 Re: small town attraction
The answer to your prayers is a little hilltop town called Perugia. It lies exactly between Florence and Rome and is therefor simple to get to on the train. Not only is the two-hour ride cheap, but you get the benefit of seeing a classic Italian town without going out of the way of the major tourist stops. Perugia is basically a beautiful Italian college town that even has a university for foreigners in addition to the Italian universities. For a 20-something traveler the nightlife couldn't be better and meeting locals is a breeze. The epicenter of the town is a long wide avenue with restaurants and high-end shops that connects two lovely plazas. Plaza Italia is where the bus will drop you off from the train station and it has awesome artisans fairs on Sundays. The plaza on the other end is the hot-spot from 11 pm to 5 pm. There is a big fountain and an even bigger set of steps that is the meeting place. This is where hundreds of young people congregate nightly to share drinks, cigarettes and laughs. Everyone is welcomed and also treated to a show by starving hippies playing with juggling sticks.
As for beaches, Remini is on the coast directly to the east of Perugia and offers a more laid-back, Jersey shore feel while the beaches of Cinque Terre (north-west) and the Amalfi coast offer more serene and upper-class experience. Lodging is of course cheaper in Remini (shower head over the toilet) and accommodations in the ritzier areas are cozier and you get more bang for your buck. |