maureen_16

I am just starting to plan our trip to Italy for September 2015. My thoughts are to fly into Milan, take the training the same day we arrive in Milan to Rome, spend time in Rome, then travel to Bellagio and spend time there, and then travel to Milan and spend time there and fly back to US from Milan. We will arrive in Milan on a Thursday morning and depart the following Saturday. That is a total of 9 nights in Italy. Any suggestions on how many days to spend in each place? How does my itinerary sound? Is it reasonable? Should I spend a little more time in Rome than in Bellagio and Milan? We like to also have some down time which is what I was thinking Bellagio could be. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

maureen_16

Just a FYI - we have already visited the Italian Riviera, Tuscany, Florence and Venice.

Jean

You don't say what you want to see/do in Milan, but you probably don't need to spend more than one night there before your departing flight. Depending on the time of your flight, you could even spend the last night in Bellagio.

Only you can decide how to divide the time between Rome and Bellagio. I love both places and could spend all 9 nights in either but for entirely different reasons. I suggest you make up an itinerary for your time in Rome and see how much time is left for Bellagio. BTW, it's going to take you at least 5 hours to travel from Rome to Bellagio.

neckervd

Wouldn't it be easier to fly into Rome Fiumicino and out of Milan Malpensa.
Train journey times:
MXP airport - Roma Termini: 4 1/4 hrs, fare 125 USD, trains every hr
Roma Termini - Varenna: 4 1/2 hrs, fare 117 USD, trains every 2 hrs
Varenna - Bellagio: 15 min, fare 6 USD, ferries about every hr
Varenna - MXP airport: 2 1/2 hrs, fare 23 USD, trains every 2 hrs,

aliced

If you can, fly into Rome and out of Milan; leave but one day to see Milan, there is not much to see IMO. Arrive in Rome (either internally or directly), spend 4-5 nights, take the train up to Bellagio, spend 3-4 nights visiting Como, Lugano, then use your last day & night before departure in Milan. I do not like to plan too many sights on travel days, by the time you arrive in Rome you'll be lucky to have an early dinner and take a short walk before crashing that first night. Going to Bellagio, you'll have to change in Milan and again in Varenna for the ferry, perhaps this schedule has changed, it's been some years. If you can't see yourselves in Bellagio 3-4 nights, I'd say take the train to Venice after Rome, spend two there and two in Bellagio, which is the ideal unwinding spot before returning home.

vincenzo32951

I disagree about Milan. Much to see and do.

adrienne

I would go to Bellagio first, since you're arriving at the end of September, and stay 2 nights. Visit Milan then take the train to Rome.

Fly into Milan and home from Rome. Why spend time and money backtracking.

sandralist

Fly into Milan and go directly to Lago di Como. Fly out of Rome.

However, if your main reason to go to Lago di Como is "down time" between two cities, you can get that a whole of places in Italy between Milan and Rome. Lago di Como is a beautiful place so I don't wish to discourage you from seeing it. But if you mainly want to see Milan and Rome plus just enjoy something different and relaxing, you might find it more relaxing just to stop in small town between Milan and Rome for a night or two, or visit Lago Maggiore instead of Lago di Como.

maureen_16

Thanks for your suggestions. Some of you have said to skip Milan or I don't need to spend a lot of time there. One of the reasons for flying in and out of Milan is that the round trip cost can run from $700-$900 depending on when I fly (flying from NY). This is a lot less than flying in and out of Rome ($1,200 round trip). Any suggestions on less expensive airline tickets? So the real reason is to save some money and spend it in other ways for our trip. Stupid?? Any suggestions for other places to visit? I definitely want to see Rome. We like to see the main tourist sights but really enjoy having wonderful lunches and dinners in Italy.

adrienne

What's the price to fly into Milan and home from Rome?

<< Any suggestions for other places to visit? >>

You only have 8 days so not much time to visit other places, particularly when adding traveling time to your itinerary.

You could do a day trip to Orvieto from Rome.

maureen_16

Flying into Milan and out of Rome to home is about $1,100 - $1,200.

When I asked about other places to visit I meant that we don't go to Milan but come up with a new plan which includes Rome.

NYCFoodSnob

My email has been flooded lately with NYC-to-Milan air specials. I saw a non-stop Coach ticket last week for $564 in May 2015. Perhaps Ebola is keeping flyers away.

IMO, Milan is great stop for visiting north. A fare sale is a fare sale, so you have to do what works best for your budget, and forget about trying to cram in everything you can. If you want Rome, you have to deal with train travel schedules and loss of time to get there. So accept the limitations and make the best of it.

Frankly, Rome deserves a minimum of four full days, but you could easily fill all nine. Milan has some great treasures, but a visit to Milan is not as exciting as other cities, unless you're into fashion. Most of the major art is in Rome and Florence.

Bellagio does nothing for me, although I love Lake Como and visit every year for my birthday. I could never just spend one or two days there. That would be too painful. But many people do limit themselves, often because they have no choice.

On the other hand, Varenna could be a great place to get over jet lag, and that could include a quick visit to Bellagio. After 2-3 nights, train back to Milan and change trains and go directly to Rome. Spend most of your time in Rome, and just use Milan for transport. See what kind of schedule you can work out once you figure out flights.

adrienne

Bellagio - 1.5 days
Venice - 2.5 days
Rome - 4 days

Jean

I agree with vincenzo that there is a lot to see and do in Milan and I don't discourage visiting the city, but with only 9 nights (which gives 8 days less one lost to travel) you need to prioritize your time. If you're interested (or satisfied) in seeing only the most popular/famous sights of Milan, you'd need just a well-planned half day and reservations to see The Last Supper.

Only you can decide whether to save money on the r/t Milan tickets or save time by flying open-jaw Milan/Rome. FWIW, I prefer flying in/out of Milan over Rome.

neckervd

You could save almost a whole day if you would stay at Lake Maggiore, similar to Lake Como, but only a few miles away from MXP airport.
http://www.maggiore.ch/?lang=en
http://www.illagomaggiore.com/?set_language=en&cl=en
http://www.lagomaggioreturismo.it/ing_home.html
http://www.lagomaggiore.net/uk/
http://www.lagomaggioreonline.com/?newlingua=UK&

vincenzo32951

Agree with NYC about Bellagio and Varenna. I'd stay in Varenna and maybe take the ferry to Bellagio for a quick visit.

NYCFoodSnob

I don't usually do this but…

I love Rome, so I can understand why someone would want to spend time in Rome and take advantage of a cheaper plane ticket via MXP. You can really save a bundle if you can get discounted train fares by purchasing far enough in advance. But if train fares cost $200 or more, then you have to compare that to what it would cost to fly home from Rome.

So, if the numbers dictate MXP, here's an itinerary that I could live with:

Thursday - Arrive MXP 7:30 AM. Transfer to Milano Centrale (1 hour). Train to Varenna (1 hour). I've done this so many times, I can assure you, the trip is easy and stress-free, but you won't get to Varenna until 1-3 PM, depending on which train you are able to catch to Varenna. Plenty of time to walk around town and eat a nice dinner lakeside.

IMO, Varenna is the most charming town on Lake Como, and it's the easiest trip to Milan. The views of Lake Como from Varenna are the best. September is cool but can be gorgeous. Try to treat yourself to a terrace room at Albergo Milano, and book now. If you can get one of their terrace rooms, you won't regret the cost. Bellagio is just a 15 minute ferry ride away. You don't need more than 3 hours in Bellagio (unless you want to visit Villa Melzi) to get a feel for the place. You won't regret basing yourself in Varenna for this brief introduction to Lake Como. Plan on spending a minimum of two nights.

Friday - Lake Como, 1 entire day to do what you want.

Saturday, Depart Varenna, Hotel to train, 30 min. Varenna to Milan, 1 hour. Milan to Rome, 3-4 hours, depending on which train you take. You could be looking at a 6-hour travel day, plus packing and unpacking. Depending on how early you start, you could have a nice dinner in Rome.

Saturday - Wednesday, 5 nights in Rome. Plan away.

Thursday - Depart Rome and go back to Milan. Expect a 4-5 hour travel day. Spend two nights in Milan to give you one full day and a chance to see important sites, like DaVinci's Last Supper, and possibly time to shop. Shopping in Milan is a lot of fun, even if you're just looking in windows. Allow enough time for a stress-free exit out of Milan, back to MXP.

And there you have it.

maureen_16

I appreciate all the suggestions. I will definitely have to see how much the train fares will cost and compare that with the cost of,the flights to see how much I am really saving. Perhaps it may make sense to fly into Milan and out of Rome - or something like that.

neckervd

I gave you the standard fares in my first post:

"Train journey times:
MXP airport - Roma Termini: 4 1/4 hrs, fare 125 USD, trains every hr
Roma Termini - Varenna: 4 1/2 hrs, fare 117 USD, trains every 2 hrs
Varenna - Bellagio: 15 min, fare 6 USD, ferries about every hr
Varenna - MXP airport: 2 1/2 hrs, fare 23 USD, trains every 2 hrs"

You can get better fares if you book in advance on the trenitallia website (no refund possible if you change dates) or if you use slower trains.

NYCFoodSnob

Maureen, in the sample itinerary I posted above, here is what Super Economy train travel will cost one person:

Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino: 6.50€, Regionale train. Roundtrip: 13€ (This is the everyday fare. Regional trains don't offer super economy.)

Milano Centrale to Roma Termini: You have many choices. There are a few Frecciarossa trains that only take 2 hours and 55 minutes to get to Rome from Milan. I would work my itinerary around those faster trains if possible. It can be hard to find early morning Super Economy fares, because that's when most people travel. If you're willing to travel later in the day, the savings can be substantial.

You can't search fares too far in advance, but as of now, if you purchase early and secure Super Economy fares, the 3 PM Frecciarossa gets into Rome at 5:55 PM on a Saturday, and the Super Economy standard (2nd class) fare is 29€ per person. If you can get a roundtrip at that price, it will cost 58€.

Total train cost per person: 71€, which as of today is $89. The Frecciarossa Super Economy is a non-refundable ticket.