dina4

We love Italy.
We end up trying to work it into every European vacation.
We love the food, the culture, the history, the art.

The problem is we tend to go to the same places we love over and over again.

Here's where we have been.. (and loved it all)
North - MILAN, LAKE COMO
Tuscany - FLORENCE, PIENZA, MONTALCINO, SAN GIMiGIANO, CHIANTI area
South - POSITANO
Islands - CAPRI, SARDINIA

Here's what we'd like to try:
Ravenna
Puglia
Umbria
Sicily
Cinque Terre

Those who have been to many of these places, please give me some suggestions or reasons as to where you would recommend we travel next, on or off this list! We obviously can't do it all on one trip, so vote for your favorite!

(or have we already hit the best places??)

Our travel time is late June/early July, and do we do love beaches!

Thanks so much!
dina

joannyc

Assisi was my one of my favorite towns in Italy. The view of the town as you approach is really an OMG moment! You need to find a place to pull over, appreciate the view, and take a photo (or many!).

Once you get into town, stroll the back lanes... tiny lanes and flower-laden beautiful stone houses. Go up to the fortresses and to the Church of St. Claire (founder of the Poor Claire nuns). And, of course, the Basilica of St. Francis... both the upper and lower churches are so amazingly gorgeous! And, I hear that on certain day(s), there is a sung rosary. I'm not the most practicing Catholic around by far, but I did truly appreciate seeing this basilica and that in the lower town.

The sunset views are picture perfect. The best gnocchi w/ gorgonzolla sauce that I had throughout Italy was in Assisi at Medio Evo.

If you go, make sure to stop at the basilica of Santa Maria de Angeles (sp?) in the town below. This basilica was built over the still standing chapel of St. Francis... a truly 'do not miss'!

I really, really loved Assisi! So glad that I put it on my itinerary... wished I had stayed 2 nights instead of only 1.

cafegoddess

My husband and I just fell in love with Cinque Terre and Portofino. If you enjoy hiking, I think you will love both places. My husband is ready to go back in September.

Saraho

A vote for Umbria- especially Orvieto and a vote for Southern Tuscany- it was a lovely uncrowded contrast to the more touristed part of Tuscany.

Jean

How many days is your trip?

We've been to Umbria on two longish visits and would go back in a heartbeat, but our trips are in the fall when the weather is very comfortable, so you might want to research temps in late June/early July. Likewise, Puglia and Sicily might be too hot at that time for some people.

Gubbio was our favorite town in Umbria, but my favorite meal was in Todi. We've based in Perugia and Spoleto because we prefer to stay in medium-sized towns. Others choose to stay in small towns like Spello and Bevagna.

Ravenna is definitely worth a visit, and Bologna is only a bit over an hour away.

I'm curious about the lack of interest in Venice... Although it's not my favorite spot in Italy, it's one of those places you just have to see.

jExIcA

Sicily forever! After Tuscany it's my favourite region in Italy.
I suggest you to stay in this apartment http://www.thesmartcactus.com/eng/ap...rgo_navis.html in Palermo, you are very close to the beach and close to a lot of
restaurant where you can try the typical delicious fish dishes of Sicily.
In the link there is a complete description of the apartment and the surrounding area, try to have a look, bye!

Nadia

Wow, from you choices it is even hard for me to vote. My vote is Sicily for someting different and since you like beaches. If you decide with Umbria try to pair it with Marche for the sea and beach that you crave. I have to also give you the Italian touist board link because I love their videos of each region, in addition for info of what is happening. http://www.italiantourism.com/videoregioniindice.html

TDudette

Perugia and surrounding area before anything else.

Si to all the others as well. DH and I haven't been to Puglia and it is on our list.

valtor

Italy is so beautiful! I think that you can travel any where, stop each 10 km and find something nice / interesting to see / visit.

Some suggestions:

- Bergamo, Mantova, Lago Maggiore, Verona, Laggo di Garda
- Bologna, Ravenna
- Rome
- Sicily

ekscrunchy

Dina I will be following this thread because I am also looking for the "next" Italian destination.
(For me, the finalists are Puglia and Sardinia and I think I have settled on Puglia for this next trip--the beaches there certainly get good write-ups and look great in pics). Let's hear more suggestions!



If you choose Liguria, you could considering staying in a town outside that area and do daytrips by train. Which brings up the question: Will you have a car?

mamcalice

We've visited all of the places you listed. Sicily is our favorite. It has wonderful cultural destinations, beautiful scenery, fabulous people, and food that is simply out of this world. The history is fascinating. Although it is an island, the beaches are far from the main attraction. We found everything about Sicily to be more fun, more colorful, more intense and more interesting than anyplace we have visited in Italy - and we, like you, return to Italy again and again. We visited Cinque Terre on the same trip and enjoyed it thoroughly. Three days was enough time. We were 10 days in Sicily and could have stayed twice as long.

zeppole

If you are willing to keep moving with a car, you can combine Puglia, Sicily and Liguria in a single trip (there is an overnight car ferry connecting Sicily and Liguria, but you might enjoy more simply visiting Sicily, which is a fascination at every turn, but including a few days on the Aeolian islands for your beach time. I would be sure to include the baroque towns of Ragusa, Noto and Modica for food and culture.

Otherwise, Umbria is so rich in art and history destinations, it is a very rewarding place to go for people to whom that is a very important part of Italian travel. It's not my very favorite food, but it has several great wines and Italy's best chocolate. No beaches, but a trip up to the Piano Grande can satisfy an urge for vast beauty, and Lago Trasimeno has historical significance, not just water!

bobthenavigator

I always think about my next trip to Italy based on the climate. We are about to depart for our 16th trip, this time to Naples and the AC. As much as I love Sicily, it is too hot that time of year. I would stay north this trip. Here is an idea:
Land Milan---get car--to Piemonte base location--4 nites
Drive to Ligurian coast--stay in Levanto or Portovenere--4
Drive to Lago Maggiore[Stresa]--last 4 nites--see Lago Orta
Depart Milan

If you had more time then include a CH destination--perhaps Luzern.

tarquin

Venice doesn't appear on either of your lists. I think it's the most spectacular place in Europe, and you could combine it easily by rail with another area like Bologna-Modena-Ravenna-Parma-Mantua-Ferrara.

zeppole

I agree that it wouldn't make sense to go to Sicily in summer unless it was mainly a car-based vacation, with outdoor walking in the mornings only, with afternoons indoors, or by the pool or in the air-conditioned car. As for northern Italy, apart from the Ligurian coast where I live, I find the north too humid in summer, unless it is in the highest mountains. But not the wine growing regions, lakes or lagoons.

Umbria would also be hot, and somewhat muggy (it being the "green" heart of Italy). I would pick a hilltown like Montefalco to try to catch a breeze.

Italy is HOT all over in summer except in the mountainous fringes of Switzlerand and sometimes the Ligurian coast. I prefer to the dry heat to the humid heat, and for some people without heat tolerance or without a car, Siclly and Puglia would be too hot.

zeppole

PS: I would find Ravenna and most of Emila-Romagna intolerably humid, especially if I was carrying luggage without a car.

zeppole

Sorry for my typo! Emilia-Romagna.

markrosy

Dina - I know I have come across your posts previously (ferries and all). In short we seem to have followed each other around Italy and in my opinion the answer to your Op is - yes you have seen the best for your terms.

I would add maybe Portofino and Monte Argentario but be careful when planning the area south of Naples. It is not Tuscany. We spent a week on Siciliy in October and quite simply had a shocker on the east coast. The beaches are pretty poor compared to Sardinia but there are small exceptions like Vendicari. Siracusa is a beautiful small city and clearly has a culture which differs to the rest of the island. However, many parts show a clear disregard to laws over the past 150 years. Many of the old sites are in tack but much of the recent development is uncontrolled and dire.

In short, Sardinia wins again, Cala Di Volpe this time

(IMO)

ekscrunchy

Here is another idea, in line with what Markrosy wrote above: Why not combine Umbria with the Tuscan or Ligurian coast?

I have been to Sicily twice and both trips were wonderful (despite having been robbed at knifepoint in my Palermo hotel on the more recent trip) but I do have to agree with Markrosy about the hideous development on long stretches of coastline.

dina4

Wow, i've barely been gone and all these great responses!

To respond to a few, we know it will be hot and we will have a car.
And don't know why I left Rome and Venice off my have-been-to-places list. (We've been to Rome 5 times!)

Sicily sounds very interesting -- but i was thinking of the eastern coast.
I'm curious as to why some people think it's their favorite region in Italy?
Please share if you feel this way!
(Ekscrunchy -- your knife-point robbery is a little scary. I've never ever felt unsafe in Italy!)

Umbria is also very appealing.
Is it as lovely as Tuscany?
What areas of Le Marche do you recommend?

Puglia is still a mystery.

Markrosy -- are you staying at the incredible resort in Cala di Volpe?
Wouldn't mind going back, but it was a bit of pain to get there, and our car rental there was SO expensive last time compared to mainland Italy.

Thanks everyone!
I really appreciate all the suggestions. Keep them coming, please!!

dina

I'm intrigued by the Umbria, Tuscan coast idea, and maybe adding Ravenna and CT.