Tripologist: Where should I base myself for a month in Italy?

I’m looking for a base – or two if more practicable – in Italy for at least a month. I would like to explore as much as possible by car or train travel. Which months are shoulder seasons and do some regions shut up shop? P. Wilson, Morley WA

Italy has 20 regions, in effect “states”, and you could find at least one town in each of these regions that you could use as a base. Which regions you choose depends on what you’re interested in, and Italy has a long list of possibilities including regional food, ancient history, nature, hiking, islands, Renaissance art, baroque architecture and churches. If you have a vehicle you’ll magnify the opportunities for exploring.

My first choice would be the city of Como, on the shores of Lake Como, from where you could explore the northern lakes, Milan and regional cities such as Bergamo. Another good base would be Orvieto, set among rolling olive groves on the western border of Umbria. This pocket-sized city sees far fewer tourists than other parts of Italy yet it has great atmosphere and is well located for exploring southern parts of Tuscany and northern Lazio as well as Umbria.

Other northern cities that would make fine bases are Arezzo, Siena and Padua, from where you could take in Venice, Vicenza and Verona. In southern Puglia, Lecce is another standout. Shoulder seasons are April-May and mid-September to the end of October.

Our daughter hopes to spend a week participating in an immersion experience with an Indigenous community in the Northern Territory as part of her teaching professional development. She wanted to include a trip to Uluru afterwards but it seems that it’s not easy to travel there from Darwin. S. McCauley, Mt Riverview NSW

Flying is the quickest option but flights from Darwin to Uluru travel via the eastern capitals, sometimes stopping at both Brisbane and Sydney, and even a relatively quick flight takes about 11 hours and costs at least $500. It’s possible to fly return from Sydney to Uluru return for about the same price. Another option is a two-hour flight from Darwin to Alice Springs followed by a bus to Uluru, however this flight is also expensive – around $400. AAT Kings has a daily service departing Alice Springs at 7am with pick-ups from selected hotels, arriving at Uluru at 1pm.

My best friend and I want to do a road trip around New Zealand over about two weeks. We don’t know in which city to start, or whether we should go around both islands or focus on one. S. Evans, Picnic Point NSW

You could do both islands in two weeks but if you want to dig deep into the country’s natural wonders, South Island is the place. Fly into Wellington and stay a couple of nights – there’s a lively cafe/restaurant scene and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is a knockout, don’t miss it. Catch the Interislander ferry across Cook Strait to Picton, pick up a car at the ferry terminal and drive along the coast to Nelson. Make this your base for three nights, it’s a spirited city in a part of the country that New Zealanders like to keep to themselves, with brilliant sea-kayaking with seals in Abel Tasman National Park, wineries, beaches and gorgeous countryside right on your doorstep.

From here it’s a six-hour drive south to Fox and Franz Josef, where the glaciers come grinding down from the mountains almost to sea level. The premier experience here is the glacier heli-hike, which is expensive but unforgettable. Franz Josef is more appealing than Fox for overnight stays. Another 90-minute drive south takes you to Lake Moeraki, and if your budget will stretch to a couple of nights in a lodge, Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki is a prime choice. Set where the Moeraki River begins its final dash to the sea, the lodge is a window on the rivers, forests and lakes of this sensational wilderness, offering plush accommodation and guided walks with naturalists. It’s a dramatic drive through the mountains to Wanaka and on to Queenstown, New Zealand’s adventure sports headquarters.