collie1

Hi,

Me and my sister are thinking of going to Italy in a few days for 6 days. Our flight lands in Venice airport at 22:00. We want to see Dolomites and Lake Grada and also some of Venice. We don't mind renting a car.
I am confused as to how to plan the trip. It is important for us to see nature. We are going for that.

Can someone please help with the itinerary?

Thanks

hoyas1

My wife and I are seniors, we just returned from the region last week after 16 nights. One thing to think about is that some of the hotels, cable lifts, restaurants are closing now until ski season. We caught the tail end of the summer season but our hotels were planning to close this week. So check in advance. We landed in Milan and spent the first night in Salo on Lake Garda, highly recommend this town as well as Hotel Vigna. Then 3 nights in Canazei (Dolomites) for superb hiking taking the lift up the mountain. On to Cortina for 3 more nights of incredible hiking (Menardi Hotel). Drove into Austria to see the GrobGlockner glacier and to lake region east of Salzburg. Much to see, beautiful region. Go for it!

isabel

Six nights is not much time for three destinations. Each of which could easily keep you busy for six nights. But if that's all you've got I would suggest combining the Dolomites and Lake Garda. Especially at this time of year which is not the best time to visit either of them. But if you stay in Malcesine on Lake Garda there is a cable car right from the center of the town up to Mt Baldo and several hiking possibilities from there. That's not the best of the Dolomites but it is good.

Or another idea would be to base in Bolzano, which is a larger town so more hotels and restaurants will be open and you can easily do day trips into the Dolomites (and down to Lake Garda).

Here's my trip report (and photo link). http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...nd-castles.cfm

Dukey1

Let's analyze this a little. You land at 2200 which means your first night is going to be taken up with getting to a place to sleep.

Seeing "some of Venice" obviously depends on how much and that's at least one more day and I assume night.

Bolzano is a 3.5 hour rail ride from Venice and requires a short change in Verona; Lake Garda by rail is a closer 1.5 hours by rail.

Having a car might be a better option for both places.

Personally, and having been to all three I would pick, at the max, only two places.

neckervd

If you land at 10pm, you will most probably sleep at Mestre. From there you have direct trains resp buses to
Peschiera and Desenzano (Lake Garda)
Calalzo and Cortina (Dolomites)
All depends on the places you plan to visit around Lake Garda and in the Dolomites area.

Jean

First night in/near Venice/Mestre.

If you want to spend time in Venice, do that at the end before your departing flight. If you want to spend a full day in Venice, you need to spend the last 2 nights in Venice. Two full days in Venice means 3 nights in Venice, etc.

I enjoyed Lake Garda, but IMO the Dolomites are much more interesting and scenic. If you get to Bolzano, go to the Otzi Museum (South Tyrol Museum of Archeology). I wouldn't visit the Dolomites without a car, esp. in such a short timeframe.

okoshi2002

ttt