Okay, after a really long flight with two little kids, we want to recoup somewhere close to or in Milan before heading to Florence. I would prefer to go to the nearest lake resort, but how long/expensive would the taxi ride be, as opposed to taking a taxi to a hotel in Milan- near the train station where we'll catch the train to Florence. It's only two nights, so I'm willing to pay more for the guarantee that we'll all be comfortable and able to catch up on sleep. Any suggestions?

Arona is no more than a half hour ride away from Milan's international airport. It's the closest decent-sized town on the lake with several good hotels. The Concorde Hotel is nice with a view of Lake Maggiore. Good luck.

Milan isn't the first place that comes to my mind when I think about a place to relax with two small children. Depending on your arrival time, probably early morning if flying from the USA, rush hour traffic will mean about an hour's drive from Malpensa into central Milan. It might be quicker (and cheaper)to take the express train from the airport directly to Milano Centrale station. If I were doing that, I'd just change trains in the station and continue on to Florence. I've done this many times after arriving in Milan and usually get to Florence before noon.
If you want to go to a lake before heading to Florence, Stesa on Lake Maggiore is almost as far as Milan. I'm not familiar with the resorts on the southern shore of Lake Maggiore but they would certainly be closer to Malpensa. A small, family run hotel in Corgeno on Lake Comabbio is La Cinzianella. Very quiet and relaxing and close to Malpensa.

Hi TG,

>...take the express train from the airport directly to Milano Centrale station. ...change trains in the station and continue on to Florence.<

I agree.

It's a long day, but you won't have to unpack and pack for another leg of your journey.

Buy the kids a gelato at the airport.

Lake Como is only about 45 minutes away from Milan's airport by train. There are lots of resorty places around the lake, which sits near the Alps. It's a good place to get your bearings before hitting Italy hard.

What you (still) <i><b>need</b></i>...

is to read

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34520252

Best wishes,

Rex

When I went to Trenitalia, it showed that to take the train from one of the towns near Malpensa to Lake Como would take about 2 and a half hours, not 45 minutes. The train from Milan's central station to Como takes 45 minutes but you still need to get into Milan from the airport. Como is not going to be a quick trip, either by train or by taxi. Be aware that if you do choose to go to one of the Lakes, March is off season and many restaurants and hotels are closed. March can also be very rainy and especially foggy, obscuring the lovely views the Lakes are famous for.

Oops, sorry, I did not realize you were going in March. Nix, the lake suggestion.

I agree, just go on to Florence.

Buon viaggio!

Okay, many things about this thread made me laugh out loud. Thanks. Now I will print it out and try to convince my husband to power through to Florence. (Any good hotel suggestions there?)

Okay, I've (you've) convinced my husband to continue on to Florence. I am so burnt out with planning and research at this point, could you give us some suggestions as to where to stay once we arrive in Florence? Thank you, thank you, thank you!

TheGastons, I stayed at a convent in Florence that seemed very family-friendly and was quite convenient. Each morning, you can decide to have dinner that evening or not, and the price is very good if you do. I don't know if that interests you, but if so, check http://www.fmmfirenze.it .

Hi TG,

What's your budget?

I found a place that looks nice and is within our budget. Hotel Casci- I hope it's quiet.

Now I know I'm being lazy and could do this on my own, but you guys all have it down so well- how do I get our train tickets to Florence? What's the official website? Thanks!

It's www.trenitalia.com.

I don't recall seeing when you are travelling, so I'll mention that you can only buy tickets 60 days in advance.

P.S. I haven't stayed there myself, but I've seen quite a few positive posts about the Hotel Casci. You might want to search for them: &lt;casci florence&gt; -- without the arrows.