(Gary K.) wrote in message ...
I just flew to Venice (by myself last May) and asked Italians in a bike
shop for the best route to Rome. From Rome I headed up to Tuscany and
then to the Lakes in the North and back to Venice. It took me 3 weeks and
about $3k. I learned that you should positively enter and leave large
cities like Florence, Venice, Rome etc. using the trains to avoid the
traffic (they're so easy and cheap.) And next time I would go south from
Tuscany because the winds would be at your back. The winds were extremely
strong.

It's easy to find nice hotels or Agritourismo (farmhouses) for $30-40.
Then ask for the best restaurant in town, a glass of the local wine...

I had a terrific time. I had nothing planned and it all worked out.

I liked San Gimingnano (just south of Florence) the best.

S.G. is very nice, but so are Siena, Volterra, and bunch of lesser
known towns ;-)

The agritourismo's are often great, and getting a half-board or
full-board option at one is often better in price and in food quality.
We stayed in one in the hills west of Asissi that had fantastic food,
about the best we had in Italy, and 5 course dinners that left you
rolling to your room. And the house wines are often very good, and at
very good prices.

Another option, depending on one's penchant for bigger hills, is to go
north from Venice to the Dolomites and/or Alps. Very different
culturally and geographically from Tuscany and Umbria but very
worthwile IMO.

Love the idea of going unplanned. Two years ago when we did Umbria
and Tuscany areas we had it all planned. This year we did the
Dolomite-Alps-Lake circuit and the only thing impinging on us was the
departure date from Venice. Other than that we were free to connect
the dots as we saw fit. Never had a problem finding a room, even had
some nice surprises along the way.

- rick