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Am seeing that Naples, then Milan, are winning the poll. Are tourists only wanting the most massive urban areas?
What are the most affordable spots in Italy that are underrated? Not always a giant city.
I mentioned Urbino, which is located near the Republic of San Marino, Rimini and Pesaro. That portion of Italy is full of small wonderful places to visit without it being very close to any huge cities and yet it's still a reasonable distance to both Venice and Florence.
In that same general area is the town and castle of Gradara, which is one of the best well preserved and beautiful medieval castles in Italy.
The Leaning Tower Of Pisa? That is one of the best architecture sights ever to explore. Don't need that much other extra essentials. Pisa: Tuscany probably still feels very nice, scenic, and solid throughout this entire geographic coordinate city/town/region in Central Italy. Especially compared to the North.
It takes about an hour to an hour and a half to get there from Florence, and two and a half from Rome. Visiting the tower is generally an hour affair, and if want to go in it and get involved in the rest of the complex, about three. There is virtually nothing else to do in Pisa.
So, depending on where you are coming from, it is two to five hours of train ride to and from Pisa, not counting wait times for the train, for a one to three hour experience.
Yes, it is an icon, well worth seeing. But you really have to plan your time accordingly.
Fortunately, even taking a train ride in Italy is pleasant, so its not as bad as all that, but still...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffD
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I’m not sure why the OP is limiting it to cities. Sometimes, you just want to unplug from the world and relax for a week. Getting mowed down by guided tour groups in the Vatican Museum or San Marco doesn’t achieve that.
^^^That's me...
Cities? (They're a simple and popular way to travel, for the masses)
I Avoid at all cost and time.
Cities have airports, preferably outside of the city.
Get there, head to the countryside. Italy has a lot of nice countryside.
I chose Milan, based on the number and quality of its attractions.
In no particular order and not a comprehensive list:
-La Scala
-Last Supper painting (feel sorry for the guy charged with painting the opposite wall)
-The Duomo
-Other interesting churches eg Basilica San Lorenzo Maggiore and San Bernardino alle Ossa
-Museums, eg Pinacoteca di Brera and Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, featuring artists such as Raphael, Tintoretto, Caravaggio and Rubens.
-Galleria Vittorio Emanuel II
-easy day trip to scenic Lake Como
Never been to Italy, but it seems Milan is underrated as a base for visiting the north of the country. Turin and Bologna are both an hour by train. Genoa is under 2 hours. Venice is 2 hrs away.
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