Going to Italy...

So the new wife and I are planning a honeymoon in Italy. We've been there in 2000 and did the Tuscan region at that time. We are planning to rent an apartment for a week to 10 days in the Emilie-Romagna region. Most likely in Bologna. Aside from the obvious Ferrari visit to Modena and Maranello. Where else should I consider? We are most likely going to rent a car to make our day trips at our leisure. though if the train and buses are a better idea we'd entertain that too. Take note--she's not automotively inclined, but will tolerate a few side trips from the norm.

What say you?

Thanks,

George

Stelvio Pass

Lake Como

Stelvio Pass

Stelvio pass on a bicycle.

can you stuff a new 500 in your suitcase for me?

mad_machine wrote: can you stuff a new 500 in your suitcase for me?

Sorry--If I bring one back it's for me. And make that an Abarth!

Where is Stelvio pass in relationship to Bologna?

http://www.pirovano.it/en/how_to_get_here.php

Take pics...lots and lotsa pics.

I say "jealous."

Oh, and "food."

My girlfriend's sister lived in Bologna for six months, so I'll ask her for suggestions. My only suggestion is, if you end up in Rome, rent a scooter. You can get a 150 that will seat two for something like 30-50 bucks a day. It's so much freakin' fun to cruise that city on a scooter. The back roads and outskirts are pretty nice too. If you do, avoid the tunnels. They are very poorly lit, and the scooter I had had the crappiest headlight ever. Driving a scooter in the pitch black while cars and motorcycles are whizzing past you is berkeleying terrifying. One guy on a motorcycle actually passed me so close his jacket brushed my arm.

We did Rome back in 2000. Great time to be in Rome if you're not not Catholic and everyone is celebrating Jubilee!

Awesome. Thank your sister for me in advance.

I spent some time in La Maddalena, a small island off Sardinia's northern tip. It's amazing how different each region of Italy is. Sardinia is almost another country.

http://www.lamaddalena.com/index.php3?l=e

I really want to visit the Azores. It's on my Bucket List.

http://azores-islands.info/uk/places/terceira/terceira.html

I'd suggest Naples, but Humpty-Dumpty is dead now, and you're bringing your wife....

Sorrento.

The most beautiful city Ive ever seen.

914Driver wrote: I spent some time in La Maddalena,

Good ole' La Madd. I'm guessing a Navy connection?

Based on my observations on the beaches, Sardinia seemed to be a place where Italians went on vacation and the area around La Spezia was a place where pale and flabby northern Europeans went to vacation.

La Madd, where Garibaldi was born.

Autodromo Nazionale Monza. enough said. head 15km north-northeast of Milan and you'll be in the town of Monza. also, while you're in Modena, might as well visit the other famous Italian brands (Maserati, Pagani, and Lamborghini would be the standouts for me)

Slyp_Dawg wrote: Autodromo Nazionale Monza. enough said. head 15km north-northeast of Milan and you'll be in the town of Monza. also, while you're in Modena, might as well visit the other famous Italian brands (Maserati, Pagani, and Lamborghini would be the standouts for me)

Ooh, forgot about Monza. Yeah, really I did. Thanks!

Get a rent-a-car you like. We were stuck with an awful Lancia w/ a automatic trans in Pisa. Dude in the rental agency was all "Nonono - ees GOOD! ees automatico!" and we're all "Fiat Grande Punto?"...

We tried to break the Lancia going to Florence and Siena but couldn't. We went out of our way driving from Florence to Rapallo to swap it out for a Renault Clio "Rip Curl" which was a hoot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLTmlFGgtU0

Sienna, Florence are both my votes

We did Siena and Florence back in 2000. Most of the Tuscan region then.

We're doing the Emilia-Romagna region this time. Looking for 1 hour or so away destinations from Bologna.

I sent my almost sister in law an email, and this was her reply:

Rose said: You can hit the main tourist attractions in Bologna in one to two days, so your traveler will have lots of time to explore the gems of the city. Bologna University - where Umberto Eco taught - is the oldest university in Europe (although France contests this) and boasts the most porticos of any city. Bologna is also lovingly referred to by the locals as la grassa - the fat one (ah, such good food!) and la rossa - the red one (communist tendencies & terracotta colored brick that makes the city architecturally unique in Italy). I am assuming he will know of the main sites in all of the guide books: Santo Stefano (complex of seven churches), Due Torri (2 towers), Piazza Maggiore (with Neptune fountain flanking one side), so I've listed some harder to find gems below, many of which include places to eat (the Bolognese love to say Bologna is the culinary capital of all of Italy; it would be more accurate to say it is in Northern Italy). - Mercato del Erbe: Via Ugo Bassi (a classic Italian market) - Museums: Scattered but many grouped together on via Zamboni - Archiginnasio: Piazza Galvani ( Home to the Anatomical Theatre where the first dissection ever took place, the Archiginnasio is the original site of the University although now it serves as a library; you can still see the professors' and students' coat of arms. One of the coolest sites- this cannot be missed.) - La Sorbeteria: Via Castiglione (Best gelateria in Bologna) - Il Gelatauro: Via San Vitale (2nd best gelateria*) - Quindici: Via Mirasole (I think) - definitely a hidden gem, which was right behind my apartment (Solferino)! The best food to be had in a trattoria/osteria in Bologna in my humble opinion... *At this point it might be wise to note that upon graduation from the Bologna campus, I was voted most likely to die early of a heart attack from a gelato overdose. There are also great walks in the surrounding hills and some nice vineyards just outside of the city that he can check out and which also serve food (my friends LOVED Corte D'Aibo). Hope that helps him out!

awesome info thanks!