Hi,
I've been to Italy four times (visited Lazio, Tuscany, Umbria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, Piemonte and Lombardia). My most recent trip was May of this year (stayed in Rapallo, Torino and Stresa). My interests are food/wine, nature, architecture and historical sites. I prefer walking/hiking and taking in the atmosphere and then sitting down for a meal/gelato/pastry\glass of wine and watch the world go by. I usually prefer staying in small/medium size towns. I also like using a small number of bases with day trip options using public transportation. The shortest time I've stayed in one base was five nights.
I have a bunch of leave left that I have to use this year. I'm thinking of spending four weeks (the month of October) in Italy.
I travel solo. My comfort zone is planning trips 3 - 6 months in advance. I just started my research for this trip a couple days ago so I'm already a bit out of my comfort zone for an October trip. I would add that I had been planning on moving away from public transportation to a car rental for my next couple of Italy trips but my budget is a bit allergic to the present Covid premium prices for car rentals.
A couple days into my research and it seems like Sicily doesn't fit my travel style of a few bases (was hoping for 3 or 4) and taking day trips using public transportation. It looks like I would need to stay in quite a few spots to properly explore the island:
Lipari: 5 nights
Palermo: 5 nights
Trapani: 5 nights
Agrigento: 3 nights
Modica/Ragusa: 3 nights
Siracusa: 6 nights
Taormina: 4 nights
This itinerary doesn't feel very relaxing. Plus I don't relish trying to book seven different places to stay. And the thought of navigating the vagaries of public transport in Sicily doesn't leave me with warm feelings.
My alternative plan would be to hit some old favorites:
Spoleto: 10 nights
Lucca: 6 nights
Rapallo: 15 nights
Even though I was just in Rapallo in May, I loved it! I stayed for 12 nights, did a bunch of hiking - I could have easily stayed longer. I haven't been to Umbria/Tuscany since the late aughts so it's been awhile - but I would very much like to return.
Any thoughts on these two options given my travel style? Are my Sicily concerns legit? Going to Sicily (even with multiples bases) could ultimately be very rewarding. But returning to Umbria/Tuscany/Liguria would also be fantastic.
If I didn't go to Sicily this time, I would probably try to go in the next couple of years and explore with a rental car (after prices have settled back down).
Thanks in advance for any thoughts
I've been to Italy four times (visited Lazio, Tuscany, Umbria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, Piemonte and Lombardia). My most recent trip was May of this year (stayed in Rapallo, Torino and Stresa). My interests are food/wine, nature, architecture and historical sites. I prefer walking/hiking and taking in the atmosphere and then sitting down for a meal/gelato/pastry\glass of wine and watch the world go by. I usually prefer staying in small/medium size towns. I also like using a small number of bases with day trip options using public transportation. The shortest time I've stayed in one base was five nights.
I have a bunch of leave left that I have to use this year. I'm thinking of spending four weeks (the month of October) in Italy.
I travel solo. My comfort zone is planning trips 3 - 6 months in advance. I just started my research for this trip a couple days ago so I'm already a bit out of my comfort zone for an October trip. I would add that I had been planning on moving away from public transportation to a car rental for my next couple of Italy trips but my budget is a bit allergic to the present Covid premium prices for car rentals.
A couple days into my research and it seems like Sicily doesn't fit my travel style of a few bases (was hoping for 3 or 4) and taking day trips using public transportation. It looks like I would need to stay in quite a few spots to properly explore the island:
Lipari: 5 nights
Palermo: 5 nights
Trapani: 5 nights
Agrigento: 3 nights
Modica/Ragusa: 3 nights
Siracusa: 6 nights
Taormina: 4 nights
This itinerary doesn't feel very relaxing. Plus I don't relish trying to book seven different places to stay. And the thought of navigating the vagaries of public transport in Sicily doesn't leave me with warm feelings.
My alternative plan would be to hit some old favorites:
Spoleto: 10 nights
Lucca: 6 nights
Rapallo: 15 nights
Even though I was just in Rapallo in May, I loved it! I stayed for 12 nights, did a bunch of hiking - I could have easily stayed longer. I haven't been to Umbria/Tuscany since the late aughts so it's been awhile - but I would very much like to return.
Any thoughts on these two options given my travel style? Are my Sicily concerns legit? Going to Sicily (even with multiples bases) could ultimately be very rewarding. But returning to Umbria/Tuscany/Liguria would also be fantastic.
If I didn't go to Sicily this time, I would probably try to go in the next couple of years and explore with a rental car (after prices have settled back down).
Thanks in advance for any thoughts
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