Tuscany and Umbria
For the next part of your vacation, you'll rent a vacation house or agriturismo in Tuscany or Umbria, where you can visit some great Renaissance and Medieval towns, drive through beautiful countryside, and experience Italian life as more than just a tourist in a hotel.By staying in a house for a week, you can usually save some money, shop and eat where the locals do, and spend more time relaxing. I always look for a house with a washing machine, too, so I can pack light and wash my clothes in the middle of the trip. And I enjoy shopping at Italian farmers' markets and specialty food shops so renting a house lets me buy food to eat or cook at home (another way to save some money).
You'll need to arrange your house a few months before you want to go. You can choose a house in a small village, such as Panicale in Umbria (where I spent a very enjoyable two weeks), out in the countryside in an agriturismo, or even in a castle, such as Castello Ripa d'Orcia near Pienza. If there are certain cities you really want to visit, be sure the house is within easy driving distance so you can get there and back in one day.
Italy's train system is inexpensive and pretty efficient. I recommend taking the train from Rome to a city near where you have arranged your house rental. Then pick up your rental car (which you have also pre-arranged) and drive to your house.
Most house rentals run from Saturday afternoon to the following Saturday morning. Since Italian shops are generally closed on Sundays, you will want to do a little shopping when you arrive to stock up for the weekend (you will at least want bottles of water and wine!). See Food Shopping in Italy for shopping tips. Then spend a little time walking nearby.
Tuscany and Umbria are fairly compact, so you will be able to visit a number of places easily. If you want to visit Florence or some of the other larger cities, save yourself some hassle by driving to a nearby train station and taking the train.
Popular Tuscan destinations include Siena, Pisa, San Gimignano, Lucca, the wine towns of Montepulciano and Monalcino, the Chianti wine region, and Cortona (made famous by Under the Tuscan Sun).
In Umbria, you can visit Assisi, Perugia, Orvieto, Spoleto and other medieval hill towns as well as Lake Trasimeno and some Roman ruins.
More on Tuscany and Umbria
Tuscany Distance MapTuscany Pictures
Books About Tuscany
Tuscany Travel Directory
Umbria Map on Europe for Visitors
Umbria Pictures
Umbria Travel Directory
Page 1: The Grandeurs of Rome
Page 3: A romantic stay in Venice
