My wife and I have traveled independently to Continental Europe about 30 times; 3 to Italy.By independent travel I mean essentially that we are on our own in making arrangements, bookings, auto driving and routing,choosing lodging, sightseeing,activities,and all the other things one must do to enjoy traveling-which we very much do.
Though we are financially comfortable and could travel the "Conde Nast" style, we heartily choose to "do it our way."We can't deny it;we are value travelers looking for bargains in most of the right places. Still we have never sacrified comfort, safety, or the urge to mix with the locals and do things their way, at least for a short while.
Now, we're off for Italy tomorrow, having set aside 21 days in that glorious country.
Our flexible itinerary-remember we're traveling independently-calls for departure out of Atlanta via Paris and on to Venice, where we'll make our base not in Venice-we've done that- but rather the ritzy Painted City town of Treviso (likes to be called Little Venice and does have mucho charm).We won't skip Venice altogether, but rather jaunt down there on a 15 minute cheap train ride, stepping out of the station with a clear and close view looking directly at the Grand Canal,and history afloat.
After Treviso, we plan to drive southward down the beach road to Rimini,then bear west for an overnighter at the Renaissance city of Urbino, before heading farther south to our base in small but very interesting San Gemini, just north of non-descript Terni.From here we will do day trips to many small out-of-the-way towns, and some better know ones-such as Spoleto, Todi,& Orvieto. We might go as far north as Trevi, Assisi, and even Perugia. Though we'll have another shot at those towns and many more after we leave San Gemini and move north to our base on Lake Trasimeno, at Castiglione del Lago.
There, we will be overlooking the lake (we've got a guarantee-we'll see how good it is, butI'm very optimistic that we'll be sipping wine and watching sunsets on our own special balcony - yeah, boy, sounds right to me.
Excuse me while I step away from this trip report, I've just got to uncork a bottle of wine from Montepulciano, that our local wine shop provides. Thanks for waiting. Yummy taste and flavor, and just dry enough for me and not too fruity.
We plan to journey forth each day from the Lake to Cortono, Arrezo, Montepulciano, Pienza,and many other little hamlets farther west and south, spead out among some of the most scenic hills and valleys of Tuscany and Umbria.
Leaving our base on Lake Trasimeno, we will move a short distance nw to the most sterotypical hill town of them all, San Gimignano-a town we keeping visitng on each trip and leave wanting more. While there, we hope to pick up the train (at Poggi Bonsi)or take a bus into Florence; maybe a couple of times. Once again, the independent traveler can just about go where he wants to (and avoid going where he doesn't want to), when he wants to, and stay as little or long as he chooses-within limits. While at San Gimignano, it's possible we'll visit a very charming hill town to the north, San Miniato, (though we may leave it until later, when we are staying near Lucca). More likely, we'll travel mostly south and west while at San Gimignano- Volterra, Buon Convento,and the Orica valley towns. Who Knows? We've done Siena a couple of times, but....
Leaving historic San Gimignano, we will move north to Montecatini Terme, to enjoy the baths, visit Lucca, and maybe venture farther west to Livorno and the beach.

A final night in Pisa, and then we're back in the air the next morning for our return trip via Paris and then midday touchdown in Atlanta.
If times allows before we depart tomorrow, I'll provide some details as to how we booked flight,auto and lodging--remember, value travelers that we try to be-and comment on our homegrown concept-certainly, not original- about picking and using geographically spaced bases for orienting,routes,travel directions, sights, and such.
If times catches up with us, everything will have to be shelved until post-Italy trip.
Are we excited? You bet. Being experienced travelers, will we make mistakes? Let me count the ways!Will we get lost? Oh, yes we
will.Do we care? Not much.Will there be disappointments? Yes, but not nearly as many as those wonderful surprises? Will we meet some "interesting local folks and fellow travelers"? You can count on it! Will I try my hand at Italian? Yes, but I will never try to speak it-I know my limits!

Nice plans, but what a lot of moving around! You've actually listed more than 21 cities/towns to cover in 21 days. I envy the energy that infers, but I hope you spend some time doing nothing but soaking up the atmosphere. When you return, give us a report.

Thanks, Jean. You may be absolutely right. Here's a bit more detail-but remember, our plans are flexible. We plan 4 nights in Treviso,1 night enroute (Urbino) to San Gemini(4 nights), 5 on Lake Trasimeno,4 at San Gimignano, 2 at Montecatini, and the last night in Pisa. Travel distances are very short except for Venice-Urbino (4 hours)and Urbino-San Gemini(2hrs.+/-)I used mappy.com,Mapquest.com, and Viamichelin.com for most of my routing and distance estimates, and also found maps at the Italian Touring Club site very helpful.
You have done me a great favor with your observation.

How interesting !
We have only done 23 independent trips to Europe, but 13 of those have been to Italy. Have fun !

Hello homesteaders, do have a wonderful time in beautiful Italy! I am sure you will. I stay in a small city just north of Treviso. Beautiful area of Veneto..you will be so happy there. I hope you will find time to give us a trip report after you get back home and settled in. Best wishes.