Holidaying in Italy?

Question

Myself and my wife are both 54, we are interested in travelling to Italy in August. We like; sightseeing such as old buildings or churches, monuments, dining out. We are prepared to drive and we would like to combine maybe 2 days in a city and 5 days in a beach area where I can still travel around by car. I would also like to experience the small town scene. Can you recommend anywhere?

Answer 1

we are off on  such  a  holiday ( sightseeing) in just few day. I can tell you more  when we got back.

Answer 2

Amalfi coast, Capri, Ischia, Liguria, Cinque Terre are all great beach areas.  I love them all.

For churches, old buildings, monuments...

Florence, Rome, Milan, Venice, Siena, etc.

Small towns

San Gimignano, Montepulciano, Chiusi, Gubbio, Urbino etc.

In most of the small towns , you cannot drive in them ... You must  park outside the walls and walk throughout the towns

Other town that you maybe interested in visiting

Mantova, Padova, Verona, etc.

Train travel may be worth checking into as well.

http://www.trenitalia.it/en/index.html

I can recommend eating and lodging once you know where you want to go.

If I can be of any further help once you decide on where you want to go, let me know.

Answer 3

Start in Florence and spend the day there walking around.  Then drive to Pisa with stops in Pistoa and Lucca along the way.  Stay the night in Pisa and take in the sights.  There are beaches in the area where you can swim and catch a few rays.  Then drive up the coast through Viareggio, L Spezia, and then to Genoa.  This stretch of highway has exits to visit small towns and villages along the sea.  Beaches are secluded and not over crowded.  If you like seafood, you will love these places.  After Genoa go to Finale Ligure to the Italian Rivera.    

Shopping is good in the Florence outside market and in Genoa.  Sightseeing is every but especially in Florence and Pisa.  

To get to a nice beach near Pisa, take SS1 (Via Aueralia) to SP22 (Via Livornese) on the West side of the road.  Then make a left on to Via Mezzapiaggglia to get to the American (bathing suits required) Beach in Tirrenia.  The road between Genoa and Finale Ligure offers many beach stop spots and you can play it be ear.  

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Well you are spoilt for choice in Italy as it is perfect for all your  interests. Personally, I would not recommend staying in a city in August as it will be very hot and crowded as well as expensive. Below are 2 suggestions for a week's holiday.

1. Base yourself in Lucca  which is a beautiful old Tuscan town. From there you can easily get to Florence, but do go by train not car it will be a nightmare driving round the city. If you want to visit the Uffizzi for example book your tickets online before you go to save standing in a queue for 4 hours or more. http://www.tickitaly.com/ is one place you can get tickets but there are others. From Lucca it is only a short hop to the Tuscan coast and the beach and Pisa is not far away either. You could also drive to La Spezia and from there take the train to the Cinque Terre - no cars allowed in these stunning coastal villages, but you can either walk between them or use the regular trains to see them all - there is only about 2 minutes between stops.

2. Base yourself in Vicenza a beautiful town full of Palladian architecture and explore the Veneto region. From here it is easy to get to Venice, Verona and Padua, all worth a visit. In terms of beaches then you have a choice between the Adriatic coast around Venice which is full of beach resorts or you could head west and spend some time on the shores of Lake Garda and visit the lakeside towns by using the boats that go up and down the lake. If you visit Venice, book tickets for sites as for Florence.

In terms of driving - it is great to have a car to travel some of the bigger distances and to give yourself flexibility but do take the train to the bigger cities - it's quicker than driving and there are lots of restrictions for parking in many Italian cities.

Answer 5

Florence was my all time favorite city to visit. The scenery alone is breathtaking. The Battistero di San Giovani (Doma Cathedral) is spectacular, the architecture is nothing like I have ever seen. Piazza del Duomo is a huge! terrace, people have festivals and weddings shots there, it overlooks the city, beautiful. Also the Uffizzi museum, amazing artwork, and on the top floor is a large terrace looking over the city, loved it!

Go to www.frommers.com. Has a list of attractions for all the cities with a brief description of each. Also has a list of restaurants, budget hotels, etc.

Answer 6

I would recommend that you go to Tuscany.  You can go and visit Florence (the birth place of the Italian Renaissance) and see Michelangelo's David.  You can also see the magnificent Florence Cathedral.  

You then can drive out into the country area, which is called Tuscany.  It is one of the most beautiful areas in the world.  It is also a favorite for American tourists, because it embodies the best of Italy.

Answer 7

Hello I am a girl Italian and my name is Rossella.I live in  naples, south of Italy and have places and fantastic beaches as Capri, Ischia, Posillipo .. but if you want to go north I recommend Florence with its churches and the many things to be visited and then the coast of Tuscany is fantastic: Forte dei Marmi, Isle of Erba, Viareggio ... Happy holidays!

Answer 8

Well if you are wanting beaches and wanting to drive, try the Amalfi Coast.  Beautiful beachs along the south there.  There are plenty of small towns in the area as well. Plus, when you are in the Amlafi Coast there are plenty of churches to be seen, along with old building and historical spots.  You could probably take a trip to naples as well for two days.  Salerno was a beautiful city and they have boats that take you to other parts of the coast, but if you have a car like you said, they have roads along the coast there.  So I would recommand that as your destination since its driveable.

There is another beautiful place, Cinque Terre, but as for the driving part, its kind of hard. Most people there arrived by train.  Its part of the italian riveria.  Gorgeous beaches.  Its 5 small towns next to each other, and you can walk through all five of them.  Its a abit of a trek!!!  Lots of up and down the mountain along private property that the locals built themselves to farm their land.  So those are two spots that are nice.

There is a Chanti Road in Tuscany area, but you want beachs, and no beaches along there, just countryside and small towns all along the way and plenty of places to sample the local wines!

Enjoy your vacation.  Its beautiful!

Answer 9

well... there are some good hotels in scicaly and sardinia but the south-east of italy is horrible, in my opinion. Also there's urbino, i don't know where it is exactly, though.

Answer 10

campania, fantastic food, wine, beaches, culture.. it has it all

napoli

costiera amalfitana

pompei

paestum

agropoli

caserta

capua

salerno

a gem is where i live in il vallo di diano which is in il cliento national park.. loads of mountain top villages and scenery which is absolutlely stunnig.. if you want to travel around use agriturismos, an italian bed and breakfast, link below

buon viaggio

Answer 11

may I suggest Southern Italy..Calabria..ryanair have cheap flights to lamezia

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/dests.php...

from there you can visit Tropea Capo Vaticano and Pizzo

http://www.tropea.biz/index_eng.htm

http://www.tropeaonline.it/tropea%20capo...

Ive been living here for 17 years now..it's a beatiful area

Answer 12

I think you should go and visit Milan, Rome and Florence (by train you can travel easily). Particulary Florence. I live in Milan and, though it's a beautiful city, I think it's just for shopping and entertainment. Florence of course is the 'cultural and artistic capital of Italy'. I recommend to go sightseeing it. I don't like Rome, but if you want to undertake a cultural vacation, you have to visit the capital.

Since you want to spend 2 days for sightseeing cities I recommend you to visit just Florence and Rome (because the one is 250 km~140miles from the other one, relatively closer).

The rest of the days you could take a plane from Rome and fly to Sicily (landing in Catania or Messina),then I advise you to go and stay in Taormina (a small town, reachable by train from Catania or Messina), one of the pleasent and resting place in Southern Italy. In Taormina you can go to seaside or also you can visit some Greek and Roman monuments. Moreover, from Taormina, starts out the 'Etna Tour', i.e. the tour on the volcano, which in this period is in active phase.

I hope you consider this information helpful.

p.s. I beg your pardon for my awful English! I hope you understand me.

Have good holidays in Italy.

Answer 13

North:  

(cities) : Venice , Milan ( just answered a thread on this)

Centre:  

(cities) :San Gimignano  ( I can help with accomodations as my grandparents rent houses and have an aggriturismo, contact me if needed)  ,  Florence,    Pisa

South:

(cities): Naples , Amalfi  

Islands:  

Sardegna, Sicily, Isola d'Elba,    

these places are very good for what you look for. hope you have fun!

Answer 14

Hi

I think you should visit Tuscany.

Amazing region rich in art, culture, beautiful landscapes, excellent food and wine ;o)

You can visit lot of interesting places and art cities(Florence, Lucca, Siena, Pisa, Pistoia and many more!)

If u are looking for a nice accomodation, then I advice you Residence Casa Italia, situated near "Vinci", the homebirth of Leonardo da Vinci.

From Residence Casa Italia you can easily reach the main tourist attractions, it is situated in an ideal central place to tke a tour of Tuscany!

If u want take a look at their web-site--> http://www.residencecasaitalia.com/

I'm a tourist operator, if u need just write me an e-mail and  will suggest you nice places or itinerary.

Answer 15

I love Italy and it is so eay to travel around by train. that we tend to spend time in numerous places whenever we go.

Capri is lovely but expensive but if you go there you can travel really easily to Sorento, Naples (only place I didn't like but some people do), Pompeii even Rome.  Alternatively stay by Lake Como and you can travel to Venice, Serento and all around there.  Visit the Cinque Terre too - lovely but not someone you can spend a long time.

My favourate place in the world is Venice but not during the summer (it's too hot and too busy).  Go druing Februar and they have balls where everyone drinks hot chocolate and the fog makes it wonderfully romantic.