Suggestions on new Italian cities?
Oct 30th, 2007, 11:49 AM
#1
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Suggestions on new Italian cities?
I am going to Italy for 9 days with my mom - most of the time we will be in Rome because of Church functions my mom needs to attend. We have almost 4 days to travel outside of Rome. I lived in Rome for 5 months and have travled to most of the main towns of Italy and want to go somewhere I haven't been in Italy. I have ruled out southern Italy. Does anyone have any suggestions on some less visitied towns that would be good to travel to. Also - we plan on taking the trains - so we are going to go to places that are easy to reach by train.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Oct 30th, 2007, 11:52 AM
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Orvieto about an hour by train - classic hill town - loads of old churches, cobbled streets and views from up top
Viterbo - neat old city about 90 mins by train from Rome
Assisi, Perugia - two fine larger hill towns. Perugia makes a great base for Umbria with easy bus rides to Todi and Gubbio.
Viterbo - neat old city about 90 mins by train from Rome
Assisi, Perugia - two fine larger hill towns. Perugia makes a great base for Umbria with easy bus rides to Todi and Gubbio.
Oct 30th, 2007, 11:55 AM
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I have been to Orvieto and Assisi - you are correct that are beautiful towns and I love them. I will check out the other cities you mentioned. I was told Lucca is a neat town to go to. Have you been or heard about it?
Oct 30th, 2007, 12:06 PM
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Lucca is one of my very favorite cities - walled and thoroughly old - lots of remains of towers
very overlooked city because it's near Florence i guess
Colodi above Lucca is Pinnochio's town
Montecatini Terme a few minutes by train east is one of Europe's neatest and most venerable spas - parklike setting dotted by thermal establishments
Pisa is a short train ride away
Lucca has good train service
very overlooked city because it's near Florence i guess
Colodi above Lucca is Pinnochio's town
Montecatini Terme a few minutes by train east is one of Europe's neatest and most venerable spas - parklike setting dotted by thermal establishments
Pisa is a short train ride away
Lucca has good train service
Oct 30th, 2007, 12:18 PM
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Yes Padua is worth going to.. as a few hour day trip IMO
some neat churches and one a very popular shrine to accident victims it seemed by the photos stuck all around the saint's shrine there very moving
Vicenza nearby i enjoyed more as a town
Padua is fairly modern and hectic but has its pluses
Parma is a town that surprised us a lot.
Trieste, though a long poke from Rome i agree is a real sleeper and very unique in its Italian-Austrian flavor and architecture.
some neat churches and one a very popular shrine to accident victims it seemed by the photos stuck all around the saint's shrine there very moving
Vicenza nearby i enjoyed more as a town
Padua is fairly modern and hectic but has its pluses
Parma is a town that surprised us a lot.
Trieste, though a long poke from Rome i agree is a real sleeper and very unique in its Italian-Austrian flavor and architecture.
Oct 30th, 2007, 01:11 PM
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Far north - Bolzano: Which has the Dolomites and amazing vistas - feels more Austrian than Italian which might be a nice change...
North West - Alba: a bit harder to reach by train, but not too bad. Wonderful medium sized town with amazing food, wine and culture
Central North - Parma or Bologna: often known as teh the food capitals of Italy...and wonderful towns to visit and enjoy for a day or two
Northwest Tuscany - Lucca: Already mentioned by many others...
Liguria - Santa Margherita Ligure: Wonderful town on the riviera that has great access to the Cinque Terra, Genoa, Portofino etc...Love the pesto and seafood there!
North West - Alba: a bit harder to reach by train, but not too bad. Wonderful medium sized town with amazing food, wine and culture
Central North - Parma or Bologna: often known as teh the food capitals of Italy...and wonderful towns to visit and enjoy for a day or two
Northwest Tuscany - Lucca: Already mentioned by many others...
Liguria - Santa Margherita Ligure: Wonderful town on the riviera that has great access to the Cinque Terra, Genoa, Portofino etc...Love the pesto and seafood there!
Oct 30th, 2007, 01:37 PM
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LJ-do you know that Jan Morris started out as a he, and has 4 children, I think, but became a she sometime in the 70's? Jan Morris wrote the book on Venice as well, and although I started out hating it for the extreme anthropomorphizing that he/she did like (the pigeons cocking their heads with that knowing look of theirs-uh, no!) for some reason it began to grow on me-and it was very informative-however, quite dated as it was written quite a long time ago.
Gem-I love Trieste, but if you have not been to PADOVA-I'm saying you've not seen one of the greatest art cities in all of Italy-the Giotto, and Giotto school is breathtaking-but that is just the start-the amazing il Santo, the University where Galileo taught, and the ancient anatomical theater, the Piazza delle Erbe, the Gran Caffe' Pedrocchi-fab cafe society there, a center for Padovan social and political life-it's great-and from Padova you can easily make day trips to say Ravenna, which is a must-see for its Unesco priceless mosaics.
Gem-I love Trieste, but if you have not been to PADOVA-I'm saying you've not seen one of the greatest art cities in all of Italy-the Giotto, and Giotto school is breathtaking-but that is just the start-the amazing il Santo, the University where Galileo taught, and the ancient anatomical theater, the Piazza delle Erbe, the Gran Caffe' Pedrocchi-fab cafe society there, a center for Padovan social and political life-it's great-and from Padova you can easily make day trips to say Ravenna, which is a must-see for its Unesco priceless mosaics.
Oct 31st, 2007, 06:08 AM
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Based on everyone's suggestions these are the cities I am now considering: Lucca, Bolzano, Vicenza, and Padova. I am going to have to cut one out, which do you think I should? And which cities would be the best to spend the night in?
Oct 31st, 2007, 06:13 AM
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I didn't think much of the town of Bolzano itself. It seemed more a starting point for spending relaxing time in the Dolomites. That would be the one I'd cut. (Although I've spent very little time -- not even an overnight -- in Vicenza). But I'd NOT cut Lucca or Padua of your choices!
Oct 31st, 2007, 06:38 AM
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I believe I would cut out Lucca, Gem, because it is in Tuscany, and would be quite difficult to reach if you are staying in the Veneto, where the other cities you've mentioned are located in the Veneto and Bolzano not too far away in Trentino-Alto Adige (no slight to Lucca, which I love, but logistically speaking it wouldn't fit with the rest of your itinerary).
Because there is such a wealth of art and architecture in the Veneto-the wealthiest region of Italy, btw-you realize, that if you base in Padova, which has good connections to both Vicenza and Bolzano, but you could also consider the lovely and well-worth a visit alpine city of Bassano del Grappa, and the medieval town of Asolo is also possible. Verona is quite near also.
You and your mother will love Padova, when you see Giotto/Menabuoi's the Duomo and particularly la Capellla Scrovegni,(I still can't get over la Capella-it was so amazing, even Dante spoke reverently of Giotto, as he was well known and vastly respected as an artist and architect even in the late 1200s!) Vicenza also-beautiful, wealthy cities both.
So, if I were you, I'd base in Padova, do Vicenza, maybe Bolzano, and consider Bassano del Grappa/Asolo (although Asolo is difficult to reach w/o a car-it can be done by bus). Bolzano, however, does take around 2 1/2 hours by train from Padova, whereas Bassano del Grappa is only one hour, and Vicenza is only 20 minutes by train from Padova.
Here's a picture of Bassano, from the famed wooden bridge Ponti degli Alpini:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:B...del_Grappa.jpg
Because there is such a wealth of art and architecture in the Veneto-the wealthiest region of Italy, btw-you realize, that if you base in Padova, which has good connections to both Vicenza and Bolzano, but you could also consider the lovely and well-worth a visit alpine city of Bassano del Grappa, and the medieval town of Asolo is also possible. Verona is quite near also.
You and your mother will love Padova, when you see Giotto/Menabuoi's the Duomo and particularly la Capellla Scrovegni,(I still can't get over la Capella-it was so amazing, even Dante spoke reverently of Giotto, as he was well known and vastly respected as an artist and architect even in the late 1200s!) Vicenza also-beautiful, wealthy cities both.
So, if I were you, I'd base in Padova, do Vicenza, maybe Bolzano, and consider Bassano del Grappa/Asolo (although Asolo is difficult to reach w/o a car-it can be done by bus). Bolzano, however, does take around 2 1/2 hours by train from Padova, whereas Bassano del Grappa is only one hour, and Vicenza is only 20 minutes by train from Padova.
Here's a picture of Bassano, from the famed wooden bridge Ponti degli Alpini:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:B...del_Grappa.jpg
