My two month plan for Italy

That will be my next itinerary in Italy!

Jim, that is how I like to do it.

Local people as they go to galleries, museums and historic sites ??
Or is the idea for local people as they eat pizza, pasta and gelato ??

just regular folks who may have a little ristorante or cafe. nothing special

Can we have 'before' and 'after' waist measurements ??

We went to Grosseto last September as part of our Switzerland/Italy trip and loved our experience in that town. We happened to be there during their Notte Visible and enjoyed being with all of the locals with their hometown entertainment across the old, walled center of town. I just looked it up, and it's Sept.19 this year in case you're available.

Sounds like bliss.
I think I would have to split my 2 months into x3 lots of 3 weeks though. I couldn't stay in one place for that long.
1 Veneto
2 Tuscany/Umbria
3 Amalfi Coast (or similar coast experience)

I have rented the entire two months in one apartment in Poggio Alla Croce. That is my base.

well this apartment not only has five star reviews it also offers cooking classes and personal prepared dinners. I'm ok with that as a base to explore Tuscany and beyond

Sounds like heaven, JiVA. I looked it up. Will you only day trip?

You will have a fantastic time! We often plant ourselves in one place for a long stretch and just live. It's the best - we sometimes get to know neighbors, we get to know restaurant and bar owners, and we find the tucked away spots because we have the time to!
Go and get into the groove of your neighborhood. Have a great trip!

Lo,

mostly all day trips though I would like to spend a couple of days in Ortisei in the Dolomites

Anita...my plan exactly, getting to know the folks in this little town.

One sure way to engage people in a conversation (perhaps at your local market when buying tomatoes) is to ask advice on cooking pasta sauce... Don't be surprised at how many people will join in and how heated the discussion might get! Have a wonderful time in Tuscany!

Welcome, Jim! What months will you be in Italy? You will have time to learn see the Italy many travelers miss, most of it excellent, some of it annoying. We love our life in Roma, but miss many aspects of the U.S. too. (We now are wrapping up a month-long trip to the States and our minds are reeling!) Two months gives you time to compare and contrast. Ortisei is a gem!

Laurel,
I will be there from Aug 29 to Nov 2.

Haha!I love David in Brisbane's (DJP_SYD) comment!

Jim, hope you have a ball!

Jim, that's the way to do it!

I'll be in Italy from Jan. 12th to March 22nd, this coming winter. I decided to rent an apartment for two months in Siracusa, Sicily.

I did that in Nice four years ago and really liked having a 'home base' for so long. You get to know the local merchants (try things you wouldn't otherwise), and meet people/neighbours. You find out about local events, little known festivals, church concerts, etc..

I'm determined to do a long stay like that every couple of years or so. Economically, it's not that difficult to do: the airfare costs basically the same; you can tap into good deals on an apartment, with a deeply-discounted monthly rental rate - if you plan in advance, you get the best choices regarding location, included amenities (wi-fi, washing machine, etc.), and rate; locally-produced food and regular groceries are reasonably priced (gotta eat anyway!); and using local public transit can be quite cheap.

In Siracusa, the weekly bus ticket is about 7 euros and buses/trains for day trips are dirt cheap (+/- 15 euros or so roundtrip, often less). The apartment will be a 5-min walk to Ortigia's daily market, bakery around the corner, plus lots of local stuff nearby. Since I've already visited much of Sicily, I may rent a car for just a couple of days for when a friend comes and joins me for a couple of weeks. So, no plans either - only specific dates on a calendar, for events I sussed out ahead of time...

I can't seem to find it again quickly, but I have a link to a website (in Italian), which has a comprehensive list of religious (saints' days & processions), traditional, and food festivals. We went to the EuroChocolate festival in Perugia in October one year - it's not to be missed! We took the train in for the day (parked in Assisi).

Jim, make a point of chatting up the local restauranteurs/café owners; they can give you a heads up on sourcing local foodstuffs and wines that never goes beyond 'the house'. They can also let you know when they whip up special dishes on occasion... I love the Italian approach to 'seasonal' cooking: entirely dependent on the on-the-spot availability of ingredients!

Have fun!!

Diane, I'm very envious!!! Have been to Siracusa once for just a few days and would love to get back there - and to do it as you're doing it, settling in for a while. Can't wait to hear about what you experience.

I was fortunate enough to be able to spend two weeks in Assisi this past May. It really is amazing the different experiences that can be had when you do that. I became semi-buddies with the employees and the same group of guys who would meet every morning at the pastry shop down the street where I went for breakfast.

Jim, I take it you speak some Italian?

Michael,

Assisi is definitely on my must-see list. I only know a few basic Italian words/phrases. I have a long way to go for holding a conversation.

Sent you a PM.

Diane,
Thanks for the tips! I started planning this back in March. A lot of research of course. I narrowed down the apartment list and got a really amazing discounted price for a two month stay. Flight leaves Friday... JFK to MXP. I'm excited!! I did take the suggestion many have made to not drive four hours after a morning arrival. I'll stay at "First Hotel" Malpensa overnight and start fresh the next morning.

Hi Jim, another idea to get information (which might not be available in your town's Tourism office) about local festivals, walking tours, etc. is to go to your town's "Pro Loco" office which is often separate from the Tourism office. If your town is too small to have a Pro Loco or tourism office, the neighbouring towns will.