Let's face it, cities like Rome, Florence, and Venice are just way overcrowded.  For instance, the line to get in the Vatican Museum can be OVER A MILE LONG.  Big crowds prevent you from seeing David or the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.  St. Mark's Square in Venice is awash with people, sometimes so many you might think you're in Disney World during spring break. But there are authentic and small Italian towns to visit, just about any time of the year.  Check them out in my Italy blog post.

Everyone wants to see Rome, Florence and Venice.  And why not?  They should be seen.  However, the larger cities of Italy are expensive and full of tourists, trinket shops, ordinary restaurants, and standard chain hotels.  Why not relax and visit the REAL Italy on your next trip? Enjoy the tastes and culture of smaller authentic cities. Avoid the crowds and long lines, eat real Italian food, see amazing sites, and stay at outstanding hotels all less expensively than can be done in the large cities.

Everyone should visit Rome, Florence and Venice.  However, there is more to Italy than just these 3 cities.  Travelers need to take the time to visit the REAL Italy, away from the trinket shops and massive crowds.  The Traveling Professor's small group tours has visited some wonderful places in Italy that are considered "off-the-beaten" path.  In this Italy blog post, you will find out about some of the places you need to visit beyond Rome, Florence and Venice.

For me, Padua is my favorite city in Italy whether traveling alone or on my small group tours to Italy.  First of all it has the historic Scroveni Chapel.   There is the famous Cafe Pedrocchi as well as the university where famed scholars like Galileo taught.   The Basilica of St. Anthony, destination of many pilgrims is located here.  The markets are the best in Italy, if you ask me.   It is located within a short train ride from Venice, Venezia, Verona, Lake Garda, Treviso and other great spots.  And best of all, it lacks the crowds of tourists found in many other Italian cities.  In other words, it is authetic.  Here are my tips for where to stay in Padua.

When most people travel to Italy for the first time, they usually wind up in Rome, Florence, Venice and maybe even the Amalfi Coast.  These are all wonderful places to travel, but let's face it, there can be quite touristy with big crowds and high prices.   There are other parts of Italy worth seeing.  I think they are more authentic, less crowded, and much less expensive.  See my blog post for my favorite places to visit in Italy second time around.

Rome and Florence are beautiful, there is no doubt about it.  However, there is a side to Italy that is less touristy, more authentic, filled with natural beauty, architecture, history, culture, and great food.  It is also less crowded and more affordable.   In May of 2016 The Traveling Professor will offer another small group tour to Italy, this one to Venice and the Veneto region to include Padua, Verona, Vicenza, and Treviso.   Read today's blog post to find out more.

We just returned from Italy on a Traveling Professor small group tour with 10 travelers.  After 4 days in Florence visiting great sites like the Chianti region and the Uffizi's Vasari corridor, we headed off for 5 nights in Padua.   Never heard of it?  Well you should know it.  It might just be the best city in all of Italy. 

I arrive in Italy on Friday for another small group tour to Italy.  We have 10 experienced travelers this time.  We are bypassing some of the traditional sites on this trip.  Although we stay in Florence for 4 nights, we will day trip to Lucca, the Chianti region, spend a couple of days in Florence digging deeper into this Renaissance city.   Then we go to the un-touristy city of Padua where we will base ourselves.  We'll spend some time there and also visit Shakespeare's Verona, Vicenza, and the better-than-Lake-Come destination, Lake Garda.  Look at the blog post for our itinerary.

For travelers who have never been to Italy before, I highly recommend a visit to historic Rome, Renaissance Florence, and perhaps the most fascinating city in the world, Venice.  These cities are usually packed with tourists, however.   But for those who have been to Italy, I recommend getting past the trinket stands, the fast food restaurants, the maddening crowds.  Enjoy a more authentic Italy with a visit to the places I recommend in today’s blog post.

First timers always visit Rome, Florence, and Venice.   Our most popular small group tours to Italy involves Rome, Venice, and Florence also.  However, we recommend to get past the tourists and trinket shops to get a more intimate view of Italy.   In the past few years, I've discovered the Veneto region of Italy.  I love the authentic culture, food, in a relaxed atmosphere.  Check out my blog post and I will tell you more about Verona, Vicenza, Padua and Lake Garda.