5-7 days in Northern Italy
Jul 3rd, 2019, 05:12 PM
#1
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5-7 days in Northern Italy
Hello,
My partner and I (late 20's) are planning a last minute trip to Italy-Germany-Netherlands in early August 2019.
Planning to fly into Milan and spend 5-7 days in northern Italy before moving on to Germany (perhaps fly Milan-Berlin but any recommendations on transportation also helpful).
We are very flexible with doing some city sightseeing but also very much enjoy the countryside and time on the coast/near water.
Enjoy local cuisine but don't need high end meals, no night life.
Genoa and Lake Garda seem like two neat spots but literally just pulled up Google Maps. Also assuming we will use public transport but again we are VERY early in trip planning and no prior experience in Italy.
Any recommendations on locations that are logical for 5-7 days are greatly appreciated! Thanks!
My partner and I (late 20's) are planning a last minute trip to Italy-Germany-Netherlands in early August 2019.
Planning to fly into Milan and spend 5-7 days in northern Italy before moving on to Germany (perhaps fly Milan-Berlin but any recommendations on transportation also helpful).
We are very flexible with doing some city sightseeing but also very much enjoy the countryside and time on the coast/near water.
Enjoy local cuisine but don't need high end meals, no night life.
Genoa and Lake Garda seem like two neat spots but literally just pulled up Google Maps. Also assuming we will use public transport but again we are VERY early in trip planning and no prior experience in Italy.
Any recommendations on locations that are logical for 5-7 days are greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Jul 4th, 2019, 02:10 AM
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Any recommendations on locations that are logical for 5-7 days are greatly appreciated!
A few days in Milano, including daytrips to places like Bergamo, Pavia, Certosa di Pavia or even Genova followed by a few days by one of the lakes(Lake Como or Lake Maggiore).
How long is the 2nd part of your trip(Germany-Netherlands)?
If you're travelling from Northern Italy to Netherlands Berlin is an outlier. If I were you I'd not fly, but travel by train between Italy and Netherlands via Switzerland and the western part of Germany along the romantic Rhine river(actually switch from train to boat for the most scenic part: Bingen - Koblenz), castles and half-timbered towns. This may be a cliche, but it feels much more German than globalised Berlin with modern buildings.
Let me know if you like this idea and need more information!
A few days in Milano, including daytrips to places like Bergamo, Pavia, Certosa di Pavia or even Genova followed by a few days by one of the lakes(Lake Como or Lake Maggiore).
How long is the 2nd part of your trip(Germany-Netherlands)?
If you're travelling from Northern Italy to Netherlands Berlin is an outlier. If I were you I'd not fly, but travel by train between Italy and Netherlands via Switzerland and the western part of Germany along the romantic Rhine river(actually switch from train to boat for the most scenic part: Bingen - Koblenz), castles and half-timbered towns. This may be a cliche, but it feels much more German than globalised Berlin with modern buildings.
Let me know if you like this idea and need more information!
Jul 4th, 2019, 02:11 AM
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Any recommendations on locations that are logical for 5-7 days are greatly appreciated!
A few days in Milano, including daytrips to places like Bergamo, Pavia, Certosa di Pavia or even Genova followed by a few days by one of the lakes(Lake Como or Lake Maggiore).
How long is the 2nd part of your trip(Germany-Netherlands)?
If you're travelling from Northern Italy to Netherlands Berlin is an outlier. If I were you I'd not fly, but travel by train between Italy and Netherlands via Switzerland and the western part of Germany along the romantic Rhine river(actually switch from train to boat for the most scenic part: Bingen - Koblenz), castles and half-timbered towns. This may be a cliche, but it feels much more German than globalised Berlin with modern buildings.
Let me know if you like this idea and need more information!
(Sorry, for double posting! I'm still getting used to this forum.)
A few days in Milano, including daytrips to places like Bergamo, Pavia, Certosa di Pavia or even Genova followed by a few days by one of the lakes(Lake Como or Lake Maggiore).
How long is the 2nd part of your trip(Germany-Netherlands)?
If you're travelling from Northern Italy to Netherlands Berlin is an outlier. If I were you I'd not fly, but travel by train between Italy and Netherlands via Switzerland and the western part of Germany along the romantic Rhine river(actually switch from train to boat for the most scenic part: Bingen - Koblenz), castles and half-timbered towns. This may be a cliche, but it feels much more German than globalised Berlin with modern buildings.
Let me know if you like this idea and need more information!
(Sorry, for double posting! I'm still getting used to this forum.)
Jul 4th, 2019, 06:25 AM
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While you're in Italy, will you have a car or will you rely on public transportation?
I myself prefer Lake Garda to Lake Como, but if you won't have a car, Lake Como is easier to reach from Milan.
If you have plenty of time, I agree with the advice to travel north by train; the trip through the Alps is beautiful. You could stop over in Switzerland for a night; Basel is very convenient. Then you could stop in Germany in any spot along the Rhine, taking a boat part of the way. Then you could continue to the Netherlands by train.
Berlin is out of the way, so if you want to see Berlin, you should fly there, and then get another flight to the Netherlands. I use www.skyscanner.net for budget flights within Europe. Google Flights is also good.
You would want to get a multi-city flight into Milan and out of Amsterdam.
I myself prefer Lake Garda to Lake Como, but if you won't have a car, Lake Como is easier to reach from Milan.
If you have plenty of time, I agree with the advice to travel north by train; the trip through the Alps is beautiful. You could stop over in Switzerland for a night; Basel is very convenient. Then you could stop in Germany in any spot along the Rhine, taking a boat part of the way. Then you could continue to the Netherlands by train.
Berlin is out of the way, so if you want to see Berlin, you should fly there, and then get another flight to the Netherlands. I use www.skyscanner.net for budget flights within Europe. Google Flights is also good.
You would want to get a multi-city flight into Milan and out of Amsterdam.
Jul 5th, 2019, 02:37 AM
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Public transport is quite good and cheap in Northern Italy.
Lake Como and Lake Maggiore are closer to Milan, but Lake Garda is not that far either, the fastest trains from Milano to Desenzano del Garda take less than 1 hour.
If you choose Lake Garda it makes more sense to travel to Germany via Austria(Verona - Bozen - Brenner Pass - Innsbruck - München) instead of Switzerland.
Lake Como and Lake Maggiore are closer to Milan, but Lake Garda is not that far either, the fastest trains from Milano to Desenzano del Garda take less than 1 hour.
If you choose Lake Garda it makes more sense to travel to Germany via Austria(Verona - Bozen - Brenner Pass - Innsbruck - München) instead of Switzerland.
Jul 10th, 2019, 05:26 PM
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thanks for the recommendation! My partner is keen to see some of the historical sites in Berlin (I don't know how much there is/isn't but happy to go along). I will run your idea by her and certainly will reach out if it gains traction.
Jul 10th, 2019, 05:27 PM
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I think we will be relying on public transportation and taking these quick cheap flights from location to location; but again, I will take your advice about train up to Netherlands and see what I can do. Thanks again this is a big help!
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