Has anyone been to the Perugia Chocolate Festival in October? Just wondering how crowded Perugia is at that time. DD will be in school there next fall & we would like to go visit her. Her brothers fall break lands the exact week the festival is scheduled.

If it is crowded would staying at a nearby town makes sense? and which?

If you had 8 nights, would you attempt to go to Venice, Florence & Perugia or just Florence & Perugia.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

I really can't help you out...just topping for you. Have you been to Italy before? Do you like art and museums...if so, Florence may suit you and you could always take day trips from there. We day tripped to Siena (by bus) and Arezzo (by train).
However, Venice is so unique - to stay there and Perugia would also be wonderful...I loved Venice. From Perugia you could day trip to Assisi.

I hope you get feedback from others. Have a wonderful trip.

Thanks travelfan. I think it will be a hard decision to decide where to go. We do like art & museums but mostly just the ambience of the European experience.

Anyone else?

I've not been to the chocolate festival but I have heard that it gets extremely crowded. I tend to think it is better to stay right in town if you want to participate in the festivities, rather than be in the crush of commuters. But that means you need to reserve hotels and restaurants early.

If want you most want from your trip to Italy is the experience of being in Italy, I think I would plan a different trip. Venice is overwhelmingly a place filled with foreign tourists, and Perugia during the chocolate festival is dominated by the mobs who go there, making it difficult to experience the town. Firenze is mainly a destination for people who want a city filled with art treasures, in particular fine museums.

Have you booked your flights? It would be easier to help answer your question about where to alot your 8 nights if people knew your arrival and departure cities.

What, omg they have a chocolate festival in Italy?

They have more than one. Perugia is the biggest, but there are festivals in Torino and Firenze that i know of, I would guess Modica (in Sicilia) and I wouldn't be surprised to hear of others as well.