I have been looking in guidebooks and searching this and other talk forums to get ideas, but I feel like I am missing something. We have 5 nights planned for Milan and Lakes Como, Lugano, and Maggiorre (sp?). I had originally thought to spend 3 nights around the lakes and 2 nights in Milan, but now am starting to have doubts about getting to MXP from central Milan for a 10:30am flight out on the last day. Is there a central town that we could base ourselves in that we could drive to the various lakes (we will have a car), but also take a train into Milan as a daytrip for a couple of days? Ideally, it would have to be relatively easily accessible to Malpensa, also.

Parts of Lakes Como and Maggiore are just as close to Malpensa as Milan. Do you plan to have a car? Why not begin your visit with two night in Milan, then pick up your car and go to your lake area hotel for three nights. Drive yourself to Malpensa from there, probably 60-90 minutes.

>> Is there a central town that we could base ourselves in that we could drive to the various lakes (we will have a car), <<

Lugano. Central to all The Lakes.
One hour's drive to Malpensa.

Am unfamiliar with trains but there's a large station in Lugano.

I think Largo Orta would be the closest to Malpensa.

A 10:30am flight should not be much of a problem. You will have to get up early.

We have done it twice. Once from Varenna by train, once by car from a small town a few KM north of Menaggio.

There is a commuter train that goes to MXP but it does not go to the Centrale train station. I think the hub for the commuter trains is Cordona, a community in Metro Milan.

I would recommend that you sleep several nights at one of the towns on the lake (rather than some centrally located town). You could sleep every night on one of the lakes if you want to. I would pick Lake Como (or one of the others) and spend my time there. There are plenty of towns to visit on Lake Como by itself. I would prefer to spand my time on the boats rather than in a car. It is a much better experience.

Thanks for all the great replies. I have been considering staying in Porlezza on lake Lugano, and then just driving in to a town closer to Milan to take a train in to the central city. We have tickets to see the Last Supper on the last night we will be there, so that's why our original plans were to spend 3 nights on one of the lakes and then the last 2 nights in Milan. If we stick with this plan, we could turn our rental car in a couple of days early, and take the shuttle to the airport. Which do you think is a better idea, and why?

For your last night, you could stay in Lugano or Stresa, Italy, on Lago di Maggiore. Both cities have buses directly to Malpensa. Stresa is closer.

We found an apartment close to Varese. I think it will be central enough and close enough to a train station to give us more options for Milan if we don't want to drive. Thanks again for all the great responses.