2 to 3 weeks in Italy October 2020

[Teresi]

This is my first ever trip to Italy and planning this trip is very overwhelming. Solo traveler. I know I want to visit Rome and Florence but my main concentration is the Tuscany region. How many days should I plan on for Rome? Should I use Florence as a base area and do day trips from there? I want to see the true Italy and smaller towns like Siena and San Gimignano and some of the coastal towns too.

Any recommendations on how many days to spend in these areas and what towns need the most time to really enjoy them. I prefer to stay in the center of towns so most things will be walkable.

What other towns should I consider? Keep in mind, I want to see Italy not tourist traps. I have no interest in Venice.

Thank you in advance for time.

[DonnaDenise]

Buongiorno,

My initial trip to Italy was a solo traveler (albeit a few years ago ) and I found the country to be warm, welcoming and lots of fun! ... so much so, that I am still here.

If you are here for a few weeks, I would dedicate a week of that to Rome. It's true you can do the main sights in a couple of days, a bit of a whirlwind tour if you like, but if you were to find a place to stay in a residential area - then with a full week at your disposition you can almost feel like you are entering into the local lifestyle. I have seen activities where you can eat with the locals. I often find myself making friends easily but if you would rather, there are several websites that could connect you. Do a search for dinner with locals, several appear. I also suggest you look into getting a guide for one or two days - it is a fascinating way to find out more about the city taking it on a one to one basis. I have used this person several times for myself and family with rave reviews:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-te...rari-0450b749/

I also suggest that you flip flop your destination and do Florence / Tuscany first and then Rome. Rome can be overwhelming, but if you ease into it can be spectacular! Even if you are not into museums, I would stay a few days in Florence - there is a lot more than museums in this amazing city (If would like for a guide here to - Evgenia WhatsApp +39 366 507 9342)

Then I would move out to the countryside - if you are looking for an area that is beautiful but not normally on the foreign tourist map, check out Arezzo.

You might want to read this article I wrote about tours:
https://www.bikeinflorence.com/solo-...e-and-tuscany/

Buon Viaggio,

Donna Denise

[Teresi]

Donna,

Thank you so much for the information. Its funny you say that you are still there after your visit. My son's are telling me to remember to come! Just curious, Are you from the US?
Flipping my travel is a good recommendation, I want to see more of the true Italy than the tourist areas. Dont get me wrong, I do want to see the large cities and all they have to offer as well.
If I base my stay in Florence will it be easy to do day trips to to some of the outer areas like Pisa and such?
As for Siena and San Gimignano, would I need to stay over a night or 2 or are these able to be done as day trips?

In Rome I was looking to stay within walking of most everything. I have been given a recommendations for eating places;Hostaria Trilussa, Bar Peru Via Ronserrato, Vino E Olio via Dei Banchi Vecchi, do you know of these places?
The seaside towns that were recommended are Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi, your thoughts on these towns.

I understand the train is the best way to move between towns. Yes?

I will check out the website links that you posted and Thank you again for your advise.

[DonnaDenise]

Donna,

Thank you so much for the information. Its funny you say that you are still there after your visit. My son's are telling me to remember to come! Just curious, Are you from the US?

Yes - born in south Jersey and then finished my high school and college in Miami...it is now almost 30 years that I have been living in Tuscany.

Flipping my travel is a good recommendation, I want to see more of the true Italy than the tourist areas. Dont get me wrong, I do want to see the large cities and all they have to offer as well.
If I base my stay in Florence will it be easy to do day trips to to some of the outer areas like Pisa and such?

Exactly - you could do Arezzo, Lucca, Prato, and Empoli.

As for Siena and San Gimignano, would I need to stay over a night or 2 or are these able to be done as day trips?
Either way - both would be great places to do an overnight and get a good feel for the city - both come alive in a different way once most tourists have gone "home" at night.

In Rome I was looking to stay within walking of most everything. I have been given a recommendations for eating places;Hostaria Trilussa, Bar Peru Via Ronserrato, Vino E Olio via Dei Banchi Vecchi, do you know of these places?
The seaside towns that were recommended are Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi, your thoughts on these towns.

I've been to Rome several times, but I am not really in a position to offer lots of help for touring the city. I can offer that Rome is much larger than any city in Tuscany and that walking everywhere is not one of your best options, some places will be much easier to get to with the help of the metro.

I understand the train is the best way to move between towns. Yes? Buses are also a good alternative for some places - like Siena and San Gimignano (which doesn't have a train station)

I will check out the website links that you posted and Thank you again for your advise.

I answered your questins in the quote above,

[Lourdes]

Teresi - my mom also told me to come back home after I studied abroad in Italy (I'm originally from California) and I didn't listen If the heart captures you (and an Italian), then sometimes it's important to remember that living happy is also important. I go home to visit at least once a year and lots of friends have a good excuse to come visit .

I would say to base yourself in Siena or Florence and use trains and buses to move around. I would say a minimum of 3 days in Rome, then another 3-4 days to dedicate completely to Florence.... and then I'd suggest heading to Siena or to Arezzo or to Lucca for the rest of your stay. I think these two will give you an occasion to really feel like you're immersed in the Italian routine and way of life. Florence is wonderful (I live and love it here) but the center is a bit crowded, even in October... there are lots of students too, so your experience will be different than if you were to stay in a "smaller" town. Even with lots of visitors, Siena for example retains its local feeling, particularly in the evenings.

If you arrive and depart from Rome, you could do 2-3 days there first, and then plan for the last 2 days there. It makes it easier for you to enjoy Italy as soon as you arrive and its iconic features - the Vatican, the piazzas and "la dolce vita". It gives you a chance to relax before moving on, and to be there closer to the airport when you need to head back home. Then Florence and then Tuscany, where you get to relax for the majority of your time. If you have any more questions, let us know! Enjoy planning your vacation!

[alluring]

Having Florence as the Base area is fine, you can also opt for bologna as your base, as it is less touristy, relatively quieter and well connected with all the major places of Tuscany by train and very close to Florence.

As far as choice of places is concerned, it all depends upon your personal preference. If you are interested in history and art then Florence is the place for you. San Gimignano still gives the feel and flavor of a medieval town, so exploring the place is a delight for history lovers.

But if you are in for enjoying some scenic beauty then I would suggest that you should hire a car and head towards Chianti Valley and its famed wineries.