Hello- I'm back to trying to plan my 1st trip to Italy after a layoff, job change and long system implementation project. I plan to go to Italy in either January or February for 14 days, not including days flying into and out of Italy. I will be solo and will not have a car at all. I'm particularly interested in history, architecture and churches. Here's what I'm thinking so far: -Fly into Rome -7 nights in Rome, including possibly a day trip to either Ostia Antica or Pompeii -maybe 3-4 days in Umbria -definitely want to see Assisi. Trying to decide if I should base there, or somewhere else (Spello, Perugia??)
-3-4 nights in Florence - Is this enough time to see the major sights? Any advice welcome. Thank you in advance.
Posted by
Pa and Italy
4152 posts
Sounds like just the right amount of time to me. You won't need a car as all those cities are easily reached by train or bus. Make a list of the sites you wish to visit for each city and we can help you put them in a good working order. Donna
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11636 posts
Great plan! 7 nights in rome letsyou get a real feel for the city without rushing. Stay in the Centro Storico for the best experience. We spent 5 nights in December in Spello and loved it, although as a solo traveler it might be a bit small, quiet, for you. Not a lot of tourists and very little English spoken. I have not stayed overnight in Assisi or Perugia, but I suspect Assisi is pretty sleepy at night in the winter. Perugia, as a university town, may be a little more lively. We loved Assis without the crowds in winter. Even on a drizzly day we could appreciate not having to stand in line for hours and fight crowds to see the sights. In that area of Umbria, regardless of where you decide to stay, ou have easy access to Spello, Assisi, Perugia, Spoleto, Todi, and other small towns by train and/or bus. Easy to kick around for 4-5 days. There's a great wine tour company, Gusto Wine Tours, if you like that sort of thing. Mark will get you out into the countryside and tasting some amazing wines from small producers.
Posted by
San Jose, CA
1994 posts
Sounds like a great plan and a great way to recover from stressful times. I did a 10 days in Rome in late Jan a couple of years ago and it was my best visit ever. There were no lines, and I had a number of sites largely to myself. I also really liked that the creches were still up in the Vatican and other churches in the first part of my visit; it was lovely to see the reflections of various church communities. I also would recommend staying in Assis, since it's on your "definitely" list; I'd definitely choose it over Spello (nice day trip) or Perugia. One of my trips to Assisi was in late fall, and I have stayed up to a week during a single visit. It's wonderful to visit the sites without the crowds, and it is a lovely town for wandering. (I'd recommend a trip up the mountain to the Eremo della Carcieri; people often miss it, and I think it's one of the most beautiful parts of a visit to Assisi.) One other thought: Depending on the specifics of your interests in history/churches/architecture, you might want to move 1 or 2 of the Rome days to Florence. But that would depend on your interests in ancient vs Renaissance history.