I, along with my wife and brand new baby, are looking to spend 6-12 months in Italy, starting in January or February of next year. I am looking for some advice on which town to choose. Here are my criteria:
1. Small-to-medium-sized town (up to, say 100-200,000 people), but within a few hours drive of a city/town with city-like facilities (hospital, airport, etc.)
2. "Authentic" Italian - by this I mean a town that is old, historical, traditional, quaint, etc., with old men arguing in the piazza, charming trattorias, narrow cobblestoned streets where people hang their laundry from one apartment window to the one across the way, maybe a farmers' market - basically the romantic vision of Italy from the movies.
3. I would prefer somewhere in the South, because of the winter climate and because I have heard that things are cheaper down there. Somewhere near the coast would be nice too, if I'm not being too fussy.
Basically, I am looking for a genuine Italian experience in a town/village that is really nice to walk around and not too expensive or touristy.
(Jobs are not an issue as I can work from anywhere.)
So, can anyone suggest some towns/villages that might fit the bill? Any help is much appreciated!
1. Small-to-medium-sized town (up to, say 100-200,000 people), but within a few hours drive of a city/town with city-like facilities (hospital, airport, etc.)
2. "Authentic" Italian - by this I mean a town that is old, historical, traditional, quaint, etc., with old men arguing in the piazza, charming trattorias, narrow cobblestoned streets where people hang their laundry from one apartment window to the one across the way, maybe a farmers' market - basically the romantic vision of Italy from the movies.
3. I would prefer somewhere in the South, because of the winter climate and because I have heard that things are cheaper down there. Somewhere near the coast would be nice too, if I'm not being too fussy.
Basically, I am looking for a genuine Italian experience in a town/village that is really nice to walk around and not too expensive or touristy.
(Jobs are not an issue as I can work from anywhere.)
So, can anyone suggest some towns/villages that might fit the bill? Any help is much appreciated!