Help me plan a two week trip to Italy!
Jul 23rd, 2008, 04:59 AM
#41
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You'll need to be at the airport no later than 8am to pass through security, so you need to be in Milano ore near the airport.
Luckily, one catches the direct airporter train to Malpensa (40 minutes) right in the neighborhood of The Last Supper. So I think it's a great idea to take a train back from Bologna the day before your flight in time to visit the Last Supper and see the Duomo (walkable from there or there are buses or an inexpensive taxi), have a nice dinner, and then take a very early train to the airport.
Unluckily, hotel accommodations all over Milano are expensive, and unlike elsewhere in Italy not always good, especially as you move down the price scale.
The eurocheapo.com website seems to offer great discounts. You might also check with venere.com. Double check any attractive price you see against reviews on venere and tripadvisor, or here.
If you can find a good rate, I like the Palazzo delle Stelline in that area. If you can afford it (because they seldom offer deals), the Antica Locanda Leonardo da Vinci is special.
If you are on a tight budget, it makes sense to stay near the Central Train station (where you'll be arriving anyway) and the following morning take the bus to the airport, which leaves from the central station. But then you will need to use the Milan subway system (not hard) or take taxis to get to the area of the Duomo and the last supper.
Hope that helps.
Luckily, one catches the direct airporter train to Malpensa (40 minutes) right in the neighborhood of The Last Supper. So I think it's a great idea to take a train back from Bologna the day before your flight in time to visit the Last Supper and see the Duomo (walkable from there or there are buses or an inexpensive taxi), have a nice dinner, and then take a very early train to the airport.
Unluckily, hotel accommodations all over Milano are expensive, and unlike elsewhere in Italy not always good, especially as you move down the price scale.
The eurocheapo.com website seems to offer great discounts. You might also check with venere.com. Double check any attractive price you see against reviews on venere and tripadvisor, or here.
If you can find a good rate, I like the Palazzo delle Stelline in that area. If you can afford it (because they seldom offer deals), the Antica Locanda Leonardo da Vinci is special.
If you are on a tight budget, it makes sense to stay near the Central Train station (where you'll be arriving anyway) and the following morning take the bus to the airport, which leaves from the central station. But then you will need to use the Milan subway system (not hard) or take taxis to get to the area of the Duomo and the last supper.
Hope that helps.
Jul 23rd, 2008, 05:15 AM
#42
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PS, allyboy,
If you ultimately want to pass on the expense of Milano, you can easily reach Malpensa in the morning by staying on Lago Maggiore and arranging to take the airporter bus that services the lakeside towns and goes directly to the airport.
I've never stayed at the Boston Hotel in Stresa, a town right on the lake, but you might check it out. If you go to tripadvisor you'll see other hotels. Some are budget (some are not, but sometimes booking agents have them on discoount).
You can take the train to Stresa from Bologna, probably with a switch in Milano. The lakeside is a lovely place for evening strolls in good weather. Most restaurants are touristy, although if you are up for a long walk (at least one mile), the tiny restaurant of L'Idro Volante near the funicular is special.
If you go this route, you must ask your hotel to reserve the bus for you BEFORE 11am the day BEFORE your flight. Just to be clear, if you are leaving Saturday, the bus company needs your reservation by 11am Friday.
If you ultimately want to pass on the expense of Milano, you can easily reach Malpensa in the morning by staying on Lago Maggiore and arranging to take the airporter bus that services the lakeside towns and goes directly to the airport.
I've never stayed at the Boston Hotel in Stresa, a town right on the lake, but you might check it out. If you go to tripadvisor you'll see other hotels. Some are budget (some are not, but sometimes booking agents have them on discoount).
You can take the train to Stresa from Bologna, probably with a switch in Milano. The lakeside is a lovely place for evening strolls in good weather. Most restaurants are touristy, although if you are up for a long walk (at least one mile), the tiny restaurant of L'Idro Volante near the funicular is special.
If you go this route, you must ask your hotel to reserve the bus for you BEFORE 11am the day BEFORE your flight. Just to be clear, if you are leaving Saturday, the bus company needs your reservation by 11am Friday.
Jul 28th, 2008, 07:37 AM
#43
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The last piece of the puzzle!
I was unable to book tickets for The Last Supper and so decided to book the First Hotel near Malpensa for our last night. Since we will be taking the train from Bologna and have to go through Milano Centrale in order to arrive at the hotel I could always check my luggage at Centrale for the afternoon if somehow I do get tickets.
New question regarding train reservations: We arrive at Malpensa at 10:30 am on Sept. 11 and will be headed to Ravenna. Should I book both the shuttle bus to Milano Centrale and the train to Ravenna now? What about the train from Bologna to Milano Centrale on Sept. 23? The reason I ask is that two years ago in leaving from Florence to Milan we ended up standing in the corridor for most of the trip because we didn't purchase tickets in advance.
I was unable to book tickets for The Last Supper and so decided to book the First Hotel near Malpensa for our last night. Since we will be taking the train from Bologna and have to go through Milano Centrale in order to arrive at the hotel I could always check my luggage at Centrale for the afternoon if somehow I do get tickets.
New question regarding train reservations: We arrive at Malpensa at 10:30 am on Sept. 11 and will be headed to Ravenna. Should I book both the shuttle bus to Milano Centrale and the train to Ravenna now? What about the train from Bologna to Milano Centrale on Sept. 23? The reason I ask is that two years ago in leaving from Florence to Milan we ended up standing in the corridor for most of the trip because we didn't purchase tickets in advance.
Jul 28th, 2008, 07:58 AM
#44
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Don't buy anything in advance from outside Italy. Book your return to Milano from Bologna in Italy, no later than 24 hours before your departure, once you are certain you know what time you want to leave Bologna. If you've been unable to get tix to the Last Supper, you may prefer to linger in Bologna.
Jul 28th, 2008, 11:24 AM
#45
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<<The reason I ask is that two years ago in leaving from Florence to Milan we ended up standing in the corridor for most of the trip because we didn't purchase tickets in advance.>>
You were probably on a regular IC train, which does not require seat reservations. On an ES or ICplus train, the ticket comes with a seat reservation, so whether you buy your ticket 60 days before or 6 minutes before, if you have a ticket you have a seat.
If you end up taking a regular IC train, you can pay a small extra fee to reserve a seat and avoid standing in the corridor.
You were probably on a regular IC train, which does not require seat reservations. On an ES or ICplus train, the ticket comes with a seat reservation, so whether you buy your ticket 60 days before or 6 minutes before, if you have a ticket you have a seat.
If you end up taking a regular IC train, you can pay a small extra fee to reserve a seat and avoid standing in the corridor.
Jul 31st, 2008, 10:47 AM
#46
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I have a car reservation in Como for an early morning pickup and will be driving to Bassano Del Grappa. How much time do you think this will take considering getting to Como from Varenna and then the drive itself? My other option is not to pick the car up in Como and instead to take the train from Varenna to Milan and then onto Verona and rent a car there. Help!
Aug 15th, 2008, 08:28 AM
#48
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I have a question regarding booking through Hotels.com and AutoEurope. When you book your reservations through these companies you have to pay in advance of your stay at whatever the current Euro rate is. What happens (as is the case) when the Euro goes down when you arrive at your destination/car rental ? Do you receive a credit for the difference or is there a process that you must go through before arriving or do you just forget about it? Thanks in advance.
Aug 25th, 2008, 12:04 PM
#50
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Still planning! Any suggestions on visiting Vicenza and the Capella Scrovegni? How difficult is it to get tickets and will 15 minutes be enough time?
Any restaurant suggestions in Vicenza, Bassano Del Grappa, Verona?
We will be driving from Como on a Monday morning and ending up eventually at our hotel in Bassano Del Grappa. Where would you suggest we stop to stroll, have a nice lunch and/or dinner? We will be in the area for 3 days before heading to Venice.
Any restaurant suggestions in Vicenza, Bassano Del Grappa, Verona?
We will be driving from Como on a Monday morning and ending up eventually at our hotel in Bassano Del Grappa. Where would you suggest we stop to stroll, have a nice lunch and/or dinner? We will be in the area for 3 days before heading to Venice.
Aug 25th, 2008, 12:15 PM
#51
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I think you can safely wait until you are Italy, and probably the day before you go, to book tickets to see the Cappella Scrovegni -- which is in Padova.
They only will let you stay for 15 minutes per booking. So if you want more time, book successive slots our two slots within the same hour.
I have often heard that seeing the best Palladian houses in Vicenza requires driving. I can't remember if you'll have a car.
For a restaurant in Verona, I very much enjoyed Trattoria al Bersagliere
http://www.trattoriaalbersagliere.it/
They only will let you stay for 15 minutes per booking. So if you want more time, book successive slots our two slots within the same hour.
I have often heard that seeing the best Palladian houses in Vicenza requires driving. I can't remember if you'll have a car.
For a restaurant in Verona, I very much enjoyed Trattoria al Bersagliere
http://www.trattoriaalbersagliere.it/
Aug 25th, 2008, 12:48 PM
#52
We loved Vicenza -- a lovely town for walking about. The Teatro Olimpico is fabulous to see.
The Washington Post had a good article on eating in Bologna
http://tinyurl.com/627xuy
Sounds like you've got a great trip coming up.
The Washington Post had a good article on eating in Bologna
http://tinyurl.com/627xuy
Sounds like you've got a great trip coming up.
Sep 6th, 2008, 12:58 PM
#53
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We will be leaving in a few days and cannot wait! Can someone suggest a restaurant for dinner in Bologna? We will have only two days arriving on a Sunday There are just so many to choose from. Thanks again.
Sep 6th, 2008, 01:57 PM
#54
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Oh allyboy, I wish I remembered the name of the fantastic restaurant in Bologna where my friends took me, the husband was born and raised in Ferrara. But hopefully you will receive some good recommendations. Having said that all the meals I have had in Bologna have been wonderful! Wishing you to two a fantastic trip and I am sure it will be!
Sep 7th, 2008, 06:18 PM
#56
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Thank you aussiefive for your previous suggestions: Diana, Franco Rossi, Trattoria Bentivoglio. I am just hoping to add to the list. I was just give the name of
Trattoria Serghei by a former student.
Trattoria Serghei by a former student.
Sep 25th, 2008, 07:55 AM
#57
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My wife and I have just returned from a glorious two week vacation that many of you helped me to create. The final itinerary looked like this:
We landed in Malpensa Airport and took the Malpensa Shuttle bus to Milan and then a train to Varenna in Lake Como. We spend three wonderful nights at Hotel Du Lac and explored Varenna, Bellagio, Menaggio and Lecco. Next we travelled to Como and picked up a car and drove to Bassano Del Grappo where we explored Bassano, Vicenza, Verona, Padua and Osolo. Our accomodations were at Villa Brocchi Colonna which we absolutely loved. Our next destination was Venice and dropped off our car at the Piazzale Roma and stayed at Hotel Ai Mori D'Oriente in the Jewish Ghetto area. After Venice we were off to Bologna (Eurostar) and spent one day in Ravenna. Our hotel was the Internazionale and our last day was first spent in Milan for the afternoon. After checking our luggage at the Centrale Station we explored the Duomo (not able to get tickets for The Last Supper) and then took the Malpensa Shuttle back to the airport for our last night at the First Hotel. All in all it was just about a perfect trip. Since we just got home late last night I will write soon about the specifics of the trip including some helpful hints for those of you considering going to the same places as us. Thanks Fodorites!
We landed in Malpensa Airport and took the Malpensa Shuttle bus to Milan and then a train to Varenna in Lake Como. We spend three wonderful nights at Hotel Du Lac and explored Varenna, Bellagio, Menaggio and Lecco. Next we travelled to Como and picked up a car and drove to Bassano Del Grappo where we explored Bassano, Vicenza, Verona, Padua and Osolo. Our accomodations were at Villa Brocchi Colonna which we absolutely loved. Our next destination was Venice and dropped off our car at the Piazzale Roma and stayed at Hotel Ai Mori D'Oriente in the Jewish Ghetto area. After Venice we were off to Bologna (Eurostar) and spent one day in Ravenna. Our hotel was the Internazionale and our last day was first spent in Milan for the afternoon. After checking our luggage at the Centrale Station we explored the Duomo (not able to get tickets for The Last Supper) and then took the Malpensa Shuttle back to the airport for our last night at the First Hotel. All in all it was just about a perfect trip. Since we just got home late last night I will write soon about the specifics of the trip including some helpful hints for those of you considering going to the same places as us. Thanks Fodorites!
