My husband and I are planning a 6-week trip to Italy in May and June (May 8-June 17), and I'd like some advice from the Italy lovers on this forum.

We've been to Italy 3 times over the last several years, including fabulous visits to Venice, Varenna and Lake Como, Lake Maggiore, Basano de Grappa, Florence and much of Tuscany, the Cinque Terre, Rome, Assissi and parts of Umbria, and Sicily. We love hiking, cities, art, beautiful buildings, villages, eating, scenery, wine--basically everything that Italy has to offer.

On our upcoming trip we've settled our plans and made reservations for the first 3 weeks: 5 nights in the Aeolian Islands (based on Lipari), 7 nights in the Amalfi Coast area (based near Salerno), 4 nights in Rome, and 3 nights with friends near Montepulciano.

That will take us to June 1. At some point we want to get to the Dolomites for some hiking and scenery-viewing--we're thinking 5 days, basing ourselves in Ortisei or a nearby village. We'll likely have a car, which we will pick up as we leave Rome. At the end of the trip we'll likely be flying home from Milan (planning an open jaws ticket from NY to Catania, returning from Milan).

With those constraints, what itinerary would you advise for our last 17 days (12 not counting the Dolomites)? We've never spent time in Milan--should we? How many days would you recommend there? Where else would you go? This may be our last trip to Italy for a while, since there's so much more of the world we need to get to.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

This is what we did over a 2 week trip last September that was focused on northern italy. Venice for 3 days/nights; picked up a car and drove to Cortina for 3 nights; drove the great dolomite road to bolzano for 2 nights (you could do less time here); drove down to Lake Garda 3 nights; drove to Milan for 3 nights; drove to Verona for 1/5days/1 night then to venice for the flight home. It was a wonderful trip - lots of mileage and the driving around Garda was scary! We flew in and out of venice out of simplicity and the fact that another couple was going to join us and had never been to venice; they cancelled at the last minute but we stayed with the same flights. Cortina has great hiking, Lake Misurina and things to do; Bolzano had Utzi and a day trip to Merano is fun; Garda is lovely and a drive to the falls, hiking, day trip to Isera; Milan was a last minute addition to the trip and we found it to be good: the duomo, laScala, Fortress, last Supper, Ferrari store, etc.

June 2 is holiday so try not to drive that day - lots fo traffic! In fact I did it this past year, June 2 we drove from Lucca to Parma - huge mistake. I was so angry at myself for making such an error and wasting 1 whole day in traffic!

We enjoy Milan and since you are familiar with so much of Italy I think you will enjoy Milan. We never stay anywhere less than 3 nights - so I'd say stay 3 nights at least in Milan.

We also like Turin - and June is perfect. I'd spend another 3 or 4 nights there.

Seems you've never been to Parma and Bologna - add 3 or 4 nights around there and that's 12 nights.

Sounds like a great trip - great itinerary. Love the Aeolian Islands although maybe that is b/c I love Ingrid in Stromboli, Rosselini's neo-realismo classic film.

What a wonderful problem to have--I would love to tag along. In those 12 days I would include 3 destinations,ending at Lago Orta prior to MXP departure. The other 2 destinations would be the Langhe region of Piemonte for the best of vino and cuisine, and a diversion into CH. I like Luzern if you have not been , but the Engadine valley is also very interesting. Hard to go wrong in that part of the world. We are going back there in Sep. as well.

Hi,

Just a few suggestions for your stay in the Dolomites (Ortisei?):

At least drive the Sella and Gardena passes. Stunning roads with up close Dolomite scenery! Just over the Gardena pass is Alta Badia, our favorite area in the Dolomites. This link may be of interest:

www.alpineroads.com/dolomites.php

Spend a day (or afternoon) in the Seiser Alm/Alpe Di Siusi. There's a cable car right from Ortisei.

www.alpedisiusi-seiseralm.com/index.html

Visit the town of Brixen/Bressanone (about an hour or less from Val Gardena) . Simply one of the most charming (and largest) old towns we've been to.

www.brixen.org

If interested, we have some photo's of the Dolomites at:

www.worldisround.com/home/pja1/index.html

Hope this helps.

Paul

You have not mentioned Bologna or Ravenna. Faenza has a faience museum that is definitely worth a visit. Urbino is another town worth a visit.

To whet your appetite:

http://tinyurl.com/59qqlw

http://tinyurl.com/633zqn

I am assuming that you will have a car.

" We love hiking, cities, art, beautiful buildings, villages, eating, scenery, wine--basically everything that Italy has to offer."
You would love medieval northeast Umbria -- Perugia, Spello,[Assisi you've been], Foligno, Bevagna, Bettona, Solomeo, Trevi, Montefalco, Clituno, Spoleto, Todi, Deruta,-all close to each other. Hiking: Norcia and Casteluccio in the Sibilline mountains, around Lake Trasimeno. Further north, Gubbio.
Umbria offers you beautiful landscapes, restaurants offering a wonderful cuisine centered on grilled meats and vegetables and local wines. When the Ancient Romans arrived, Umbria was already old. Consider staying at Palazzo Bocci in Spello [off the Flaminian Way, with highway access to all of the towns/cities mentioned]. Umbria still is as Italy once was: a gentle people living in paradise. See for yourself by watching the Umbria Channel on www.WebVisionItaly.com.

Thanks so much for the helpful replies. Many great ideas, and they give us some good direction to focus our planning. Bologna sounds like a must.

Bob -- I forgot to include it in my list, but we did spend some a couple nights at Lake Orta on one trip, and drove from there to Milan airport the morning of our departure. The town we stayed in was lovely, and the island in the lake made for gorgeous pictures.

Motorino -- thanks for the tip about June 2, and the advice on Milan. We definitely needed some guidance there.

Remus -- we spent a week in Umbria a couple years ago, visiting almost all the towns you recommend, and agree with your assessment. It fit our interests perfectly.

Anybody have other suggestions? Or want to second one that's already been made?

Thanks again--will let you know what we finally decide.

If you have a free evening for dinner in milan, I would recommend Piccolo Cucina. Its near the Sheraton Diana Majestic. We asked the concierge for the best restaurant from a local's point of view and he sent us here. I would rank it with Da Beppe Sello in Cortina and Marios' in Rome. Awesome food, atmosphere to die for - Its tiny with a menu that changes daily, run by a husband and wife and more than worth any effort to get there.

I say again, look at Piemonte for some of the best vino & cucina in Italy. Stay at Villa Sampaguita and let Tim help you to find the best places to eat in the villages.

We did a day trip from Milan to Piedmonte and had great time so that is an idea as well. There is just so much to do and see, no matter what you decide, you'll have a great time.

I agree with Bobthenavigator... Piedmonte is a wonderful region. We loved Turin. We loved Rome for the history and loved Turin for the beauty. It was not overrun with tourists, which was a big plus. The people were spectacular. The hotel we stayed at helped with dinner reservations and I was beyond impressed. One of those places that you have to know someone who knows someone. It is called Flu. No markings on the building, just a door. The best meal I had in Italy and the bottle of Barolo was sublime. 200 euros for dinner was pricey but not when you consider the meal and the wine. I would pay it again in a heatbeat! In my opinion, this whole region is definitely worth a visit. Planning on a return trip this September and cannot wait. Renting a villa and need to find out how to make reservations for Flu.

Enjoy your trip. It sounds amazing and I am completely jealous.

April: Sounds like a wonderful trip! I do like Milan very much--why not spend a couple of days there at the end of the trip?

Would you mind sharing where you are staying near Salerno? Thanks!

OK, we're convinced! We're going to try to get a reservation at Villa Sampaguita and spend a few days exploring that area. It sounds delicious. We many Barolos and other wines from the area in our wine cellar, so it will be fun to visit the source.

And we are adding Piccolo Cucina to our restaurant list for Milan. Now we have to find an inexpensive place to stay in Milan--any recommendations? We'll probably drop the car off and spend 3 days or so in Milan at the end of the trip. We'll be looking for something pretty basic at that point, as the money we have budgeted will inevitably have run out.

ekscrunchy--the place we are renting near Salerno is Casa Sorvillo, in the town of Vietri sul Mari. We're renting from Cuendet, an agency we've dealt with in the past and been very satisfied with. Casa Sorvillo has room for 4-6 people, so we've invited our 2 children and their significant others to join us there and at the apartment we're renting in Rome, if they can. We'll use Casa Sorvillo as a base from which to explore the Amalfi Coast, Paestum, etc. I'm really looking forward to this part of the trip. (To all of it, actually!)

Terrific ! Here is a sneak preview---tell Tim I sent you.
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=4172

April: I just sent for their brochure of rental properties!
I think it is interesting that you are staying in Vietri; I liked that stretch of the coast very much when I visited last spring.. There are some great restaurants nearby in Cetara, and probably some in Vietri, too...