Italy - if you had a month, where in Italy would you go? And why?
 

We would like to go to Italy next spring for a month.

We like to take back roads, explore and experience the culture, the people, the food. The idea of a week or two in one place appeals much more than being in a different place each night. We are open to limiting this trip to the north and save the south for another time, or vice versa.

As such, we would like to hear your suggestions and experiences, and ideas you think might fit two laid back travelers. I've started researching but have found the Fodorites to offer the best advice! Thank you.

Hello daydramin, from the description of how you two enjoy travelling I would chose the regions of Piedmont and Veneto. After doing some research you can come back here with questions. I am assuming you will have a rental car, you would need a car for those two regions but it sounds like that is your thought in that you mention back roads. They are both such lovely and gentle regions of Italy! Wonderful food and wines also.

Here is a link (with pictures) of our three week trip to Italy. Had I had an extra week, I would also have included Cinque Terre, Positano and Napoli. We spent three nights in Umbria, four nights in San Quirico d'Orcia, two nights in Siena, two nights in Chianti countryside, three nights in Florence, three nights in Venice and four nights in Rome. It should give you some ideas and includes some of the lesser visited towns of southern Tuscany.

http://travelswithmaitaitom.typepad.com/travels/

((H))

daydeamin,
Click on my name and look at my trip reports.

Henry

Thank you all! This is a just what I need to get started!

The key word above is Spring---I hope you mean May and not April in the north. I love the idea of week long stays in regions. Have you spent time at slowtrav.com--they have very good advice for rental properties. You neeed to do some homework to narrow choices, but my first take is Piemonte, Liguria, and Tuscany. Come back when you make some decisions.

nice to see ya on here maitaitom...
have you been away?

It is hard to tell from your post what you would enjoy without knowing the kinds of things you like, but since your title asked "where would YOU go" - my answer is unequivocally Rome! It is such an amazing city with so much to see and do that a month there would barely scratch the surface yet would be wonderfully relaxing. My first time there was for 5 months for a study abroad program and even in that time, and with "classes" that were basically sightseeing, I felt like there were a ton of things I still didn't get to see. It is great to enjoy a slow pace in a fast paced environment. And that time of year - April/May - is perfect weather there.

Thank you all. Your input has given me lots of food for thought. I am sure once we narrow it down, I'll be back asking more questions!

My choice would be 2 weeks in southern Tuscany and 2 weeks in Umbria, staying at agriturismos with a pool. I like the month of May.

This will sound a bit strange - but we would spend the entire month in Venice, maybe taking the odd overnight trip to Verona and Bologna. To understand why we'd do such an apparently daft thing, click on my name and you'd find a trip report for our time in Venice last Christmas. It was a very happy time.

I love spending a week in one place so I would do:

1 week in Rome
1 week in Positano
1 week in Tuscany
1 week split between the Lakes and Venice

We would spend one week in Rome. Then drive up through Umbria and spend two weeks in Tuscany. And then one week in the Emilia Romagna area (we haven't been there but, from what we have read, it seems like a food lover's paradise).

Without a doubt, Sicily.

When you need a little break from the more tourist-y spots and would like to see a very cute little marketplace, go to Pistoia. I'm not sure when exactly it is, but most likely on a Sunday or Saturday, but there is a fun market.