Hello all, I'm set to leave for Rome on Nov. 9. After a few days in Rome, we are headed to spend a week in a villa in the Tuscan countryside. While there, we plan to visit Siena, Florence, Lucca, Pisa and nearby hill towns. We had planned then to spend 2.5 days in Vernazza and then spend 2.5 days in the Venice area before heading back to Rome to fly home Nov. 23. We are now scrambling to change our plans given the devastation in the Cinque Terre. I'd appreciate any suggestions on alternate plans. We've been considering Bologna and Lake Garda as possible alternatives. I'd appreciate any suggestions on where to go and where to stay. We had planned to hike with in the CT and enjoy a slower pace after a week and a half of fast paced sightseeing. Thanks for your help!
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10223 posts
If you are looking for a slower pace, have you thought about Lake Como? For a place closer to Venice you might also consider Verona. I'm not sure how much there is to do in the lake locations that time of year.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
I would second Lake Como, esp. Varenna. Lake Garda strikes me as more of a summer destination, rather than mid-November. Bologna would also be good, as you'll find the best food in Italy there. Yum!
Posted by
Orlando, Florida
676 posts
I read somewhere that really only Vernazza and Montosorro (sp?) were affected, that the other 3 villages were fine. Maybe on the RS website. Maybe you could still hit the other 3, I'm sure people there would be glad for your business!
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32209 posts
Sara, A few suggestions for you to consider.... As others have suggested, one option would be to visit C.T. towns not affected by the flooding. However, two important things to consider with that choice. First, the other villages are probably being used as "staging areas" for the relief efforts, so tourist facilities may not be as readiily available. Secondly, many of the tourist faciities tend to shut down for the season at this time of the year, so again there might not be much available. If you think you'd still like to give this a try, I'd suggest contacting the lodgings in advance to find out whether they'll even be open. You could also have a look at Portovenere or Levanto, although I believe Levanto was affected to some extent by the flooding (I'm not sure to what extent). I concur with the others that Lago di Como might be a good choice. While it will probably be "quiet" at this time of year, it's still a beautiful location and you'd be able to explore the famous resort of Bellagio and perhaps some of the elegant Villas along the lake. Who knows, maybe Clooney will invite you for lunch (if he hasn't sold his house yet). The trip from Varenna to Venice is not too bad, so that would be a convenient location. Another "lake" location to consider is Stresa on Lago Maggiore. It's only about one hour from Milano, so easy to get to. Verona is even closer to Venice, so would be another location to consider. Opera season has ended, so it will probably be "quiet" there also. It's also a beautiful city. Which location to choose will depend to a large extent on your interests. Have a look in the Guidebook and see which place looks most appealing. Happy travels!
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
We really liked Verona. Bolgna is another good choice. You could also see some hill towns in Tuscany and Umbria. You can set your own pace no matter where you go (but don't tell my family, I have them trained to move along at a pretty good clip).