Which small town to stay for a month in Italy?

We’ve been to Italy several times, traveling around various parts of
the country.

Can you tell us which towns you have been to that you liked?

@ChristineH, we’ve visited/stayed at and loved these towns/villages, but wouldn’t want to stay at any of them for a month because they’re too small, too isolated (tricky to get into/out of), too large, and/or parking is tricky, etc. : Vernazza (Cinque Terre), Lucca, Castel San Gimignano (villa resort), Orvieto, Vieste, Minori, Sorrento. Out of this list, Lucca might be the closest match to what I’m looking for. EDIT: Lucca is much larger than what I remembered! …and much larger than where we would want to stay for a month.

Fidenza, population 27K.

You say you want a town with a pop of 5k-8k, but then you say Lucca is the closest match to what you’d like, however Lucca is a city of 90,000.
If you are looking for someplace that is logistically easy to get in and out and take day trips in Tuscany look at Colle Val D’Elsa (about half way along the Florence-Siena freeway). I think it’s less than 20k.
In eastern Tuscany look into Sinalunga or Monte San Savino, both within a short distance to famous towns like Cortona, Montepulciano, Arezzo or even some in Umbria. Both are even smaller than Colle.
In Umbria proper, Assisi, Spello or Foligno are viable choices.
If you are looking for something bigger like Lucca, then Siena is the place for you in Tuscany. Perugia in Umbria is also a choice, but it’s a city of 160k, so maybe too big for what you are looking for.

@Roberto, you’re quite right about Lucca, it’s much larger than I had in mind! We stayed several years ago in the countryside outside Lucca, and my recollection from the little bit that I saw was that it was much smaller.
Thanks for your suggestions, I’ll look into them.

We stayed in Montepulciano twice, for 10 nights and for 2 weeks. One of the places is no longer available, the other rental was here: https://www.fontecastello.it/

It's easy to get in and out of, driving-wise. Slight uphill walk into town, about 15 minutes. The landlady is smashing. They added a pool since we were there.

More driving than usual, most of it pleasant at the very least. Visited many places in Tuscany and Umbria, and I found the Val d'Orcia landscape to be more attractive than northern Tuscany (went nowhere further than Volterra). The eastern side of Umbria is prettier than the western side, the drive in between not particularly appealing.

We stayed one night away in Assisi so we could hit Norcia the next day, long drive back. Assisi at sunset is fantastic. Another time we spent a night way down south in Sermoneta, in order to visit the Garden of Ninfa the following morning. Sermoneta was a really pleasant suprise, Ninfa is the centre of the universe.

Pienza was my favourite village, though that as a base would add to the overall driving time. I'd have liked to have gone back again but my missus is not as enamoured of Italy as I am. I might have to meet up with Monica Belluci instead.

Shout up if you need any destination recommendations.

Oh, the lady in Montepulciano allowed us to use the washing machine, bear that in mind when you are looking for an apartment.

Hey roger,

I spent a month in Lucca in 2024. I understand your confusion since the old inner city within the walls is about 9,000 people but surrounding city area is more like 90,000 over a much wider area. The town is small enough that even in less than a month you start to see the people you meet there around town during your daily activities.

Lucca was a vert pleasant place to stay for a month but I liken Lucca to "curated Italy" where there is too much shopping and and too many good restaurants for a town of 9,000 because it is the focus of upper end places. It's kind of the the trendy or posh downtown area in a place where all the new places want to open versus the suburbs. This is great as a visitor but while the "real" everyday Italian life still goes on there it is easier to miss under the influx of tourists and the retail interests.

It is not a bad place for day trips by train but it is a terrible place to car based. Driving in the city is obviously tightly controlled and parking can be difficult. There is the surrounding city to navigate through and parking (or staying) outside the walls means a trek over the old moat and over or through the walls to get to the old town.

I know you have decided against Lucca but Lucca always seems to be mentioned during longer stay discussions so I thought I would add some of my experiences there doing that.

Whatever you decide you have a great stay,
=Tod

A couple of ideas: Polignano a Mare in Puglia, and Santa Margherita in Liguria. They're both coastal towns convenient to larger cities and attractions.

I would recommend Tuscany. Fantastic choice for a 1-month stay, with beautiful towns, great day trips, and easy access to both countryside and coast. One big plus: Tuscany’s coastline gives you access to islands like Elba and Giglio. From towns like Piombino (for Elba) and Porto Santo Stefano (for Giglio), you can catch quick ferries and enjoy day trips. Example: https://www.ferryhopper.com/en/ferry-routes/direct/piombino-elba

You can check out these towns:
- Castiglione della Pescaia, a lovely seaside town with good access to Elba
- Porto Ercole or Porto Santo Stefano on Monte Argentario
- Volterra or Campiglia Marittima, if you want a hill town that’s still close to the coast.

Funny to say that I agree with many that have already responded. While I have not yet to spend a month in any one spot in Italy my husband and I both agreed that Lucca would be a great location to base for an extended stay. When I read your post that is the town that immediately popped in my head. With a car or by train you are very centrally located to so many locations. Another town I really enjoyed was Verona and felt it also had a good central location should you wish to explore parts of northern Italy but Lucca to me is perfect. Great shopping. Good restaurants. I might consider staying right outside the walls with a car. I must say I am jealous! Let us know what you settle on!

Thanks for all the suggestions, I’m looking into all of them. For some context, we previously stayed for a month in Vaison-la-Romaine (population 5,900) in Provence, France, and it was great! But I’ve come to realize that using town populations as a first-pass guide can be somewhat misleading, for example Monteriggioni is listed online as about 10,000! - because it includes several villages in the surrounding area.

The only other thing I'll throw out there for people considering this is that the smaller and less touristic a town you choose the less English you will find. Staying someplace touristy it's easy to forget that English isn't ubiquitous but even in Lucca if you go to the cheaper wine store (Vini e Liquori di Ugo Massei) versus the one off the main shopping street or the smaller fruit stand versus the Conad you will run into proprietors that only speak Italian.

Now Italians will always work with you to make things work out. You want to order/buy something they want to help you, and translation apps help a lot, but the struggle can be real. Trying to ask about your favorite kind of wine or whether you grab the fruit yourself or they do it for you - this is important - without speaking Italian can be difficult. This can also lead to going to the places you're more comfortable to eat and shop but if these are the more tourist friendly places you're robbing yourself of the genuine experience of the "locals only" place.

Also people who do this kind of extended stay - myself included - who so these things want to meet Italians and get to know them and their lives or lifestyle as part of this adventure. And how much Italian you know is often the limit on how much you can get to know people. Italians favorite thing to do is to talk about life and everything else but if you run out of things to say after Che bel tempo oggi, vero? and Mi chiamo --- you're only going to get so far.

For reference I did a year or so of on-line Italian, visited Italy, took Italian 101 and then more on-line Italian before this trip and while I struggled from time to time it was super helpful to get around and do simple things. I could say everything I needed to say, but obviously not everything I wanted to be able to say. Because I have a very flat American beginners accent and pronunciation I found it much easier to speak to people who knew at least a little English because they have a more forgiving ear versus people who only have ever spoken Italian to Italians.

My $.02,
=Tod

San Casciano dei Bagni. About 1500 people. Tuscany region.

Hi there -

If you were open to stay in Sicilia - I would recommend Cefalu'. It is a touristy town in the summer, but you would be able to get there and leave prior to the major summer season. It is big enough to have the creature comforts, but also has beautiful hiking at La Rocca and spectacular beaches. There is also a train station to get you to the other main cities on the island i.e. Palermo, Messina, Catania. Sicily has so many beautiful untouched-by-tourism areas (car-dependent) as well as the beautiful areas near Etna and Palermo.

If you were set on central Italy, I think Citta' di Castello in Umbria or Perugia has great qualities to them. The car is a must here though.

If you two enjoy the Dolomites, staying up near Trento or Bolzano will give you a slightly bigger city but quick access to all the beauty the area has to offer.

I'm excited for you both!

We spent some time in Umbria last summer and there are so many lovely little hill towns south of Perugia- just have a look along the motorway between Perugia and Spoleto. I think many of those would be an excellent base for a month. Good luck deciding!

Viterbo, in northern Lazio right at the corner of Tuscany and Umbria, is a very historic city and very well located for driving around. Not much English is spoken, which gives you a chance really to learn Italian.

We are considering a 4-6 week stay in Italy, basing in a familiar place for us--the Campo de' Fiori neighborhood of Rome. And, in February or March. Anytime after that until November there are way too many tourists to my liking. I understand--Rome is not a small town at all. But we were just there in April for a few days, and other than the crowds, this 3rd stay of ours here only bolstered our idea that we could make it work for weeks at a time, easily and economically.

We don't drive, and all daily needs are within a 5-minute walk--grocery, bakery, movie theatre, any number of great, inexpensive restaurants, the wonderful Campo market every morning. We're a block away from the main drag Corso Vittorio Emmanuele, where we can catch the bus to Termini station and beyond. Yes, Italian is spoken but not mandatory. Easy to take daytrips, virtually anywhere. And Roma...I could stay here for a year and still not see everything I want to see!

In our own minds, when traveling, we have a 'dream' idea of how we would like our trip to be. I think the problem with an idyllic small town in Italy for a month would be that you're a captive audience. Maybe one or two great restaurants. If you drive, you can expand outwards and more power to you. But also, I think the reality is--and I've experienced this firsthand--is that no matter how much you want to assimilate like a local, you'll always be considered a tourist first. And that might be OK, as long as you accept that fact for what it is.

Enjoy your planning!

You take a look at the Piemonte region, in particular the town of Bra. We spent a week based there and enjoyed day trips by train, but with a car the possibilities are endless. Home of the Slow Food Movement, the restaurants are superb and we felt like the only tourists in town that autumn. Not a tiny village, but has an approachable, friendly, small town vibe.

Jay, yours is a particularly insightful and thought-provoking post. Thanks.

Population size is a difficult measure (as already agreed) and some larger places feel smaller (Lucca being the example because of the old city).

I loved Lucca, and it was the first Italian town that I visited that I thought "I could live here", so I'll play the "Amazon" people who like Lucca also liked .....:
Siena - probably a little large and too touristy, but were money no object, it is probably where I would want to live.
Ferrara - In Emilia Romagna, slightly greater population than Lucca, but another walled city, so the medieval town again feels much smaller. It's on the main Bologna-Venice railway line, so transport is decent.
Orvieto - I've not spent long enough there really, but first impressions were very favourable. Walls, medieval streets, a wonderful cathedral.
Cefalú in Sicily has already been mentioned - and it has a lot going for it, but car parking is extremely difficult.
Castellabate - Cilento national park (About 2 hours drive south of Naples). Three towns in one - the old castle and surroundings on the hill, a fishing village (San Marco) and the more touristy town (Santa Maria) although apparently it is only ever busy in late July and August.
I spent some time earlier this year in Umbria, based in Perugia, but side trips to Spello and Gubbio, although both were beautiful, on a weekday both almost seemed like ghost towns.

You take a look at the Piemonte region, in particular the town of Bra.
We spent a week based there and enjoyed day trips by train, but with a
car the possibilities are endless. Home of the Slow Food Movement, the
restaurants are superb and we felt like the only tourists in town that
autumn. Not a tiny village, but has an approachable, friendly, small
town vibe.

As Laurel knows, my cousin's son lives in Bra, attended the Slow Food University, has remained there and loves it. If I chose small, Bra might very well be it for me.

If you are hooked on Tuscany I'm another who could spend a month in or around Lucca.

But - have you considered Veneto or Friuli-Venezia Giulia? I love Vicenza (famous as the city of Palladio and the Rotunda and the Theatre) and it is well located for the things I love. If it is too big (111,000, big enough for me but with a small town feel - great music) perhaps you'd prefer Bassano del Grappa (42000) or further up in the hills, perhaps Asagio (famous for the cheese, 6,400). Bassano del Grappa is less well connected as are the hill towns.