RStark

I have six nights in Italy in early September before I am planning to meet friends in Bologna. I'd like to visit at least one of the lakes (Como? Garda?Maggiore?) but don't know which to choose. Your suggestions are most welcome.

I will land in Milan and may like to include a visit to Bergamo. Perhaps I'd do it this way:
First night: Milan. Second, third and fourth nights, Bergamo. Fifth and sixth nights, Lake Garda. Or, I'd stay two in Bergamo and three in Garda.

Please advise!

Many thanks.

jilltwin

We are planning a similar trip. I can barely squeeze in all the wonderful thinks we want to see and do in Milan into our three nights there. Don't sell it short. Yes, go to Bergamo on the way to the lakes. Two days (one night) or even just one day is enough. Then, while any of the lakes are beautiful, 3 nights is way too many for Garda. Go to Lake Como, stay on the eastern side and take a day trip to Garda. I think you are trying to do too much in 6 nights. But since you have only six, nights, maybe you could do 2 in Milan, 1 in Bergamo, 3 at Lake Como, You can take a day trip to Garda or a day trip to Lugano. Hoping you have a car and are flying back from Milan.

bobthenavigator

Garda would be my third choice and is really too far for a day trip. Assuming you will not have a car, I would train to Varenna on the east side of Lago Como and spend 3 nites there.

StCirq

Orta

asps

Once you are on lake Como, it does not make much sense a day trip to lake Garda. Maybe, if you have a car, a detour to Lake Lugano and Maggiore through Switzerland. But lake Garda is too distant for a day trip.

annhig

Then, while any of the lakes are beautiful, 3 nights is way too many for Garda.>>

we stayed for a week [our second stay after we'd stayed there for one night many years ago] and there was still a lot we missed. The glory of the lake is its boat trips to the various places along the shore, pretty Sirmione in the south, bustling Garda itself, the Gardoni riviera for the Vittoriale, Riva in the north, Malcesine for the cable car to the top of Monte Baldo.

so i would agree that it's not really a good place for a day trip - there's too much to see!

Dukey1

The issue would be GETTING to Lake Garda FROM Varenna and that would mean a train to Milan and then another eastbound to Garda and then from there who knows how you'd get around part of the lake. And then the return.

I think you'll find plenty to see and do around Lago Di Como (as it is more properly known) without bothering to see any others.

annhig

dukey- I wasn't addressing the logistical issues of getting to Lago di Garda from Como, which I agree are quite complicated without a car - and not worth doing just for a day trip. IMO Garda is a worthwhile destination in its own right.

packed

Como is our favorite. We've been to all of them.

RStark

Grazie a tutti! Thanks, everyone for your helpful replies. I agree that it would not be feasible to do Lake Garda as a day trip. I have been to Milan before and so will not spend too much time there on this trip.

PalenQ

Getting to Lake Garda is a snap - trains go to two lake railheads - nice towns with lots of hotels - boats go all over the lake. Sirmione is one of the premier archaeological sites in Italy so can take a half day in itself - that said I agree that two full days or 1.5 on the lake is enough though there are so so many neat towns you could spend three days there and not get bored.

I've been to all the lakes and Garda, as a lake is my favorite - especially the fjord-like northern end. All three lakes are neat - can't go wrong but Garda is easy to get to by train - a relatively short rain ride from Bergamo or Bologna - Verona is right to the east - perhaps from a Lake Garda railhead base day trip to Verona, one of the most fascinating Italian towns I've seen for the day?

Oh and Juliet's balcony is a fake but still evokes a lot of whatever...