Travelling to Europe for 2 weeks next Spring with my family (wife and 3 kids aged 16, 13, and 10). For the first week we will be visiting Paris and as yet determined location in Germany or Austria on our way (via train) to Italy. I would like to stop briefly in Venice, then spend 3 days in Rome. I am looking for some recommendations on a nice, small medival-type town that's somewhat convenient by train to visit between the two. Hoping to mix in some small towns and not just hit the big cities. Thanks for your help.
Posted by
Seattle, Wa, USA
663 posts
Verona, Ravenna, Siena, Assisi, San Gimignano...
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
To Angela's list, add Padova, Ferrara, Orvieto, Lucca...
As you can see, there's LOTS of choices. Start reading guidebooks and watching travel videos (Rick's are here: http://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show) and see what interests you.
Posted by
Cincinnati, OH, USA
769 posts
I'd add Vicenza. If you know an architect you can flaunt the fact to her/him that you've been to the city of Andrea Palladio (unless she/he has also).
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15798 posts
I would eliminate some of the above suggestions as not being convenient by train. Verona is quite easy and one of my favorite places in Italy; however, Ravenna is hours out of the way and requires a train change. Assisi is another town that is not on a main train route and would require a train change. Siena and San Gimignano are reached by bus. Orvieto is probably better as a day trip from Rome (1.5 hours on the train) than a stop on the way (the best train connection from Venice is still 4.5 hours and 2 trains).
Bologna is a nice change - the historic center is medieval and it's a college town with more students and fewer tourists than places and much different from other places in Italy that I've been to. It is not a small town though. And the trains from Venice to Rome go through Bologna anyway, so it's right on your route.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
The beautiful hilltop town of Orvieto. Here's why: Orvieto in May 2011
Posted by
Orinda, California, United States
308 posts
I second a vote for Bologna - the medieval center would be very interesting in its architectural style, not to mention its famed food for children the ages yours are. It is also an easy walk from the train station with many hotels or B&B's either within the walls or just outside. Enclosed in the old city walls, with just enough plazas, gelaterias, historic food shops, among maze-like streets with UNESCO World Heritage porticoes to enthrall for a full day but staying two nights. Our hotel, Aemilia Hotel, just 1 block outside the walls, had a wonderful roof deck with views of the red-tiled rooftops.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
Bologna has 400,000 people. I'm not sure how that qualifies as "small medieval-type town." Compare it to Orvieto, which has about 20,000 people.
Orvieto also has the whole underground city thing going on, which a lot of kids would find fascinating: Orvieto Underground
Also, the cool Well of St. Patrick (Pozzo di San Patrizio.)
If your kids were college age or 17-18, I would encourage Bologna, but they're not.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16240 posts
If Bologna (pop. within the City limits: 380,000) qualifies as a "small town", then I would suggest Florence, which has about 14,000 fewer residents than Bologna (albeit with a more populous metro area and a much bigger visitors' population).
The historical center of Florence has undoubtedly a medieval character and is small enough to be easily handled on foot.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
34345 posts
and with a requirement for nice, small medieval-type town I would suggest not just stop briefly in Venice.
It is hard to find a town with so very much of the ways and byways, houses and buildings, and churches exactly as they were 500 or 1000 years ago.
Yes, loads of tourists. Youbetcha. Yup. But go 20 feet off the beaten trail and you'd think nobody was around. Just spent a week there and in many places we were the only tourists.
So much of the town is exactly like it was (except of course the windows, what's behind the windows, and the electric light) in the time of Marco Polo (who left from and returned to a building I have touched).
It is truly unique.