Planning trip to Italy for my mother. Daughter, sister in law and niece in September.
My mother has never been out of country and is in her 80’s. She wants to do Rome for Pope, Padua for St. Anthony, and Velo D’astico her grandmother’s village. I need train advice, rent a car or not, and a guide to research the church my great grandma was from and show us town.
Loved my Heart of italy tour last October, but my mom needs a slow pace.
Thanks for help
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
For train travel, read the following: https://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm
a little googling shows Velo D’astico is in a valley with no rail line.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33175 posts
Will it be the 5 of you then?
Rome is no place for a car, but Padova can be so a visit to Saint Anthony (will you visit the Scrovegni Chapel very close while there?) is easy if you get one after you leave Rome, and I would say that one is needed in Velo d'Astico which is in the hills and mountains north of Vicenza.
Where would you hope to fly into, and where out of, and how any nights would you expect for the whole trip?
Never been out of the country? Which country - USA? Does she have a passport yet? In fact, small detail but one not worth leaving to the last minute - all 5? of you will need one. Just the sort of thing that can be forgotten.
Will those 3 places be all of the trip, or do you want to visit anywhere else while over here?
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
In Padua, the hotel across the street from the cathedral (Il Pellegrino ?) hosts many pilgrimage groups. Very soothing. Breakfast was good, too.
Posted by
Saint Paul, Minnesota
1443 posts
You could fly to either Venice or Verona from some place in Europe (which we just did from Amsterdam), take the train to Padua and a taxi to your apartment (just to make life easy), rest up in Padua (which is a great place to do that and then see whatever you want to see there, then rent a car to take you to Velo d'Astico (an hour's drive from Padua) --- this could be a day trip or you could stay there for a few days.
Then you could drive to the nearest airport and give up the car and fly to Rome. Or, the train from Padua to Rome is only 3.5 hours, which is probably actually faster and cheaper.
In September, we rented our car from Europcar across the street from the train station in Padua, returning it at the Venice airport when we flew home. You will need a mini-van, I think.
For the trip you describe, and wanting a slower pace, I would think you need two weeks at the very least, not counting arrival or departure days.
I do recommend renting apartments. Especially with 5 people. We have had our very best experiences renting airbnb apartments from what they call "superhosts" --- these men and women were 100 times more helpful and fun than anyone we've ever encountered in a hotel, and all spoke English very well. Several even did things like meet us at the train station or surprise me with birthday balloons and cake and prosecco.
Posted by
OP
53 posts
Thanks for the help so far
Any ideas on your guides for Padua and for Velo D’astico?
How is tours by locals group?
Need a tour guide that will drive from Padua to Velo D’astico and back to Padua. Day trip.
Only 2 people would go on tour.
What should I expect for cost?