Hello
No doubt this has been asked before...
We'll be in Italy from July 16-30. We fly out of Turino. The question we pose is where to start??? Options are Bari, Naples, Rome or Milan. We would like to avoid spending too much time around big cities and would prefer quieter, quaint places. What suggestions do you have?
Many thanks
tonyfats
1
papinafree
Hello!! Please let me suggest Cisternino. It is one of the most amazing destinations in Italy, and you will be immersed in the daily life of a typical Mediterrenean town.
The beautiful emerald beaches are only 15 minutes away, and the country side with its olive and grape fields abound, the scenery is truly majestic with the pictureseque trulli popping all over the country side.
Visits to nearby towns like Ceglie (15 Kms), Martina Franca (9 Kms), Ostuni (12 Kms) and Locorotondo (6 Kms).
The marvelous Baroque center of Lecce is a little over an hour away, the center of Southern Italy, Bari, is about an hour drive from here, and in 45 minutes you can roam through the fabulous fish market of Taranto on the Ionic Sea.
If you're interested in having a beautiful time in Italy to enjoy the slow pace, great food, amazing wine, and colorful and lively towns with people who will make you feel at home, come and visit us!
We would love to have you as our guests, we have two beautiful and charming properties for rent, and we would go out of our way to make your stay as enjoyable and memorable as possible, in the “real” Italian tradition of hospitality.
Sincerely
Ciao
angelitamati@hotmail.com
2
eddieboston
Honestly, if you want to avoid big cities, then Rome, Naples, and Milan are not good places to go. However, they may serve as good "base-camps" for exploring surrounding areas. Within an hour or two of Rome are some nice places:
- Sienna - Like a mini-Florence (last time I was there, the Duomo was under restoration, so you might want to check ahead).
- Pisa - There is more to see than just the leaning tower, although that is pretty impressive itself.
- Perugia - A pretty college town. Good for a day or two.
- Closer in, there are Tarquinia, Ostia Antica, Viterbo.
You can use Naples as a base to explore the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, and of course Pompeii. If you don't like big cities, you will have some trouble appreciating Naples, as it is noisy and crowded and dirty. Personally, I love it, but it's not for everyone.
I don't know much about the area around Milan.
3
makkia
If the options are that ones i would land in Naples to go directly to Costiera Amalfitana that is wonderful (Atrani, Amalfi, Ravello -get inside the Villa Cimbrone for a spectacular view - Positano, Sorrento, Capri). From there I Would stop in Rome and then Florence as a base to visit Tuscany, in particular I would go to Siena and surroundings (Pienza, Montepulciano, Val d'Orcia) I love that area with the tipical hills. If you have time left you can stop to Venice or go directly to Torino
Pro tip
Lonely Planet
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