Italian getaways, where should I go?
 

Just thought I'd put my little weekend planning up for comments and ideas. Basically the things not in brackets are mandatory and I will pretty much HAVE to be on those, but I do have a couple of free weekends up and was looking for ideas! Feel free to comment on the bracketed things or anything in general, things I can sneak away from the group to do in the other cities that we're visiting. If anyone has ideas for cool daytrips from Florence I would love your ideas. No idea if my classes/exams and workload will actually allow me to be gallivanting around as much as this, but no harm hoping. ;) I'm also interested in checking out Gran Paradiso NP as well as the Temples of Damanhur in Valchuisella, maybe Elba, Milan...too many places to go!! Grazi! :)

Jan 25: Assisi
Jan 26: Ravenna
Jan 27: [Verona]

Feb 1:
Feb 2: Pisa/Lucca
Feb 3:

Feb 8: Rome
Feb 9: Rome
Feb 10:

Feb 15: Mantua/Padua
Feb 16: Mantua/Padua
Feb 17

Feb 22: Siena/San Gimignano
Feb 23: [Venice]
Feb 24: [Venice]

Feb 29: [San Marino, Marche region]
Mar 1: [San Marino, Marche region]
Mar 2: [San Marino, Marche region?]

MIDTERMS March 3-6
SPRING BREAK Mar 7 - 16 [Cinque Terra/Gran Paradiso NP etc?]

Mar 21: [Naples, Amalfi Coast, Pompeii]
Mar 22: [Naples, Amalfi Coast, Pompeii]
Mar 23: [Naples, Amalfi Coast, Pompeii]
Mar 24: Easter Monday [Naples, Amalfi Coast, Pompeii?]

Mar 28:
Mar 29: Arezzo/Monterchi/San Sepolcro/Urbino/Rimimi
Mar 30: Arezzo/Monterchi/San Sepolcro/Urbino/Rimimi

Apr 4: Bilbao (Optional) [Cinque Terra if not spring break?]
Apr 5: Bilbao (Optional)
Apr 6: Bilbao (Optional)

Apr 11:
Apr 12: Ovierto/Todi
Apr 13:

Apr 18: Gori collection?
Apr 19:
Apr 20:

Apr 24: Last day of classes
FINALS: April 28-29
PROGRAM ENDS: April 30

Sicily or Croatia??

I think you ought to check out the city of Bologna. They have a great old city center and two leaning towers, which is kind of their symbol. It's a really nice city just to wander around in and check out the architecture and little cafes, etc. and it doesn't get as much tourist attention as the more famous Italian cities. I think it is only a couple hrs by train from Florence. There is also the Ducati motorcycle factory/world HQ there if you have any interest at all in motorcycles.:cheers:

I went to Verona for just a day when I was at Lake Garda last year. It was really nice for just wandering round, looking at the old buildings, eating the yummy food, etc etc. Also you can go and be a bit of a Romeo and Juliet geek if that's your thing!

If you have the time, i would shoot over to Croatia. From Rome we took a 2 hour train to Bari, then a bus to the port. From there it was an overnight ferry to Dubrovnik. If it sounds like something you might end up doing or want more information just PM me.

Cool Jamie, I think we'll swap out the Verona plan for next weekend and hit Bologna instead since it's a wee bit closer...and get to Verona later. :)

Croatia is possibly on the list for when I finish my semester in early May...I was going to head to Sicily but I'm hoping my friend will swing by and if he does, we'll head to Croatia for a week I guess! :)

Hehe, if Em and I fly to Pisa on a weekend we better check your location first!

Rome may need two three day trips. One set for, The Forum, Parthenon, Vatican, Colloseum, Trevi Fountain etc, another for the Villa de Borghese, Appian way, Catacomb tours etc.

--Joey