Suggestions for a relaxing detour in Italy?
 

My husband and I will be traveling in Italy this summer (early June). After spending some time in Rome and surrounding areas, we would like to spend a brief time (4-5 days) relaxing in a quiet, scenic town or two. We've been reading about the Amalfi Coast (e.g., Atrani, Positano, etc.) as well as some of the islands (Ponza, Elba, Sardinia), but don't know what to choose. We prefer quaint, friendly towns to anything glitzy or overly touristy. We love beautiful views and hiking, but aren't interested in lying on the beach all day. We prefer tasty cafes to expensive restaurants.

We'd appreciate any suggestions - thanks!

Do you have to return to Rome to fly home? If so, you should probably spend the night before your flight in/near Rome. Would that make your 4-5 days elsewhere only 3-4 days?

You mentioned only water-oriented destinations. What about mountains?

I see you've not mentioned the islands within relatively easy reach of the Amalfi Coast?

As well as Capri, there's another pair - off the usual Anglo-American radar, but popular with Italians...

Procida...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/procida1

... and, only a few miles away, Ischia.

General photos:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/allaboutischia

... and specifically from various Junes:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/recjun

For a nice little introduction to all three, try:

http://www.shiftmed.eu/userfiles/doc...de%20SHIFT.pdf

Peter

The Amalfi coast is a wonderful place to visit, but I wouldn't think of it as quiet, relaxing, or quaint in June.

For the type of visit you describe, I'd consider staying in a Tuscan town for 4-5 days, in a nice villa or agriturismo B&B (Fattoria La Loggia, http://www.fatlaloggia.it/, is just one example). Zillions of choices for day trips to towns or more active pursuits, and an equal number of choices of modest, amazingly good, local restaurants serving great food and jaw-droppingly spectacular local wines.

Sorrento is a beautiful place and it will have streets to stroll around it, cafes as well as touristy things to do, but you can get away from it by hiking around. There is a great rock pool within walking distance where the locals go and have a splash around - stunning surrounds, with clear water and quite cave-like. So there is the opportunity to get away from the main bustle in Sorrento. Positano is the next stop, by bus. Lots of meandering streets and has a small village like feel. Very hilly. I don't think you can go wrong by visiting these 2 places for you 4-5 day detour.

Thanks for the suggestions. Tuscany is beautiful, but we've both spent time there on previous trips. The islands also look great, but we're leaning towards Sorrento, with a day trip to Positano.

Where exactly is this rock pool - will it be easy for us to find?

A couple of years ago we based ourselves in Vico Equense, a lovely clifftop village just 12km (and 10 mins by train) north of Sorrento. It was the perfect gateway to the Amalfi, and just 20mins down the trainline from Pompeii. That Circumvesuviano trainline works pretty well too. Sorrento is incredibly bustling and busy, as is Capri (a short ferryride from Sorrento), so we were glad to have the peace of Vico to retreat to each afternoon. Through our hotel we hired a driver to go up to Ravello for the day - another stunning village.