First time in Italy, what to do in 9 days...
 

Hi everyone,
We are going to milan to watch the Formula 1 Monza Race, we will have a car for the trip, can you recommend me some cities and interesting places to visit?
We have planned this itinerary:
Day 1: Milan (half day)
Day 2: F1 Race at monza (milan)
Day 3: Lake Como (spent a night there)
Day 4, 5, 6: Venezia
Day 7, 8: Florence
Day 9: Milan

Please give me your advice, tips and any information wich can be helpful for me.


Thank all of you!

In that short time I would stay close to home and see 3 places:
Milan and race
Lago Como
Venice
That is a full schedule for 9 days.

I agree with Bob, but whether you drop Florence or Venice is your call.

September in Italy sounds great!

Lake Como and Bellagio are always good choices this time of year. I'd stay in Bellagio.

I'd take Bob's advice as well and do either Florence or Venice, if you like tourist cities, but not both. If you decide to do both I would dump the car.

If not, there is lots to do with that car in Lombardy, Piedmont, and Emilia Romagna, including visiting Modena, the birthplace of Ferrari, Maserati, and Lamborghini. If you decide to cruise around you could fold Venice or Florence into the journey. In this case I'd do Florence. THis way i could cruise around the Tuscan hills, coast, Liguria, and mayb even Umbria... depends on the goal.

Great Milan neighborhood restaurant:
http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...p;ref_item=369


Nice video here of Modena:
http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...p;ref_item=370


And these great videos of Italian cars:

Maserati S Coupe:
http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...p;ref_item=343

Pininfarinia:
http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...p;ref_item=302

Ferrari P4/5 Enzo:
http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...p;ref_item=299

gerardopo,

My advice would be to drop Florence this time around. 9 days is very rushed for this many destinations. I would stick with the northern towns and add 2 nights to either Como or another lake town.

Buon viaggio!

Another vote to drop Florence. Nothing against the city, but it makes your overall itinerary too rushed imo.

I would prefer to go to Venezia, and if you like it, then stay, but if you'd rather move on Firenze, do. Probably the safest way to do that in the second week of September is to book rooms in Firenze with a 24-hour cancellation policy. Were it me, I would book the Venezia nights and just wing it from there, but I have a lot of experience in Italy and if that's out of your comfort zone, just be sure to remember to cancel the rooms.

Where are you planning to stay your first two nights? If your main purpose in going to the Milan area is to see the race, I would try to stay outside Milano. It's hotel rooms are very expensive.

Have fun.

Thank all of you for your answers!

We arrives to Milano (saturday at night) and there we are going to rent a car. The reace is next day (sunday).

We haven't take the final decision, someone wants to visit Rome and stay there more days.
We have to decide between rome and milan or milan, venezia, modena (or some other option). My option is milan, lake como, modena, venezia.

You recommend to book all hotel nights in all destinations? or we can go and see what we can take?

Regards

Gerard,

You are going to have to book your stay for the race. Even without the race, hotel rooms are scarce in Milano, and even surrounding Milano when the race is on.

The second week of September is not the "down" season anywhere you mention going, and there is never a "down" season in Venezia. If you know when you are going to be in Venezia, and especially if you want air conditioning, I would book.

As for the rest of the trip, it depends on your temperment and your desires in hotel rooms. It is rare to find a B&B that is not very clean. It is rare to be unable to find any room at all (except in Milano and Bologna). You certainly don't have to worry in a town like Modena. But if you know you want the best view, a spa, air conditioning (I'd want it in Roma), or if your budget is very small, you take a chance waiting until you are in Italy to book. Because you might have to take something because it's all that's left -- whether it's pricey or unromantic.

If you want to fly by the seat of your pants, buy the Michelin Red Guide for Italia.

But you must book those rooms for your first two nights as soon as you can, and if you settle on an itinerary, just book it. September is not easy pickings for good hotel rooms in famous destinations.

Gerard,

You are going to have to book your stay for the race. Even without the race, hotel rooms are scarce in Milano, and even surrounding Milano when the race is on.

The second week of September is not the "down" season anywhere you mention going, and there is never a "down" season in Venezia. If you know when you are going to be in Venezia, and especially if you want air conditioning, I would book.

As for the rest of the trip, it depends on your temperment and your desires in hotel rooms. It is rare to find a B&B that is not clean. It is rare to be unable to find any room at all (except in Milano and Bologna). You certainly don't have to worry in a town like Modena. But if you want the best view, a spa, air conditioning (I'd want it in Roma), or if your budget is very small, you take a chance waiting until you are in Italy to book. Because you might have to take something because it's all that's left -- whether it's pricey or unromantic.

If you want to fly by the seat of your pants, buy the Michelin Red Guide for Italia.

But you must book those rooms for your first two nights as soon as you can.

And if you all settle on an itinerary, just book it. September is not easy pickings for good hotel rooms in famous destinations.

Sorry for the double posting.

Hate to say drop florence but it may be too much. You can go from Milano to the lakes region and then on to Venice via either verona or the great dolomite road with a stop in cortina on the way. We did a reverse loop - venice to cortina to bolzano to garda to milano to verona and back to Venice over 2 weeks. Plan ahead for last supper tickets in Milano and if you decide to stop through Verona and spend a night, see if they are performing an opera that evening. We sat outdoors in the piazza and just listened. It was shortly after the monza race as well - they do Romeo and Juliet once a year and we heard it...we aren't opera fans at all but this was magical...wonderful night, warm, bottle of wine, etc. Verona was a last minute addition to our trip - we drove there from Milano in the morning, spent that day, one night and the next morning before driving to venice to fly home. Hotel Accademia was excellent.

Hi G,

Looks good to me.

In addition to Lake Como, you might wish to consider staying on consider Lake Maggiore or Lake Lugano as well.

Enjoy the races.

((I))