tuscanlifeedit

I actually have purchased the tickets so this isn't one of those trips that I plan then change my mind about, which certainly does happen.

We will be in Philadelphia and have vacation time so decided to fly out of PHL to Italy.

However the cost for open jaw tickets from PHL to FCO, then VCE back to PHL, was about $300 less per ticket than round trip PHL <> VCE. Took the open jaws, of course.

So now we land in Rome, where we just spent close to a week in October, and are more anxious to head to the Veneto, where we originally planned to spend all of our 10 days. .

Top things on our list are, in no particular order
The Biennale in Venice... just a few nights; we have spent a good amount of time in Venice
Opera in Verona
A brief stop in Ravenna for the mosaics

Second tier wish list includes a visit to the northern end of Lago di Garda
Maybe Bologna where I've never been
Other Veneto towns, but I'm having a hard time choosing

Anyone do a similar trip? Or have any ideas?

We will probably hop on a train as soon as we get to Rome. Times to both Bologna and Verona are good; nice napping but not too long a train ride.

Im in my very initial planning stage and I'm thinking we would want a car for Ravenna and Lake Garda and maybe Bassano del Grappa. Bologna, Verona, Venice all call for trains, I think. I can't quite make the car and train parts of the trip fit, and I know I can't go everywhere.

neckervd

Opera in Verona: I don't know anything about a opera house at Verona. In summer time (June 14th until Sept 8th) there are Verdi opera performances in the roman arena, however.
The opera house La Fenice in Venice will have some performances in October: http://www.teatrolafenice.it/site/in...7&cart=1&ban=6

Ravenna (and Classe) can easily be reached by train from Bologna: 1 1/2 hrs ride, 22 trains daily.

May be you check Mantova and Cremona too (not in the Veneto, but more or less along the Bologna - Lake Garda itinerary). Other gems in the area: Medieval city center of Bergamo, prehistoric rock carvings at Capo di Ponte, tiny medieval town of Montagnana .....

Lake Garda: there are frequent buses around the whole Lake, from Verona and Desenzano up to Riva and from Riva to Rovereto train station. Many ferries until october 6th, some of them may even run later.

bilboburgler

This might interest you, maybe not for the bike ride details but to offer some more of the out of the way places you can easily visit in this area.

http://bilboburgler.hubpages.com/hub...ice-to-Ravenna

tuscanlifeedit

I can't wait to get home and read your report, bilboburgler. Since I have only briefly visited Ravenna and Verona, out of the way places weren't even on my radar. I haven't been to the "in the way" places.

neckervd: Opera in Verona takes places in the Roman arena. I am aiming for one of the open air productions of Aida, as I hear they are spectacular. I'm not the world's biggest opera fan, but I've always wanted to see an opera at the arena in Verona.

bilboburgler

I like Ferrara (origin of the car name) a lot, a walled city, great fortress (closed Mondays) not bad duomo and most cars are banned so very much walking and biking. The result is a tight little city with everything a bit slower than normal

ekc

We had a wonderful 3 days in Asolo (followed by 3 more wonderful days in Cormons, but it is not in the Veneto). Highly recommended.

neckervd

I told you above that the last opera performance in the Arena di Verona will take place Sept 8th and you will land at Rome in October. Therefore I continue to guess that it might be difficult for you to assist to a Aida performance.

Holly_uncasdewar

Where does she say she's going to be there in October? I assumed she's going to be there during the summer since she's talking about opera in Verona.

tuscanlifeedit

We will be there in early September.

tuscanlifeedit

I should not have hit the post button before making it clear that we were in Rome in October of 2012, and it is only an airport stop on this trip.

We want to take a train directly to Bologna or Verona. We will end in Venice, because we fly out of Venice and because we want to revisit the Biennale.

A very preliminary might be to go direct to Bologna and spend two nights, with a half day in Ravenna on the second day.

From Bologna we could train to Verona and stay a few nights.

We could rent a car there and drive to Lake Garda, spending two nights.

As I said we will end in Venice, but I think two nights would be enough. We have spent a good amount of time there in the past.

4 stops in 9 nights seems too much to me and although distances are very short it seems like a lot of hopping about.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

neckervd

I read in the first post
"So now we land in Rome, where we just spend close to a week in October"
But now, everÿthing is clear, sorry!
Have a nice opera evening!

ecovanavoce

This is the Arena program:
http://www.arena.it/en-US/arena/prog...l#.UajND6QWT5E

Wht about of this?

day 1 day train to Bologna (from airport there is a shuttle for "Roma Termini" and then take fast train "freccia")
day 2 visit Bologna
day 3 take a car, go to Ferrara (by highway, it's closer) and return to Bologna for overnight
day 4 from Bologna to Mantova by highway - visit Mantova and then go to Verona for overnight (very closer by highway)
day 5 visit Verona
day 6 Garda Lake east side (from Verona, it's closer! It's amazing, very good choice!)
day 7 Mantova (from Verona, by highway, it's closer!)
day 8 Go to Vicenza (teatro olimpico, basilica, historic centre - very nice!) and go to Venezia (or Padova, it's cheaper tran Venice and very fine) for overnight. Return car
day 9 Biennale (If you are in Padova there is a train)
day 10 Venice and airport.

So, you can stay only in Bologna, Verona and Venice (or Padova + Venice) for overnight.
Try to use Viamichelin.it or google map for distance/time by car.