mark13

my wife and I have 9 days to spend in Italy - flying in and out of milan. Have been to florence before and loved it , otherwise haven't seen much of this area. We will be driving and would love some suggestions about smaller towns to visit . we love our food and wine and would like to stay in 2 or 3 places only and do day trips?

valtor

Mark, maybe my report will give you some good ideas:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...orth-italy.cfm

zeppole

if you like food and wine, consider a trip that focuses on places around Modena and Parma, and other areas of the Emilia-Romagna. These are stunning towns in themselves with beautiful architecture and art, but they also have extraordinary food. If you go to the Chowhound website's message board for Italy and look up threads about the Emilia-Romagna, you can get a lot of information, or appeal directly to a poster named "allende" for help.

Rather than rent your car in Milan, I suggest that upon your arrival you take the train from Malpensa airport to Bologna and spend three nights there, which would give you time to take a day trip by train to Ravenna, one of Europe's most stunning artistic sights. Then rent your car in Bologna and head out in the direction of Modena/Parma for a gastronomic tour. There are also small towns like Vignola and the castle at Torrechiara to visit. Plus all that amazing cheese, vinegar, pasta .....

At the end of your gastronomic tour, drop off the car at Milan's Linate airport and take the shuttle bus into Milan for your last night. You can get recommendations for a great last supper on Chowhound's Italy board too.

Another possibility if you are coming to Italy for the red wine is to take the train to Torino upon arrival, spend a few nights enjoying the town (the movie museum!), then rent a car to tour the wine region of the Piemonte, the rolling hills of the Langhe, which arguably produces the best red wine in Italy. and is the home of the Slow Food movement. There are small towns and castles to visit (Cherasco, Mondavi, etc), and you can even have a day on the Riviera if the weather is fine. You can also drive back to Milan from the central Piemonte, and if you like risotto, you can spend your last night in Italy's rice fields, around Vercelli and Novara, and drive yourself to Malpensa the next morning to catch your flight home.

Again, asking on Chowhound's Italy message board for food and wine destinations in the Piemonte.

Lexma90

Zeppole's two suggested itineraries are excellent. If you love Barolo wine then the Piedmont would be the logical choice. And the chowhound boards are a great resource for foodies.

StanB

I think you shouldn't miss the lakes. I've only been to Lago Maggiore and the lovely town of Stresa, but it was breathtaking and my wife and I plan to return and spend more time. See http://www.visitstresa.com/ for some pictures and info. You're soooo close to Venice...um...what a place.

Jean

What time of year?

cmeyer54

My husband and I did a roundtrip of northern italy in and out of venice but you could quite easily do the same using milano as your start/stop point. take a day to go south in Piedmonte and sample some wine; then head north to the Laga Garda area - head up to Isera for a wonderful view, lakes to discover and wine to taste in a half to 3/4 day. I would then take the dolomite road (it will take a day) to the cortina area, then down to venice or asolo. head along the motorway via verona back to milan and fly home!

bobthenavigator

Yes, when?
All the difference.

If May or later, think Alba, Santa Margherita, Stresa.

zeppole

It's just as nice in Emilia Romagna in May.

I mean, every region of northern Italy has beautiful places. If food and wine isn't of strong importance, then the food and wine is good enough most everywhere in the north if you do some prep and track down quality away from the mega-tourist towns. But if it matters to you to have a real gastronomic experience of Italy, some regions of the north excel when it comes to taste, and the cultural attractions, scenery are fine as well.

mark13

Yes time of year would help with suggestions.....sorry all and thanks so much for the great advice.Will be there for the end of March and first days of April,hoping it's not too cold. We enjoy our food and wine but are not connisuers by any stretch, in fact probably more suited to a tucked away local trattoria than upmarket restaurant. Have been to venice and florence numerous times but still considering a stop over in florence.

zeppole

Late March and early April are too cold for the lakes for my taste. It might be an ideal time to see Venice, but I would head there by train directly from Milan to spend a few days. Then, since you want to revisit Florence, take a train there and do so. Only then would I pick up a car.

A rural Tuscan tour in early April can be quite nice, with many flowers beginning to show.

But if you have your heart set on driving the entire route, I suggest you give yourself a night to get over your jet lag by taking a train from the airport to Florence. Pick up your car there and tour Tuscany. On your way back to Milan, consider stopping for lunch in Parma or Modena.

I wasn't suggesting for a gastronomic tour that you eat at upmarket restaurants. I was suggesting a countryside tour so you could get close to the producers of great Italian ingredients and wines. Best thing to do is eat at farmhouses.

But if food is really not the point of your trip and you want to go to Florence plus drive, you might prefer rural Tuscany, where you can also find good food and wine at farmhouses.

mark13

Hi all , thank you for your advice to date , after a lot of reading posts on this sit we are now getting closer to finalising an itinerary with just 3 weeks before our departure and would love your inciteful thoughts and advice .

We are now thinking of the following , flying in from Vilnius , Lithuania so should feel quite fresh.

Arrive Milan 13.00 - train to lake garda - sirmione or Desenzaro (recommendations??) for 2 nights , then 1 night in Verona. Would an extra night on the lake be a better option with a day trip to Verona?

Then head down to Modena via train , it is here we are a little unsure of the best way to spend 4 nights?

Option 1 is to base ourselves in one place/hotel for the 4 nights and day trip to
Bologna,Modena maybe Ferrara.

Option 2- 2 nights Modena , 2 nights Parma or Bologna

Option 3 (my preferred) 2 nights Modena and 2 x 1 night in agriturismo (Da Ivan , La Buca and Locanda Mariella seem well reviewed)

We have a reservation on our final day in Modena at hosteria giusti and looking very forward to this before heading back to Milan for 2 nights before an ealry departure.

We can't wait for a true Italian experience of locals and local produce , that is why we are choosing to avoid the Major centres (Milan excluded) which we have visited before. A mix of agriturismo and 1 or 2 more upmarket but reasonably priced hotel's in Milan and/or lakes would be ideal.

I look forward to any replies and appreciate your time and assistance .

Ackislander

Not being snarky, just curious, perhaps envious: what local produce will be available the last week in March or first week in April in northern Italy?

mark13

Going on recent weather the finest frozen ingredients available!!!! just kidding and good point you raised , what I should have said is local cuisine . It's a long way from Sydney to Italy and we want to make the most of the limited time frame available.