Jean DeShazer Rivaldi's activity

Questions Asked

My family and I would like to spend a month in Italy next summer from early June - early July.

Tue, 07/04/2017 - 21:42

Comments posted

Wed, 07/05/2017 - 16:45

Thanks for your note! Last year we traveled to Italy for a month -- we stayed in Rome briefly, then Umbria for a week (in the countryside close to Umbertide), Venice briefly, Santa Margherita Ligure for a week, Varenna for a week, Lucca for a week. We did day trips to Orvieto, Gubbio, Spello, Assisi, Deruta, Cortona, Cinque Terre, Camogli, San Fruttuoso, Lecco, Bergamo and Montepulciano. Previously I've stayed in Rome/Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast areas. For this upcoming month, I know we want to locate somewhere north of Rome. One of the things I learned on this last trip with my family of four is that we all need alone time and the ability to be able to wander and walk around a town on our own (well not the kids, but my husband and I for sure). We'll be doing less day-tripping and more normal everyday life living (and even working online while we're there). I'm thinking we'll spend probably Thur-Sun in our chosen town and head out for Mon-Thur somewhere we want to visit. The idea is to get a place that is decent, but cheap, so we don't feel too bad or break the budget while we pay for accommodations in two places at once. I would like to be in a historic town that is lovely enough in its own right, I'd like to be by transit (close to main road and train) and I'd like to be somewhere big enough that has services (such as language tutoring and or nanny/babysitter services we can hire occasionally). I'd also like to explore the adriatic side of Italy having never been there before. While I like the lakes region up north it feels slightly less Italian to me and the mosquitos last year nearly ate me alive there, so I don't want to go that far north. We do have the option of a free accommodation in Bergamo, which is tempting, but I feel that would be too far north and I'd like to be more central, though It's still under consideration. The reason I ask about Castiglion Fiorentino is because I do like the area, but have never visited the town. I've been online trying to get a feel for it and we've found a rental there that looks absolutely lovely. Just trying to decide if we should pull the trigger on it.