Best place to stay for 3 weeks for a slow vacation

I second Lucca and would add Orvieto if you are without a car. With a car, Pienza and Siena would be nice.

Preferred transport? Month? Both greatly influence options.
Croatia is indeed an ideal place for a slower paced vacation, but you can do that in Italy too, just avoid the most popular places are you are all set. Not Amalfi if cost is a concern, but the Cilento coast just further south is a nice alternative.

What time of year? What are your intestests?
Due to the congestion, crowds, and the difficulty of moving about, the Amalfi Coast wouldn't be my first choice. There is no shoulder season anymore, which we discovered during our spring, 2023 trip.
I think Tuscany would be lovely, especially with a car.
What a nice decision to have......

If you like nature, I’d suggest spending time in tourist neglected Abruzzo. Miles of beautiful beaches, spectacular mountains, quaint towns, good food and wine, and very affordable.

I spent a month in Lucca and it fits the bill pretty well except for the pricing. As Lucca has become more touristy the prices reflect that and I'm afraid without some inside track on a place it will not be cheap. During the summer afternoons you'll hear a fair amount of American and British English as well as German on the street. So if you're looking for a more day to day Italian experience I think you'll need to aim for the off season or go elsewhere.

Looking somewhere that is not touristy will bring much lower prices but also less selection. If you like the Lucca area but want no tourists look into Pistoia. On the same local train line, good old core and a locals favorite. Many people who live in Lucca were also shopping in Pistoia at the same time. All the same daytrips and exploration apply to both places.

Wherever you end up looking be aware of seasons - both tourist and universities for the flux in available housing - and local events and festivals that can spike demand. The beginning of November brings Comic-con and an insane number of people into Lucca. The demand on that week deforms the availability all around it. Locals told me that if apartments are not rented a month before some people will remove them from the rental sites entirely and then post them just before that weekend at 4 or 5x the cost.

I also don't know what your time situation is but the discounts for some properties on AirBnB get much heftier discounts for a month over 3 weeks so you might compare the prices because you might be able to add another week at minimal cost.

Also keep in mind that a reduction in tourism also brings a sharp decline in English so the more "native" you go the more you'll need some knowledge of Italian... at least it will help a lot. Italians want to get things done and they will work with you to shop and get services but it will help if you can get most of the way there and just need help filling in a word or two. Getting to know people and get the feel for a town also requires some Italian because Italians love nothing more than talking, but if you can't at least piece some conversation you'll be on the outside.

Honestly I would just decide which cuisine and local culture you most want to explore to narrow down the region and then look for a place in that region otherwise there are just too many potential places. If you are interested in Emilia-Romagna then someplace like Modena is relatively quiet but has train service to local towns and Bologna for connections.

Hope that helps, dive in and have a great time,
=Tod

I’d suggest Lago Maggiore. Verbania (piedmont) will be less expensive than Stresa. Lots to explore by ferry, walking, hiking or train. The train station is a 15 minute bus ride, but not a big deal. I imagine if you didn’t go July or August, you get a better deal. I posted a list of things to do a couple weeks ago. I’ll see if I can find it

Here’s the link
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/lake-maggiore-and-lake-como

Definitely NOT Amalfi Coast.

Very important for us to know: Time of year. Is renting a car an option?

The options are unlimited. You can almost certainly find a super place within every region of Italy.

Do you want a relatively untouristed place? is it ok to be in an area where English is not too widely spoken?
Do you need to be around museums? Or is it okay to be amidst beautiful scenery and charming towns, but with not much in the way of major "sites??"
Is wine a big interest?
How about food??

Do you want a small town or a city? Large city?

Time of year is a critical element before we can offer ideas.

Assuming no car, I’d consider a train hub like Florence, Bologna, or Rome. None of these are known for unwinding necessarily but one could certainly do that. I’m just thinking you might get a little bored and want to do a few day trips. Hard to do that if you’re in the middle of the Tuscan countryside.

Without a car, I recommend Siena in Tuscany or either Perugia or Spoleto for Umbria.

@ Gretchen

You may wish to consider Udine, Friuli-Venezia. https://www.visititaly.eu/places-and-tours/udine-like-a-local-things-to-do-see
Controlled by Venetian Republic for a long time. Venetian architecture mixed with baroque from the influence of the Austro-Hungarian rulership. To me it is like being in Venice without the water and bridges and overly enthusiastic tourists. Not really a tourist hotspot.

Has a nice university, https://www.uniud.it/en/uniud-international. An Australian schoolmate with Italian parents taught Law for a while. Encourages international students through the various Masters courses it offers.

Surrounded by wineries producing great Prosecco. What more could one want!

I do not know what preferred means of transport you have planned. Notwithstanding, I am aware that the train network services many towns in the region. I do not know about buses or other regional transport methods as we lease cars.

Close by are Venice, 130kms and Trieste, 60kms and other towns/villages. Dolomites and Austria to the north. Slovenia and Hungary to the east. Croatia and other Balkan countries to the southeast.

April last year my family and I stayed overnight at an agriturismo, on the northern outskirts on our way to Slovenia. Is a pleasant region, predominantly agricultural.

Regards Ron

Consider Slovenija. Ljubljana is awesome.

Hi there! You're idea for a slow vacation sounds lovely and I think you're already considering some great areas. If you're looking for relaxing and less crowded places in Italy, I’d love to suggest a few islands:

• Levanzo (Egadi Islands): Tiny, car-free, and incredibly peaceful. A short ferry ride from Trapani in Sicily
• Giglio (Tuscany): known for its quiet beaches, small boutiques and local wine tasting
• Ventotene (Pontine Islands): it has this old-world charm with ancient ruins, cute piazzas and crystal-clear swimming spots. Easily reachable from Naples
• Vulcano (Aeolian Islands): for something more, Vulcano offers black sand beaches, thermal pools and beautiful hikes
• Linosa (Pelagie Islands): a quiet volcanic island between Sicily and Tunisia

You can find out more here: https://www.ferryhopper.com/en/blog/featured/italy-islands-relaxing-vacations

gretchendr, you have not returned to answer any of the questions people asked of you nor have you commented on any suggestions. Are you still interested in this topic?

WOW, you all delivered! Since we haven't made plans yet I was casting a wide net and your feedback has been terrific. My friend and I have ruled out Tuscany (been there) so Lucca is off the plan, and Amalfi is expensive so it's out, so currently we are leaning toward more southern Italy, but we aren't committed to any places yet. We both want to be in a town with local amenities and places to explore. If we can be on the coast, then we will find a place with a view and an outside space to sit and relax. I am fine driving a car to give us more flexibility. The comments about seasons and who else will be vacationing (or not) were very helpful and I haven't checked out all the links yet. We would be happy to be in a less-touristy area in which English is not widely spoken but that we would be welcome. We don't need museums, but wine and charming towns and beautiful scenery sounds really appealing. We love good simple food; fancy food is fun for a special event, but not required for this trip. Thank you everyone for your thoughtful ideas! We will dig into our planning some more and come back with new questions. Happy traveling!

Thank you for responding. When people don’t give further input it can be difficult to know what they want.

I would recommend Verona or Bologna - we stayed one week in each on separate vacations and were very relaxed. Both had great food and great day trip options.

Now that we know you are open to driving, Marche sounds right up your alley.