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Two weeks in Italy next year.

My wife and I are considering Italy for our 2-week European trip next year. Can anyone recommend some good places to see. We usually enjoy small towns better than larger ones like Rome, Venice or Florence. We also like to see historical places. Also, is it better to drive or take the trains? Thanks.

I'd recommend a day and night in Cortona. I take trains, since I don't drive in Italy, but if you don't have any qualms about that, then driving would probably be the way to go. The town sits atop a hill, and you can walk all around the perimeter and see views of the Tuscan countryside everywhere.

Terry, That is a big question--do you have an hour to discuss it? IMHO it takes about 6 weeks to see most of Italy, so any 2 week itinerary should be crafted geographically to maximize your time, and with the assumption that you will return someday. Therefore, I suggest you decide on either a north or south orientation for a 2 week trip. I consider Tuscany to fit into either. Beyond that it would take pages to give you the details. Let me know if I can help. FYI, I prefer the northern route for a starter with a combination of car and trains---lots of good options.

This may also help you to make some macro decisions for your trip. I get inquiries virtually every day requesting my help in developing a well conceived TRIP PLAN for independent travel in Europe. I am always willing to offer the benefit of my experience , but some requests can be a real challenge. Here is a recent example: “ Dear Bob, I have seen your frequent comments on the Fodors forum and would like your help in planning our family trip to Europe. We are four[ ages 9&13] and will be traveling in August to these places we have always dreamed about---the Cote d’ Azur, Lake Como, Venice, Florence, Rome and the Amalfi coast. Can you please tell us where to stay and what to see? Oh yes, we only will have ten days and we will be on a tight budget. Can you help us ? “ The challenge is to inject a dose of realism without completely dousing the dream. Not an easy task. But, after having planned more than fifty customized itineraries for others, I have learned that the most successful trips are invariably those that are conceived by considering the macro criteria first. You must start with the “BIGGIES” in your planning phase and then the rest will fall into place. Anything less will seriously compromise the eventual trip success. The above scenario is a textbook example of poor planning. It fails to consider these criteria: WHEN ? Pick your destinations based upon optimal seasonal considerations. Avoid most of southern Europe in the hot summer months. Visit Iberia or Italy in May or October and save the Alpine venues, northern Europe, and Ireland or Scotland for July and August. HOW MUCH ? Your budget will often dictate which destinations are feasible. Set a realistic budget and then plan accordingly. Forget the upscale resorts during high season. ENOUGH TIME ? Trying to do too much is the most common planning error. A ten day itinerary calls for a max of four destinations---a 14 day itinerary suggests six. And, try to plan your route for less than four hours of travel time to the next destination--- by car or train. RAILS OR RENTAL CAR ? Your mode of transport will determine trip timing and choice of destinations. Train travel can be efficient but is very limiting for off-the-mainline locations. EXPERIENCE LEVEL ? Trip stress is directly related to your travel experience in Europe. So, plan your initial trip to minimize the stress factors. DO NOT BITE OFF TOO MUCH ! You may not always be able to control these variables, but you do need to develop your trip strategy considering their eventual impact---it will make all the difference. The worst mistake is to start with the single criteria of “WHERE” and then try to force feed the rest. My best advise is to plan this trip with the assumption that you will be returning to Europe for subsequent trips. Start with a good map and perceive Europe as geographic regions. Then, plan perhaps as many as three desired itineraries in advance. You will very likely return ! BOB THE NAVIGATOR 904-277-4036 [email protected]

Our family went last year to Italy and stayed a week in a villa outside of Siena in Tuscany and a week in an apartment in near Sorento. My favorite towns in Tuscany were Siena and Assisi, but then there are so many towns that we didn't get to. Staying within the walls of Assisi was so nice - you saw so many local activities that we would not have see if we were there on a day trip. I would recommend a car in Tuscany as so many views and experiences are only accessible with a car. It's a frightening experience but you get used to it. In southern Italy, I would recommend trains and busses. The roads are soooo narrow and curvy that when two cars meet, one must back up to the last wider spot and they both fold in their side-view mirrors. We stayed in Sant Agata above Sorrento and checked out Capri by private boat (a must!), Pompeii, Sorrento, and some very small beach towns. There was so much to do we never made it to Positano and Amalfi - another trip. Even though Rome is a big town, I would recommend visiting for the contrast. Very exciting. My whole family wants to move there. Campo de Fiori is a wonderful location with lots going on. Ciao . . .

Hi Terry: With two weeks you really can do a lot. Definitely choose Rome for a city. Rome is wonderful, the people, food, architecture, history. It's very romantic -- although not cheap. Head to Siena. Some find it touristy, but it's magnificent. I would think about renting a villa outside this area, maybe in the Chianti region. You would need a car, but with so many small villages to visit it would be worth it. Some of the towns to visit: Volterra, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, Cortona, Montalcino. You could even visit Umbria and do a day trip into Florence (a must for the best Gellato in the world). Of course this is dpendent on having car, if you don't I can suggest something other as I am going without renting a car next summer. Links: www.guestinitaly.com www.emmeti.com www.knowital.com www.initaly.com www.northernitaly.com www.sienaol.com www.venere.it That should get you started. Good luck.

We just returned from a month in Italy. I recommend having a centralized home base and do day trips by car. If you go only by train, you are confined by the train schedule, and can't always see the smaller places. We flew into Milano and rented our car and went to Parma. A charming city with no tour buses and great food (home of Parma-sean cheese and Parma Ham (prosciutto). I still dream of Parma...They also have several good museums, beautiful duomo and baptistery.