mcburja

Next summer we're planning on spending 3 weeks in Italy. Our kids will be 14 and 16, and this may be the last chance we have to travel abroad as a family. Last summer we took the kids to Barcelona (5 days), the Costa Brava (3 days) and the south of France (8 days), and had a marvellous time.

We much prefer to stay in one or two places (gite, pensione), rent a car, and take days trips from 'home base'. Although DH and I are not really beach types, the kids enjoy the coast. We are really most interested in walking, seeing the architecture, sites of historical interest, etc. DH is the chef in the family, and for him, the food is what his memories form around ("Remember that restaurant where I had the riz de veau and you had the roquefort and duck salad?"). For me, it's all about the people (the laguage, the customs, the culture).

We haven't settled on any specific locations yet, although I'd love to see Venice, but could easily skip Rome (at least for this trip). Having been to Florence many years ago, I'd be delighted to visit again.

So if you had to recommend an area in which we could rent a spot for a couple of weeks, perhaps between flying in and out of two more major cities, what would you suggest?

Also, are there any recommended sites (similar to the numerous sites to view and book gites in France) for farmhouses or pensiones in Italy?

As always, many thanks in advance to the generosity of the Fodorits who make all the difference in planning fantastic trips.

bobthenavigator

Good for you !
Given 3 weeeks you will have some latitude. Heer are some of my sample itineraries that you may want add to. Look at the Bella Italia but add a week in Tuscany in the middle. You can stay north on that trip and ingress Milan and egress Venice--or reverse. Good luck and plan well:

BOB the NAVIGATOR’S FAVORITE ITALY ITINERARIES

http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3827

1. BELLA ITALIA: Five destinations in 15 days—car & train travel
* Arrive in Milan[MXP] & depart from Venice[VCE]or vice versa.
* Itinerary to include the Italian Lakes, Ligurian coast, rural
Tuscany, Florence, & Venice. Suggested timing is 3-2-4-2-4.
* Option: Drop the coast & rent a villa in Tuscany[ 3-7-2-3].
* Best time to go: May & June or Sept. & Oct.

2. LA DOLCE VITA: Three destinations in 12 to 14 days-car & train
* Arrival & departure from Rome[ FCO] or arrival in Naples
* Itinerary to include Rome, the Amalfi coast, and Tuscany
* Best time to go: Easter to end of October
* Option: Fly into Naples & stay at 2 locations on the coast

3. CLASSIC ITALIA: Three destinations in 12 to 14 days-car & train
* Arrival & departure from Rome—may start trip in Florence
* Destinations to include Florence, Rome & Tuscany/Umbria
* Best time to go: Anytime, but May & Oct. are my favorites
* Option: Consider a weekly rental in Tuscany/Umbria

4. SICILIAN CHARMS: Five destinations in 15 days—car travel
* Connections to Catania & Palermo via Rome or gateway city.
* Itinerary to include Taormina, Siracusa, Palermo & more.
* Best time to go: March to November—May is best for flowers
* See: http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=634

5. THE VILLAGE SAMPLER: My favorite venues for those who enjoy natural beauty and quaint, small villages. Arranged north to south.
* Arrive Milan & depart Rome—car travel-- 3 nites per location
* Itinerary to include Lago Orta, Castelrotto/ Ortisei[Dolomites],
Portovenere[Liguria], Montalcino[Tuscany], & Spello[Umbria].
* Best time to go: May to October for the lakes

charnees

If you are interested in apartments, look at sleepinitaly.com, vrbo.com (vrbo means vacation rental by owner), rentvillas.com (which is a booking agency and sometimes costs more, but has some very nice properties). Also, for Bologna -- a foodie paradise -- perfectplaces.com. That last one has some Rome listings but they weren't as nice, IMO.

Bologna is in Emilia-Romagna, which includes Parma, where prosciutto and Parmesan cheese come from, and Modena, which is famous for balsamic vinegar.

Get Fred Plotkin's book "Italy for the Gourmet Traveler" for a super rundown on Italian food.

charnees

Those websites are also good for finding villas -- that is, houses for rent in the countryside.

Peter_S_Aus

We have stayed at this apartment in Venice, and will be staying there again in December. It works well for us.

http://realvenicevacationflats.com/