Dale

Does anyone have suggestions for an overnight stay/daytouring spot approx. halfway between Salzburg and Venice? Udine has been suggested to me. Any good hotels that people have experience with? We will be two adults and 2 or 3 teenagers travelling. <BR>Thanks! - <BR>Dale

Dale

I should add that mode of transportation is driving. This is for a trip we are planning for June-July 2001, so it is very much in the planning stage now. We plan, at present, the last leg of our journey to include approx. 6 days between Salzburg area and Milan. Thought we would need four in Venice, other two travelling. Any suggestions? We are first timers.

kam

You could subtract one day from the four in Venice and add Verona on your way to Milan, especially if any of your teenagers are girls who would like to see the city of Romeo and Juiliet. We did a drive from Salzburg to Innsbruck and then through the Brenner Pass to the Alto Adige area a few years ago. It was lovely but takes you out of your way for going to Venice. Coming directly from Salzburg, Udine seems to be the main town, but I've never been there so can't give advice.

Paulo

There are a number of alternatives to travel south, from Salzburg to Venice. The fastest would be by taking A10 divided autoroute through Spittal and Villach, A2 autoroute to the border and A23 autostrada to Tarvisio and Udine and A4 to Mestre/Venice. The total driving nonstop driving time would be something around 4 1/2 hours. Though Udine is a delightful and lively town (attractive old arcaded streets, a castle, a very nice and harmonious square - the Piazza della Lilbertà - and a few quaint churches), there are some other points you should consider: Venice's only about 1 1/2 hours away from Udine ... From Salzburg to Udine, the divided Autoroute is not that interesting, though it crosses a region of mountains (there are two major tunnels on the way, the Tauern and the Katschlberg). <BR> <BR>A 2nd route from Salzburg to Venice (much more scenic) would be through Kitzbühel, Lienz and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The nonstop driving time would add up to 6 hours. One could leave Salzburg in the morning and plan to stop in beautiful Kitzbühel for a visit (1:30 hours from Salzburg). After lunch, one would take off to Lienz (1:30 hours from Kitzbühel). After a short stop one would go on to Cortina (1:15 hours). Cortina would be a very nice little mountain town to spend the night. Next morning, one could spend a couple of hours to go up a mountain (using one of the numerous lifts) before taking off to Venice (2 hour drive). By taking this route one would drive mostly on two way roads. <BR> <BR>A 3rd possibility would be to use the most western route, through Innsbruck and down to Verona. The fast driving total time would also read some 6 hours. A 2/3-hours visit to Innsbruck (after 2 hours driving) would be called for. One could spend the night somewhere in the Italian Dolomites (either in Vipiteno or Bressanone). From the Italian Alps to Venice it would be a 3:30 hour drive. Once you're planning to go from Venice to Milan, a stop in Verona could considered in that leg. Just about all of the driving would be on divided Autoroutes. <BR> <BR>Finally, instead of going south to Verona from the Alps, one could cut east through the beautiful Pusteria valley and Cortina (see 2nd route). The nonstop drive from Bressanone to Venice through Cortina would also read about 3 1/2 hours. In this option, in case you want to arrive in Venice not too late in the afternoon, instead of spending the night in Vipiteno or Bressanone one could stretch till Cortina (total driving time from Salzburg to Cortina via Innsbruck would read some 4 hours or so, maybe a little more. By using this option you'd be using divided Autoroutes till you reach south of the Italian border, then two-way roads to Cortina and Santa Croce lake (north of Vittorio Veneto), and divided Autoroute thereafter to Venice. <BR> <BR>My personal preference would be route 2 with the variant of route 3 (in other words, a night in Cortina) a close 2nd. It would almost boil down to the preference for smaller Kitzbühel than much larger Innsbruck. <BR> <BR>Of corse, after Venice I'd spend a night in Verona ... you'd have to make a decision pretty early though, because Verona's Opera festival may be on (season opener is on the last day(s) of June) and hotel reservations may represent a problem after March or so. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>

Dale

Thank-you very much, Kam and Paulo, for your replies. I will look into Verona for an overnight and day stay. Thank-you so much Paulo for the detailed information! The people on this forum are fantastic. <BR> <BR>- Dale