small Tuscan towns by bus. I based there for 6 days one trip and was not the least bored.

Another of my favorite "bases" was Padua in the Veneto. That town is also one of my favorites but in addition works great as a base for day trips. From there I did Verona, Vicenza, Bologna and also Venice (less than half an hour by very frequent train). I'd been to Venice twice before that trip and I don't really advise someone daytripping to Venice as it's best at night, early morning. But if you just want a taste of it, going there from Padua works.

For a third base, and one on the water you could choose either the Amalfi Coast or Cinque Terre.

ira

Hi DA,

With 12 days, I would fly into Venice (3 nights), train to Florence (4 nights) with a visit to Siena, train to Rome (4 nights) with a visit to Orvieto. Fly home.

Venice is on the water.

Enjoy your visit.

annhig

hi Debbie,

i deliberately left Flroence out as a suggested base for excursions. ok if you're there for a week, but if the aim is to be leaving it most of the time and just coming back in the evening, IMHO it doesn't work because a) there is a lot to see there that you will feel you are mising and b)it takes a long time to negoitiate the traffic, either to get to the station to get a train, or on the bus. a smaller place, that you can see in a day or so, but stil has some interest when you come back to it at night, AND get out of quickly when you want to do an excursion, is what you want to aim ofr. Lucca and Siena fit the bill perfectly and I'm sure that there are other equally good places.

PotenzaRon

Florence - you could take day trips to Chianti area, Lucca, Bologna and many other places within a very brief 60-90 minutes) train or bus trip

Rome - there is an endless number of things to do and see in Rome without traveling out of the city.

Santa Margherita Ligure - right on the water with many quick day trips if you wish - Cinque Terre, Camogli, Portofino (very pleasant walk from SML)

If you wish you could probably rent an apartment in Rome and Florence for less than a week and get more room at less money than in a hotel. Also get a better sense of the Italian life since many apts are in buildings with Italian families.

zeppole

I second the recommendation to consider Padova, especially because it has a great food market and is probably an easier place to get to know in a few days than Verona -- which I think has more variety, but if seeing Venice is on your to-do list, you can go earlier and stay later if you base in Padova.

I'm not sure Siena makes a good base for day tripping.

I wouldn't want Venice for my beach.

Santa Margherita Ligure is indeed a pretty town, but Chiavari is too and has better markets, as does Rapallo. The reason I recommend Sestri Levante is that you can day trip to Lucca or Pisa from there if you missed them while in Tuscany. Not so further up the coast. And Levanto is so close to le Cinque Terre it is dominated by foreign tourism.

In general, if you want to "see a different side of Italy" with each move, you need to be staying in a place that isn't homogenized by international tourism. Most of Italy is exceptionally beautiful and charming, so don't be concerned if you pick a place that has yet to attract flocks of foreign tourists.

zeppole

I meant to add that Lucca is probably Italy's oldest city completely given over to tourist development, and a model for all subsequent tourist development in Italy. It has all been beautifully preserved, but if you are looking to get to know a place and be part of its markets and non-tourist oriented eateries, that isn't Lucca.

For Tuscan Renaissance towns with great train connections, beautiful historic cores, authentic markets and restaurants, Arezzo, Pisa (away from the tower, in the centro) and Pistoia all fit the bill, and all have a life, commerce and culture independent of tourism.

Stephanie_F

Hi Debbie,
Your plans sounds like a good one! I also agree it's important to find a central, beautiful base. In fact, I found a hilltown in Tuscany that's surprisingly accessible (to beautiful sites, good food and to the A-1 highway!!) and not too terribly touristic yet!

I just gave the following advice to Snowflake, who's also planning a trip like yours.

Last month my family and I visited a beautiful, unspoiled corner of Tuscany in the Val d'Orcia: Sarteano, just where Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany meet, and quite close to Montepulciano, Pienza as well as some less known Etruscan sites. Why hadn't I heard before about San Casciano (medieval city with a to-die-for five-star thermal spa) and Cetona (medieval city, beautiful views, excellent food)? Recommend you stay at this absolutely wonderful, simple (and affordable!) little house from the 1600s that we rented for the week: www.casacollecetona.com. The house is set in Fonte Vetriana, a charming village from the 1300s......breathtaking views over the UNESCO protected landscape.....not yet spoiled by tourism.......Perhaps you will also be lucky enough, like us, to help the neighbors bake bread in the village's bread oven!

Enjoy your trip!

zeppole

Stephanie, I don't think DebbieAllen is planning to rent a car and where you stayed and what you did requires a car.

DebbieAllen

Hi everyone, thanks so much for the great information. Just wanted to add that I was not planning on renting a car, should have made that clear.

I realize there are places we might be able to get to only by car, but with such a short trip I would rather let someone else do the driving (train). My boyfriend and I are healthy and under 40, and we don't mind walking.

DebbieAllen

Have not yet finalized plans so wondered if there might be any new feedback based on the fact we won't rent a car.

Thanks!

sap

bookmarking

bardo1

No car?

Head to Rome and go swimming at Lido di Ostia - an easy 30 minute train from Rome takes you right there. It is also convenient by train to countless other worthwhile towns.


With 12 days (11 nights?), consider 7 nights in Rome (w/ 2 day trips) and then 4 nights in Venice (w/ one possible trip via the Vaporetto to the Lido for swimming). Fly into Rome and out of Venice (or the reverse) with a one-way train trip between the two.

SeaUrchin

I recommend Verona. It is so lovely in the evening. I have stayed there using it as a base for my travels around the area. Actually I would split Verona with Florence for the 11 days.