Perhaps nobody else is jumping in here because there's not enough information. How much time do you have to devote to a seaside visit? At what point in your trip would it make more sense for you to take the "side trip." Without knowing more about the kind of seaside experience you're seeking, why wouldn't you just plan to spend time on the Lido while you're in Venice?
Posts: 295 | Location: Connecticut, USA | Registered: 02 March 2003
Personally I look for relaxation, fine views, good seafood and ideally some good walking when on the coast.
It's important to know how long you have, as if you're stealing a day or two to make it happen, then I'd support the idea of the Lido when in Venice. It fits your existing plans, making logistics much better.
If however you've got 4-7 extra days to play with, then Cinque Terre or Amalfi Coast make decent tack-ons to your holiday. Both offer genuine relaxation & charm, but just aren't feasible for a stolen day or two in a tight schedule. The coast around Rimini is Italian family beach holiday territory & in reasonable range of Venice. Not what I'm looking for in the coast, but it might appeal?
Plenty of other great (and not so great) coastal areas, but these are the most logical options for your existing plans
regards
Ian
Drink coffee, do stupid things faster
Posts: 306 | Location: UK | Registered: 20 September 2008
Based on your other locations I would go to the southern coast of tuscany the Maremma. That is if I had enough time, How long are you going for?
CT is way north of Florence and you are already going quite a few places. Are you doing an open Jaw flight? In rome out venice(or visa versa)? Are you starting in Venice or Rome? If driving from rome into tuscany you will pass near to the Maremma on the way. RR
If you want to go off the beaten tourist path, and discover a fabulous place on the coast where the natives go on vacation, you might want to check out Lignano Sabbiadoro (this last word means "Sand of Gold - golden sand." It lies north of Venice, and it a very popular place to vacation because it is located on a peninsula - coast lines on both sides! Here is a link for googlemaps. If you do a generic search for Lignano, you will get a ton of sites in your results, many with pictures.
If you had more time, the other coastal area I would say is not to be missed would be the Ligurian coast - better known as the Italian Riviera. Here you find the Cinque Terre, but traveling north of the Cinque Terre, you find Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure, Portofino, and Genova - all so close to one another! There is a boat service in the region batello service in Rapallo (a batello is a boat) that travels up and down the coast for about 10 euros per person. You can hop on and off and visit Portofino by boat, which is the most exciting way to arrive. From Venice, you literally head west across Italy until you reach the other coast. You can make it across in half a day, but it is not a quick jaunt.
Rapallo is a wonderful place to stay. It still has the feel of a traditional, small Italian city. There is a wonderful promenade along the shoreline, a pedestrian zone full of shops, and interesting local items unique to the area. There is a really neat cable car that will take you to the top of the mountain where you can see all the way to Portofino! This whole area also is known for bobbin lace made by the fishermans' wives, and the lace museum is in town. The best focaccia in Italy is from this area too (like we automatically think of San Francisco for sourdough bread). From here you can access all the areas I mentioned above easily. It costs less to stay in Rapallo than the surrounding areas, and there is one small and charming hotel at the end of the seaside promenade that sits right in front of a medieval castle set in the water. The hotel even has its own small private beach. The hotel is called Hotel Italia e Lido Hotel Italia e Lido.
Have a wonderful time in Italy - I am sure that any coastal area you find will be equally stunning and satisying!
Welcome to Slow Travel Daniela. Your post has provided some wonderful advice and I agree with you regarding Rapallo, Santa Margherita Lugure and Portofino. This is an area we just discovered on our trip to Italy last May. We have always been huge fans of the Amalfi Coast, but fell in love with the above towns and area and plan to return soon.
Also, thank you for the Lignano Sabbiadoro information. A place I'm going to research further for a future trip. I agree with you and Ian that the above mentioned location would be perfect for Willa, although it does deserve more time than a day or two is possible.
Sharon J
Posts: 1141 | Location: Houston, TX USA | Registered: 01 November 2003
I am really thrilled to have found this site - I have never been a fan of rushing through places on a vacation and always advise friends visiting Italy to stay in one place a little longer and really get to know the area.
Where in Liguria did you visit? My grandfather and his family have had an established presence in Genova since the mid-1700's, and I spent my entire younger life growing up bi-lingual, traveling back and forth between the States, the Italian Riviera (spent a lot of time in Portofino) and the Italian Dolomites, in a town called San Martino di Castrozza where we have had a vacation home for over 50 years (my mother was born in Merano, in the alps of the Alto Adige) along the Brenner Pass. I also went to boarding school for a year during high school in Padova. I am very happy to be able to offer help and advice whenever possible for these areas.
There are a couple of other areas along the Ligurian coast worth seeing too if that is where you decide to visit: There is a very small coastal town just under Rapallo called Zoagli. There you can go visit the last family of weavers, the Gaggioli family at Tessitura Gaggioli where they still are producing the famous Genoese damasks and flat velvets developed in the 1500's for European Aristocracy and the Papacy. They still design and weave these fabrics by hand on looms from the 16th century. It is an amazing thing to watch.
Willa, I forgot to mention in my first post that besides Lignano, there is a different "Lido" near Venice you could visit. Most people advising the Lido in the posts above are talking about the "Lido di Venezia," the long skinny island across from Venice, but if you travel along the coast south of Venice, you will reach a different "Lido" where you could experience a TRUE Italian beach vacation away from the hustle and bustle of Venetian tourists. There you will find Lido di Spina (my family has had a beach place there for over 45 years, so if you want more info for that area, please just ask), Lido degli Estensi, Lido delle Nazioni, Porto Garibaldi, and a few other coastal beach towns. The area is near Ravenna and a major autostrada can get you there in less than an hour from Venice. Here you will find the traditional 4 passenger beach bikes with the canopy over the top (they look like a manually pedaled golf cart), traditional Bagni (access to Italian beaches are through well-defined beach clubs called Bagni - plural for 1 bagno) and wonderful caffes, seafood restaurants and all the amenities of a typical beach resort. Here is a googlemap of the area: map of Lido di Spina and surrounding beaches.
The last place I might suggest would be Chioggia, which lies south of the Lido of Venice. It is a little closer to you and offers yet again a totally different travel experience.
If you decide that you really want to visit the Ligurian coast, you could start in Rome, then visit Siena and Florence in that order, continue up the coast to Liguria (you really need about 3 days there), and then go East to Venice. It really depends how many extra days you have to play along the coast. You can do Rapallo in a day. If you play with the batello service, you can spend one day traveling up and down the coast and enjoying the shoreline view from the water, and one day exploring little villages like Zoagli and Portofino. If you decide to do Genova, the interesting things to see there are the house of Christopher Columbus, the Portal Arch into the city that deterred Red Beard from storming the city, the Acquarium (considered one of the best in Europe), and several different castles and museums.
I hope my post isn't too long and that I have offered a few more suggestions that might be interesting to you, Willa.
I'll have to agree with Robert about the Maremma area: not only is it a short drive from Rome along the Via Aurelia but boasts an incredible history which includes Caravaggio, Spanish ships and castles, excellent wines,the kinky Tarot gardens and some delightful islands Giglio and Giannutri.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: TourMama,
Like everyone was mentioning not knowing your itinerary and how much time you wanted to spend on the coast, this will just be some info based on the areas you mentioned.
If you are planning on a coastal trip from Rome if you have a couple days I would prefer to go south. Here are 2 ideas to consider.
First would be to make a home base in Sorrento. Sorrento is easy to get to by taking the rail from Rome to Naples, then hop on the Circumvesuviana rail link to Sorrento. Sorrento is a lively beach destination filled with great restaraunts, shopping and the best location for daytrips to Amalfi. The only problem with this destination is there are so many attractions to experience just a day or 2 are not enough. You don't want to miss Pompeii which is world renown for some of the most well preserved historic artifacts, excellent ruins, and actually has some great views of Mount Vesuvius and Bay of Naples.
If you want to see more ruins then take a day to visit Paestum which is much less crowded and has some amazing Grecian temples that are a must see.
Then take the ferry from Salerno back to Sorrento with a stop in the hillside village of Positano. If you walk up the tiny roads towards the top of the village you will see one of the best views along the coast of central italy!
Another day visiting the island of Capri is good for 1/2 day unless you want to hike around their beautiful Natural Reserve. Before you enter the reserve there is a great little cafe's with good views and good food. Also while in Capri even though its quite touristy it is a very memorable experience to take a boat to the Blue Lagoon where you enter into the small hole of a coastal cave and see some of the most beautiful water around.
My second suggestion would to visit the island of Ischia just a short distance from Naples. Ischia is starting to become more popular every year and now is the time to visit before it becomes over crowded. Ischia is the largest island in the Bay of Naples and is filled with some interesting museums and churches. Ischia's coastline surrounded by the walls of an ancient fortress.
Now if you want to see the coast in Northern Italy, I would suggest Cinque Terre like the other posters mentioned. Its fun to see the differences between each village from Montorosso, to Vernazza, to Manarola and Riomaggiore. The fifth village Corniglia is a hike in only destination. If you are a seafood lover make sure you stop in Vernazza and try the swordfish at Gionni's. It has to be the best seafood dish I have tasted!
From Venice, I do suggest to take the Vapporetto to some of the other Venetian Islands, and one of my favorites are Burano. But, if you want to do something unique I would visit some of the archeological sites at Aquileia. Its the perfect daytrip from Venice. The tiled mosaic's are equal to some of the sites in Sicily. Make sure you visit the basilica that has mosaics from the 4th century is perfect condition. In fact Aquileia has recently discovered what they think could have been the lost city of Atlantis just off the coast.
Geographically CT and Amalfi are a little far for a quick trip, it wasn't specified but I am assuming that means 2-3 days including days to get there. I would not consider CT or Amalfi unless I had 3 full days there plus the 2 transport days.
If the trip is starting out in Rome, going through Sienna and then heading into Florence, the drive time to get from Florence to Rapallo by car is just a little over 2 hours: googlemaps driving directions from Florence to Rapallo. Feasibly, you could leave Florence early in the morning, and see some of the Cinque Terre on the way up to Rapallo, and still have the entire afternoon to start exploring after checking in. I would say you probably would want 3 full days to really have fun in the area, plus one full day of travel - 1/2 a day from Florence to Rapallo, and 1/2 day from Rapallo to Venice.
I think the Amalfi Coast is much less feasible since you are headed in the opposite direction of the other destinations...
Exactly.As I usually say why drive right past one nice area (Maremma) and go out of the way several hours each way (Florence to CT) burning a good part of two days. RR
I typically would agree. Just trying to give some options to experience the "flavor" of a completely different region if that might be something interesting to Willa and her family. You know how in Italy, you travel 2-3 hours, and suddenly it is like being in a totally different country. That is why I mentioned it as an option. Also proximity of a major airport in Genova if they decided to add it to the end of their trip. Maremma is stunning, and obviously closer...
BTW...didn't mention in my last post..I checked out your blog and reports link - LOVED all of it - you have a great travel background! (would love to pick your brain on Peru for a trip I am planning).
BTW...didn't mention in my last post..I checked out your blog and reports link - LOVED all of it - you have a great travel background! (would love to pick your brain on Peru for a trip I am planning).
Cheers! -Daniela
Daniela, Post in the Rest of the World forum about Peru and I'll respond.
I kind of get what you are saying about a different area but as someone else alluded to many areas are so divergent that they contain multiple possibilities.Tuscany with the wild Maremma and big cities and everything in between certainly qualifies!
I also looked at your company and we have enjoyed the Dolomites very much. I have done the AV1 trek through the Dolomites and look forward to the AV2 another trip, next trip is the Haute route finishing in Zermatt, with a few days in Venice. RR
http://www.welcometuscany.it/t...rsilia/viareggio.htm I visited Viareggio 30 years ago. Just a day trip, staying in Lucca. One of the most fun days of travelling I remember. The absolute majority were Italian tourists. And they were really enjoying their holiday at the sea.
BTW...didn't mention in my last post..I checked out your blog and reports link - LOVED all of it - you have a great travel background! (would love to pick your brain on Peru for a trip I am planning).
Cheers! -Daniela
I also looked at your company and we have enjoyed the Dolomites very much. I have done the AV1 trek through the Dolomites and look forward to the AV2 another trip, next trip is the Haute route finishing in Zermatt, with a few days in Venice. RR
Robert,
That is so great that you got to go through the Dolomites. They are one of Italy's best kept secrets! They are only about 68 miles from Venice too. Last year they were recognized by UNESCO and added to the World Heritage list, and the whole region just went nuts celebrating for several months!
So cool that you did AV1! When you get to AV2, you will be getting so close to where I am - I believe you do Passo Cereda and hit the Rifugio Pedrotti, which I get to by going up to the peak of the Rosetta, heading across the Altopiano and heading southeast to where you touch the Pale. I love it when our guests head out into the magnificent nature of the area.
Where are you picking up the Haute route? Zermatt is beautiful. There is a great mountain bike trek that goes from my neck of the woods all the way up to that area. (not enough in shape right now to attempt that!).
Let me know when you will be over! I would be happy to show you around!
We are skipping the first few days from Chamonix partially as we have already done them as part of the tour of Mt Blanc. We will take the train from Geneva to Le chable and do 10 days from there to Zermatt, overnight then train to Venice.
My wife and I loved Sperlonga, and Gaeta. It could be slow during the off season, but we found it to be excellent! We stayed at the Grotto de Tibererio hotel, and it had wonderful verandas which overlooked the ocean! Very relaxing trip!
Anyways, based on scant info, Robert Nailed it for me.
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Rainey: Based on your other locations I would go to the southern coast of tuscany the Maremma. That is if I had enough time, How long are you going for? RR
You could drive from Florence out to the coast [i.e. direction Pisa] then return down the coast all the way to Rome. OR stop near Monte Argentario/ Porto Ercole /Cap Albia area...and from there head inland to Orvieto.
This would allow you to include a stop at the still-not-yet-quite-awake Pitigliano. From Ovieto, you an easy 100kms from Rome
