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Thinking about Italy for Fall 2022 - Where Would you Go?

Thinking about Italy for Fall 2022 - Where Would you Go?

Old Nov 21st, 2021, 07:45 AM
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Thinking about Italy for Fall 2022 - Where Would you Go?

We have 5 weeks in Italy where we have been several times before. We plan to spend a week in Rome at the start and fly out of Bologna at the end. We will have about 3 weeks to fill in between those two cities. I think we might like to spend a couple days in Oriveto where we have only driven through. Then ??? No idea where we should head. Le Marche maybe? Any suggestions for places we might stay as a few bases? We love everything about Italy so probably any small towns would be great. Don't want to go to Florence, Pisa or Lucca as we were there a few years back. You ideas are appreciated.
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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 09:30 AM
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Will you have a car for most of the days? Are Florence, Pisa and Lucca the only places in Italy you've been to before? (Venice?)

If you haven't explored beyond F/P/L, and Rome, Orvieto and Bologna are baked in the cake, I would focus on Umbria and southern/central Tuscany. If there was any time left, I'd explore places from Bologna either by train or car... Ravenna, Ferrara, Modena, Parma, etc.

If you have been to other parts of Italy, you need to say where you've been and don't want to re-visit.

It would also be helpful to know your specific interests... art, artifacts, history, archeology, food, wine, locally made crafts, hiking/walking...??? Depending on your interests, there are, for example, day trips from Orvieto that could be recommended that would increase your time there.
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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 11:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Jean
Will you have a car for most of the days? Are Florence, Pisa and Lucca the only places in Italy you've been to before? (Venice?)

If you haven't explored beyond F/P/L, and Rome, Orvieto and Bologna are baked in the cake, I would focus on Umbria and southern/central Tuscany. If there was any time left, I'd explore places from Bologna either by train or car... Ravenna, Ferrara, Modena, Parma, etc.

If you have been to other parts of Italy, you need to say where you've been and don't want to re-visit.

It would also be helpful to know your specific interests... art, artifacts, history, archeology, food, wine, locally made crafts, hiking/walking...??? Depending on your interests, there are, for example, day trips from Orvieto that could be recommended that would increase your time there.
Hi! thanks for responding.
Yes, we will get a car when we leave Rome and return it when we get to Bologna.

We've been to Italy many times so didn't want to start listing everywhere we've been. I mentioned the cities I did because we were just there a few years ago & didnt want to return. I was hoping to hear about places people stayed and loved. I am open to returning to many of the places we have been in the area between Rome & Bologna.

Ferrara is one we havent visited and that could make a good day trip from Bologna.

Our interests include art, & history. We enjoy hiking/walking though not a focus of this trip. Food and wine and learning about the cutlure of a town are always tops on our lsit. We love exploring villages and taking scenic drives.

I was thinking of making Oriveto a base -- where would you suggest for day trips from there?
Thanks again!
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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 11:59 AM
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Haven’t been to Italy very often but how about Lake Como? Lots of small towns to explore.
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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 12:08 PM
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How wonderful, yestravel...here's hoping travel will he open. Umbria is pretty great but I can't remember if you guys have been there. Camogli and along the Italian Riviera. I'll post TR links later.

Have you read whitehall's Umbria TR?

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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 12:12 PM
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I was going to suggest heading to Abruzzo and the Gran Sasso from Rome and from there to southern Le Marche (Ascoli Piceno), then northern Le Marche (Urbino or nearby), then on to Bologna. But my ideal itinerary would include some light hiking in the Gran Sasso and you say that's not a focus of this trip. Also, I've spent a lot of time in Umbria and it sounds as if you haven't?
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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 01:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Leely2
I was going to suggest heading to Abruzzo and the Gran Sasso from Rome and from there to southern Le Marche (Ascoli Piceno), then northern Le Marche (Urbino or nearby), then on to Bologna. But my ideal itinerary would include some light hiking in the Gran Sasso and you say that's not a focus of this trip. Also, I've spent a lot of time in Umbria and it sounds as if you haven't?
Thanks! We were in Umbria many years ago so have no problem going again. Have you stayed in Ascoli Piceno? I will look up Gran Sasso, sounds interesting. We are fine with having some hiking, but just want going to plan this as a hiking trip.
TDudette -- Yes, I have been reading Whitehalls report. Some of her villages that they visited sound interesting.

TPAYT - thanks!
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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 01:28 PM
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I love Orvieto! But we really lovee our stay in Spello and visiting the surrounding area. I’d love to explore more of that area because we barely scratched the surface and there is so much to see.

If you’re doing a circular route, perhaps time in the Veneto? We loved Vicenza and there is so much to see in that region, too. Well, there’s so much to see everywhere..and if you do go there, a day with Roberta Parlato is wonderful!
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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 01:34 PM
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Originally Posted by progol
I love Orvieto! But we really lovee our stay in Spello and visiting the surrounding area. I’d love to explore more of that area because we barely scratched the surface and there is so much to see.

If you’re doing a circular route, perhaps time in the Veneto? We loved Vicenza and there is so much to see in that region, too. Well, there’s so much to see everywhere..and if you do go there, a day with Roberta Parlato is wonderful!
Thanks! Do you have a TR by any chance?

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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 01:57 PM
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Never finished, but no problem, I stopped in the middle of Rome, and I know there’s more than enough reports on Rome on the board.

Here you go with Part 1 and Part 2:
1) Nearly 5 weeks in Italy – Fantastico!

2) 5 weeks in Italy, continued…Orvieto, Naples, Amalfi Coast, and back to Rome
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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 02:22 PM
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Originally Posted by progol
Never finished, but no problem, I stopped in the middle of Rome, and I know there’s more than enough reports on Rome on the board.

Here you go with Part 1 and Part 2:
1) Nearly 5 weeks in Italy – Fantastico!

2) 5 weeks in Italy, continued…Orvieto, Naples, Amalfi Coast, and back to Rome
Thanks! Was this your last trip before the pandemic?

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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 02:37 PM
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Originally Posted by yestravel
Thanks! We were in Umbria many years ago so have no problem going again. Have you stayed in Ascoli Piceno? I will look up Gran Sasso, sounds interesting. We are fine with having some hiking, but just want going to plan this as a hiking trip.
TDudette -- Yes, I have been reading Whitehalls report. Some of her villages that they visited sound interesting.

TPAYT - thanks!
Yes, I stayed several days in Ascoli Piceno and Urbino on two separate trips, both involved roadtripping to/from other parts of Italy. First trip, we arrived in Ascoli from Spello. We based in Ascoli and visited the towns nearby, then hit the road down through Abruzzo, staying in Santo Stefano di Sessanio in the Gran Sasso, on our way to Naples. Incredible, dramatic landscapes on this drive. The summer before the pandemic, I visited the northern part of Le Marche, basing in Senigallia and Urbino (after a week in Venice), before heading to Bologna.

There is more "important art" in Urbino, but Ascoli Piceno is a lovely, lovely town.
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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 03:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Leely2
Yes, I stayed several days in Ascoli Piceno and Urbino on two separate trips, both involved roadtripping to/from other parts of Italy. First trip, we arrived in Ascoli from Spello. We based in Ascoli and visited the towns nearby, then hit the road down through Abruzzo, staying in Santo Stefano di Sessanio in the Gran Sasso, on our way to Naples. Incredible, dramatic landscapes on this drive. The summer before the pandemic, I visited the northern part of Le Marche, basing in Senigallia and Urbino (after a week in Venice), before heading to Bologna.

There is more "important art" in Urbino, but Ascoli Piceno is a lovely, lovely town.
Thank you! This is very helpful.
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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 04:01 PM
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Originally Posted by yestravel
Thanks! Was this your last trip before the pandemic?
Yes!, And what an amazing trip it was, too. Really, when it comes to Italy, there’s so much everywhere that you really can’t go,wrong.
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Old Nov 21st, 2021, 05:16 PM
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If you haven't spent much time in central/southern Tuscany, you could easily devote 10 days to the area and not run out of sights to see.

From Orvieto (or on the way to Orvieto from Rome), consider the village of Bagnaia and its Villa Lante (and gardens). Or perhaps the village of Caprarola and the Palazzo Farnese. The Farnese palace is a Renaissance gem. The gardens at the Villa Lante are spectacular, although perhaps less so in the fall. Google towns for info and photos.

Also from Orvieto are Pitigliano (Etruscan and Jewish history/culture, "Little Jerusalem"), Sorano and area walks in the sunken roads ("vie cave").

Farther north in Tuscany, the popular (for a reason) Val d'Orcia area (Montalcino, San Quirico, Pienza, Montepulciano) and then Siena, San Gimignano, Volterra, and the towns of Chianti. There's a working monastery open to visitors near Asciano, Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore. From Montepulciano, you could explore the towns on Lake Trasimeno and/or visit Panicale south of the lake for its lace-making (and museum), textiles and cashmere goods.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2021, 06:57 AM
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Welcome Jeremy. Congrats on having so much Italy time. This is part of what I shared in a PM to you and OMGolly I left out Spoleto:

"My favorites were Venice, Bellagio on Lake Como (check the city of Como or one of the lake towns), Pisa, Perugia and Rome. One of our favorite cities was Pisa. Beyond the Leaning Tower area (which is astounding...do climb the tower but don't miss the Duomo) is a lovely university city with a more authentic feel in my opinion. Our hotel was the Royal Victoria ( https://www.royalvictoria.it/ ); it is a family-owned palazzo with old world charm. I'll do a list of day trips we made from there and will post it on Europe."

Others will share more and I look forward to reading tour TR.


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Old Nov 22nd, 2021, 07:06 AM
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See if these give you any ideas, yestravel:

Perugia and Rome by train and bus

Turin, Spoleto, Bologna and Bellagio TR

https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/in-defense-of-pisa-1702701/


Although in France, we trained over to Italy:

Trip Report from Menton and Lyon

Happy holidays!

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Old Nov 22nd, 2021, 08:59 AM
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If you haven't been, Piemonte wine country and Turin. Fall will also be white truffle time. We loved Milan and Bologna (day trips to Ravenna and Padua). Our 2018 trip ranks among the finest. If in Piemonte in October, try dinner at Bovio. Marvelous! I hope to get back to Piemonte in the next couple of years. Wherever, you go, it's hard to go wrong in Italy.
https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/italy-2018/



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Old Nov 23rd, 2021, 04:31 AM
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How about Puglia and Matera? Here is our trip report that unfortunately was posted before photographs, so we have posted some below: 7 days/6 nights in Puglia





Alberobello


Polignano a Mare


Polignano a Mare


Monopoli


Gallipolli


Matera


Matera

​​​​​​​
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Old Nov 23rd, 2021, 07:26 AM
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Thanks, everyone for so many great ideas! I got a couple books and will read all the TRS that you all posted. The more I think about it, the more I think we would like to stay pretty much in the vicinity between Rome and Bologna, our inbound and out bound flights. We've been to Rome several times and Bologna once before and have wanted to revisit. We would do day trips at least to Ravenna to revisit and maybe as suggested Ferrara.

Whitehall, your TR is great. Your photos of Puglia are fabulous. That was also one of our more recent trips so I doubt we want to go back in that direction, but I sure enjoyed looking at all your photos.

MaitaiTom -- we haven't spent a lot of time in the Piemonte area so that is a good suggestion. I was just reading your Bologna TR and like all your TRs chocked full of info and enjoyable reading. And right you are--no place in Italy is a bad choice.

TDudette -- thanks for posting those. I had not seen them.

Jean, thanks for the great ideas for around Orvieto. I think our first base after leaving Rome could be somewhere in that area for 4-5 days. You've given lots of great ideas of what we could see.

LeMarche sounds intriguing and sort of off the beaten tourist path. Anyone other than Leely2 spent time in that area?

I appreciate all the ideas. Google maps is my friend plotting all the various possibilities.

Last edited by yestravel; Nov 23rd, 2021 at 07:31 AM.
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