We are a family of for and I am starting to fine tune a rough outline of where we would like to visit and see on a month long vacation for the summer of 2013. In the middle of our trip, I am thinking of taking 3-4 nights somewhere between Venice (where we are 3 nights) and Rome (7 nights). We will be travelling by train between Venice and Rome and would like somewhere a little slower that we can get to by public transit (either rail or bus) that would give us a change of pace between Venice and Rome. We love walking, sightseeing, being outdoors, history and just plain relaxing. We are not wishing to rent a car on this trip, so if anyone has any suggestions that I can look into, it would be appreciated. I have read Europe through the back door and Rick Steves' Italy, but it is nice to also hear from all the great advice from the travellers on this forum. Thanks
Posted by
Truro, NS, Canada
3943 posts
Well, Cinque Terre is amazing for relaxing/hiking...but 4 days would prob be more then necessary (2 is good) - I imagine people will suggest Florence/Tuscany area...or Lake Como area...I loved Cinque Terre tho - you could maybe even go there for a few days, maybe stop in Pisa for a look, spend a night in Verona on your way to Venice...sooooo many options!
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11827 posts
Umbria is wonderful, and off the beaten path for most. Assisi, Orvieto, Perugia all make nice bases for exploring.
Posted by
Toledo
653 posts
Umbria gets my vote, too. In addition to Assisi, there are several other hill towns worth a visit (Spello is a small town just a few miles from Assisi, accessible by bus or, if you are in the mood, an energetic hike from the Rocca Maggiore in Assisi; you can take the train or bus back). Todi makes a beautiful stop as well. The obvious places are Florence and Siena, but if you love mosaics, you might try Ravenna (to get there and away you'll probably go through Bologna to change trains for Rome; Bologna has some of the best food in Italy). Ravenna is also close to a beach.
Posted by
San Leandro, CA, USA
65 posts
We just got back from our trip which included a 3 day stop in Orvietto while going from Rome to Venice. Had a great time there, very relaxing due to the low amount of auto traffic. We liked it a lot more than Perugia. The other option which with we are familiar is Assisi. We enjoyed a brief stay there a few years ago. I'd suggest checking Rick's book for info about how long it takes to get from Rome to your options and from them to Venice and see what will work best time wise.
Posted by
OP
Halton, Ontario, Canada
208 posts
Thank you all for your great suggestions to all the smaller towns along the way. You have given me some great ideas that I can do some indepth research to see what would suit us the best!! Thanks again!
Posted by
Gettysburg, PA
1589 posts
Tania, if you have 30 nights and plan on 4 nights in Venice & 7 nights in Rome, you really must include Florence in addition to any other places that you care to add. Florence would be a great hub for 3-4 nights, from which you can hit many rural villages- all accessible by bus or train.Don't miss out on a full day in Siena. How old are the kids? The CT area would be great for 2 nights, if you enjoy hiking, but don't try to do this location in one day from Florence.
Posted by
OP
Halton, Ontario, Canada
208 posts
Hi Bob, Cinque Terre sounds great, we have considered Florence, but I am not sure if my girls (who will be 10 and 12 next year) are up for so many cities. We live out in the country, so I was thinking on a change of pace, but it sounds like maybe a couple day trips out of Florence might be the thing as well. Thanks for the great suggestions, I will have another look at Cinque Terre. We are avid hikers, and it sounds great.