Second Times a Charm: What to see on your second trip to Italy.
So you’re going back to Italy.
You’ve already visited Rome, Florence, and Venice, or what I like to call the Holy Trinity of Italian first-timer destinations. And, of course, you’ve fallen in love with Italy and her unique Dolce Vita. So where do you go on your next visit? What could possibly compete with what you’ve already seen?
One of the unique challenges in Italian trip planning is that there is simply too much too see! From the villas of Lake Como to the trulli of Puglia the traveler faces a tyranny of choice. Based on our extensive experience Travelista Italia has a few key pieces of advice that will help you.
Look beyond the cities.
Italy’s countryside is breathtaking! The bucolic beauty of the rolling hills of central Italy or the verdant vine-filled cliffs of the south or the crystal clear blue water coasts of Sicily are the stuff of holiday fantasy.
If you are looking for that picture postcard “Dolce Vita” immersion, try a Tuscany-Umbria double whammy.
There are few places in this world that are as beautiful as Tuscany and even fewer that combine that beauty with unforgettable culinary and artistic experiences.
There are 3 parts of Tuscany to consider: Northern, Southern, and Coastal. For purposes of considering options for your second trip, keep to Northern and/or Southern Tuscany.
Northern Tuscany is full of rolling vineyards framed by hilly forests. The famous region of Chianti is in the North, so is Florence. If you are looking to be awed by the beauty of Tuscany and want to be a stones throw from a major metropolitan hub, choose northern Tuscany.
Southern Tuscany is the “post card” Tuscany - endless rolling hills of grass, wheat, and vineyards with winding cypress tree lined roads that end in small farm houses and villas that peep through the morning fog that blankets the valleys between the hills. It’s where the best wine in Italy, Brunello di Montalcino is produced. And it is where many of the tiny and utterly stunning hill towns that so characterize Tuscany are located.
Umbria is Italy’s Green Heart. This landlocked region (the only one in Italy) has been described as “Tuscany before the tourists arrived”. Like it’s more famous cousin, Umbria is also filled with verdant hills, olive groves, and the every present vineyards. Interspersed among this natural beauty are numerous hill towns with a serene charm unlike any other place on earth. I like to divide Umbria into two parts: East and West (of lake Trasimeno).
The West, which looks a lot like Tuscany is on the the right road between Rome and Florence and probably easier to reach. In fact, the main town in the West, Orvieto, is reachable as a day trip from Rome! In addition to Orvieto, this side of Umbria features the atmospheric and otherworldly Civits di Bagnoregio. Like something from Lord of the Rings, this crumbling town is perched on a small solitary plateau surrounded by sheer cliffs, only reachable by a single bridge from the valley below.
East Umbria is charactized by a low rise mountain range to the next to a broad, flat valley. Along the spine of this hilly range to the East are a series of stunning hill towns. The most beautiful of these are Assisi, Spello, and Spoleto. From the high vantage point of these towns is a breathtaking of the Valley below. This area is also steeped in medieval Catholic history, as this is the area St. Francis of Assisi began turned his back on the world's riches and changed Christendom with his message of Love.
In either Tuscany or Umbria, Travelista Italia recommends staying in an Agriturismo which is a B&B incorporated into a working farm or vineyard. The warm treatment from the family and the delicious home-cooked meals is an experience that shouldn't be missed. In addition, many of these villas and farm houses are hundreds of years old and surrounded by stunning vineyards, olive orchards, and wheat fields! Once you experience an Agriturismo, it's hard to go back to staying in a hotel.
Another point to remember is that the best way to visit Tuscany or Umbria is by rental car. Just enjoying the views while driving from town to town is an experience not to be missed. And if course, the public transportation between towns is not ideal.
