Thinking about Italy for Fall 2022 - Where Would you Go?
 

We have 5 weeks in Italy where we have been several times before. We plan to spend a week in Rome at the start and fly out of Bologna at the end. We will have about 3 weeks to fill in between those two cities. I think we might like to spend a couple days in Oriveto where we have only driven through. Then ??? No idea where we should head. Le Marche maybe? Any suggestions for places we might stay as a few bases? We love everything about Italy so probably any small towns would be great. Don't want to go to Florence, Pisa or Lucca as we were there a few years back. You ideas are appreciated.

Will you have a car for most of the days? Are Florence, Pisa and Lucca the only places in Italy you've been to before? (Venice?)

If you haven't explored beyond F/P/L, and Rome, Orvieto and Bologna are baked in the cake, I would focus on Umbria and southern/central Tuscany. If there was any time left, I'd explore places from Bologna either by train or car... Ravenna, Ferrara, Modena, Parma, etc.

If you have been to other parts of Italy, you need to say where you've been and don't want to re-visit.

It would also be helpful to know your specific interests... art, artifacts, history, archeology, food, wine, locally made crafts, hiking/walking...??? Depending on your interests, there are, for example, day trips from Orvieto that could be recommended that would increase your time there.

Hi! thanks for responding.
Yes, we will get a car when we leave Rome and return it when we get to Bologna.

We've been to Italy many times so didn't want to start listing everywhere we've been. I mentioned the cities I did because we were just there a few years ago & didnt want to return. I was hoping to hear about places people stayed and loved. I am open to returning to many of the places we have been in the area between Rome & Bologna.

Ferrara is one we havent visited and that could make a good day trip from Bologna.

Our interests include art, & history. We enjoy hiking/walking though not a focus of this trip. Food and wine and learning about the cutlure of a town are always tops on our lsit. We love exploring villages and taking scenic drives.

I was thinking of making Oriveto a base -- where would you suggest for day trips from there?
Thanks again!

Haven’t been to Italy very often but how about Lake Como? Lots of small towns to explore.

How wonderful, yestravel...here's hoping travel will he open. Umbria is pretty great but I can't remember if you guys have been there. Camogli and along the Italian Riviera. I'll post TR links later.

Have you read whitehall's Umbria TR?

I was going to suggest heading to Abruzzo and the Gran Sasso from Rome and from there to southern Le Marche (Ascoli Piceno), then northern Le Marche (Urbino or nearby), then on to Bologna. But my ideal itinerary would include some light hiking in the Gran Sasso and you say that's not a focus of this trip. Also, I've spent a lot of time in Umbria and it sounds as if you haven't?

Thanks! We were in Umbria many years ago so have no problem going again. Have you stayed in Ascoli Piceno? I will look up Gran Sasso, sounds interesting. We are fine with having some hiking, but just want going to plan this as a hiking trip.
TDudette -- Yes, I have been reading Whitehalls report. Some of her villages that they visited sound interesting.

TPAYT - thanks!

I love Orvieto! But we really lovee our stay in Spello and visiting the surrounding area. I’d love to explore more of that area because we barely scratched the surface and there is so much to see.

If you’re doing a circular route, perhaps time in the Veneto? We loved Vicenza and there is so much to see in that region, too. Well, there’s so much to see everywhere..and if you do go there, a day with Roberta Parlato is wonderful!

Thanks! Do you have a TR by any chance?:)

Never finished, but no problem, I stopped in the middle of Rome, and I know there’s more than enough reports on Rome on the board.

Here you go with Part 1 and Part 2:
1) https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...stico-1673281/

2) https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...-rome-1676335/

Thanks! Was this your last trip before the pandemic?

Yes, I stayed several days in Ascoli Piceno and Urbino on two separate trips, both involved roadtripping to/from other parts of Italy. First trip, we arrived in Ascoli from Spello. We based in Ascoli and visited the towns nearby, then hit the road down through Abruzzo, staying in Santo Stefano di Sessanio in the Gran Sasso, on our way to Naples. Incredible, dramatic landscapes on this drive. The summer before the pandemic, I visited the northern part of Le Marche, basing in Senigallia and Urbino (after a week in Venice), before heading to Bologna.

There is more "important art" in Urbino, but Ascoli Piceno is a lovely, lovely town.

Thank you! This is very helpful.

Yes!, And what an amazing trip it was, too. Really, when it comes to Italy, there’s so much everywhere that you really can’t go,wrong.

If you haven't spent much time in central/southern Tuscany, you could easily devote 10 days to the area and not run out of sights to see.

From Orvieto (or on the way to Orvieto from Rome), consider the village of Bagnaia and its Villa Lante (and gardens). Or perhaps the village of Caprarola and the Palazzo Farnese. The Farnese palace is a Renaissance gem. The gardens at the Villa Lante are spectacular, although perhaps less so in the fall. Google towns for info and photos.

Also from Orvieto are Pitigliano (Etruscan and Jewish history/culture, "Little Jerusalem"), Sorano and area walks in the sunken roads ("vie cave").

Farther north in Tuscany, the popular (for a reason) Val d'Orcia area (Montalcino, San Quirico, Pienza, Montepulciano) and then Siena, San Gimignano, Volterra, and the towns of Chianti. There's a working monastery open to visitors near Asciano, Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore. From Montepulciano, you could explore the towns on Lake Trasimeno and/or visit Panicale south of the lake for its lace-making (and museum), textiles and cashmere goods.

Welcome Jeremy. Congrats on having so much Italy time. This is part of what I shared in a PM to you and OMGolly I left out Spoleto:

"My favorites were Venice, Bellagio on Lake Como (check the city of Como or one of the lake towns), Pisa, Perugia and Rome. One of our favorite cities was Pisa. Beyond the Leaning Tower area (which is astounding...do climb the tower but don't miss the Duomo) is a lovely university city with a more authentic feel in my opinion. Our hotel was the Royal Victoria ( https://www.royalvictoria.it/ ); it is a family-owned palazzo with old world charm. I'll do a list of day trips we made from there and will post it on Europe."

Others will share more and I look forward to reading tour TR.

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See if these give you any ideas, yestravel:

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...nd-bus-769131/

https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/turin-spoleto-bologna-and-bellagio-tr-947180/

https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/in-defense-of-pisa-1702701/

Although in France, we trained over to Italy:

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...d-lyon-832984/

Happy holidays!

If you haven't been, Piemonte wine country and Turin. Fall will also be white truffle time. We loved Milan and Bologna (day trips to Ravenna and Padua). Our 2018 trip ranks among the finest. If in Piemonte in October, try dinner at Bovio. Marvelous! I hope to get back to Piemonte in the next couple of years. Wherever, you go, it's hard to go wrong in Italy.
https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/italy-2018/

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a88cb97eb7.jpg

How about Puglia and Matera? Here is our trip report that unfortunately was posted before photographs, so we have posted some below: https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...uglia-1149921/


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f5c2471899.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5449749996.jpg
Alberobello

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6f7ade5a05.jpg
Polignano a Mare

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c776e3e3ec.jpg
Polignano a Mare

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...084b8a94af.jpg
Monopoli

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...22bbd94f3b.jpg
Gallipolli

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d0ff1d30e6.jpg
Matera

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...02cecf096a.jpg
Matera

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Thanks, everyone for so many great ideas! I got a couple books and will read all the TRS that you all posted. The more I think about it, the more I think we would like to stay pretty much in the vicinity between Rome and Bologna, our inbound and out bound flights. We've been to Rome several times and Bologna once before and have wanted to revisit. We would do day trips at least to Ravenna to revisit and maybe as suggested Ferrara.

Whitehall, your TR is great. Your photos of Puglia are fabulous. That was also one of our more recent trips so I doubt we want to go back in that direction, but I sure enjoyed looking at all your photos.

MaitaiTom -- we haven't spent a lot of time in the Piemonte area so that is a good suggestion. I was just reading your Bologna TR and like all your TRs chocked full of info and enjoyable reading. And right you are--no place in Italy is a bad choice.

TDudette -- thanks for posting those. I had not seen them.

Jean, thanks for the great ideas for around Orvieto. I think our first base after leaving Rome could be somewhere in that area for 4-5 days. You've given lots of great ideas of what we could see.

LeMarche sounds intriguing and sort of off the beaten tourist path. Anyone other than Leely2 spent time in that area?

I appreciate all the ideas. Google maps is my friend plotting all the various possibilities.

"LeMarche sounds intriguing and sort of off the beaten tourist path. Anyone other than Leely2 spent time in that area?"

I saw that you posted on my recent Umbria report, where Le Marche was mentioned. At one point, I mentioned our visit to Le Marche a number of years ago and posted photos. I think this link will help navigate (post 185): https://www.fodors.com/community/eur.../#post17304904

Or how about Rapallo/Portofino/Portovenere/Cinque Terre/Genoa & more: https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...t-oct-1659667/

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5bc8a10ea3.jpg
Cinque Terre


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...49a481ee63.jpg

Thanks! I saw the reference to LeMarch in your excellent TR. I have often thought to go to CInque Terre, but it sounds so over touristed. We were in that area offseason once and it ws ok, but that was 10 or more years ago. So just not sure if we would enjoy it. Do you happen to have a link to your apt in Spello? That's one town we're thinking we might stay in for a few days. (I had sent you a pm awhile back re your apt in Rome. ) Thanks!

I sent you the link of the Spello apartment via pm. It felt very much like home, was spacious, and in the center, which means church bells, music from a nearby restaurant, street traffic, etc., but we like being in the middle of things. We slept well between the last and first church bell (11-6), and, as ambitious travelers, that was enough for us. We did find hiking Cinque Terre was not so crowded, and we did it on a beautiful late September day. But some of the towns, especially Vernazza, were ridiculous. Most of the other places on the Italian Riviera were busy but not crazy. We have also been to most of the lakes in the fall, Iseo, Orta, Maggiore, Como and Garda and didn't feel swamped with tourists. We would do both the Italian Riviera and the lakes again in the fall if the opportunity presents itself. And, then there is Sardinia.

Thank you! Yes, I got the link -- looks like such a nice apt. I love church bells and we have stayed beneath them so to speak. I'll have to think about that with a 6 am awakening every morning. So you just spent the day at Cinque Terre stayed in a less crowded town? I've been to the lakes and that has to be the only part of Italy that I didn't fall in love with. I know I may be in the minority on that., but in general I'm not much of a lake person. Not been to Sardinia and have heard its fabulous.

Reasonably priced apartment as well.

And, yes, we stayed in Rapallo, and Cinque Terre was an easy day trip. We had a car, but didn't use it since we were able to walk to Santa Margaita Ligure and Portofino from there and rail to Genoa, Cinque Terre, Portovenere and other places was frequent and easy.

If interested, here is our trip report on Sardinia: https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...tober-1659806/

Instead of staying in one of the Cinque Terre towns, we stayed in Portovenere, which, 20+ years ago, was not yet discovered by Americans and was still mainly a town that Italian families visited. From Portovenere, we were able to take a ferry to the C.T. and walk between a couple of towns, but it was definitely away from the tourist crush. And this was in July! 20+ years ago, of course.

Thanks! For some reason I have no burning desire to spend time in CT. We were there briefly 25+ years ago and it was pouring rain so not a fair time to make any assessment.Who knows, I could end up there though.

That's how I/we have done recent trips. I.e., "I am flying into Venice and out of Bologna, so what looks good in between?" I tend to sandwich smaller towns/countryside in the middle of two cities. Hard to go wrong in Italy--have fun planning!

I agree -- if anything there are just too many choices--all of them good!

Exactly! An embarrassment of riches!

This evening i got into Tuscany and so many places!

Since you will move by car, you have lots of interesting possibilities. Thinking of your interst in art, history and small towns, I would recommend some places close to Rome, like Rieti where you can try the exquisite black and white truffle, Tarquinia discovering the etruscan civilization, lake Bolsena.
Going your way up towards Bologna, a 2-3 days stay in Elba Island would be really great. It is a small island you can easily and shortly reach by ferry. It has wonderful beaches and towns. Moreover autumn is a good time to go there, there are less tourists and the weather is still really nice.
Other very recommended places are Perugia, Urbino, Ferrara, Parma, Reggio-Emilia.
Also considering you are gonna stay in Bologna for some time I would suggest a couple of one-day visits to Dozza and Rocchetta Mattei, two very beautiful hidden gems, off the beaten paths but very suggestive and unique.
If you had never been to Venice I think it is a must-do, it is such a peculiar place with a charming and romantic feeling.

Frankly, moving by car means you see virtually nothing of the country or the people. I would recommend you move by bicycle for some real life affirming experiences. Just because Italy has so much does not mean you have to run around like a kid in a sweet shop. Slow down, eat at small places, stay in small places and enjoy the climate.

I'm not sure what you mean? We would like to spend our time leisurely seeing a few places. I have no intention of "running around like a kid in a sweet shop." Not sure why you got that impression. We are slow travelers. I am trying to pick a couple places to to stay & appreciate hearing everyone's thinking. I would love to bicycle but unfortunately I can't. Instead we walk a lot and spend time just exploring small towns and sites. Sometimes we take trains and sometimes we drive. If you have any suggestions of places to spend time I would appreciate them.

YourtrueItaly--thanks for all the great suggestions. I actually visited Dozza years ago. We happened upon it and spent the day there...charming and the street art was so cool to come upon. Having a contest is such a great idea. I will read about some of the other places you suggest.

The people on bicycles and the people in cars can (and often do) travel on the same roads. You can have life-affirming experiences anywhere, no matter what mode of transportation you use and how you like to travel.

It's your vacation. Have the trip you want.

no kidding! I have to say it was the first time I was accused of traveling like a kid iin a candy store.

The best for you
 

I suggest you must visit this please in Italy. It is a food market that you can find on the first Sunday of every month in the city of Venice, Italy. A "passerelle" or a walkway is formed over the Grand Canal with patisseries, fish, cheese, and other food that can be bought. I’ve heard of this market before but I never had the chance to visit it until now.

Yes, that is a great market! Glad you found it. I don't plan on Venice for this trip, but thanks for your thoughts.

Love Portovenere but if you want to do a lot of hikes in CT, it might be a bit inconvenient when there are so many people waiting to board the trains or ferries to CT.

Then again, it's been almost 10 years since the big mudslides? I wonder if any of the paths are reopened by now.

The Portofino promontory area is great too -- Rapallo, SML, Camogli. But if you stay there, CT becomes more of a day trip.


As for the OP, Val d'Orcia is great. Also Palladio buildings in Vicenza and some other nearby cities, but that's further away from Bologna and obviously there are a lot of places in Emiglia Romagna.