Considering August heat, crowds and train travel time, seeking rich cultural sites, good food, music and passeggiata between Varenna where we will shake off jet lag and Lucca for nightly Puccini concerts at San Giovani's cathedral.
We are in our mid 60's returning to Italy looking forward to some new experiences along with stays in our favorite places. Between Varenna and Lucca we will have 2 nights to explore a new location. The train map suggests perhaps Genoa or Parma.
From Lucca we will do a day trip to Pisa, and on our way from Lucca to Florence we will spend a night at Villa Sermoli near Pistoia. We have enjoyed 2 visits to Cinque Terri, and are drawn to return, but are trying to resist that temptation.
What about Rapallo? Open to and grateful for experience-based recommendations (and warnings).
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
I would choose Rapallo. Definitely a good place for the passeggiata, and hopefully an ocean breeze. You'll see local boatmen enjoying their private beach clubs (basically a hut and a picnic table inside a fence). See if Residence Il Convento (www.residenceilconvento.com) has any space. If not, then I'd search at booking.com. I was not there in summer but assume it can't be any more crowded than any other beach town.
Posted by
OP
Spokane WA
255 posts
As I study the train schedule and consider our values for music, art, architecture, walks and food, wondering if this is too ambitious and or exhausting:
Varenna/Milan to Cremona ( hoping for violin music outdoors in the evening) 1 night stay,
and then to Parma for 1 night stay,
next day lunch in Modena on our way to Lucca
for our 2 nights stay and lots of good walks and Puccini, perhaps a performance at the Puccini Festival?
Or
skip Cremona?
Or
skip Modena?
Or skip both Cremona and Modena focusing on our 2 nights stay in Parma before our stay in Lucca
???