Italy by train??
 

We have toured Italy in 2009 but want to stay a month in a small town and take train trips. We would like to have friends visit us also. I am thinking either Verona or Bologna would give us train access and a nice in-town experience. Also it needs fairly good airport access. Any advise from anyone who has done this???

Verona is a delightful town and you have the advantage of easy access by train to Lake Como, Milan and Venice. It would be my choice.

I don't think of either Verona or Bologna as a "small" town, although they both provide good air and train service depending on where you're traveling to/from.

Have you considered Bergamo or Perugia? Of the two, Bergamo has better air service, and Perugia has better public trans options on the ground, again depending on where you're traveling. Both are quite a bit smaller than Verona and Bologna.

The four are different from each other in many ways, so in the end the decision is personal preference. I'd pick Perugia, but I admit to an Umbria addiction.

What time of year is this trip?

Jean, our trip will be in the spring. I want a town big enough that we will have a variety of intown options as we won't have a car and will be depending on the train.

Jean, out of interest: What about Umbria especially appeals to you? What towns or villages do you like best?
BTW: I once lived in Perugia for 3 months but that was 35 years ago.... I loved it then but what 21 y.o. North American would not?

LoL! I don't think of Perugia as a "small town"!

Bologna has great train connections to other towns and the airport, but I don't think of it as a small town. Have you googled up info on Ferrara?

Pisa is not quite a small town, but it has good airport and train access and I like the ambience there (although the food is NOWHERE near as good as Bologna).

I'd also consider Arezzo. And Perugia, if you are ok with climbing hills. Of course, where I'd really go for a month is Napoli, in a hot minute. I'd even go to Sorrento! ;)

I meant to include Parma. It's small, and it's got this multi-faceted history.