Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

Northern Italy Honeymoon- Alps and Italian Favorites

Northern Italy Honeymoon- Alps and Italian Favorites

Old Dec 8th, 2013, 06:13 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Northern Italy Honeymoon- Alps and Italian Favorites

My fiance and I are working on nailing down our itinerary for our Honeymoon (aka adventuremoon). I've read several guidebooks and forums, but we're still having trouble nailing down something that suits us. We will have 11 nights from late May to early June to travel. My fiance wants to send as much time in the mountains as possible. I want to make sure we hit some towns that will give us the true flavor of Italy too. We want to focus our time on hiking and exploring charming towns rather than visiting museums. We will mostly rely on public transportation. We plan to fly in and out of Milan. Below is our current itinerary. I'm worried that it is too rushed and that we won't be able to enjoy enough time in the Alps.

Venice- 2 nights
Castelrotto- 2 nights
Varenna- 2 nights
Aosta- 2 night
Cinque Terre- 2 nights (Vernazza or Manarola)
Milan- 1 night (just enough to catch our plane back)

I'm thinking of removing Varenna (The Lakes) and adding one night to Castelrotto (The Dolomites) and Cinque Terre.

This will be our first trip to Europe, so any advice is much appreciated! Thank you so much for your time and insights!
bdaniel5 is offline  
Old Dec 8th, 2013, 06:24 PM
  #2  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
One other concern: that we will be in the Dolomites too early. We could re-work our trip so that we hit the Dolomites early June instead of late May, but we'd really like to go to Venice as early in the trip as possible. And it makes sense to me to go to the Dolomites right after Venince. I'm just not sure if a week would make a difference weather wise or if the town would actually have more things open. Thanks again!!
bdaniel5 is offline  
Old Dec 8th, 2013, 08:08 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,834
Received 4 Likes on 3 Posts
Have you searched the travel times between these destinations? You'll lose a half day or more moving from place to place and have only one full day in each destination which sounds rushed to me.

If it were my trip, I'd go to Venice and then to one mountain destination and one water destination. For the water destination, I'd probably pick Lake Como for easier/quicker access to Malpensa.
Jean is offline  
Old Dec 9th, 2013, 03:16 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 708
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You are choosing all small resorts, that are not so well connected to the transportation network. A lot of slow trains and connections, getting from one place to the other will eat about half of your sightseeing time. Forget Aosta and Cinque terre and divide your time between the other destinations. It will be long to travel even this way.
asps is offline  
Old Dec 9th, 2013, 03:23 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,321
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
With 11 nights I would focus on 2 (3 max) destinations. Otherwise you spend more time in transit than actually seeing any of these places.

You will want to google Val Gardena and find out when the lifts open as you are just on the cusp of off season.

We spent a week in the Dolomites this September and had nice weather where the views were visible 3 if the days so be sure you leave yourself enough time to chance the weather. You can read our report here
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-dolomites.cfm

Remember, 2 days only gives you 1 full day in a location.
jamikins is offline  
Old Dec 9th, 2013, 03:23 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,321
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Here is a direct link to our photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gir...7636058614266/
jamikins is offline  
Old Dec 9th, 2013, 04:00 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,072
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi

I can't add a heck of a lot more other than to join the chorus. You are spending 11 nights, which is a nice length of a trip, but including entirely too much. I'd consider just three destinations, maybe four tops.

Consider this:

Venice- 3 nights

Then, either 3-4 nights in Castelrotto (or somewhere in the Dolomites) or 3 nights in Cinque Terre. Full disclosure - I have not visited Cinque Terre but have the others. It does look like three nights is not a shortchange of it, though.

Finally, Lake Como. How about this:

Either 2-3 nights Varenna and last night in Cernobbio - still on the Lake, but honestly not that much more time to get to the airport, it might even be a wash. I think it is, actually, and even if it added 30 minutes to your morning you'd still be relaxing on the lake and wouldn't have to pick up and move all the way into Milan. Check a map - the airport isn't on top of Milan, it's a ways out.

Or all the nights in Cernobbio. Personally I vastly prefer the mid-lake but it won't be a huge pain to spend three nights in Varenna and then transfer to Cernobbio the morning of your last full day in order to just relax and then get up the next morning for the plane. I've done it although we were in Lenno which is the same side of the Lake as Cernobbio.
flygirl is offline  
Old Dec 9th, 2013, 08:05 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Can you fly into Venice instead of Milan? Even if the trip included a change of planes in Europe, I think it would be easier than flying into Milan Malpensa, taking the train to Milano Centrale, then another train to Venice. But the latter's not too difficult.

(I assume you know open jaws -- or multi-city -- tickets, into one city out of another, should cost about the same as round trip. And save you the expense of the train tickets to Venice.)

In Italy I always make sure I'm in my departure city the night before I leave. If your flight's late enough in the day, maybe Cernobbio would be safe.

And I echo everyone else's concerns about getting around on public transportation to smaller towns for short stays.
Mimar is offline  
Old Dec 9th, 2013, 08:08 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,072
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If you want to be in the departure city before you go, you don't want to be in Milan, you'd want to be near the airport. The airport is about as far away from Milan as it is from Cernobbio - and arguably worse traffic to deal with from Milan (people going to work, etc).

I agree with flying into Venice, I didn't catch that!
flygirl is offline  
Old Dec 10th, 2013, 08:42 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My thought about staying in cities the night before before a flight: a city will have a variety of ways to get to the airport: train, taxi, shuttle, town car. If there's a strike or a huge traffic jam, you can switch modes of transportation.

Of course, a airport hotel is even safer, but usually not so interesting as the city.
Mimar is offline  
Old Dec 10th, 2013, 10:09 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,373
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
As others have indicated, the holiday you outlined is going to be a tour of train stations and trains. That's about all.

Yes, fly into Venice and then slow the whole thing down and you'll have a great time.

I also like to be in my departure city the night before. We were nearly in a complete mess when we encountered a train strike in Italy and looked like missing a flight from Rome to London and then home to Australia.
cathies is online now  
Old Dec 14th, 2013, 07:12 AM
  #12  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thank you so much for your input. This has been extremely helpful. Jamikins, your photos are beautiful and made us want to send more time in the Dolomites. Mimar, flying into Venice seems like a no-brainer when factoring in train costs/time. Thank you!

I am having trouble narrowing it down to 3 cities, so here is what I am thinking now:

Day 1: Fly into Venice/ Venice
Day 2: Venice
Day 3: Travel/ Dolomites
Day 4: Dolomites
Day 5: Dolomites
Day 6: Dolomites
Day 7: Travel/ Cinque Terre
Day 8: Cinque Terre
Day 9: Travel/ The lakes
Day 10: The lakes
Day 11: The Lakes
Day 12: Travel home from MXP

Flygirl, I do like the idea of being able to send more time on the lakes. We are thinking about going to Lake Maggiore now so that we are closer to MXP (it appears there are multiple ways to get to the airport and we wouldn't be completely reliant on the train) and so we can day trip into Switzerland.

Any thoughts on Lake Maggiore vs. Lake Como? I really like the idea of exploring remote mountain villages and I can't find any reference to that on the Como side.

Is this still too much? I know I should probably give up Cinque Terre, but I really want to see it and I think a day would be sufficient. We love the idea of hiking from town to town and experiencing it's atmosphere. But if this itinerary would still be mostly trains, it could probably (sadly) go.

You guys have been great. Thank you so much for your help!
bdaniel5 is offline  
Old Dec 14th, 2013, 07:21 AM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,321
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Honestly I would forgo cinque terre...it's a long trek and a bit of a pain to get to and yes it's beautiful but not so much that I would take the time from your other locations . I would add the time to Venice and do a day trip to the islands or Verona if you feel you want to experience it. There are beautiful places everywhere in Italy and your time would be spent better by eliminating it this time.
jamikins is offline  
Old Dec 14th, 2013, 07:22 AM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,321
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thank you for your kind words about our photos . You will love it there I am sure!
jamikins is offline  
Old Dec 14th, 2013, 07:25 AM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,321
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oh and be sure to check when the lifts are open for hiking...you may want to flip your itinerary if the dates work better!!!
jamikins is offline  
Old Dec 14th, 2013, 07:47 AM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 603
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Save the Cinque Terre for another trip...almost everyone goes to Italy again after having been there once. Just do Venice, the Dolomites and the Lakes area. That is more than enough, especially using public transportation. Try to slow down and savor life in Italy, which can be very romantic if you take the time to experience it.
voyager61 is offline  
Old Dec 14th, 2013, 08:28 AM
  #17  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,072
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi

Not having been to CT I can't say if it's worth the long trek, but it IS a long trek especially for one night. I've been to Northern Italy at least four times now, though, so I can definitively say that you will thoroughly enjoy Venice, a Lake, and the Dolomites and won't feel cheated.

I haven't been to Lake Maggiore but we did manage to add Lake Garda to our roster in 2012. Lake Como is one of my favorite places on earth, though, and I know people love Lake Maggiore so you can't go wrong with either.

Jamikins makes a good point about hiking. Sometimes it only takes a day or two for things to melt enough to be passable. That said, the part of the Dolomites you plan to visit is most likely OK for hiking in late May. Our visit to the Dolomites was late May 2008 and only the highest elevations had a lot of snow. For instance, we drove the Grossglockner (Austria) there was snow everywhere. And we could not drive the Stelvio pass - although I hear that it literally opened late afternoon the day we drove past the entrance (at lunch time). But Seiser Alm was fantastic, Ortisei, Castelrotto, the passes near there - all fine.

Here is my trip report from that trip, lots of photos:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...s-the-alps.cfm

If you were to fly into Milan first (a Lake) and then Venice last, you'd be quite close to the airport BUT you would be flying out darn early the morning you leave.

Three stops in 11 days sounds like a fabulous trip...
flygirl is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
newportbeachmom
Europe
4
May 28th, 2017 08:57 AM
mlynne
Europe
5
Feb 24th, 2015 04:22 PM
cayenneblue32
Europe
8
Nov 23rd, 2014 01:11 PM
Tampa_Wahoo
Europe
27
May 16th, 2007 03:04 PM
garyt
Europe
10
Jan 30th, 2006 09:53 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -