We'll be driving for a day between Venice and La Spezia next month. Are there any small towns on that route that are worth a short visit for lunch or scenery? This area is further north than the more popular hill towns. Thank you!
Posted by
Brisbane, Australia
7175 posts
I would stop for a morning coffee in Ferrara, with lunch in either Modena or Parma.
Unfortunately this is not a direct route on Italy's motorway system.
Posted by
OP
10 posts
Great, thank you David.
Posted by
Boston
1848 posts
Drive for a week if you want without seeing them all. Have a look at the organization I Borghi Piu Belli d'Italia. There are English descriptions of the member towns organized geographically. http://www.borghitalia.it/index.php?lang=en
Cross-check the ones that are interesting to you with other sources, as some of the towns can be pretty but lacking in liveliness.
I'm most familiar with the Parma-La Spezia area. As you pass through the Apennines between Parma and La Spezia, Pontremoli has a really pretty center. If you like opera, there's Busseto in the pianura near Parma. In the same area, if you like photography, there's a Camera Oscura in the castle at Fontanellato. There's the very pretty Castell'Arquato a bit north of Parma.
Posted by
824 posts
Joe & Tami,
Driving straight through on the autostrada, assuming no traffic problems, is about a 4 hour trip. I would suggest taking the northern route (A4) and splitting off to see some countryside around Lake Garda or the Asiago Plateau. If you don't want to get too far off the beaten path, you can stop in Vicenza to see the Teatro Olimpico then in Verona to see the Castlevecchio and have lunch.
Have a good trip,
Todd
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16603 posts
Arqua near Padua on the Euganei hills.
Montemarcello near La Spezia.
Sabbioneta near Mantua
Then there are several bigger towns along the way (Padua, Ferrara, Bologna, Parma, etc.) depending on which route you want to take.
Posted by
OP
10 posts
Thank you everyone for the suggestions. Mike.....excellent website!
Posted by
Portland, Oregon, United States
907 posts
If you go toward Verona consider going to Sirmione on the south end of Lake Garda (on the peninsula). It is an interesting town to enter through the castle gate and drawbridge!
Parma is a great place for lunch. There are parking lots near centro storico
I really like the little town of Portovenere on past La Spezia. If you have time drive out there and visit the castle and church and have lunch or dinner. You can depart from there and take a ferry up the coast to any of the 5 Terre towns, weather permitting. It is great to see the towns from the sea. I recommend it.