In the midst of our trip this summer we are contemplating attending an afternoon event with a group of friends outside Assisi.This is something that has come up after we have made most of our plans, so we are thinking about tweaking it a bit, if we can. The next morning we would be going north to Piedmont, thinking of stopping in Parma.

Our event will end in the early evening and we are thinking that we want to drive to a halfway point, no more than two hours and thus not have a longish drive the next day.

I have been looking at maps, but thought I might post it here, for your expert opinions.
Obviously since we are arriving in the evening and leaving the next morning, clean and comfortable is as exotic as we need.

Hi SC - Cortona?

Or ... Arezzo?

Steve

Thank-you, Steve, that is helpful.

This doesn't really answer your question at all, but I just wanted to say that Assisi is incredibly beautiful! I was on an orchestra tour in Italy last summer and it was my favorite stop. That's all~ enjoy your trip!

Haven't stayed here, but Euro Hotel on E45 at KM 150 in Pieve Santo Stefano seems to fit the bill as a place enroute:
http://www.hotel-euro.it/

The driving halfway point between Assisi and Parma is around Cesena (probably a little before you reach it). However, it's a city of over 93,000. It could be pretty easy to get lost in the dark. The Meeting Hotel is recommended in the Michelin Red Guide, and the directions off E45 look relatively straightforward:
http://www.meetinghotelcesena.it/index.html

Looking some more, the above suggestions were based on the viamichelin route which resulted when I put in Assisi and Parma. It would have you take E45 to near Cesena, and then the A-14 - E45 autostrada to Parma - it says 349 km 3:53 hours.

The Mappy computer says take S75 around the north end of Lago Trasimeno to the A-1, and take it the whole way -it says 359 km, 3 hours 27 minutes. For it the halfway point si somewhere west of Florence near the Florence Airport.

The Mappy route seems better unless there are some compelling traffic issues around Florence.

If you take the A-1, Hotel Barberino in Barberino di Mugello is a motel by the side of the freeway type place which would get you a little more than halfway to Parma (from website):

"The Hotel Barberino is a few meters away from the A1 motorway exit 18 "Barberino di Mugello", about halfway between Milan and Rome, just north of Florence."


Mappy says it is 210 km from Assisi, and driving time is 2:03 (maybe that's a little optimistic). It gets you past Florence so you don't have to deal with the traffic next morning, but I could not find it reviewed anywhere:

http://www.hotelbarberino.it/

lovisa,

Thanks for all your information; it is very helpful.

sct