Most charming base for train-based trip

Old Dec 11th, 2008, 06:07 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Most charming base for train-based trip

Traveling last week March via Milan for 8 day exploration by train. What town shall we use as a base, that is not a huge city, that has charm, activity, and train service so we can make day trips? (May go to Florence, but skipping Venice.) Or shall we just skip the idea of staying in one place and haul our luggage from place to place? Itinerary undecided, probably remaining in North half of country. Have considered Lucca, Siena. Have ruled out Parma. Where is that perfect town? (Last day or so we will go to Cinque Terre, then out via Milan.) Thanks.
archipelagic is offline  
Old Dec 11th, 2008, 06:12 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,849
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
As I think everyone here will tell you, eight days is not nearly enough time to do what you have planned. Would suggest you concentrate on one or two places.

nukesafe is offline  
Old Dec 11th, 2008, 06:18 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
They don't have anything planned yet, so how can eight days possibly be too short? I think the idea of basing yourself in one town and making a number of day trips is an excellent one. Unfortunately, I can't recommend a particular town.
sf7307 is offline  
Old Dec 11th, 2008, 07:01 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If you don’t want to choose Florence, which IMO is a very good base, I would pick Bologna. Very charming university city with a large historic core, great restaurants, markets, plenty to see and do there. Off the beaten path for US tourists. And you can train to places like Parma (1 hour), Modena (30 minutes) and Ravenna (1.5 hours) on the coast. You can train to Florence in an hour (although IMO a day trip to Florence is a complete waste but whatever it is your trip if that is what you want to do). You could go to Rome too, It’s just under 3 hours on a non-stop train, but again for a day kind of a waste. (If you don’t mind paying, you can also take Formula 1 driving lessons in a Ferrari in Bologna too!)

Also don’t rule out bus trips, which from Florence esp. is going to be the only way to get to smaller more villages which do not have train service. Also day trips by bicycle and walking are ways to see the countryside from Florence (have not done from Bologna but would imagine this is very possible).

Another thought would be the Dolomite area in the mountains, I would be a little bit concerned that last week in March may be just too late for ski season and you would be finding things closed and more fog and wet. But check around. Cortina or Bolzano. Hard to say, could be snowy and really lovely, or foggy.

There is a very good walking guide to Tuscany published by Sunflower books. Their website is http://www.sunflowerbooks.co.uk. They rate hikes by difficulty and time it takes to complete all or each section, and give good directions on how to reach each walk. There may be walks right from the door of your hotel. They publish walking guides for many other places in Europe as well.
Cicerone is offline  
Old Dec 11th, 2008, 07:56 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,572
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Why not Lucca? Charming for sure, very hard to beat.

Most people don’t stay long enough to really get to know it to the point of feeling at home (as opposed to rushing by the highlights like you do in a museum).

And there is the entire Toscana coast line in easy reach, see www.toscanacosta.it/defaulten.asp

You can get from Lucca, by train,
To Pisa in 23 min
To Livorno in 47 min
To Carrara in 1:00 hr
To Florence in 1:16 hr
To Monterosso (Cinque Terre) in 1:23 hr.
To Siena in 2:21 hrs.
To Parma in 3:30 hrs
To Milano in 4:18 hrs via Florence or about the same via La Spezia
DalaiLlama is offline  
Old Dec 11th, 2008, 08:48 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,834
Received 4 Likes on 3 Posts
Does the 8 days include the time in the Cinque Terre?

Will you have to spend the last night near Malpensa for an early morning check-in?

Is there some reason you don't want to rent a car for the few days of exploring?
Jean is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2008, 03:52 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 23,255
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Since I was thinking of basing in Parma for a future trip, also using railways, I am wondering why you ruled it out..would you mind explaining a bit? Thanks!
ekscrunchy is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2008, 05:56 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,871
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Perugia would be an option, good bus and train connections to other hill towns.
Holly_uncasdewar is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2008, 08:21 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,525
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I too would pick Lucca just because I like Lucca---a real town with nice people doing real things.
bobthenavigator is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2008, 12:16 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,830
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I agree that either Boloogna or Lucca would be goodplaces. Lucca, especially, is a "real" town, as bob says. Inside the walls there are a lot of car-free streets, so you can walk around easily, and it's not so crowded and frantic as Florence (which I love, but it's being loved to death.)
charnees is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2008, 04:17 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Bologna would be my choice. Big enough to be interesting, but very walkable and a relatively untouristy feel you don't get in places like venice, Florence, or Rome. Great food and food markets. Plus it is where two rail lines cross so it is a tranfer point and convenient to head in pretty much any direction.
Thomarob is offline  
Old Dec 12th, 2008, 04:59 PM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,566
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Book marking
Maudie is offline  
Old Dec 13th, 2008, 10:28 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 356
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
ttt
Snowflake25 is offline  
Old Dec 14th, 2008, 03:45 PM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 361
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
bookmarking...thanks!
siena1 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
family_travelers
Europe
39
Feb 21st, 2019 08:51 AM
aussie_10
Europe
17
Dec 30th, 2010 01:36 AM
sabster82
Europe
12
Oct 24th, 2010 12:41 PM
jscootdc
Europe
4
Jun 6th, 2010 07:22 PM
jordangreen
Europe
5
Aug 3rd, 2009 07:44 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -