Itinerary advice please?

Hello, we're a family of 3, ages 68, 52, and 14! We'll be spending the month of June in Italy. We are "slow" travelers, not liking to rush from one town to another. That is, we'd rather see two towns slowly than race through 8 of them.

First question is small: we have Bernina Express tickets to Tirano, arriving 1 pm, then we're meeting our Italian friend in Torino the next day. I don't hear great things about Tirano OR Milan, but we need to spend a night in one of them, OR in another town along the route from Tirano to Torino. Suggestions?

Then, we'll spend 5 or 6 days in the Torino area with our host, no need for advice there we're in good hands.

After we leave him, however, we'll have ten days to travel from Torino alllll the way down to Nova Siri, in the extreme south. We visited Rome for 5 intense days in February, so we are not interested in going back there. We love biking, and history and nature (nice and specific, huh?!). I think we can't really go wrong but I'm thinking Firenze and Napoli are the two best spots on which to focus? I think we'll take the train from Torino to Florence first, spend a few days, then train to Naples, spend a few more days, then rent the car that we'll have in Nova Siri and drive there. People rave about Matera and we're thinking about simply going there as a day trip from Nova Siri but I'd like to know if folks think we'd be better off cutting Napoli a bit short so we can drive to Matera first and spend a night or two in that area before going to Nova Siri (once we're housesitting, no overnights elsewhere).

Also, after the housesit is done we're thinking about either returning the car to Naples and flying to Santorini (or make way to other Greek island), OR returning the car in Bari (drop-off fee) and spending some time there, then train to Venice then fly out from Venice.

It all sounds wonderful to me, but I've never been to Italy (except Rome) so I'd love to hear what you more experienced folks say. Maybe I'll just flip coins . . .

Oh also we're interested in low-budget bike tours. We can't afford high-end but we would need to rent the bikes and have someone haul our little carry-on rollie-bag suitcases to the evening (basic, not luxury) lodgings. Do any of you know of a good website or company to check out?

Thank you in advance for any ideas.

That is, we'd rather see two towns slowly than race through 8 of them.

Well, by my count you already have 8 or 9 destinations on your list. You will do a lot of travelling during your month.

But first of all, what's wrong with stopping for the night in Tirano?

• images of Tirano

I bet that no one you know has ever stopped there, so that will give you something to talk about. Also, the culture is different from what you will experience in the south, so there is that, too.

Milan warrants at least a couple of days, even if there is nothing specific that you want to see. It's not a place for an overnight stop.

Matera is something special, so either make sure you get there early enough to spend a full day or plan to spend one day and one night to see the light changing on the Sassi (the old complex of cave dwellings).

As for Venice vs. Santorini -- flipping a coin may be your best method as you cannot compare the two.

Thank you! Very helpful emmeff!

I would also spend that first night in Tirano - since you have to do a transport change there anyway, but if you added Milan or elsewhere, that is an additional transport change prior to reaching Turin - and just an avoidable overhead.

Florence is of course outstanding for a few days - but don't expect any solace whatsoever - it is extremely busy.

Naples is a bit trickier - it's a very interesting city for a couple of days, but would you expect to use it as a base for visiting one or more of Ischia, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Sorrento/Capri, or the Amalfi Coast? If none of those appeal (and again they will be busy), then Naples might not be the best option available to you.

And I think Venice above Santorini - and there is a lot else in the region too.

Santorini is a one-trick pony, and that's fine ... we've visited there 2-3 times as a part of cruises, and it's been a pleasant day-trip excursion (but again, incredibly busy - even in April), but I'm not certain it warrants the time and expense of a stand-alone trip there - that includes nothing else in the Aegean.

Tirano is fine to stay in for a night,why not? No point going to Milan with the time you have available.

The rest of your plan looks doable,though I agree it is not particularly slow or leisurely..you are basically covering the entire country.

Florence and Venice are two of the 'Big 3' (along with Rome),Matera is something different (though becoming ever more touristy)and Naples is a very ntresting city and a base for the Almafi Coast and the bay...you are going to be in VERY busy and tourist filled places.

Thank you all very much; this is tremendously helpful. We will spend that first night in Tirano. After hanging out with our Italian host in the Turin area, I think we’ll spend a few days in Florence. No, I don’t see us going to the Amalfi Coast and the bay or Pompei etc. . .. maybe I just want a pizza in Naples (!), get the car there and then find a smaller place to hang out for a few days on the way to Nova Siri.

Santorini is one of those “bucket list” places for me. Kind of silly but I want to gaze upon it with my own eyes, and hike up and down those hills for a few hours. It’s super-helpful to know that it doesn’t merit multiple days. I think I’ll look for a less-traveled island to spend a few days exploring, or . . . Leave Santorini and Greece for another time - maybe an October visit some year - and simply go to Venice, which makes better sense on this particular trip.

I appreciate everyone’s time and help.

Santorini is great indeed ... but much more logical n a longer Aegean / Eastern Med trip (Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos, etc). In fact - why not do a Med cruise? There are worse ways of spending 10-14 days.

Tirano is not a main tourist destination but it's a decently sized town in a marginal, border area, and a transport hub to reach Switzerland and wonderful Alta Valtellina. It would certainly be cheaper and quieter than Milan.

The baroque church deserves a visit. I found its baroque rather overwhelming.

The Bernina train homepage lists some accommodation in Tirano that may come useful. The old town centre on the Adda river can be good for a stroll and to find a restaurant for dinner - try pizzoccheri, sciatt, slinzega, because they are typical of the area and hard to find in the rest of the country.

In any case, I happen to be going to Tirano next Saturday so if you need more info I'll be happy to give it.

After your arrival at 12.49, you will most probably have lunch at Tirano. Then you may walk around this small city and visit the places suggested by Chiara. But what will you do after that?
May be you are interested in the rock carvings of Capo di Ponte (bus to Edolo plus train)?
Or you may skip the visit of Tirano by boarding there the 13.00 train to Colico and go on by Lake Como boat up to Como (ar 18.49).

We'll be spending the month of June in Italy

Literally? From the 1st til the 30th?
If not, what are your exact dates?

Also, what are the exact dates of the house sit?
And your time in Torino?

Are flights out of Venice already booked?
Also, where do you fly into Europe?
You mention the train to Tirano but you don't say from where.

Just trying to get a sense for how many days are already spoken for, when they're spoken for, and what might make the most sense to do with the remainder.

You forgot to ask his shoe size, CFC.

Or you may skip the visit of Tirano by boarding there the 13.00 train to Colico and go on by Lake Como boat up to Como (ar 18.49).

That's an attractive idea!

To me, it just makes sense to ask which days are spoken for, which days aren't and where OP needs or wants to fly out of.

Difficult to give itinerary advice w/o that info.

Yes I agree ... although to be fair to some OPs, they do often limit the information provided in order to try and focus the answer where they want it ... but that can be a futile exercise against the regular inmates indeed.

Well thank you for taking such a specific interest, so here goes:
We will spend the night of June 5 in Tirano, then take the train to Turin on the 6th. Our Italian friend is going to show us around that area from the 6th to the 11th. Our housesit in Nova Siri is from June 22 to July 5.

We will be traveling by train up until we pick up a car for the housesit. I’m finding rental cars horribly expensive, but the housesit is too remote to do without, I’m told.

So our “open” time right now is June 12 - 21, then again from July 6 until about . . . Let’s say July 16. We’re flexible because we’re on a long trip. We’ve been invited to the Netherlands, and I’d like to fly there about July 17 or so. As things stand, I’m thinking we might spend June 12 - 16 in Florence and the remaining 4 days in a smaller place farther south (maybe in Tuscany or Umbria) before heading to Nova Siri. Then July 6 we can pick a town in Basilicata, Puglia, or Campagnia to chill until about the 15th, run into Naples for a pizza and fly from there. We are SERVAS members, so I’ll be guided a bit by which host(s) offer us lodging.

Looking harder at the options, and taking into consideration some of the things that folks have said so far, I have to agree that it makes the most sense to leave Santorini for another year. Rushing off to go stare at it for a day does not fit here very well, even if it’s on my so-called “bucket list.” :) Having more time for Italy makes more sense.

Having the car July 21 (or 20) or 22 to July . . . whenever-we-return-it means we can go to Matera and spend the night either just before the housesit or just after it.

So that’s what I know right now. I’m happy to receive any suggestions you might send.
Thank you!!
P.S. My shoe size is 12.

Thanks for the info.

It sounds like you've got the first part--through the house-sit--pretty well figured out.

What strikes me as a little odd is that you've got about 40 days in Italy and it sounds like you'll spend about 30 of them "chilling." You've got the days after Florence in a "small place," the house-sit itself sounds pretty chill, and then you're going to chill another 11 days or so somewhere else in the south. You'll be chilled to the bone!

At the very least, I would suggest more than a quick "run" into Naples for a pizza. It's a vibrant, interesting city in it's own right, plus all those day-trip options. However, I'd also consider it as an option immediately after Florence, because it will certainly ruin your chill. Or make you feel like you've really earned a good long chill.

The other post-Florence option I'd suggest would be... Rome. I know you've been there, for "5 intense days." Just drop the intensity level. If anything, I find it easier to relax in a big city than on a beach or a small town, because if I do get restless, there's always something to do. Another coffee shop, another gelateria, another wine to sample...

"If I have to see another portly, middle-aged man in a Speedo on this beach, I'm going to pull my eyes out" is unlikely to be followed by, "but hey, at least we're not in Rome!"

And since you were thinking of going all the way to Santorini to see something you really wanted to see, I have to ask: isn't there anything else in all of Italy you really want to see?

Hello everyone,
We’re enjoying Savigliano a LOT. (When I said we had a friend in the Turin area, it turns out he’s in Santorini and he’s taking us around this whole area, including Barolo, Alba, La Morra, and yes Turin. Lovely. And quite honestly while Alba and all the rest is adorable, I really like little Savigliano.)

Tomorrow we’ll leave to spend three nights in Florence and then two nights with a host family in Rignano Sull’Arno. Then we’ll head to Napoli, or we might go to Siena for a couple of nights first.

Thank you for everyone’s suggestions!
Best regards!
Dawn

May be rather Savigliano than Santorini. Anyway, thanks for the feedback and have still a nice holiday.

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