Hello, I was wondering if anyone can recommend a home-stay where you can stay a week in the country side - preferable Tuscany or Umbria where we can live locally including cooking classes. We are ages 48/54 so am looking for a leisurly holiday.

Also, if anyone knows any great listings for week long stays on the Almafi Coast and can recommend anyone that would be great also. Even tips on the best area to stay on the Almalfi coast will be most helpful bearing in mind we will not be driving and will be relying on bus and/or train (preferably)

My husband and I wish to experience the real Italy on our travels and not just go from tourist spot to tourist spot.

I Appreciate any advise or recomendations.

Cheers
Dreams64

You need to state your budget.

In Italy, for farm type stays, you want an agriturismo. Most require cars though.

http://www.agriturismo.net/tuscany/

http://www.agriturismo.net/umbria/

There are no trains on the Amalfi coast - only buses, ferries and cars. We drive - but we go in late May - not height of the season.

And to get around from a villa or agriturismo in Tuscany you will almost always need a car.

Twenty kilometers from Florence in the pristine countryside of Mugello http://www.monsignordellacasa.com/ . There are stunning paths to hike in the estate and they also arrange cooking classes. If you go there in fall you can also partecipate to a real truffle hunt with trained dogs. Thrilling.

Re accommodations on the AC:

Consider the villa punta del sole in Positano. (You can read reviews on trip advisor.) It's actually two buildings, one of which is perfect for a couple. One warning: It's about 90 steps to the road, so you need to be in reasonably good condition.

I can highly recommend Villa le Sirene in Positano. We stayed a week there last June and loved it. No need for a car on the AC.

Thankyou all for your suggestions and time. We do not wish to hire a car as we are from Australia and driving on the other side in a foregn country is too stressful. I have seen company's who will drive you down to the Almafi coast which is what we will use. I will keep looking for places where I can stay in Tuscany and get to via train and maybe taxi to our accomodation. There may even be some farmstays where the owners may pick us up, I will keep searching. Thankyou so much for the links. No strict budget as yet, I have three years to plan and save so I am focussing mostly on what we really want to do as it will be the only trip my husband takes out of Australia. Regards
Dreams64

It looks as if Positano is a hit with AC visitors, it is where I was first attracted to visiting. I will look at the villas recommended thankyou, also the website agriturismo looks exactly where to begin so thanks so much for that one! Your help has been invaluable.

>>>I will keep looking for places where I can stay in Tuscany and get to via train and maybe taxi to our accomodation. There may even be some farmstays where the owners may pick us up, I will keep searching.<<<

This isn't practical unless you just want to stay on the farm all week and not go anywhere. Much of rural Tuscany does not have any train service. You need to look at buses which are still not practical for a farm stay.

Buses and ferries are the transport option on the Amalfi coast also.