Agree whole heartedly with the thrust of your post. But, my Umbria itinerary would be different. Not better, just different. We entertained good friends from Canada for 2 days recently. They had been to Ireland and the Netherlands before Italy. In Italy, Venice, Verona, Florence, Arezzo, here, Siena, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Milan, London, home.... not my idea of a holiday.
SPILL! I want to hear your ideal itinerary for Umbria! And I feel a little sorry for your friends. There's a difference between experiencing Italy and doing a whirlwind tour for no purpose other than to say you've been there.
Well...starting from Rome.... Orvieto, Citta della Pieve, Perugia, Assisi, Spello, Foligno, Bevagna, Montefalco, Trevi, Spoleto, Todi and Narni. One would stay in the Sagrantino after Orvieto and Citta della Pieve. Do Perugia one day. Assisi and Spello another, Foligino, Bevagna and Montefalco for a day. Spoleto and Trevi on the last day. On the way back to Rome pay a visit to Todi and Narni.
A traveler could insert one more day - fuck it, why go home ever again - and travel north from Foligno to explore the Val di Cucco where I live, starting at Nocera Umbra, up into the historical center of Gualdo Tadino for a quick look around, then further up the valley as far as Costacciaro. Have lunch at Villa Dama and then on the way back, when you get to Gualdo Tadino, head up the hill and drive the ridge (SS 444) that will take you to Assisi again, through a landscape that will shiver your timbers as you drive past and through Grello, Morano, Pian della Pieve and other villages.
One more day gets you into Norcia and the now wrecked town of Castelluccio - because the high scooped out valley in which that town sits makes the heart thump.
And we're not done with Umbria. On a second trip, well, there is the Lake Trasimeno area, and then up the E45 to Umbertide, Citta di Castello, Montone and other delightful, places. Maybe come back down to Umbertide and drive through the Nicone River valley toward Cortona. Maybe a little bit of Tuscany can't hurt at that point.
We've taken friends on a couple of 1000km great circle Italian road trips over the years - primarily focused on southern Italy - Campania, Basilicata, Puglia, Pescara, Umbria, and Southern Tuscany with Rome on both ends. I love the thought you put into your schema -- we just connected dots between towns, experiences, places to stay and eat that we'd experienced on our own over several years of weekend trips hither, dither, and yon...
We've found T-Mobile works best for us - we had T-Mobile when we lived in Italy and their generic plan gives you free lower rate data and text in most international locations. As Richard mentioned, T-mobile (like AT&T) also offers a higher voice/data/text daily plan on an "as you use it that day" basis - think it is $5/day if I'm remembering correctly. Doesn't require us to change our SIM card -- just have to be careful to not answer your junk calls while you're overseas else you end up with the $5.00 fee for that day.
I'll be interested to see your favorites in Campania and Puglia - for us, Basilicata is the connective tissue between these provinces.
Looking forward to this series -- I know we'll learn some new, fun places and see a different perspective on some places we've visited.
You are a really good writer, Jim. I can always spot 'em. Have you ever thought about starting a Substack? For ease of use, nothing compares to it, and you have such great perspective. And I can't wait to cover Southern Italy! Believe it or not, there are some places in Italy I haven't been to yet, and that just seems criminal to me. Where is my lottery money?
"oh wait, I’m totally saying that." -- I was about to start sputtering that statistics show that ... but you were already there.
The thing that staggered me when I was in the army (stationed in Germany) every EM (Enlisted Man) I knew saved up their 30 days leave then jumped on a military transport (free ride, if a seat is available) back to the states to sit around for a month in what ever shit hole they called home, before coming back to Europe. I went out and saw as much of the continent as I could.
But my way of seeing it was to go to one place and sit there for a week. I went to Copenhagen for a week to see the Little Mermaid statue, and visit Elsinore Castle (from Hamlet.) The Dutch are interesting. A group of "hooligans" once stole the Little Mermaid (Hans Christian Andersen) statue. They returned it a few days later, with a letter of apology. Spent a week in Paris, most of it in the basement of the Louvre where there weren't any tourists, communing with this statue of a gazelle from the Egyptian collection that was rising up in this glorious leap, but had its head turned so that it was looking straight out at you. Was almost a week in London, took a few days side trip to go see the Royal Shakespeare Theater perform "Midsummer Night's Dream" at the theater in Stratford. (I actually managed to get something out of my high school education, it would seem.)
My first major conference presentation was an international one in Dublin. For a two day conference I took a two week vacation. Stayed in a dorm room in old St. Patrick's out in Maynooth, and rode the bus in to the city every day. George III (of the crazy and the American Revolution as well) established the college because he realized the F*cking Irish were going to become priests anyway, but if they became priests in Ireland they were just priests. But if they went to France (the only other option) not only did they come back priests, they were revolutionaries as well. There's an enormous old graveyard out back for all of the young men who froze to death or died of pneumonia in the winters. Two weeks.
So, yeah. I tend to avoid the tourist spots. I go to one place, and stay there until I begin to feel it.
You make me want to see the Little Mermaid statue! I have a dear friend who's in Norway and the Arctic Circle right now. The photos leave my jaw on the floor. Such remarkable beauty! My god, the world is a glorious smorgasbord. Now, all a couple of old curmudgeons like you and me need is the lottery money to see it. I hope you're playing! Or planning a bank heist.
Excellent suggestions!! I need to spend more time in Gubbio, we kind of sped through last year around Christmas time on our way back from somewhere. AT&T now has a $10/day international plan. You sign up before you leave the US. They only charge you on the days that you use the phone so if you manage to stay on wifi for two days and not rely on the data then they don't charge you. They also don't charge you more than 10 days in a billing cycle. After that its free (beyond normal phone charges.) Also, no roaming fees anymore. It's a total life change because you don't have to worry about SIM cards anymore.
Oh, my darling friend, you will love Gubbio! John and I are pretty tough old salts at this point--it actually takes something to impress us--but Gubbio was breathtaking. If you like truffles, by the way, they've got your covered.
REALLY good to know about the no-SIM cars/roaming fees. I might make a note of that in the article.
Hi Stacey - I can put two words together and did a travel blog when we were still doing our semi-retirement thing and helping people plan their travel. I'm happy to share our experiences but I don't have the burn inside required to put in the work. Does that make sense?
In the meantime, I'll look forward to reading the art of someone who does have than passion.
In southern Italia - have you been to Paestum (Campania), Maratea and Matera (Basilicata), Gallipoli, Ruvo di Puglia (the Jata Museum there is beyond words), Castel del Monte, and Alberobello in Puglia, and our favorite peninsula, Vieste. Also we know the first lady of wine in Campania so when you're heading south, we'll give you an introduction to the wine country in Campania from someone who broke the mold -- first female Sommelier in Campania -- and owner of a Cantina that has consistently won Tres Bicchierre at the annual Gambero Rosso awards over the past number of years.
We're heading to Italia next September -- completely agree with your "best months to visit" -- to celebrate a friend's major birthday -- our prospective itinerary includes Sardinia which we haven't visited before.
Just in time - thanks!
Girl, you KNOW we've got your back! Can't wait!
I love reading you!
That's all we poor writers live for! Thank you!
Agree whole heartedly with the thrust of your post. But, my Umbria itinerary would be different. Not better, just different. We entertained good friends from Canada for 2 days recently. They had been to Ireland and the Netherlands before Italy. In Italy, Venice, Verona, Florence, Arezzo, here, Siena, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Milan, London, home.... not my idea of a holiday.
SPILL! I want to hear your ideal itinerary for Umbria! And I feel a little sorry for your friends. There's a difference between experiencing Italy and doing a whirlwind tour for no purpose other than to say you've been there.
Well...starting from Rome.... Orvieto, Citta della Pieve, Perugia, Assisi, Spello, Foligno, Bevagna, Montefalco, Trevi, Spoleto, Todi and Narni. One would stay in the Sagrantino after Orvieto and Citta della Pieve. Do Perugia one day. Assisi and Spello another, Foligino, Bevagna and Montefalco for a day. Spoleto and Trevi on the last day. On the way back to Rome pay a visit to Todi and Narni.
A traveler could insert one more day - fuck it, why go home ever again - and travel north from Foligno to explore the Val di Cucco where I live, starting at Nocera Umbra, up into the historical center of Gualdo Tadino for a quick look around, then further up the valley as far as Costacciaro. Have lunch at Villa Dama and then on the way back, when you get to Gualdo Tadino, head up the hill and drive the ridge (SS 444) that will take you to Assisi again, through a landscape that will shiver your timbers as you drive past and through Grello, Morano, Pian della Pieve and other villages.
One more day gets you into Norcia and the now wrecked town of Castelluccio - because the high scooped out valley in which that town sits makes the heart thump.
And we're not done with Umbria. On a second trip, well, there is the Lake Trasimeno area, and then up the E45 to Umbertide, Citta di Castello, Montone and other delightful, places. Maybe come back down to Umbertide and drive through the Nicone River valley toward Cortona. Maybe a little bit of Tuscany can't hurt at that point.
What a great concept/idea.
We've taken friends on a couple of 1000km great circle Italian road trips over the years - primarily focused on southern Italy - Campania, Basilicata, Puglia, Pescara, Umbria, and Southern Tuscany with Rome on both ends. I love the thought you put into your schema -- we just connected dots between towns, experiences, places to stay and eat that we'd experienced on our own over several years of weekend trips hither, dither, and yon...
We've found T-Mobile works best for us - we had T-Mobile when we lived in Italy and their generic plan gives you free lower rate data and text in most international locations. As Richard mentioned, T-mobile (like AT&T) also offers a higher voice/data/text daily plan on an "as you use it that day" basis - think it is $5/day if I'm remembering correctly. Doesn't require us to change our SIM card -- just have to be careful to not answer your junk calls while you're overseas else you end up with the $5.00 fee for that day.
I'll be interested to see your favorites in Campania and Puglia - for us, Basilicata is the connective tissue between these provinces.
Looking forward to this series -- I know we'll learn some new, fun places and see a different perspective on some places we've visited.
You are a really good writer, Jim. I can always spot 'em. Have you ever thought about starting a Substack? For ease of use, nothing compares to it, and you have such great perspective. And I can't wait to cover Southern Italy! Believe it or not, there are some places in Italy I haven't been to yet, and that just seems criminal to me. Where is my lottery money?
I did not know about Umbria vs. Tuscany. If I ever do get to travel back to Europe, and to Italy, I'll definitely camp out in Umbria instead.
I know your tastes pretty well at this point, Gares, and Umbria is more your kind of gelato ;-)
"oh wait, I’m totally saying that." -- I was about to start sputtering that statistics show that ... but you were already there.
The thing that staggered me when I was in the army (stationed in Germany) every EM (Enlisted Man) I knew saved up their 30 days leave then jumped on a military transport (free ride, if a seat is available) back to the states to sit around for a month in what ever shit hole they called home, before coming back to Europe. I went out and saw as much of the continent as I could.
But my way of seeing it was to go to one place and sit there for a week. I went to Copenhagen for a week to see the Little Mermaid statue, and visit Elsinore Castle (from Hamlet.) The Dutch are interesting. A group of "hooligans" once stole the Little Mermaid (Hans Christian Andersen) statue. They returned it a few days later, with a letter of apology. Spent a week in Paris, most of it in the basement of the Louvre where there weren't any tourists, communing with this statue of a gazelle from the Egyptian collection that was rising up in this glorious leap, but had its head turned so that it was looking straight out at you. Was almost a week in London, took a few days side trip to go see the Royal Shakespeare Theater perform "Midsummer Night's Dream" at the theater in Stratford. (I actually managed to get something out of my high school education, it would seem.)
My first major conference presentation was an international one in Dublin. For a two day conference I took a two week vacation. Stayed in a dorm room in old St. Patrick's out in Maynooth, and rode the bus in to the city every day. George III (of the crazy and the American Revolution as well) established the college because he realized the F*cking Irish were going to become priests anyway, but if they became priests in Ireland they were just priests. But if they went to France (the only other option) not only did they come back priests, they were revolutionaries as well. There's an enormous old graveyard out back for all of the young men who froze to death or died of pneumonia in the winters. Two weeks.
So, yeah. I tend to avoid the tourist spots. I go to one place, and stay there until I begin to feel it.
You make me want to see the Little Mermaid statue! I have a dear friend who's in Norway and the Arctic Circle right now. The photos leave my jaw on the floor. Such remarkable beauty! My god, the world is a glorious smorgasbord. Now, all a couple of old curmudgeons like you and me need is the lottery money to see it. I hope you're playing! Or planning a bank heist.
The bank heist is my "alternate federal retirement plan."
Excellent suggestions!! I need to spend more time in Gubbio, we kind of sped through last year around Christmas time on our way back from somewhere. AT&T now has a $10/day international plan. You sign up before you leave the US. They only charge you on the days that you use the phone so if you manage to stay on wifi for two days and not rely on the data then they don't charge you. They also don't charge you more than 10 days in a billing cycle. After that its free (beyond normal phone charges.) Also, no roaming fees anymore. It's a total life change because you don't have to worry about SIM cards anymore.
Oh, my darling friend, you will love Gubbio! John and I are pretty tough old salts at this point--it actually takes something to impress us--but Gubbio was breathtaking. If you like truffles, by the way, they've got your covered.
REALLY good to know about the no-SIM cars/roaming fees. I might make a note of that in the article.
I loved Perugia. And having an apartment in Spoleto for 3 weeks was an experience I'll never forget!
You understand EVERYTHING. Truly. You 100% get it.
How about Marche and Abruzzo area. These are great articles, love them
Please do Le Marche.
Suggestion, how about one on the 7% tax towns?
Hi Stacey - I can put two words together and did a travel blog when we were still doing our semi-retirement thing and helping people plan their travel. I'm happy to share our experiences but I don't have the burn inside required to put in the work. Does that make sense?
In the meantime, I'll look forward to reading the art of someone who does have than passion.
In southern Italia - have you been to Paestum (Campania), Maratea and Matera (Basilicata), Gallipoli, Ruvo di Puglia (the Jata Museum there is beyond words), Castel del Monte, and Alberobello in Puglia, and our favorite peninsula, Vieste. Also we know the first lady of wine in Campania so when you're heading south, we'll give you an introduction to the wine country in Campania from someone who broke the mold -- first female Sommelier in Campania -- and owner of a Cantina that has consistently won Tres Bicchierre at the annual Gambero Rosso awards over the past number of years.
We're heading to Italia next September -- completely agree with your "best months to visit" -- to celebrate a friend's major birthday -- our prospective itinerary includes Sardinia which we haven't visited before.
Fingers crossed for your lottery windfall!