ga9497

Trying to figure out where we should visit on our next visit to Italy

Some info
I have visited Venice, Rome, Pisa, La Spezia, Assissi, Florence, Milan, lake como, Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, Taormina, Catania, Palermo and Agrigento. It has been about 20 years since I have been to Milan, Florence, Assissi and lake como

My husband and older teen children have not been to Florence, Lake Como, Milan, Assissi or Sorrento

We are thinking of going to Emilia Romagna and originally thought we would base ourselves in Bologna, husband is a chef, but now have been reading that the food and restaurants aren't what they used to be. Based on this where should we base ourselves? We do want to do the car factory tour for our son plus Modena,

We plan being in Italy for 14 days not including travel days
Where else should we consider visiting? So many places so little time

stevewith

If you are going to Modena, then include Parma and Mantova. If it is summer, it might be nice to include the Italian Riviera.

Fly into Milan, head to Mantova, head to Modena (see Parma and Bologna while in the area, plus a couple of castles like Fontenellato and Torrechiara), head for the Italian Riviera, head back to Milan to fly home.

If you like to move quickly, you might also have time for a few meals in Piemonte, and your son might enjoy the car museum in Torino.

stevewith

PS: You could also do the trip I described above in reverse. Fly into Milan, go directly to Torino by train, rent a car, take in a bit of Piemonte, have some relaxing time on the Riviera, swing up to Parma, Modena, Mantova and then Milan to fly home.

bilboburgler

I'd stretch out a bit and look at Padua, Ferrara and Ravenna in gude books. You might also like Faensi which has a fantastic ceramics museum (if that happens to be your thing). Padua is at the base of the Euganian hills and if it gets hot and sweaty (which the Po valley can do) then you might want to go up to the top of the hill to get a breeze.

Once you have read up about the towns Steve and I have suggested then make your decisions, the great thing is that almost all are on the railway system so some of you can go one way while others go another.

isabel

Most of the towns listed above are among my favorites - Bologna, Ferrara, Mantua, Padua. I would also add Verona. I also liked Modena and Ravenna though not as much as the others. Do you want to go back to Venice at all?

How are you planning to travel around (train or car). And do you want just a couple of bases or do you prefer to move every couple nights (pros and cons to both. On different trips I have based in Verona, Padua and Bologna and they all make decent bases to see those towns.

I would definitely spend a big chunk of the time in Verona (from where you actually could get to all of them) and in addition to the towns mentioned visit Lake Garda (Sirmione, etc). But I'd probably also base part of the time in Bologna.

Here's my photos of those areas -
http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/italy__the_veneto
http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/italy_emilia_romagna
http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/milan_bergamo_mantova
http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/ital...s_cinque_terre

When are you going and do you know where you are flying in/out of yet? If it's Milano I would also see Bergamo, an absolutely beautiful town.

ga9497

Thank you - We like to stay in one place at least 3nts, 4nts is better. We do not mind renting a car and have driven in Italy before including a minivan in Sicily which was an experience in the towns with narrow roads. We are not limited to stay in the Emilia Romagna area only, just an area we do want to visit.

We definitely want to do some of the food areas like Parma, Modena, etc. We have never been to Tuscany countryside other than visiting Pisa and Florence and are open to this area too.

Will look into the information given already - thank you

ga9497

We are planning on traveling in late June or sometime in July 2014

mamcalice

If your husband and kids have never been in Venice, I would include that. You could fly into Venice, spend a couple of days and then on to Bologna. I have eaten in Bologna over several decades and the food is as good as ever. Then on to Tuscany or the Italian Riviera including Cinque Terre or whatever you decide. For 2 weeks, I would suggest 3 stops or at most, 4.

bilboburgler

The area is awash with bicycle paths and zero-car roads. Maybe you could take the kids for a bike ride.