PaulaMarieJC

Hello everyone,
I'm strongly considering changing my travel plans to Italy in 3 weeks. As I fly out of Milan back to NYC, I wonder if anyone has traveled to Parma, Siena, Lunigiana, or Bologna?

Currently, I'm booked to stay in Cortona, though after thought I seems to make sense for me to be in Tuscany, though more North. Any suggestions for country side locations with restaurants and perhaps small towns for local exploration?

Cheers,
Paula

RonZ

In Cortona we stay at the Hotel Italia [room 47].

La Buccacia is a very popular restaurant, with Romano always the gracious host.

However I suggest that for sure you try the Locando al Pozzo Antico, half a block way. Family run by some very nice people.

Arezzo is very handy, because there is a nice hotel a couple of blocks from the station [Avis and Budget across the street]. Also a terrific restaurant nearby.

Also Bologna handy for train connections in that area.

sandralist

I've traveled to all of them and all of them are completely different. Siena is the most like Cortona -- not a close match, but they have closer histories and relationships than the others do to Cortona -- so if you would like some variety in food and visuals, you'll find it more easily in the other locations. Plus, bear in mind you can easily see Siena on a day trip from Cortona.

The Lunigiana area is charming mainly for being very very much off the beaten track, with towns that are more like villages and very few "sights" -- but rather out of your way if you are coming from Cortona. You would be going through Parma to get back to Milan so you could see both.

Bologna is really the easiest, because it is such a short train ride from Florence to there (drop off the car0 and then from Bologna back to Milan. Plus you have the option of a day trip to either Parma or the spectacular sight of Ravenna if you like art.

There are always small towns everywhere in Italy plus always good food to eat -- although all 4 towns you name are heavy on meat and cheese.

Are either of your 2 days or nights a Sunday? What time do you need to be at Milan airport?

RonZ

The place to dine in Parma is La Forchetta.

PaulaMarieJC

Hello - Thank you everyone!
As of now: we fly into Milan in the morning on a Thurs, then we planned to grab a car and head to SIrmione for 2 nights then drive to Venice for 2 nights then drive to Cortona for 3 nights, then drive to Milan for our last eve to be close to the airport.


As we will have a car and pay for rental and parking while in Venice (a waste); I thought we should change our plans (if possible).

I'm considering: Train from MIlan to Venice for 2 nights (2.5 days) then rent a car from Venice and head to Sirmione for 2.5 days, then drive the car to Tuscany somewhere....Cortona or Siena are so lovely, though 4 hours away. I wonder if there's a nice country town that has the feel of Italy Hillside for relaxation, eats and wine.

I've googled so much that my confused...so many wonderful options.

Perhaps we head to Lunigiana or Parma or Bologna - instead of Cortona as this town is 4.5 hours from the airport...though we'll stay in Milan for the last eve,,,it;s still a long drive.

Any thoughts or suggestions for a town that's 2.5 hours of less from the Lake Garda area / The Milan airport area?

Thank you!

bobthenavigator

If you want to see a true Tuscan hill town then do it.
You cannot subsitute a big city like Bologna--just not the same. I would prefer Montepulciano to Cortona.

If you just cannot drive that far then Parma is a good bet but not a hill town like Tuscany.

sandralist

Tuscan hill towns are not the only beautiful hill towns in Italy and you are right not to want to spend hours on the road or in trains zooming past no end of beautiful places, driven by the myth there is one town that is the "best" hill town. Given the parameters you stated, check out

Asolo in the hills of the Veneto

http://www.travelplan.it/asolo_guide.htm

Trento and the many scenic towns and villages all around the Trentino

http://www.visittrentino.it/en/artic...cultura-trento

Castelvetro di Modena in the hills of Modena

http://www.bestsmalltownsitaly.com/t...romagna-north/

http://becomemoresognidoro.blogspot....-fiumalbo.html

Brisighella in hills of Bologna

http://www.brisighella.org/en/

http://goitaly.about.com/od/brisighe...risighella.htm

You can also just go a teeny bit north of the opposite end of Lago di Garda from Sirmione (just a few miles north of Riva del Garda) and be in a pristine, beautiful world of hills, lakes and villages

http://www.tr3ntino.it/en/nature-and...ake-tenno.html

http://www.borghitalia.it/pg.base.ph...go=603&lang=en

http://www.tr3ntino.it/en/trentinos-...arda/arco.html


But even if you do want to go to Tuscany, you don't need to drive to the southernmost parts of Tuscany to find a true Tuscan hill town. Check out the many legendary towns of the Chianti area just southeast of Florence. But to do that on a short trip flying in and out of Milan and wanting to see Venice, I would take a train from Venice to Florence and pick up the car there and then make the short drive to the Chianti. If you want to drive back to Sirmione from there -- which would be about 3 hours or more -- I highly recommend stopping for a stellar lunch near Modena.

sandralist

I meant to include this link

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...ytravelsection