Where to stay in Northern Italy and Southern France?
September 28, 2024 2:03 PM
We have 10 days to get from Rome to Barcelona this November. We're travelling by Eurail pass. We would like to stay in some nice, offbeat towns in Northern Italy and Southern France, not the more well-known, over-touristed spots.
We're in the mood for some low-key, no-pressure locations that we can take short day trips from. Cheap (relative, I know) and quiet are both nice.
We're in the mood for some low-key, no-pressure locations that we can take short day trips from. Cheap (relative, I know) and quiet are both nice.
Bologna is well known but not at all as touristy like Florence or Verona.
posted by sammyo at 7:26 PM on September 28
posted by sammyo at 7:26 PM on September 28
Torino is an underrated city with great food and incredible architecture, and far, far less touristy than the usual Roma-Firenze-Venezia triangle. It’s an easy base for day trips to wine/food centers like Asti and Alba, and mountain cities like Aosta.
posted by niicholas at 1:00 AM on September 29
posted by niicholas at 1:00 AM on September 29
Ivrea could be a day trip from Torino or a place to stay
posted by HearHere at 3:57 AM on September 29
posted by HearHere at 3:57 AM on September 29
I really liked Framura, a very quiet village in Liguria. Convenient location for visiting the tourist hotspots (very close to Cinqueterre with good and simple train service). There's just a jumble of old streets with small houses stacked on top of each other, one or two restaurants, and a small store with limited hours (and fresh bread). It was a relief to spend evenings there after seeing beautiful, but overrun places like Corniglia or Vernazza.
Built on a hill, so lots of stairs if you're trying to get down to the ocean/train station.
The most natural beach (Arena) is not sandy, just pebbles. Dogs are allowed on this beach (which to me was a plus). Also, nude swimming is allowed (but not required). We were often alone on this beach and it feels like you're removed from civilization. Swimming itself was great; moderate waves, feels safe because there's a bit of a cove situation, water starts out shallow but becomes deep enough quickly.
The other main beach (La Vallà) is sandy and more populated. I didn't go, so not sure about the quality of swimming there.
If you're very sensitive to noise, you might not like the train sounds. Personally, I loved falling asleep to the sound of waves and occasional (once an hour) trains.
MeMail me if you're interested and I can try to find our AirBnB (which was small, but lovely).
posted by toucan at 4:31 AM on September 29
Built on a hill, so lots of stairs if you're trying to get down to the ocean/train station.
The most natural beach (Arena) is not sandy, just pebbles. Dogs are allowed on this beach (which to me was a plus). Also, nude swimming is allowed (but not required). We were often alone on this beach and it feels like you're removed from civilization. Swimming itself was great; moderate waves, feels safe because there's a bit of a cove situation, water starts out shallow but becomes deep enough quickly.
The other main beach (La Vallà) is sandy and more populated. I didn't go, so not sure about the quality of swimming there.
If you're very sensitive to noise, you might not like the train sounds. Personally, I loved falling asleep to the sound of waves and occasional (once an hour) trains.
MeMail me if you're interested and I can try to find our AirBnB (which was small, but lovely).
posted by toucan at 4:31 AM on September 29
In Southern France, Narbonne would make a great stay.
Close to the train line that links Italy to France.
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2022/aug/15/a-locals-guide-to-narbonne-france-late-night-dancing-seafood-and-seaside-cycle-rides
posted by jacobean at 6:03 AM on September 29
Close to the train line that links Italy to France.
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2022/aug/15/a-locals-guide-to-narbonne-france-late-night-dancing-seafood-and-seaside-cycle-rides
posted by jacobean at 6:03 AM on September 29
I like Cahors for its Malbec wines. Rail travel should be easy, maybe go over to the Atlantic coast for Bordeaux or even as far north as Riems to drink sparkling wine inside the Champage region.
posted by k3ninho at 11:55 AM on September 29
posted by k3ninho at 11:55 AM on September 29
How well-known is well-known? It's France, a lot of nice places have long histories with the tourist trade.
I stayed in Salon-de-Provence, maybe very slightly off the main track. The town is nice in its own right (the Nostradamus house is a kind of goofball attraction in the town center), but it's a central spot from where you could get to Nimes, Arles, Avignon, Orange, Aix-en-Provence, you name it.
Carcassonne is a real town next to the famous castle up the hill. Just across the autoroute is Limoux, center for an area that produces sparkling wine. Lots of things to explore between there and the Spanish border.
A place to visit that a lot of people might not think about in the area: Andorra. Upsides: you get to check another country off the list of "countries I've visited", and Catalan is spoken, so you might practice before Barcelona. Lots of nice restaurants and shopping: in the non-ski season, Barcelona residents drive up there to buy stuff on the cheap. Downsides: the capital is surprisingly busy, I liked it, but it might not qualify as "quiet". Also, no train, you'd have to take a bus there or rent a car--and by November, it might be snowy.
posted by gimonca at 1:45 PM on September 29
I stayed in Salon-de-Provence, maybe very slightly off the main track. The town is nice in its own right (the Nostradamus house is a kind of goofball attraction in the town center), but it's a central spot from where you could get to Nimes, Arles, Avignon, Orange, Aix-en-Provence, you name it.
Carcassonne is a real town next to the famous castle up the hill. Just across the autoroute is Limoux, center for an area that produces sparkling wine. Lots of things to explore between there and the Spanish border.
A place to visit that a lot of people might not think about in the area: Andorra. Upsides: you get to check another country off the list of "countries I've visited", and Catalan is spoken, so you might practice before Barcelona. Lots of nice restaurants and shopping: in the non-ski season, Barcelona residents drive up there to buy stuff on the cheap. Downsides: the capital is surprisingly busy, I liked it, but it might not qualify as "quiet". Also, no train, you'd have to take a bus there or rent a car--and by November, it might be snowy.
posted by gimonca at 1:45 PM on September 29
You want an offbeat spot along your path? Triora, Italy is a tiny town in Liguria, in the mountains above the coast. It's perched right at the top of a mountain. Claim to fame: there were witch trials there 500 years ago or so, and today it's like the Salem, Massachusetts of Italy. The witch/strega festival is in August, but there are ticky tacky witchy displays and souvenirs around all year. Scenery over the mountains and towards neighboring villages on mountaintops is absolutely unbeatable.
Might be affected by snow in November, I don't know. I drove myself there in warmer weather. Speculation: you might be able to stay somewhere like San Remo on the coast and get a Viator or GetYourGuide type day trip to get you there if you don't want to drive a rental.
posted by gimonca at 1:54 PM on September 29
Might be affected by snow in November, I don't know. I drove myself there in warmer weather. Speculation: you might be able to stay somewhere like San Remo on the coast and get a Viator or GetYourGuide type day trip to get you there if you don't want to drive a rental.
posted by gimonca at 1:54 PM on September 29
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posted by Tell Me No Lies at 2:32 PM on September 28