Italy Travel Forum

I have been to Italy a twice and visited Venice, Florence, Sienna, Rome, and my friends (couple 50yo) are going in October (first time)and visiting these cities. I plan to meet them for a 2 week relax, catch up. I wonder if any VTers can suggest somewhere lovely that they have been to outside of Florence, in fact anywhere in Italy that we can stay (self catering) near a village, walk to town, cook our own food but still get to tourist spots as they will have their own car. I know there are heaps of places on the web but it's hard to work out where they are. I haven't been to many places in Italy and thought maybe someone felt passionate about some place or accomm they would like to share. Pienza is mentioned. Thanks for reading this,cheers.

In Toscana I would thing of Chiusi, Mentepulciano, Pienza, Montichiello, Pescille near SAn Gimignano, Monteriggioni.
In Veneto... Asolo, Montagnana, Soave ...
<<<<<<<<<<<<judt explore the places here on VT guides...
Ciao
Francesco

thank you very much for your reply - I will look these places up and explore Daena

As it looks like you've spent most of your time in the north, why not try the south? The Amalfi Coast is beautiful and there's wonderful small towns and islands that are very easy to get to by boat or bus. Sorrento makes a great base - very safe and lots of transport options. Pompeii is also only about 40 minutes away by train. You could try one of the smaller towns too, if you have a car.

I do know that, unless you have nerves of steel, that the Amalfi Coast is considered difficult to drive but with so many other transport options available, you could just park the car at your apartment and take public means during your visit.

If I were in your place, I would have opted for some South-West location.

Have you ever been in Umbria? Gubbio, Assisi?

One place definitely sticks out to me, and I've booked with this company before too with positive results, so I feel it's a good recommendation: http://www.italiancollection.com/en/Le-macchie.html This is a really, really lovely villa with a few separate self-catering apartments and I spent a very relaxing week there last year. And as we speak my friend is off getting married there and truly enjoying herself! But if your friends are looking for something a bit different, I do advise they shop around on that site a bit since it's one of the nicer ones out there in my opinion, with good service.