Best Location for Base?

[jstephens24]

Hi,
Our party of 4 adults will be visiting Italy in September/October 2025 for 3 to 4 weeks. We are staying in the Lake Region, Tuscany and Somewhere south of Pompeii in that order.

We will have a vehicle but would like to stay in villages or within walking distance of restaurants, bars and shopping. We like activity but not touristy areas. We will be renting a villa or apartment at each location. We are wine drinkers and enjoy a great meal (one of our party is a chef). Would like to visit wineries, do some hiking, take a cooking class etc.

Any advice on the best towns to look for a rental would be appreciated. I have done a lot of research and am thoroughly confused. Thanks in advance for any help!

Jennie

 

[Pauline]

In Tuscany you might look at the area south of Siena. Touristed but not as much as the Chianti area between Siena and Florence. Towns such as Montepulciano, Pienza or Montalcino are close to wineries. I’ve stayed at Sant’Antonio Country Resort, apartments in historic buildings on a beautiful estate near Montepulciano. This is a fabulous area.

Sant'Antonio | Country resort, agriturismo e appartamenti a Montepulciano

Per la tua vacanza a Montepulciano vieni a Sant'Antonio! Scegli tra i nostri appartamenti al country resort o in pieno centro storico, per una vacanza nel cuore Toscana, tra la Val d'Orcia e la Val di Chiana.

www.santantonio.it

Have a look in our Italy Vacation Rental Reviews forum where members have posted reviews.

South of Pompeii puts you in Sorrento, the Sorrento Peninsula or the Amalfi Coast. The towns closer to Pompeii are not the best IMO. The Sorrento Peninsula is the less touristed area. The agency Summer in Italy has rentals in this area and all over Italy. They have good travel information on their site too.

Vacation rental in Italy - Villas and Apartments Amalfi Positano Sorrento Tuscany

Rent your vacation villa or apartment in Italy. Villas, apartments and vacation houses in Amalfi, Positano, Capri, Sorrento, Cilento, Tuscany, Umbria, Rome, Venice, Lake Como. Descriptions, pictures and rates of Italian holiday homes.

www.summerinitaly.com

Are you looking at Lake Como in the lakes region? Use our search in the Italy Trip Reports forum and you might find some good suggestions.

It can get overwhelming planning a trip like this but eventually it all starts to make sense. Have you been to Italy before?

 

[jstephens24]

In Tuscany you might look at the area south of Siena. Touristed but not as much as the Chianti area between Siena and Florence. Towns such as Montepulciano, Pienza or Montalcino are close to wineries. I’ve stayed at Sant’Antonio Country Resort, apartments in historic buildings on a beautiful estate near Montepulciano. This is a fabulous area.

Sant'Antonio | Country resort, agriturismo e appartamenti a Montepulciano

Per la tua vacanza a Montepulciano vieni a Sant'Antonio! Scegli tra i nostri appartamenti al country resort o in pieno centro storico, per una vacanza nel cuore Toscana, tra la Val d'Orcia e la Val di Chiana.

www.santantonio.it

Have a look in our Italy Vacation Rental Reviews forum where members have posted reviews.

South of Pompeii puts you in Sorrento, the Sorrento Peninsula or the Amalfi Coast. The towns closer to Pompeii are not the best IMO. The Sorrento Peninsula is the less touristed area. The agency Summer in Italy has rentals in this area and all over Italy. They have good travel information on their site too.

Vacation rental in Italy - Villas and Apartments Amalfi Positano Sorrento Tuscany

Rent your vacation villa or apartment in Italy. Villas, apartments and vacation houses in Amalfi, Positano, Capri, Sorrento, Cilento, Tuscany, Umbria, Rome, Venice, Lake Como. Descriptions, pictures and rates of Italian holiday homes.

www.summerinitaly.com

Are you looking at Lake Como in the lakes region? Use our search in the Italy Trip Reports forum and you might find some good suggestions.

It can get overwhelming planning a trip like this but eventually it all starts to make sense. Have you been to Italy before?

We were in Italy for 3 weeks with our children in 2003. We stayed briefly in Milan before visiting Venice, Florence, Fonterutoli where we based for a week of trips in the region and ending with Rome. It was a great trip but it was built around our children seeing and learning about the country, it's culture and art and history.

 

[Ian Sutton]

Plenty of wine options in Tuscany, so maybe indulge your wine preferences in location choice.
I'm less familiar with the Northern lakes. Certainly off Lake Garda you have Bardolino, not prestigious, but decent. Heading further east gives more interest in Amarone, Valpolicella, Soave and recioto dessert wines in the latter two.
If wanting to focus on wine, then Taurasi jumps out. However if wanting to hit the Amalfi Coast, then I'd suggest looking at Furore and the Marisa Cuomo / Gran Furor winery. Should be great views from up there as well.

 

[ncp]

We just spent a month in Tuscany split between 2 places. Had great luck on vrbo after being steered there by a discussion either here or on facebook. Great variety of kinds of places available with a huge range of prices. Worth a look.

 

[jstephens24]

In Tuscany you might look at the area south of Siena. Touristed but not as much as the Chianti area between Siena and Florence. Towns such as Montepulciano, Pienza or Montalcino are close to wineries. I’ve stayed at Sant’Antonio Country Resort, apartments in historic buildings on a beautiful estate near Montepulciano. This is a fabulous area.

Sant'Antonio | Country resort, agriturismo e appartamenti a Montepulciano

Per la tua vacanza a Montepulciano vieni a Sant'Antonio! Scegli tra i nostri appartamenti al country resort o in pieno centro storico, per una vacanza nel cuore Toscana, tra la Val d'Orcia e la Val di Chiana.

www.santantonio.it

Have a look in our Italy Vacation Rental Reviews forum where members have posted reviews.

South of Pompeii puts you in Sorrento, the Sorrento Peninsula or the Amalfi Coast. The towns closer to Pompeii are not the best IMO. The Sorrento Peninsula is the less touristed area. The agency Summer in Italy has rentals in this area and all over Italy. They have good travel information on their site too.

Vacation rental in Italy - Villas and Apartments Amalfi Positano Sorrento Tuscany

Rent your vacation villa or apartment in Italy. Villas, apartments and vacation houses in Amalfi, Positano, Capri, Sorrento, Cilento, Tuscany, Umbria, Rome, Venice, Lake Como. Descriptions, pictures and rates of Italian holiday homes.

www.summerinitaly.com

Are you looking at Lake Como in the lakes region? Use our search in the Italy Trip Reports forum and you might find some good suggestions.

It can get overwhelming planning a trip like this but eventually it all starts to make sense. Have you been to Italy before?

Thanks Pauline. The forums have been very helpful. I have booked something in Bellagio and Montepulciano and am currently looking for our third location.