Lake Isao and Area + Seaside town
Dec 13th, 2015, 11:33 AM
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Lake Isao and Area + Seaside town
Hi, My friend and I are meeting in Italy to see the Floating Piers exhibit at Lake Isao. She only has 10days and wants to see the exhibit and spend some time by the sea. I am thinking of Lake Como and Isao for three days, and where to go for another 5 days. First I thought of 5 Terra for the hiking and beauty, but since my friend wants some sea time not sure if that would qualify. Almalfi coast sounds grogeous too. I can't be on a beach for long, so I need some action, activity too if near a beach area.
So #! Anyone else headed to the Floating Piers and which lake will you stay at for a home base?
#2, how to mesh sea side relaxation with activity? Thanks very much. You fellow travelers are awesome!
So #! Anyone else headed to the Floating Piers and which lake will you stay at for a home base?
#2, how to mesh sea side relaxation with activity? Thanks very much. You fellow travelers are awesome!
Dec 13th, 2015, 01:58 PM
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I don't know why le Cinque Terre wouldn't qualify for someone who wants "sea time." All five villages are right on the sea. Only one or two of them have swimming beaches, that that is the same in the Amalfi as well.
Le Cinque Terre is not only MUCH closer to the lakes, but it has the advantage of being on the train line, so if you want to do more than hike and swim, you can easily visit other towns along the train line, including Pisa or Genova and smaller towns of charm and interest.
Le Cinque Terre is not only MUCH closer to the lakes, but it has the advantage of being on the train line, so if you want to do more than hike and swim, you can easily visit other towns along the train line, including Pisa or Genova and smaller towns of charm and interest.
Dec 13th, 2015, 02:05 PM
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Forgot to add:
If your friend prefers sand beaches to pebble ones, then stay in Sestri Levante rather than le Cinque Terre. This is also true if neither of you like daytime crowds. Also, if you are interested in public art, consider making a day trip by train to Pietrasanta in Tuscany.
https://www.visitsitaly.com/tuscany/...anta/index.htm
If your friend prefers sand beaches to pebble ones, then stay in Sestri Levante rather than le Cinque Terre. This is also true if neither of you like daytime crowds. Also, if you are interested in public art, consider making a day trip by train to Pietrasanta in Tuscany.
https://www.visitsitaly.com/tuscany/...anta/index.htm
Dec 15th, 2015, 08:45 AM
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The Floating Piers (Sulzano railway station) can easily be reached by train from Brescia or Edolo.
Brescia lies along the railway line Milano - Brescia - Lake Garda - Verona - Venice
whereas Edolo is of easy reach by bus from Tirano, terminal station of the Bernina Express.
Lake Iseo is well worth a stay even without floating piers. There are also prehistoric rock carvings in the mountains around Capo di Ponte, a bit North of Lake Iseo.
The Adriatic Sea (Venice) is closer to Lake Iseo than 5Terre.
Brescia lies along the railway line Milano - Brescia - Lake Garda - Verona - Venice
whereas Edolo is of easy reach by bus from Tirano, terminal station of the Bernina Express.
Lake Iseo is well worth a stay even without floating piers. There are also prehistoric rock carvings in the mountains around Capo di Ponte, a bit North of Lake Iseo.
The Adriatic Sea (Venice) is closer to Lake Iseo than 5Terre.
Dec 28th, 2015, 09:57 PM
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Dear Sandralist and Neckervd,
Thank you for your replies and information. I am thrilled to learn about Pietrasanta and hope to go there.
(I have made reservations for three nights on Lake Iseo for the July 1-4. I hope to make that a base and train(? )to Como and other places in that area. Please don't tell me it was a mistake to have made the reservation there because it is non-refundable, and I have been upset about it for a while since it also cost a fortune for that time. )
So moving on, any suggestions about what and best way to travel around the lake area. Do you think we should rent a car?
Then from there, I am a bit overwhelmed about where to go. Cinque Terra had been my first choice but sounds swamped in the summer. Rocky beach is not what my friend wants for an extended stay...and she has been to Venice, but not the seaside there...
What about going from the lake country area to Santa Margherita Ligure for example, and using that as a base to take day trips to other towns along the coast. And when we want, just stay in SML for a day and just relax. We would like a charming town with nightlife, cafes and fun, but not crazy and commercial. Then after a couple nights there, move to another town for a couple nights and explore that area up and down the coast. Having two towns along the coast that would allow us to visit other towns, and go inland also for historic sites. Then go to Milan on July 9th to fly out July10th.
Does that trip idea sound logical and interesting? Drive, train, etc? I think driving would be fun, but not sure if it is too dangerous for me to drive along the coast and/or too expensive. How much are rental cars?
You two are the best, thank you in advance for all your suggestions and insight!!!
Thank you for your replies and information. I am thrilled to learn about Pietrasanta and hope to go there.
(I have made reservations for three nights on Lake Iseo for the July 1-4. I hope to make that a base and train(? )to Como and other places in that area. Please don't tell me it was a mistake to have made the reservation there because it is non-refundable, and I have been upset about it for a while since it also cost a fortune for that time. )
So moving on, any suggestions about what and best way to travel around the lake area. Do you think we should rent a car?
Then from there, I am a bit overwhelmed about where to go. Cinque Terra had been my first choice but sounds swamped in the summer. Rocky beach is not what my friend wants for an extended stay...and she has been to Venice, but not the seaside there...
What about going from the lake country area to Santa Margherita Ligure for example, and using that as a base to take day trips to other towns along the coast. And when we want, just stay in SML for a day and just relax. We would like a charming town with nightlife, cafes and fun, but not crazy and commercial. Then after a couple nights there, move to another town for a couple nights and explore that area up and down the coast. Having two towns along the coast that would allow us to visit other towns, and go inland also for historic sites. Then go to Milan on July 9th to fly out July10th.
Does that trip idea sound logical and interesting? Drive, train, etc? I think driving would be fun, but not sure if it is too dangerous for me to drive along the coast and/or too expensive. How much are rental cars?
You two are the best, thank you in advance for all your suggestions and insight!!!
Dec 29th, 2015, 01:11 AM
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Where is your hotel on Lago d'Iseo located? Renting a car might be to your advantage if you cannot easily get to public transportation from the hotel location. You can check out prices using the AutoEurope website.
Since it would be a longish travel journey from Lago d'Iseo to the coast, whether you go by train or car, you might consider breaking up the trip somewhere around Parma or the small Tuscan town of Pontremoli. Both are reachable by train, but if you have a car you can do some exploring. In July, Parma will be hotter than Pontremoli, but air conditioning and maybe a pool is advisable in both locations. It would be more interesting than 2 towns on the coast.
Almost all the beaches of the Italian Riviera are pebble beaches, not sand beaches. There are two exceptions: Sestri Levante and Levanto. Sestri Levante is a fun and pretty holiday town with 2 sand beaches, and is easily reached by train. Because of the sandy beaches and affordable hotels, it is very popular with Italian families. Levanto is the next town north of le Cinque Terre, so it gets plenty of foreign tourists. From either town you can visit the rest of the towns on the Riviera by train.
Santa Margherita Ligure might import some sand each summer for its public beach. It is possible that the hotels with private beaches import sand for them. The town is very popular with young professionals from Milano and Torino, who like to spend weekends and August holidays there.
For all the towns that I have mentioned, you don't need a car to go sightseeing and it is quite expensive to pay for parking a car you are not using. So if you decide to rent a car for your time in Lago d'Iseo and want to drive to the Riviera, you can drop off the car in La Spezia or Rapallo if you rent through AutoEurope or Europcar, and take the train from there. But if you want to keep the car and don't mind the parking fees, you could consider staying in Lerici (which doesn't have a train station) and which might have a sand beach. From Lerici you can visit the le Cinque Terre towns by boat, but you could use the car to visit places like Pisa and Pietrasanta, or the marble quarries in Carrara.
Or, if you still want 2 coastal towns, make Lerici the first one and Santa Margherita Ligure the second one. If you don't want to keep the car after Lerici, drop it off at La Spezia. You can take the train to Milan from Santa Margherita Ligure if you no longer have the car.
Since it would be a longish travel journey from Lago d'Iseo to the coast, whether you go by train or car, you might consider breaking up the trip somewhere around Parma or the small Tuscan town of Pontremoli. Both are reachable by train, but if you have a car you can do some exploring. In July, Parma will be hotter than Pontremoli, but air conditioning and maybe a pool is advisable in both locations. It would be more interesting than 2 towns on the coast.
Almost all the beaches of the Italian Riviera are pebble beaches, not sand beaches. There are two exceptions: Sestri Levante and Levanto. Sestri Levante is a fun and pretty holiday town with 2 sand beaches, and is easily reached by train. Because of the sandy beaches and affordable hotels, it is very popular with Italian families. Levanto is the next town north of le Cinque Terre, so it gets plenty of foreign tourists. From either town you can visit the rest of the towns on the Riviera by train.
Santa Margherita Ligure might import some sand each summer for its public beach. It is possible that the hotels with private beaches import sand for them. The town is very popular with young professionals from Milano and Torino, who like to spend weekends and August holidays there.
For all the towns that I have mentioned, you don't need a car to go sightseeing and it is quite expensive to pay for parking a car you are not using. So if you decide to rent a car for your time in Lago d'Iseo and want to drive to the Riviera, you can drop off the car in La Spezia or Rapallo if you rent through AutoEurope or Europcar, and take the train from there. But if you want to keep the car and don't mind the parking fees, you could consider staying in Lerici (which doesn't have a train station) and which might have a sand beach. From Lerici you can visit the le Cinque Terre towns by boat, but you could use the car to visit places like Pisa and Pietrasanta, or the marble quarries in Carrara.
Or, if you still want 2 coastal towns, make Lerici the first one and Santa Margherita Ligure the second one. If you don't want to keep the car after Lerici, drop it off at La Spezia. You can take the train to Milan from Santa Margherita Ligure if you no longer have the car.
Dec 29th, 2015, 12:21 PM
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Sulzano (Lake Iseo) - Varenna (Lake Como) by public transport(60 miles):
Sulzano dp 7.22 - Brescia 7.54/8.00 - Bergamo 8.55/9.08 - Lecco 9.48/10.15 - Varenna ar 10.53
Sulzano dp 7.57 - Brescia 8.38/9.00 - Bergamo 9.55/10.08 - Lecco 10.48/11.02 - Varenna ar 11.24
There are nice towns with sandy beaches along the Adriatic Sea (easier to reach from Brescia than the Ligurian coast), like Grado for example.
Sulzano dp 7.22 - Brescia 7.54/8.00 - Bergamo 8.55/9.08 - Lecco 9.48/10.15 - Varenna ar 10.53
Sulzano dp 7.57 - Brescia 8.38/9.00 - Bergamo 9.55/10.08 - Lecco 10.48/11.02 - Varenna ar 11.24
There are nice towns with sandy beaches along the Adriatic Sea (easier to reach from Brescia than the Ligurian coast), like Grado for example.
Feb 28th, 2016, 06:27 AM
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Hi Walker62 - we, too, are planning a trip to the Floating Piers in late June, flying into Milano airport and staying at Agriturista near Iseo then on to Padua and Venice - my question for you is how you plan to travel? rent a car? train? other? please advise - I would much rather take public transportation than car rental - hope your trip-planning is all set! thanks, Tom
Feb 28th, 2016, 08:52 AM
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I'm going to Iseo this summer as well (but unfortunately will miss the floating piers by about a week, I planned the trip before I knew about them and can't change other aspects of it). You said "Agriturista near Iseo" - that could mean you'd need a car. All depends on where it's located. For travel between Milano, the town of Iseo, Padua and Venice you don't need a car - trains are great. Does the Agriturista indicate you need a car to get to it?
Feb 28th, 2016, 10:18 AM
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Hi Isabel - very sorry to hear that you'll miss the Piers -
apparently, the Agriturista Hostel provides a shuttle from the train station, which brings up an important consideration for my trip planning: can you help me figure out the train system from Milan to Brescia? thanks, Tom
apparently, the Agriturista Hostel provides a shuttle from the train station, which brings up an important consideration for my trip planning: can you help me figure out the train system from Milan to Brescia? thanks, Tom
Feb 28th, 2016, 10:36 AM
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We are also planning to visit the Floating Piers installation in late June and have 4 nights booked at Hotel Rivalago in Sulzano.
I haven't quite figured out transportation yet from Milan - possibly a driver the entire distance since we are traveling with someone who has some mobility issues as well as a child - or taking the train. Either way, I assume it will be crowded and busy! We are not planning on renting a car as no one is volunteering to drive.
I haven't quite figured out transportation yet from Milan - possibly a driver the entire distance since we are traveling with someone who has some mobility issues as well as a child - or taking the train. Either way, I assume it will be crowded and busy! We are not planning on renting a car as no one is volunteering to drive.
Feb 29th, 2016, 05:47 AM
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"can you help me figure out the train system from Milan to Brescia?"
http://www.trenord.it/it/orari/scari...rroviario.aspx
http://www.trenord.it/it/orari/scari...rroviario.aspx
Mar 1st, 2016, 01:57 PM
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continued train questions: is it necessary to buy tickets ahead of time or take a chance that they're available the day of travel? I've figured out the train from M to B, but having difficulty finding specific train line and tickets from Brescia to Iseo/Edolo (already consulted trenord site) - please advise
Mar 2nd, 2016, 02:30 AM
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Open http://www.trenord.it/IT/404.aspx
Click at: orari, scarica orario ferroviario
click at: cuadro 187
That's all
Click at: orari, scarica orario ferroviario
click at: cuadro 187
That's all
