Readers Respond: Top Places to Go in Italy

Responses: 9

Read what others recommend below. Share Your Favorite

best for summer

i am an american who has lived in milan for the past 8 months with my italian boyfriend. when its summer the most beautiful place is Positano on the Amalfi coast. But for a beach trip thats out of the ordinary travel destinations, go to Milano di Maritima south of Ravenna on the coast. The town is beautiful and so lively with people. A real upscale beach town and you will get the full experience. I think Milan is underrated as a city to visit and if you visit, go to www.labellacitta.com for insiders tips .

—elenamilano

Sardinia

My favorite place in Italy is the Island of Sardinia. Francesco Cetti, a monk from the 18th century, once said "In Italy you won’t find what you find in Sardinia and in Sardinia you won’t find what you find in Italy". And that's so very true...

—Guest Paolo

So many choices...but Sicily is great.

I love Rome and would go there if I could only go to one place. But Sicily has lots to offer, the most beautiful being Taomina. From here you can see Mount Etna on a clear day, and travel down the coast to Catania to see a more workaday city built largely from the dark gray lava stones from volcanic eruptions. The contrast between the beautiful sea and cliffs of Taormina with its low key resort atmosphere with the drama of Catania with its history of volcanic eruptions and dark stone architecture makes for a special Italian experience. We also enjoyed Cefalu, Palermo, Trapani and Agrimento. Sicilia has great food, lots of blue water, fishing villages and mountain towns, and some of the best Greek temples anywhere. We've gone back several times and would always go back if we had the chance.

—GGHusak

Villa Trasimeno in the town of Passignan

Villa Trasimeno is situated on the North East side of beautiful Lake Trasimeno, in the town of Passignano sul Trasimeno. Being in Umbria it makes a perfect place to set up home base and is within a short drive of many of Italy's best areas. We had day trips to Rome , Florence, Tuscany and several other towns and still made it back in time for a great dinner prepared at the villa. The owners are top notch chefs, guides and hosts and made are stay very memorable. Also Perugia, San Gimignano and a few winery's are a must.If you are going for the first time or want a great itinerary send me a email. Joelogan@connectusainc.com

—Guest joelogan@connectusainc.com

Bologna:, A great base for exploration

Bologna is a marvelous place in and of itself - full of historical sites and the life of a university city. All without the crowds and hustle typical of the major tourist cities. My wife and I spent 3 weeks there living in an apartment while attending a session at an Italian language school. In the third week we would go to the railroad station around 9:00 each morning (Bologna is a major hub for the Italian rail system) and look at the board to find a town within easy striking distance to which there was a departure within the next half hour. In this way we got to Ferrara, Parma, Padova and Ravenna. We were able to spend the whole day in each town and take the last train back to Bologna in the evening. On our final day we went to Firenze on the Eurostar. It was a great (and inexpensive) way to get a real feel for life in those Italian cities while seeing the treasures of the country.

—drbobi

Favorite Places in Bella Italia

My two favorite places in Italia are 1) Fattoria Tregole in Tuscano near the mid-evil hamlet of Castellina, and 2) Bologna... anywhere in Bologna. Love that city, could live there in a New York minute. Grazie e ciao ciao

—ValorieE

How to Choose?

I love exploring the remote mountainous interior of Basilicata. There are some nice castles there, and the tiny Byzantine church in Stilo is so, so old. I also love Italy's extreme north, particularly Trentino-Alto Adige. There are villages high in the Dolomites where Ladin (a language descended from Latin) is still spoken. My favorite big city is Rome - its history continues to fascinate me, and it's close to Ostia Antica and other interesting, yet often-ignored sites. There are some great places to eat in the Colli Albani! My favorite not-in-guidebooks places are Gaeta, in southern Lazio, a jewel of a beach town that is ignored because it lacks a train station, Sermoneta (it's in guidebooks but seems to only attract field trip groups) and Avio castle, high above the valley of the Adige River in the Dolomites.

—Guest Nancy

Bella Pienza!

We have been to many regions of Italy, all with their own beauty and attractions. But for those who think only happy thoughts when the think of Tuscany I would have to say that Pienza is the most delightful place we have visited. A microcosm of other hill towns it is easily traversed and has a wealth of interesting and historic things to see not the least of which is the Picolomini Palace and Duomo, 15th century residence of Pope Pius II. Accomodations are varied from the Relais Hotel to any number of agriturismos just outside of town. It is also a wonderful base for touring the entire Tuscan region, close to such places as Siena, Florence, Montepulciano, Cortona, etc. Pienza sits high up with breathtaking views from its walls of the Val d'Orcia. An absolutely do not miss in this area is the Abbey of Sant' Antimo, just south of another lovely hill town, Montalcino. If Tuscany is your destination, you need to take a look at this beautiful area.

—Pensionato33

A few of my Favorites

Big city - Rome, I've been to Rome many times but never run out of interesting places to see. Exploring different neighborhoods is fun, too. Smaller cities - Lucca, a walled city in Tuscany that's not built on a hill, and Perugia, the capital of Umbria with a lively medieval center and Etruscan sites.Italian Riviera - Portovenere, less crowded than nearby Cinque Terre, it has a castle and an old town. Region - the Island of Sardinia is a unique vacation experience. The coast is beautiful but if you go inland, it's like taking a step back in time, a place where you can still experience past traditions as well as visit prehistoric sites, small villages, and places of natural beauty.

—bakerjian