Month-Long Stay with Older Parents - Need Help Planning!

I'm not an expert but have traveled in Italy several times so I'll try to help.

Weather in spring and fall is the nicest, as Italy gets hot in the summer and although winters aren't bitterly cold the heating in many buildings is not at the level Americans are used to. By visiting in spring or fall you'll avoid the summer crowds of college kids partying until all hours. In spring the daylight lasts longer since the equinox is in March. All things considered, I'd go for the month of April.

As for a home base, I'd choose Rome. Using the railways, you can go as far as Pompeii on a day trip from Rome if you get an early start (you have to change trains in Naples). A day trip to a lovely beach is Tarquinia, famed for its Etruscan tombs. Inland, a day trip to a small town in the Abruzzo would give you another view of Italian life.

You can also make Florence a day trip by high-speed train (see http://www.eurail.com/europe-by-train/routes/rome-to-florence-train ), though there's more to see in Florence than you can fit into one day's sightseeing.

I would say April-May and September-October are the best months weather-wise. As for a base, I would think you want to have a few because day trips such as Rome-Pompeii are exhausting. Perhaps you base out of Venice, Florence, Rome and Sorrento for a week each. You could rent an apartment. Day trips from Florence include Pisa, Lucca, Siena and many other Tuscan hill-towns. You can spend a week in Rome and Vatican City alone. From Sorrento, you can day trip to Naples, Pompeii, Capri, Positano, Amalfi, etc. You would only need a car if you wanted one. You can use public transportation for almost everything. There are high speed trains between Venice-Florence-Rome-Naples that are reasonable cost (especially if you purchase super economy tickets) and fast.

I vote with Stephen for multiple bases to avoid excessively long train trips. Although changing cities and hotels is a bit of a hassle, doing it about once a week isn't so bad, and springing for taxis between hotels and train stations removes a lot of the annoyance factor. For a once-in-a-lifetime trip, I'd definitely want to move around some, ideally experiencing evenings in more than one base city.

You might want three bases rather than four, depending on what areas you choose. Even with a month at your disposal you cannot cover the entire country anyway. You can spend a lot of time in the city of Rome itself, and then there are some good day-trips, so you might want to spend more than 1/4 of your time in Rome.

As far as transportation goes, the hill towns of Tuscany are an obvious area where it's advantageous to have a car. A good, comprehensive guidebook to Italy will provide very useful logistical information.

If you're tempted by the idea of renting apartments, take care to be sure the buildings have reliable elevators. That is not something you can rely on in Italy, where so many of the residential buildings are centuries old.

Weather-wise, you'll want to consider your parents' preferences. I may have inherited my hatred of cold from my late mother. I would never have taken her to Italy in April, when it can still be quite chilly and damp. Other older folks have a greater problem with heat.

If your parents have any mobility impairments, give some thought to terrain. The Amalfi Drive area is stunning, but I'm not sure it would a great base for someone physically fragile; there's a lot of up-and-down walking in that sort of coastal area. The same would be true of the Cinque Terre, but folks don't tend to stay as long in the Cinque Terre.

Since you mentioned an interest in religious sites, see if you can include a day-trip to Ravenna, which has a lovely, very walkable (flat) historic district and six or seven sites with magnificent medieval mosaics. They really are heart-stopping. Unfortunately, Ravenna is about a 2-1/2 hour train ride from Florence and even longer from Venice. However, it is a very, very special place.

Assisi has a lovely basilica and is a very atmospheric city in itself, but a lot of the terrain is quite hilly, so the practicality of seeing much besides the basilica might depend on how spry your parents are. Assisi is really a bit too far from both Rome and Florence to use public transportation. A one-day bus tour could be manageable if you don't want to drive--and I wouldn't want to drive out of Rome or Florence.

Much closer to Venice is Padua, which has many worthwhile sights, first among them being the Scrovegni Chapel.

Bologna would be a good base for that corner of Italy. It also has an international airport, so it could make a good starting point. A lot of interesting places around, such as Ravenna and even Venice, which are easily reached by cheap »Regionale« trains. Perugia is excellent for trains (and occasional bus) to places like Assisi, but also some hilltowns further on.
In northern Tuscany, Lucca is a medium-sized city almost everybody loves. Not too far from Florence, which has wonderful things, but is too crowded to my taste, and Pisa is around the corner.
I have no experience with Italy south of Rome.
The website of the Italian railways www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en is excellent for planning. Remember though to use the Italian originals for place names, such as »Firenze« for Florence and »Padova« for Padua.

What a great opportunity, Ann.

As stated above, first you need to take an objective look at what your parents can handle temperature-wise, walking-wise, and crowd-wise. All things being equal, I would do mid-April to mid-May to avoid some of the crowds while still having relatively decent weather. You would start south and end up north, utilizing Trenitalia as you go.

If you do four bases for a week apiece, I'd do Sorrento, Rome, Florence as the first three, then maybe Verona or even as far north as Bolzano up in the Dolomites for the final week in mid-May when it should be warmer. Three bases, probably omit Sorrento. Two? It would be a lot of day trips, but Rome & Florence. One place to make your own for a month? Florence is the best transportation hub for that--Venice is 2 hours away, and Pompeii is 4 hours. And I've said after staying in that magical city/town twice that it's a place I could quite happily reside for 6 months. So there's that!

Sounds like you want to rent an apartment(s), which you could do easily even with four bases. But also as stated above, watch out to make sure these places have 'lifts' (elevators), and 1st floor means 2nd floor!

I envy you, enjoy your planning!!

So jealous, a month in Italy will be fantastic! I went in mid-October, and it did rain a bit more than I wanted and started to get chilly. BUT fall is beautiful there, so if I could do it again, I'd go for the month of September (great weather, crowds won't be as bad as summer, and the scenery will be lovely).

If I had 4 weeks, I'd do it like this:

Venice - 3-4 days (day trip to Verona)
Cinque Terre - 3-4 days (we skipped this and it's now at the top of my list!)
Florence/Tuscany - one week
Rome - one week (day trip to Tivoli)
Sorrento - one week (day trips to Positano/Ravello/Amalfi, Naples/Pompeii, and Capri)

I would go in September. I spent 3 weeks in Italy (Rome and north) in September 2010 and 3 weeks in Italy (Siena and north) in May of this year. Of course weather can change from year to year, but we experienced a lot of rain and cooler temperatures in May. More importantly, all but the smallest hilltowns had multiple school groups ranging in age from elementary to high school aged students.

I agree in choosing 3 - 4 places to base yourselves. It's impossible to do day trips everywhere from one location.

I wouldn't rent a car and drive in Italy. There are too many options for things to go badly. I'm planning a trip to Italy for the summer built around what I hope will be my 2nd RS tour (Village Italy). For the parts on my own, I'll be taking the train and using Trenitalia linked in a previous post to get my tickets in advance where needed.

Pay attention to what others have said about stairs and walking. I turn 71 in January and have yet to get my knees sorted out enough to not pay attention. Your folks may not be able to move as fast as you can and may tire more easily.

The advice for multiple bases for exploration is good. Apartments are also good. I like the freedom to be on my own schedule that an apartment provides. I hope to rent an apartment in Rome and in Venice.

Apartments also often have washers and outside lines or inside racks to dry clothes on, so you don't have to pack as much stuff. That's a real benefit when changing locations, especially since y'all will likely be managing your own luggage. There's lots of good light packing advice on this RS website including the forum. If your parents haven't traveled much, I'd encourage them to read it.

Likewise, getting the new 2017 RS Italy guidebook and Europe Through the Back Door would be excellent pre-trip reading. And reading the forum posts on Italy would be good for everyone. Another good information source is to look at the itineraries of the RS tours to find out exactly where they go and what is seen in those locations.

I saw a great PBS promotional program today that featured RS and special things to see and do in Florence, Rome and Venice. Having been to Rome before, I loved the part about Rome because it concentrated on the non-obvious. I particularly liked the small churches shown. Those are going on my list for sure.

Last time we were in Florence, we took the best of Tuscany day tour from Walkabout Florence. It was 2011, so I was 65 then, and my knees were already misbehaving, but I managed fine. It's a long day, but well worth the time and €. Many will say that you absolutely have to drive around Tuscany. I'm not so sure. The organization has other possible day trips and there's so much to see and do in Florence, you can easily spend a week there as we did and still not see everything.

If you go in the spring (a great time), forget beaches. The water will be too cold, even if the air isn't. Also, Italian beaches tend to be small and many (most?) are pebbly.

Weather is unpredictable. Over a month, whether April-May or Sept-Oct, you could get heat waves, cold snaps, or pouring rain. Chances are none of those will last more than a few days, and overall the weather is sunny and pleasantly warm, though in September you are likely to get summer temps. Decide if you can handle sleeping without AC if it's in the 80s.

As others have said, you won't find one place that's central enough for day trips to fill a month. So your first decision is whether to settle in to one place and live more like a local - getting to know the shopkeepers, the cafe owners and regular patrons, the market vendors - or to base in 3 or 4 locations. Another possibility is to rent for a month in one place and then take overnight (even 2-3 nights) to other places and pay for hotels.

Day trips - they are often long and tiring. It's usually easier by train because the stations are centrally located and you don't have to worry about parking. It's more comfortable to sit on the train and you can walk around, eat, drink, read, watch the scenery from large windows, and use the toilet, all while you're traveling. A day trip means 1-2 hours in transit each way (take into account the time getting to/from the train . . . or parking . . . to the sights) and then you're on the go all day.

My suggestion is for you and your parents to go through a guide book and/or do some internet research and decide what 2 or 3 places most appeal to you. Most places have lots of historic places and churches (beautiful, old ones) are everywhere. Also take into account what your physical limitations are. I know people in their 70's with more stamina than a lot of 40-year-olds. They can handle a string of long days with lots of up-and-down walking, and love it all, up with the cows and after a full day, ready to go for an after-dark walk after a leisurely 8-9pm dinner. Then there are those who want to linger over breakfast before preparing for the day. By 11 am they are all set to go see one or maybe two sights - with a lunch break - and by mid-afternoon, they don't mind having a sit-down at a cafe, and want a 6 p.m. dinner. Be honest about what you are comfortable with. There are some popular places in Italy that are notably unfriendly to hip or knee problems. When I go to Italy, no matter where I am, I feel like I climb 300-500 stairs on many days.

As others have said, you won't find one place that's central enough
for day trips to fill a month. So your first decision is whether to
settle in to one place and live more like a local - getting to know
the shopkeepers, the cafe owners and regular patrons, the market
vendors - or to base in 3 or 4 locations. Another possibility is to
rent for a month in one place and then take overnight (even 2-3
nights) to other places and pay for hotels.

What a great opportunity!

I'll echo the advice above. You'll have more day trips within reasonable distances if you choose multiple bases. I'll also echo the advice to be honest about your parents mobility? There are seniors who, as stated, wouldn't have any issues with steep climbs and lots of steps but there are others who would be miserable. You're going to encounter steps however you do it but there are definitely locations which are easier on the knees than others!

Doing the short overnight stay and paying for a hotel on top on your base tariff is another option albeit a more expensive one.

There is a great deal to see in Rome - one could easily spend months there without covering it all - and it's a goldmine of fascinating churches...which are mostly free so a bargain besides. We're not religious but love the churches for the art and architecture. Obviously it has oodles of historic sites as well. At the same time, Rome doesn't define Italy so it's necessary to get a good look at some of the rest of her for a broader picture.

You might enjoy a week in the Lake Como area: Varenna is very pretty and very popular with a lot of RS members, and you could day-trip easily to Milan and Bergamo, and ferry to other towns around the lake. Then a week in Florence, a week in Sorrento, and end up in Rome. Or add time to Florence (lots of day-trips from there) and Rome and choose just one other location. Mid September to mid October would probably be my choice, starting in the North and working South.

I also suggest three or four bases. My suggestions would be ten nights in Roma, five in Venezia (a daytrip there gives you no time or place to rest, stairs over bridges are unavoidable), a week in Bologna (flat town center, city buses go through areas that are pedestrianized in other cities, best transportation hub for day trips - don't skip Ravenna), remaining time along the Amalfi Coast or Sorrento, or add nights to other bases.

I'll just add one observation based on experience: In September the much of the flowers will be withered by the head of summer. In May they are green with the sap of spring.

I prefer May for cities and September for beaches.

Ann
I can give you better advice if I knew what your parents really, really want to see. You are very general in your request. BTW you won't have any trouble finding Catholic sites or shrines, but what is important to the folks?

Example: Vatican museums, St. Peters, Sistine Chapel is one Catholic option, as are, San Francesco in Assissi, Campo Santi in Pisa rebuilt after WWII, Duomo in Florence, St.Marks in Venice, or The Last Supper in Milan. Pick any place and you have Catholicism.

But, what else? modern, medieval, Roman, Italy? Wine, earthquakes, food??

Give more specificity and will try to give you something more. It should be about your parents I think. You can drive, it isn't bad, but not in the cities, that is for sure.

If you go in Spring Time I would divide my stay between Florence and Salerno.
In that way, you should have the best possible climate. Florence is a small city with good taxi, train and bus services.
From Florence you may go anywhere in Tuscany and also to Rome and Bologna (although I really do not like how this city is organized). In Rome, try to do Vaticano, Trastevere, Piazza di Spagna, Fountain of Nettunio, Roman Forum and Coliseo. To be on the safe side and do all this quietly, I would go from Florence very early in the morning, stay one or two nights in Trastevere and then continue my trip to Salerno where you have good ship, train and bus connections to Costa Amalfitana, Pompei, Capri, Ischia,Naples (which is a very beautiful city but very hectic, also beware pickpockets, mind your bags in Naples, so if you go there take little money and only a copy of your passport).
If however you prefer to go to Italy in Autumn, I would not do the Amalfi Coast (too hot) and would stay in Milano (2 night stay)to see the cathedral, the last supper, and gallery in the Cathedral neighborhood, go to an evening at La Scala, Venezia (6 night stays), then 2 night stay in Ravenna, 3-4days in Verona (go to see an event in the arena), 5 days Lake District (Lago Maggiore), Torino (2-3 days) (Egyptian museum is really wonderful as well as the cinema museum (Le Langhe ( rent a car from Torino), 4 days, Parma ( 2 days), Pavia (1 day).
Take time to rest and stay at a terrasse.
If you have time and are not too tired Florence (5 days).

...would stay in Milano (2 night stay)to see the cathedral, the last
supper, and gallery in the Cathedral neighborhood, go to an evening at
La Scala, Venezia (6 night stays), then 2 night stay in Ravenna,
3-4days in Verona (go to see an event in the arena), 5 days Lake
District (Lago Maggiore), Torino (2-3 days) (Egyptian museum is really
wonderful as well as the cinema museum (Le Langhe ( rent a car from
Torino), 4 days, Parma ( 2 days), Pavia (1 day). Take time to rest and
stay at a terrasse.If you have time and are not too tired Florence (5
days).

We'd have to hear back from the OP but I got the impression that they're looking at a 'slow travel' plan: fewer locations, longer periods of time, day trips versus complete moves.

I think 5 days in the Langhe, 5 days days Lago Maggiore and 6 in Venice is not that hectic and the parents are not yet 80,
two nights in Milan ( one on their first day of arrival, then another one to be able to go to the Scala) and then off to Lago Maggiore for 5 days is a quiet trip to start with.
They could after that visit Verona very quietly and head for Venice where they would spend 6 other days.

An advantage of a month rental is that usually they are much cheaper e.g. we have paid from 2.5 weeks to 3 weeks rent for month rentals in both France and Italy. If you decide on a month I would base in a moderately sized Tuscan hill town with good access to restaurants, beautiful strolls etc. We are similar age to your parents and would find this workable but the drawback is that these places are hilly so if there are mobility issues you might want to look elsewhere.

I will PM an apartment building we have used that we really liked, but only for two weeks so I don't know if they give breaks for month rentals. It has parking which is critical i f you want to tour from a base.

You could also base in 4 different places for a week each. If you do that I would recommend Florence as one of those. Lucca might be a less hilly smaller town option.

We took my mother at 80 to Italy for her only foreign trip (besides Canada) We spent two weeks in Florence and Rome with a night in transit in Siena (we rented a car just for the trip florence to Rome since it was easier on her.
It was a highlight of her life and of ours. It is a great thing to do. Have fun.

Re having a car. This is a must if you will be touring Tuscany or the Lake country. It is a drawback to have it in Rome or Florence. On possible schedule might be. Fly to Rome and immediately train to Florence and spend a week in an apartment there doing day trips by train to Lucca, Pisa and by bus to Siena. Then pick up a car at the airport in Florence (it has the worst ZTLs so don't plan to drive at all in Florence) and drive to the next location -- perhaps Tuscany and check into your apartment with parking there and then you have the car for drives in the area. The stretch between Siena and Rome is simply full of amazing places to visit. For example, we stumbled on this one time when we had an apartment near Lucignano -- some people we met at an Etruscan tomb site told us about it and we drove there, it was amazing. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/may/01/italy-tuscany-natural-hot-springs

If you want to do Rome then drop your car on the way into Rome and take a cab to your apartment there. It is easy to day trip to Ostia Antica which is on the rome public transport system, and to Tivoli with the amazing Villa Adriana ruins and of course Rome itself is full of delights.

If you can go any time, I would choose mid September to mid October for good weather and warm but not crazy hot weather. Here are some snapshots we took traveling in September. https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2011/09/20/patterns/ May is more of a crap shoot; we have spent several cold rainy weeks in Italy during that time of year although it can be lovely and temperate. We always avoid summer as we find the heat enervating when traveling.

Be sure your parents have good travel insurance that includes repatriation or moving them to a hospital in the states. Medicare does not provide coverage abroad. Some medigap policies provide weak emergency coverage; I had occasion to use my travel insurance this fall when I fell on the stairs of a medieval ruin and broke my elbow requiring hospitalization for 4 days and surgery. The insurance paid the hospital directly. If it had been worse and I needed to be evacuated home I also have Medjet Assist that covers that. (unfortunately it is not available for those older than 75, but regular travel insurance will provide that.) It will be very expensive to get coverage at their age and without primary insurance other than medicare, but the risks without are high.