Jackie_in_Italy

I am currently living in Le Marche region in Italy, and I am planning to do some day trip/ 2 day trip visits outside of Le Marche region. Here are some cities I am considering:<BR><BR>Sulmona in Abruzzo--anyone know about this city? It looks really really nice and charming, but I haven't heard from anyone's personal experience what they think. Advice? i would have about 5 hours there--is that enough?<BR><BR>Modena in Emilia Romagna--I haven't heard as much really positive feedback about this city, but I'm interested in visiting nonetheless, since it is close enough to where I am. I hear it has a nice Romanesque church. Anyone been here and really enjoyed themselves?<BR><BR>L'Aquila: this is Abruzzo's capital. Have heard it is a little dreary, but it is supposed to have a splendid church. Feedback?<BR><BR>Mantova (Mantua) in Lombardia: This one I'm pretty excited about. I have heard it is quite special. If anyone has had any experience with this city and has any suggestions etc. about what to visit, please let me know.<BR><BR>Thanks. if you have other day trip ideas (I live in a city near Ancona, Italy. For me, a day trip would be Assisi), I'd be glad to hear them. I've visited a lot of central italy, but there are plenty of places I have missed.<BR><BR>Jackie

Jackie_in_Italy

anyone?

Steve_James

Jackie - I'd certainly recommend Sulmona. I spent half a day there and found it a very attractice town.<BR><BR>Nearby Lake Scanno is beautiful, though you may not have time for both.<BR><BR>L'Aquila is also well worth a visit. I'd describe it as a little austere. Definitely not dreary!<BR><BR>Hope this helps ...<BR><BR><BR>Steve

Jackie_in_Italy

Steve:<BR><BR>Thanks for the Sulmona advice. It will be a 3 hour train trip for me to get there, and i can either stay for the afternoon and then come home, or stay a night there, and come home the next day. do you think it's worth it to just stay the night there? another possibility is to take a little &quot;Abruzzo&quot; tour, and go to L'Aquila and others during the same weekend or whatever. Any advice, besides Lake Scanno, of where to visit in Abruzzo?<BR><BR>Also, did you feel like your half-day in Sulmona was enough time?

Steve_James

Jackie - It seems a long trip just to see Sulmona. If I were you I'd stay overnight and combine it with Lake Scanno and L'Aquila.<BR><BR>Or you could get up into the Abruzzo National Park or the Gran Sasso.<BR><BR>Here are some links:<BR>www.abruzzo2000.com<BR>www.regione.abruz zo.it/turismo/en/index.html<BR>www.pna.it<BR><BR>Steve<BR><BR>

cmt

Topping in case Jackie_in_Italy is around and feels like commenting on Mantova and Modena.

Jackie_in_Italy

Well, thanks for your advice. We ended up visiting Sulmona which was incredible: indeed one of the most fairy-tale cities I've visited in Italy, surrounded by mountains with a closed-in feeling that makes you comfortable, not claustrophobic! If you do go there, I would suggest renting an apartment for the night: it puts you right in the neighborhood, and you can hear people singing along to the radio in the morning, kids running on the alley-ed streets: go to the tourist office to ask about this option.

AND, I did finally get to Modena and Mantova as well. Mantova is amazing: Sant' Andrea--the church in the town center--is enough for a visit: it's absolutely remarkable and feels larger than life. Kind of an odd church, but definitely interesting. Also, the piazzas string together like beads: seamlessly. There are about 4 in a row, and you feel like you might be walking through a tour of Tuscany, piazza after piazza. It's surrounded by lakes, and you can even take boat tours, turning back to watch the city at sunset: marvelously romantic. I am definitely going back (just to see Mantova's palazzo, which is apparently just amazing with Mantegna frescoes, and we didn't get to see it!).

And Modena was charming as charming can be. It's just a small city, but it's a great day trip. It has an amazing romanesque cathedral that stands on the sweetest cobblestone piazza you will ever see. We fit Modena in on a food tour we did (including Parma and Bologna), and although people rave about Parma, I like Modena a little better. It was quiet and had a very Emilia-Romagna feel (piazzas with porticoes that open to other streets, quiet roads ablaze with red and orange buildings). I would suggest it very much.

Hope that helps! Notice I am very enthusiastic about Italy, but honestly, how can you not be? It's wonderful.