My husband and I are returning to Italy for our 3rd visit in the last 5 years. We have gone miles wide and an inch deep! We have spent a few days in Florence, Rome, Tuscany (San Gimignano, & Southern Tuscany in the country, Sorento and Venice) On this trip, we would like to spend at least 3 days in each location that we visit and explore a little more. We are foodies and like the history as well. We LOVED San Gimignano. We are flying in and out of Rome. We plan on 4 days in Montepulciano doing cooking classes and wine tours. Considering Lake Garda and Verona for 3 days. I have read that for our taste, this may be a better choice than the Cinque Terra or Bologna region. Any suggestions for better locations or activities if we go to Verona/Lake Garda? We love exploring and staying in the old villages.
Posted by
11701 posts
Bologna is a fabulous food centered historic city. It is surrounded by several cities that provide major food sources, Modena and Parma, for example.
If you are on Lake Garda, drive north to Ortisei in the Dolomites for a totally different Italian experience.
Posted by
Washington DC
28462 posts
Although I'm not aware of any particular food activities in the area, in Verona you would be very close to both Vicenza (Palladian architecture) and Padova (Scrovegni Chapel and rather large medieval district). They're both viable as day-trips from Verona. Vicenza's historic area, in particular has a nice small-time feel. The Scrovegni Chapel in Padova is a book-ahead sight.
Posted by
Carmel, CA, USA
2456 posts
Pam, as Foodies you will find horse meat and donkey meat on various menus in Verona, and there is a permanent booth of various forms of these delicacies just inside the entrance of the inside section of the Mercado in Padova. Mmmm mmmm good.
Posted by
103 posts
Last year, we took an olive oil tour in Casperia that was the highlight of our whole trip to Italy. Casperia is a beautiful, sleepy medieval walled old town and the only B&B there is a restored 500 year old house with the original family frescoes and floors. The tour guide (actually olive oil competition judge) owns the only restaurant in the town and it is outstanding. We only stayed overnight and through the next afternoon but the whole area is stunning. Apparently there are also some natural hot springs in the area but we didn't get to that.
Casperia is about an hour by train from Rome - if you are flying home from there I would say go in your last few days so it doesn't eclipse the rest of your trip :-)
Posted by
OP
Allen, TX, USA
17 posts
Thank you all for the replies! Great food for thought! I think we have decided on Verona and Montepulciano and then do some food and wine tours from there. Maybe even a cooking class.