We are going to Italy late September for the first time. We have no desire to be in super crowded, over touristy areas. We are willing to miss Rome, Florence, Venice, etc. My husband is chronically ill and has no desire to spend his dream vacation pushing through lines. He would prefer to be in Tuscany.
Where would be a good base? We will fly into Rome, but can do a layover or train from there. We would like to rent an apartment for 8-10 days and do some full or half day trips. We would like a medium sized city with inexpensive food options, accessibility to the train, and much to do within 1 hour. We are going to experience the culture. We speak very little Italian. We were originally thinking Pisa because there is so much within 1 hour, but then we looked at the cruise ship schedule. What about Prato or Lucca? Is there another city that is a hidden gem? Would a small village be better? Thanks!