How would you spend 16 days in Northern Italy?
Aug 5th, 2011, 06:34 PM
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How would you spend 16 days in Northern Italy?
My partner and I travel to Europe once a year and for 2012 we have decided on Northern Italy. We plan to leave Miami on May 12 and return on May 28. We love architecture, museums and history; but also all forms of nature. We are both late middle aged but still full of adventure.
After reading lots of books, looking at threads here, and researching on line I have come up with this general starting wish list: Venice, Padua, Verona, Vicenza, Lake Como (or Stresa or Vareena), Milan, Parma, Bologna and Ravenna. We also have an interest in the Cinque Terre, Lodi, Cremona, Placenza and Vigevano but I realize that with only 16 days we must be realistic on how much we can see. We can rent a car or use the train.
I am thinking of flying into Venice (3 nights). Renting a car and driving to Verona for the first home base (4 nights). 3 nights in Bologna. 3 nights in Milan (my partner wants to see this city more than I do). Lastly 3 nights in Como or another lake town for a departure from MXP.
I would like to start reserving the most popular hotels and looking at plane reservations (with AMEX points). I would appreciate your learned opinions on how to spend our time.
After reading lots of books, looking at threads here, and researching on line I have come up with this general starting wish list: Venice, Padua, Verona, Vicenza, Lake Como (or Stresa or Vareena), Milan, Parma, Bologna and Ravenna. We also have an interest in the Cinque Terre, Lodi, Cremona, Placenza and Vigevano but I realize that with only 16 days we must be realistic on how much we can see. We can rent a car or use the train.
I am thinking of flying into Venice (3 nights). Renting a car and driving to Verona for the first home base (4 nights). 3 nights in Bologna. 3 nights in Milan (my partner wants to see this city more than I do). Lastly 3 nights in Como or another lake town for a departure from MXP.
I would like to start reserving the most popular hotels and looking at plane reservations (with AMEX points). I would appreciate your learned opinions on how to spend our time.
Aug 5th, 2011, 10:43 PM
#2
I couldn't even contemplate trying to see this many places, so I won't comment on how you should spend your time. My priorities/preferences might not be yours.
I think you're going to have a hard time keeping the Cinque Terre on this list. The area is too far and difficult to get to from every other place you want to see.
I would start by checking train timetables to help you plot out your days. I think every place you mention is on a train line, but you might see more with a car for a couple of days. But, in some places, having a car isn't particularly helpful (Cinque Terre, mid-Lake Como) or enjoyable (Milan).
I wouldn't spend every day on a day-trip to somewhere else. Verona, Bologna and Milan are each worthy of a day of exploring.
I would put Lake Como before Milan, so that your last night is an easy/simple train ride to the airport. I wouldn't stay in the town of Como but rather in the mid-lake area of Varenna, Bellagio, Menaggio, Cadenabbia because of the frequent ferry service. Stresa is on Lake Maggiore.
I think you're going to have a hard time keeping the Cinque Terre on this list. The area is too far and difficult to get to from every other place you want to see.
I would start by checking train timetables to help you plot out your days. I think every place you mention is on a train line, but you might see more with a car for a couple of days. But, in some places, having a car isn't particularly helpful (Cinque Terre, mid-Lake Como) or enjoyable (Milan).
I wouldn't spend every day on a day-trip to somewhere else. Verona, Bologna and Milan are each worthy of a day of exploring.
I would put Lake Como before Milan, so that your last night is an easy/simple train ride to the airport. I wouldn't stay in the town of Como but rather in the mid-lake area of Varenna, Bellagio, Menaggio, Cadenabbia because of the frequent ferry service. Stresa is on Lake Maggiore.
Aug 5th, 2011, 11:10 PM
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I think your itinerary is bascially just fine except I highly recommend that you use the trains and not a rent a car, and instead apply the savings to having a car service take you to Malpensa from Lago di Como.
Unless you've got a strong personal interest, I think you can eliminate Piacenza from your list. (And I see you have wisely already eliminated le Cinque Terre.)
Many of the places on your list are easily reached from your base cities by public transportation, but you might want to do more research on Vicenza to see if you can really have a satisfying experience of it without a car, and without spending more than one night in the area.
Many of your other destinations will take you only half a day to see the major sights, but Ravenna will take a full day.
Unless you've got a strong personal interest, I think you can eliminate Piacenza from your list. (And I see you have wisely already eliminated le Cinque Terre.)
Many of the places on your list are easily reached from your base cities by public transportation, but you might want to do more research on Vicenza to see if you can really have a satisfying experience of it without a car, and without spending more than one night in the area.
Many of your other destinations will take you only half a day to see the major sights, but Ravenna will take a full day.
Aug 6th, 2011, 09:14 AM
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Jean; I agree my wish list is way too long, this is just a starting point. From here I can start eliminating cities/towns because they are less interesting or too far out of the way. On our last visit to Italy we toured Tuscany with a car. It was great having that freedom but I still remember my meltdown as we tried to reach our hotel in Florence. Our trip would be simplified if we eliminated Bologna and Ravena but my companion loves mosaics and there are threads here preferring Bologna to Verona.
zeppole; we could rent a car for a portion of our trip and then turn it in at Milano for visiting the lakes. I see you have taken le Cinque Terre off the list. I would love to see it but I was afraid that it is too far out of the way.
Thanks to both of your for your kind assistance
zeppole; we could rent a car for a portion of our trip and then turn it in at Milano for visiting the lakes. I see you have taken le Cinque Terre off the list. I would love to see it but I was afraid that it is too far out of the way.
Thanks to both of your for your kind assistance
Aug 6th, 2011, 10:22 AM
#6
We've stayed in Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio. Each town has its good points, benefits, charms.
Varenna is the smallest, but too small for some people. I like the views of the lake best from Varenna and the hills above the town. It's the quietest of the three (especially at night) and, at least to me, the least touristy in what is a touristy destination.
Menaggio is the largest, but too large for some people (including me). If you have a car, you can stay in any of the towns, but you have the most and easiest options for exploring by car if you stay in Menaggio. It's an easy day-trip to Lugano by bus or car (also possible from Bellagio and Varenna but with ferry rides at both ends). Because it's the largest of the three, Menaggio has the most choices in hotels and restaurants.
If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Bellagio. There's nothing specific about it that wins me over. It's the town on the lake we visited on our first trip to the lake many years ago, so that might be the reason, or it has that Goldilocks factor (not too big, not too small) that appeals to us. But Varenna is a very close second.
I'm glad you recognize you may have to drop a couple of towns, but do work out a couple of scenario itineraries before you start the elimination process. It usually takes me 2-3 attempts to recognize what's possible and what matters most to us.
Varenna is the smallest, but too small for some people. I like the views of the lake best from Varenna and the hills above the town. It's the quietest of the three (especially at night) and, at least to me, the least touristy in what is a touristy destination.
Menaggio is the largest, but too large for some people (including me). If you have a car, you can stay in any of the towns, but you have the most and easiest options for exploring by car if you stay in Menaggio. It's an easy day-trip to Lugano by bus or car (also possible from Bellagio and Varenna but with ferry rides at both ends). Because it's the largest of the three, Menaggio has the most choices in hotels and restaurants.
If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Bellagio. There's nothing specific about it that wins me over. It's the town on the lake we visited on our first trip to the lake many years ago, so that might be the reason, or it has that Goldilocks factor (not too big, not too small) that appeals to us. But Varenna is a very close second.
I'm glad you recognize you may have to drop a couple of towns, but do work out a couple of scenario itineraries before you start the elimination process. It usually takes me 2-3 attempts to recognize what's possible and what matters most to us.
Aug 6th, 2011, 11:23 AM
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Our trip in Northern Italy was as follows:
Fly to / from Milan. We traveled by train.
- Milan (7 nights)-- visit from here:
* Milan
* Bergamo
* Lugano and a tour of Lugano lake
* Varena and Villa Carlota (Lake Como)
* Cinque Terre – organized tour with Zani Viaggi
* Bernina Express and St. Moritz with Zani Viaggi
- Verona (4 nights)-- visit from here:
* Verona
* Mantua
* Vicenza
* Sirmione (Lake Garda)
- Bologna (5 nights) -- visit from here:
* Bologna
* Ravenna
* Rimini
* San Marino
- Stresa (2 nights)
* Isola Bella
* Villa Taranto and its gardens
The third part – Bologna
This is a very nice red town, with the longest streets with highest arcades that I saw till now. A lot of young people – students. Very nice buildings, leaning towers, nice public library, nice park with huge statues near the train station (this park remember me of the park in Marseille).
The last part – Stresa
Fly to / from Milan. We traveled by train.
- Milan (7 nights)-- visit from here:
* Milan
* Bergamo
* Lugano and a tour of Lugano lake
* Varena and Villa Carlota (Lake Como)
* Cinque Terre – organized tour with Zani Viaggi
* Bernina Express and St. Moritz with Zani Viaggi
- Verona (4 nights)-- visit from here:
* Verona
* Mantua
* Vicenza
* Sirmione (Lake Garda)
- Bologna (5 nights) -- visit from here:
* Bologna
* Ravenna
* Rimini
* San Marino
- Stresa (2 nights)
* Isola Bella
* Villa Taranto and its gardens
The third part – Bologna
This is a very nice red town, with the longest streets with highest arcades that I saw till now. A lot of young people – students. Very nice buildings, leaning towers, nice public library, nice park with huge statues near the train station (this park remember me of the park in Marseille).
The last part – Stresa
Aug 6th, 2011, 01:56 PM
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Jean, all your suggested three lake towns look beautiful. We could drive to one of these towns and either drop off our car there or keep the car to drop off outside of Milan. If we set aside 3 nights for one of these destinations would we need the car or could be just use the ferrys and take a train/bus to Milan for our final nights?
Valtor, what a wonderful vacation! I have been to Italy twice without seeing Venice so I am planning on staying there 3 nights. With just a remaining 14 days how would you amend your itinerary? We could drop Sirmione since we are visiting Lake Como. Also, Rimini and San Marino are not on my radar. Lastly it seems you visited Cinque Terre as a day trip from Milan. Did you feel that was enough time in that area?
Valtor, what a wonderful vacation! I have been to Italy twice without seeing Venice so I am planning on staying there 3 nights. With just a remaining 14 days how would you amend your itinerary? We could drop Sirmione since we are visiting Lake Como. Also, Rimini and San Marino are not on my radar. Lastly it seems you visited Cinque Terre as a day trip from Milan. Did you feel that was enough time in that area?
Aug 6th, 2011, 02:29 PM
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Well, if you want to rent a car and you've driven in Italy before, it would give you more flexibility for many of the day trips you want to take. But then I would reommend that you not base in the cities, but instead find an agriturismo or winery that serves dinner near Verona, and likewise either stay in Modena's outskirts (where parking is simpler). You'll have less stress when you daytrip with a car to places like Cremona or Ravenna if you've really paid attention to a map of these places before you leave and seen where the parking lots are.
Again, I would stay outside Milan (Stresa? Pavia?) and use public transportation to visit Milan. Bt I would keep the car to drive myself to the airport.
It's really hard to advise you about how you might re-jigger you days in order to squeeze in le Cinque Terre. A lot depends on how much time you want to spend driving.
Again, I would stay outside Milan (Stresa? Pavia?) and use public transportation to visit Milan. Bt I would keep the car to drive myself to the airport.
It's really hard to advise you about how you might re-jigger you days in order to squeeze in le Cinque Terre. A lot depends on how much time you want to spend driving.
Aug 6th, 2011, 02:56 PM
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I will put in a plug for Bologna. It's a major rail center, so lots of towns are accessible from there without a car. But beware, if you do rent a car, of the zone of traffic limitation (ZTL) in Bologna, which will cost you a huge ticket if you stray into it. like in Florence.
Bologna is justly famous for its food. Not just in the restaurants, but in the food shops near Piazza Maggiore, such as Tambourini. Do not miss having a meal at Meloncello (reservations a must)! If you are into food and wine, buy Fred Plotkin's "Italy for the Gourmet Traveler". It's a big, expensive book but you can tear out the sections you will need. Great recommendations.
I assume you are staying in hotels on points. Otherwise I would advise you to rent apartments, especially in Bologna so you can buy spectacular filled pasta at Tambourini to cook yourself!
Bologna is justly famous for its food. Not just in the restaurants, but in the food shops near Piazza Maggiore, such as Tambourini. Do not miss having a meal at Meloncello (reservations a must)! If you are into food and wine, buy Fred Plotkin's "Italy for the Gourmet Traveler". It's a big, expensive book but you can tear out the sections you will need. Great recommendations.
I assume you are staying in hotels on points. Otherwise I would advise you to rent apartments, especially in Bologna so you can buy spectacular filled pasta at Tambourini to cook yourself!
Aug 6th, 2011, 03:08 PM
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I think your general idea(s) are great. We loved Ravenna so much that we've since returned. The mosaics are fantastic; I put them on my top-10 list of man-made things I've seen in my life. Bologna is a great, smaller non-touristy city with great food. And we visited Milan several years ago after several trips of flying into Milan's airport, but not visiting. But when we did, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Some very good, smaller art museums, not so many tourists, good people-watching. And despite its status as a fashion capital, many people were dressed "normally".
If you really want to fit in the Cirque Terre, consider visiting there instead of the lakes region. They are similar in terms of offering you some relaxation and scenery in contrast to your busier time in the cities.
Enjoy!
If you really want to fit in the Cirque Terre, consider visiting there instead of the lakes region. They are similar in terms of offering you some relaxation and scenery in contrast to your busier time in the cities.
Enjoy!
Aug 6th, 2011, 03:25 PM
#12
The only times we've had a car at Lake Como were when we were there for a week or more. For just a couple of days, I think getting around by ferry is much easier.
You would have to drop the car in either Como or Lecco. From Como you would ferry north to the mid-lake area. There's also a bus to Bellagio from Como, but I haven't taken it and can't comment. From Lecco you can take the train or the ferry. To get to Milan from the mid-lake area, you can take a single train from Varenna-Esino to Milano Centrale or ferry back to the town of Como and take a combo of trains that would take you to Milano Cadorna.
I like Milan, so I wouldn't day-trip to the city from somewhere else. You can see a lot in 2 nights/1 day, but you and your travelling companion should decide what you want to see/do there. You might want more than 1 day.
Here is info on the day-trip from Milan to the Cinque Terre mentioned by valtor. Not my cup of tea and pretty expensive for what sounds like just hand-holding on mostly public trans.
http://en.zaniviaggi.it/tour/dettagl...a_catalogo=409
You would have to drop the car in either Como or Lecco. From Como you would ferry north to the mid-lake area. There's also a bus to Bellagio from Como, but I haven't taken it and can't comment. From Lecco you can take the train or the ferry. To get to Milan from the mid-lake area, you can take a single train from Varenna-Esino to Milano Centrale or ferry back to the town of Como and take a combo of trains that would take you to Milano Cadorna.
I like Milan, so I wouldn't day-trip to the city from somewhere else. You can see a lot in 2 nights/1 day, but you and your travelling companion should decide what you want to see/do there. You might want more than 1 day.
Here is info on the day-trip from Milan to the Cinque Terre mentioned by valtor. Not my cup of tea and pretty expensive for what sounds like just hand-holding on mostly public trans.
http://en.zaniviaggi.it/tour/dettagl...a_catalogo=409
Aug 7th, 2011, 05:40 AM
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InMiami, in this case I would do this:
Start in Vienna. Fly home from Milan. Travel by train, as it is very comfortable, easy to travel, clean and not expensive.
Stay the last 2 nights in Stressa, just to relax after visit of many cities. I think that is a very nice way to finish a vacation, admiring the view of Boromean islands, of the mountains and the nice hotels and houses in Stresa.
In Stresa there is a very good bus that take you directly to airport (you have to book it at your hotel).
So, I suggest the following itinerary:
- Venice (3 nights)
- Verona (4 nights)-- visit from here:
* Verona
* Mantua - with its splendid palaces. Visit Palazzo Te and Palazzo ducale
* Vicenza --it is full of beautiful impressive Palladian buildings (and of course the incredible Teatro Olimpico)
* Padua
- Bologna (3 nights) -- visit from here:
* Bologna
* Ravenna - exceptional mosaics on the walls of antique churches and mausoleums, Dante's tomb
Milan (4 nights)-- visit from here:
* Milan
* Bergamo --There are two parts of the city ,"Citta alta" (upper city), a hilltop medieval town, and the lower city . Visit Citta Alta , which is the historic centre of Bergamo, with its splendid Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (very rich decoration; inside is the tomb of Gaetano Donizetti.
Cappella Colleoni (Colleoni chapel), is near Santa Maria Maggiore, is a masterwork of Renaissance architecture and decorative art. There is also the Battistero, an elegant octagonal building dating from 1340.
* Lugano and a tour of Lugano lake
* Varena and Villa Carlota (Lake Como)
- Stresa (2 nights)
* Isola Bella
* Villa Taranto and its gardens
I am sure that you will enjoy this part of Italy!
Start in Vienna. Fly home from Milan. Travel by train, as it is very comfortable, easy to travel, clean and not expensive.
Stay the last 2 nights in Stressa, just to relax after visit of many cities. I think that is a very nice way to finish a vacation, admiring the view of Boromean islands, of the mountains and the nice hotels and houses in Stresa.
In Stresa there is a very good bus that take you directly to airport (you have to book it at your hotel).
So, I suggest the following itinerary:
- Venice (3 nights)
- Verona (4 nights)-- visit from here:
* Verona
* Mantua - with its splendid palaces. Visit Palazzo Te and Palazzo ducale
* Vicenza --it is full of beautiful impressive Palladian buildings (and of course the incredible Teatro Olimpico)
* Padua
- Bologna (3 nights) -- visit from here:
* Bologna
* Ravenna - exceptional mosaics on the walls of antique churches and mausoleums, Dante's tomb
Milan (4 nights)-- visit from here:
* Milan
* Bergamo --There are two parts of the city ,"Citta alta" (upper city), a hilltop medieval town, and the lower city . Visit Citta Alta , which is the historic centre of Bergamo, with its splendid Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (very rich decoration; inside is the tomb of Gaetano Donizetti.
Cappella Colleoni (Colleoni chapel), is near Santa Maria Maggiore, is a masterwork of Renaissance architecture and decorative art. There is also the Battistero, an elegant octagonal building dating from 1340.
* Lugano and a tour of Lugano lake
* Varena and Villa Carlota (Lake Como)
- Stresa (2 nights)
* Isola Bella
* Villa Taranto and its gardens
I am sure that you will enjoy this part of Italy!
Aug 7th, 2011, 05:54 AM
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Hi IM,
>3 nights in Milan...<
I suggest that that is one night too many.
I also think that you have one night too many in Verona.
I would add a night or two to Venice, or one to Venice and one to the Lakes.
I agree that you don't need a car except, perhaps, for the Lakes Region.
Enjoy your visit.
>3 nights in Milan...<
I suggest that that is one night too many.
I also think that you have one night too many in Verona.
I would add a night or two to Venice, or one to Venice and one to the Lakes.
I agree that you don't need a car except, perhaps, for the Lakes Region.
Enjoy your visit.
Aug 7th, 2011, 05:41 PM
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Thanks again to all for your assistance.
Valtor I am assuming you meant to write "start in Venice". Would you recommend not renting a car at all? Can we complete your entire itinerary by train?
We just returned from a vacation in Scandinavia without renting a car but there were fewer small towns on our wish list. I find driving in Italy nerve wracking but I also remember our unplanned trip to San Gimigniano when we happened to see it from the highway and detoured to explore. Now it is my favorite memory of Tuscany.
I am becoming more and more interested in Bologna. I keep reading great things about this small city. I also appreciate the feedback on the lake region.
The problem here is trying to drop destinations from our list. Can anyone recommend which destinations on our list are less quaint, inviting or interesting. I know this is a difficult task considering each one of us has different criteria for "interesting".
Valtor I am assuming you meant to write "start in Venice". Would you recommend not renting a car at all? Can we complete your entire itinerary by train?
We just returned from a vacation in Scandinavia without renting a car but there were fewer small towns on our wish list. I find driving in Italy nerve wracking but I also remember our unplanned trip to San Gimigniano when we happened to see it from the highway and detoured to explore. Now it is my favorite memory of Tuscany.
I am becoming more and more interested in Bologna. I keep reading great things about this small city. I also appreciate the feedback on the lake region.
The problem here is trying to drop destinations from our list. Can anyone recommend which destinations on our list are less quaint, inviting or interesting. I know this is a difficult task considering each one of us has different criteria for "interesting".
Aug 7th, 2011, 06:24 PM
#16
Every place on your list is worthy of being there, so it's really close to impossible for us (strangers) to tell you what to drop. Maybe it would help us if you explained why you picked them.
From your OP: "We love architecture, museums and history." You'll find the least (not none, but the least) of that at Lake Como. "But also all forms of nature." Well, that would put Lake Como back on the list.
Vigevano is the only town you mentioned that I'd never heard of, and based on what little I could find on a Google search I probably wouldn't make a specific drive to get there. Then again, the train ride from Milan to Vigevano is less than 30 minutes.
From your OP: "We love architecture, museums and history." You'll find the least (not none, but the least) of that at Lake Como. "But also all forms of nature." Well, that would put Lake Como back on the list.
Vigevano is the only town you mentioned that I'd never heard of, and based on what little I could find on a Google search I probably wouldn't make a specific drive to get there. Then again, the train ride from Milan to Vigevano is less than 30 minutes.
Aug 7th, 2011, 09:33 PM
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Hi, InMiami
The only reason to take the kind of target-rich road trip you are contemplating is if you enjoy driving, or enjoy hopping on and off trains, and you have a very keen interest in seeing specific things in those places.
If what you like to do is explore Italy, and have the kinds of experiences you had when you ended up in San Gimignano, rethink your trip along those lines.
i live in Italy, love to drive, and would love to see every Italian town I read about (and go to the ones nobody talks about.) But 6 or 7 days of road-tripping is about the max of what I find enjoyable. For a sixteen day trip, I suggest you spend most of it using trains, then rent a car towards the end, and go out for some more free-wheeling exploring in a historically rich and interesting part of Italy that is car friendly.
How about starting in Venice, moving on to Bologna by train (with a visit to Ravenna), heading up to Milan, and then heading over to Verona. Pick up a car in Verona and go out to explore. My vague targets would be Asolo, Villagio sul Mincio, the Palladian archetecture around Vicenza and/or Mantova, or the Euganean hills or Bergamo, but I would finish my trip on Lago di Como (Menaggio is probably the most car friendly town) I would drive the car to Malpensa and drop it off.
That tosses le Cinque Terre right out the window, but I will tell you truthfully that I live on the Italian Riviera and I think Lago di Como is much more of a natural wonder, mesmerizingly beautiful. (It's just too cold in winter). And you don't want to take a car to le Cinque Terre.
I find everything in Italy in interesting (I even want to go to Piacenza some day) and I think you too will discover that while the big honking towers of San Gimignano caught your eye and led you to stop, the towns without big honking towers are just as interesting. And there are thousands of them, only a handful of which turn up in guidebooks.
So I'm suggesting (sorry for being so long-winded): Pick some good train-friendly destinations for 10 days. Pick a car-friendly area rich with history and drive for 6, giving yourselves at least 48 hours at Lago di Como before you go home.
The only reason to take the kind of target-rich road trip you are contemplating is if you enjoy driving, or enjoy hopping on and off trains, and you have a very keen interest in seeing specific things in those places.
If what you like to do is explore Italy, and have the kinds of experiences you had when you ended up in San Gimignano, rethink your trip along those lines.
i live in Italy, love to drive, and would love to see every Italian town I read about (and go to the ones nobody talks about.) But 6 or 7 days of road-tripping is about the max of what I find enjoyable. For a sixteen day trip, I suggest you spend most of it using trains, then rent a car towards the end, and go out for some more free-wheeling exploring in a historically rich and interesting part of Italy that is car friendly.
How about starting in Venice, moving on to Bologna by train (with a visit to Ravenna), heading up to Milan, and then heading over to Verona. Pick up a car in Verona and go out to explore. My vague targets would be Asolo, Villagio sul Mincio, the Palladian archetecture around Vicenza and/or Mantova, or the Euganean hills or Bergamo, but I would finish my trip on Lago di Como (Menaggio is probably the most car friendly town) I would drive the car to Malpensa and drop it off.
That tosses le Cinque Terre right out the window, but I will tell you truthfully that I live on the Italian Riviera and I think Lago di Como is much more of a natural wonder, mesmerizingly beautiful. (It's just too cold in winter). And you don't want to take a car to le Cinque Terre.
I find everything in Italy in interesting (I even want to go to Piacenza some day) and I think you too will discover that while the big honking towers of San Gimignano caught your eye and led you to stop, the towns without big honking towers are just as interesting. And there are thousands of them, only a handful of which turn up in guidebooks.
So I'm suggesting (sorry for being so long-winded): Pick some good train-friendly destinations for 10 days. Pick a car-friendly area rich with history and drive for 6, giving yourselves at least 48 hours at Lago di Como before you go home.
Aug 7th, 2011, 10:02 PM
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PS: If you'd rather not drive yourselves to the airport, try this itinerary:
Venice-Bologna-Verona by train. After seeing Verona, pick up car, go small town touring, drive to the town of Como, drop off car. Take ferry to Bellagio or Varenna. Take train to Milan for finale of trip. Take train to airport.
Venice-Bologna-Verona by train. After seeing Verona, pick up car, go small town touring, drive to the town of Como, drop off car. Take ferry to Bellagio or Varenna. Take train to Milan for finale of trip. Take train to airport.
Aug 7th, 2011, 10:49 PM
#19
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I wouldn't miss Cinque Terre. We've spent a ton of time in Italy during our open ended world tour these last 5 years ( plus I lived in Miliano when I was in my 20's) and Cinque Terre is one of our fave places in Italy ...and in Europe or the world.
http://www.soultravelers3.com/2009/0...rre-italy.html
I'd find some way to keep it in and May should be a great time to visit it.
We also love Verona, but especially the agritourismo that we've been to 4 times and the opera in the arena which is spectacular but I don't think open in May. Without those, I am not sure that this very small town merits a 4 day stay on a tight schedule.
You might enjoy stopping at the Stradivari Museum in Cremonia...if it's along your route. http://www.italy-music.com/visit-str...m-cremona.html
Happy planning!
http://www.soultravelers3.com/2009/0...rre-italy.html
I'd find some way to keep it in and May should be a great time to visit it.
We also love Verona, but especially the agritourismo that we've been to 4 times and the opera in the arena which is spectacular but I don't think open in May. Without those, I am not sure that this very small town merits a 4 day stay on a tight schedule.
You might enjoy stopping at the Stradivari Museum in Cremonia...if it's along your route. http://www.italy-music.com/visit-str...m-cremona.html
Happy planning!
Aug 9th, 2011, 09:21 AM
#20
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In May of 2010 we flew into Santiago de Compostella, rented a car, and took a 10-day road trip ending in San Sebastian. I remember the hair-raising experience of driving through the Picos de Europa in an unseasonable snowstorm trying to find our hotel. But I also remember the many wonderful experiences that unfolded during that road trip. Of course I did my homework so that when we arrived at some pre-Romanesque church it was actually open for visitation. I would like somewhat of the same experience in Italy; a framework of hotel reservations and then day trips to close destinations. I am not sure in what order to arrange the holiday but I am now thinking:
1st night fly from MIA to Venice or Milan
3 nights in Venice (originally I had planned 4)
3 nights in Bologna (with a day trip to Ravenna) or we could do this by train
4 nights in Verona/Padova/Vicenza (I am not sure where to stay) definitely by car
3 nights in Varenna (with boat trips to Bellagio and Menaggio)
2 nights in Milan (originally I had 3)
Return to MIA
If I place the Milan and the Venice at both ends of the trip I will be renting a car for 10 days. As we drive to our different destinations we can make unscheduled stops when the mood strikes us. I just need to organize the overnight stays so I can start making hotel reservations.
1st night fly from MIA to Venice or Milan
3 nights in Venice (originally I had planned 4)
3 nights in Bologna (with a day trip to Ravenna) or we could do this by train
4 nights in Verona/Padova/Vicenza (I am not sure where to stay) definitely by car
3 nights in Varenna (with boat trips to Bellagio and Menaggio)
2 nights in Milan (originally I had 3)
Return to MIA
If I place the Milan and the Venice at both ends of the trip I will be renting a car for 10 days. As we drive to our different destinations we can make unscheduled stops when the mood strikes us. I just need to organize the overnight stays so I can start making hotel reservations.
