I have been at this for over a month, and right now I'm idling in neutral. I may have too much on my travel plate right now. October: Florida, November: London and May: Italy.

The "problem" is that my husband and I returned recently from a family trip to Italy that was extremely active. He is looking forward to a relaxing Italy trip. I am looking for relaxation in addition to interesting.

I have already booked AA with my FF miles for departure from JFK into Rome on May 2, returning from Milan into JFK on May 13.

As much as we enjoy Capri (we were there for two days in July, 2006 and also in 2001), I have been seriously looking into Ischia. That's as far as I've gotten! His biggest complaint about Capri is that there is too much climbing involved (fine for billy goats). Ischia appears to be flatter, and there are the thermal spas to consider.

We only want to stop once more on our way to Milan by train...no driving.

I was thinking maybe somewhere in these regions: Toscano, Umbria (we visited Orvieto, very nice, but not a big hit) or Emila Romagna. The town we choose has to be accessible by train.

Personally, I think a visit to a winery would be an enjoyable day-trip from our 2nd base.

This will be our fourth trip to Italy. FYI, we've been to:

Venice (2 times), Florence (2), Siena(1), Milan (1), Rome (2), Orvieto (1), Capri (2), Sorrento (2), Amalfi Coast (2), Cinque Terre (incuding Portovenere and La Spezia), Santa Margherita Ligure, Portofino, Camogli (all one visit), plus Castelfranco in Miscano (Benevento) my ancesteral village.

Is there anyone out there who wants to take this on? Please? Pretty please?

Hi I,

Considering that you probably are more familiar with Italy than most of us, and
>He is looking forward to a relaxing Italy trip. I am looking for relaxation in addition to interesting.<

You might want to consider a few days at Bracciano (http://tinyurl.com/jgzmc) or
www.castiglionedellago.it.

Hmmm ! You are tempting me--I love problem solving.
Is that 9 or 10 nites sleeping in Italy?
I would not head south in that short time. I am thinking Lucca and Lago Como as your 2 destinations--last nite near MXP. Let's brainstorm.

Perhaps you could consider Assisi (I personally prefer this lovely Umbrian town to Orvieto) or Bologna as a good stopping point en route to Milan.

Ira's suggestion of Bracciano is a good one. We spent some time there on our last trip to Italy and really enjoyed it. Its a small town on Lake Bracciano, about an hour north of Rome.

Tracy

Bob, We will arrive in Roma on Thursday, May 3rd so that will give us 10 nights before we depart Milan.

My husband loves the beach/water so I know our options are limited at that time of year.

Well I'm no Italy expert but I can reply about Ischia, especially with respect to the month of May, which is when we traveled to Italy in 2004. We went to Ischia as a day trip from Sorrento and really enjoyed it. I would suggest spending a couple nights there, and yes, it is definitely flatter than Capri. Also, we went there around May 10th or so (can't remember exact date) and went down to the beach and actually spent the day sun tanning, so unless that was an unusually warm year, I think your husband might still get his beach/water time if you there in early May. The water was a bit cold but the sun was out and the sand was quite hot and I burned that day....

I am just thinking time and travel logistics---you are departing from Milan so your last nite is there. If you start in Ischia then where next? I see tons of travel time. He would love Varenna and the ferries on Lago Como.

We just spent 9 days in Bellagio, on Lake Como, and I can definitely recommend it for relaxation. The shopping is good, you can make day excursions by ferry and I can recommend some good restaurants.

May would be a great time to go and if you finished your trip up in Bellagio, it would be easy to get to Milan to head home.

Bellagio is truly one of the most beautiful and relaxing places I have ever been. There were 14 of us, and to a person, we would all move there tomorrow.

I've also been to Ischia twice. It is a charming island and the spa treatments are supposed to be wonderful -- we never sampled them, but have heard good things. The Hotel Villarosa is a great place to stay.

www.hotellavillarosa.com

Bob, I agree about the travel time. I wasn't able to get a flight out of Rome by May 15th, which is the last day for using 40,000 FF miles. That's the reason for the Milan departure.

If I can get on the Eurostar Alta Velocita both ways Rome-Naples-Rome, it's only a 1 hr., 27 min. ride each way. I don't have a crystal ball, so I can't predict if Trenitalia will be adding this train from Rome to routes north, which would be helpful

Assuming we must take a standard Eurostar train, I guess we're adding an additional 2-3 hrs. to get up into the Toscana region. Not too bad, if we get an early start.

Is this a tough one, or am I getting soft in my old age?

Land FCO
get to Termini
train to Naples
get to boat dock
ferry to Ischia
get to hotel
That is not 1:47--more like 4:47 and with luggage.

Yes, 4:47 hr. is more like it. In July, six of us were in cabs (with one pc. of luggage each) by 6:35 a.m., arrived the Termini by 6:50 a.m., left Termini at 7:35 a.m., arrived Naples at 8:52 a.m.

We were in the next taxi cab by 9:00 a.m. and at Molo Beverello by 9:15 a.m. The hydrofoil left the port by 9:20 a.m.

We will (hopefully) arrive in FCO at 7:15 a.m. on May 3, 2007. Most of the morning will be shot, but that's okay.

I'm back after studying maps and searching all over this board and the Internet for helpful information.

How doable does this itinerary sound?

Starting on Thurs., 5/3/07, sleep three nights in Capri (take one day- trip to Ischia).

On 5/7, leave Capri via Naples on one of the Eurostar trains, and break up the trip by staying one night in either one of Ira's suggestions, or Parma (we have a friend who lives there).

On 5/8 leave my one-night stand location and head up to Varenna on Lake Como for six nights where we can also take day trips to other lake towns, if we want to do that.

Since there is bus service from Varenna to Malpensa (1 hr.), we can leave Varenna the morning of 5/13 for the airport. Our departure fight is at 12:00 noon.

That trip is doable but I must say that 6 nites on Lago Como that time of year could be a bit much. It can be chilly in early May. I think I would spend more time at your intermediate stop---I like Lucca.

Bob,

Weather is so unpredictable. I have a good friend who had two houses: One in Milano and one in Como for 22 years. Her opinion on the weather (for my trip) is that it should be "very nice and you will need a sweater or light jacket at night." (Of course, that is exactly what I wanted to hear.)However, I am a realist.

1) How many nights would you allow for Varenna or Bellagio?

2) Will we have enough time to get from Varenna to Malpensa Airport on our departure day: Saturday, 5/13?

3) I would appreciate it if you could tell me a bit more about Lucca.

What about the island of Elba? It's supposed to be a favorite of the locals, is less-crowded and beautiful. It's part of Tuscany, and I think you can take a ferry from the mainland.

Here's some information from
http://www.travelplan.it/reg_tos_elb_page.htm

"Elba & Capraia Guide
Legend has it that Tuscan Archipelago had its origins when a necklace slid from the neck of Venus, the Goddess of beauty and love, and fell into the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. This delightful story surely holds a gain of truth, for there is no doubt in our mind that that islands of the Archipelago are truly fragments of paradise. Few other tourist resorts in the world can boast such rich and varied scenery within such a small area: the underwater terrain is the delight of scuba divers, mountains are circled by centuries-old forests, beaches and inlets are set against typical Mediterranean vegetation, and small hill towns nestle in a timeless tranquillity."

Just a quick reply since I am (like problably most of you!) at work, but I spent 4 nights on Ischia at the end of May and found it very relaxing! For more info, do a search here on Ischia, or click on my name and you will find a thread about the island with some good tips I got from this site.

www.ischiaonline is a good place to start as well.

I'll be leaving in 2 weeks for a six night stay in Bellagio on Lake Como - from all that I've read on this site, there's plenty to see around the lake and, like you, we wanted lots of relaxation time. We've hired a driver from Bellagio to the airport for our departure-less hassle all around.

emilymarie,

A driver sounds perfect for us. We usually have a driver or take a taxi cab to the airport on our departure day.

Did you find the driver yourself, or was s(he) a recommendation from the hotel?

We stayed in Stresa, which is on Lake Maggiori north of Milan. Great relaxing town with beautiful views across the lake to the Alps and there are ferries that can take you to the various islands on the lake which were interesting.
Easy train ride back to Milan with connection from there to MXP airport.

I think that 4 nites is about right for Lago Como--some would say " a month by the lake" is best.

I am not aware of a bus from Varenna--I am from Menaggio. A private driver will cost you 165E from Menaggio as well.

Lucca is a long story. It is a lovely small city of about 70,000 people that was the capital of Tuscany under Napolean---atually his sister. It impresses me as a real Tuscan town with real people doing what people do--a slice of Tuscan life. Read your guide book for more. It is not over run with tourists and is an hour from Florence and :15 from Pisa by train.