We are considering visiting the Lakes end of June 2019. Looking to flying in & out of Milan ( 2 nts) then onto lakes area. Was only going to focus on Como & Maggiore, however friends have waxed lyrical about Garda; so am looking for ideas. Please note we will be using trains, buses etc as our modes of transport. Where to first; how many days at each area. would also like to visit Verona if possible. From here we are flying to Porto for a few weeks in Portugal.

How long total probably?

To me Garda is very different from the other two - especially in its fjord-like northern half - but all are nice. But if going to Verona it can be a daytrip from nearby Lake Garda. There are two railheads on it with boats and or buses from each all over the lake. Sirmione is kind of the Bellagio of Lake Garda - super mobbed by tourists but there are mots of less mobbed neat lakeside towns.

Lake Maggiore is easy to get to or go to from Milan Airport with direct buses and shuttles - maybe end there. I've been to all three lakes and for me 3 days on each lake was enough but that is very subjunctive. Trains go to them all and they are mainly regional trains with tickets best bought right at stations day of travel or before - no advantage to buying ahead or online as seat reservations are not even possible and they have a flat fare that is dirt cheap. Faster and more expensive trains may run the routes too but for distances you're talking about would be little quicker and booking tickets online can be time consuming and you are often stuck to a certain train on a certain date at a certain time. For lots about trains check www.trenitalia.com; www.seat61.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. On regional trains do not forget to cancel your own ticket before boarding by sticking it in cancelling machines trackside.

PalenQ
Many thanks for your reply; totally aware that each of us have different ideas as to" how long "is!! Appreciate your feedback & will use this information as well as what else we have read; and make the best itinerary for us. One could always stay longer in areas however, we have to make the best of the time we have; seeing we're travelling from Australia.

In the fall of 2017, we spent 12 nights in cities (Milan, Bergamo and Turin) and lakes (Como, Iseo, and Garda). We used only trains, buses and ferries. Milan was a disappointment (and we rarely are disappointed anywhere in Italy); Bergamo a nice surprise. Como can be crowded in places, but we found ways to work around that; Garda is one place we want to return to (Malcesine offers a Swiss-like experience, for example); we especially loved it and found very few other English speaking people there. Public transport, a lot of it via Milan, was excellent and easy. We did a two-part trip report if interested: Trip Report: Part 1 Northern Italian Lakes & Cities (12 days October)
Trip Report: Part 2 of 2): Northern Italian Lakes & Cities (12 days October)

Several weeks ago, we spent a few nights on much smaller Lake Orta, which is definitely worth some time if you have extra days. From there, we made a return visit to Lake Maggiore but this time we had a car. It is a bit more difficult to visit Orta and Maggiore without a car.

Lake Maggiore/Lake Orta/3 Nights September

As Palen said, Lake Maggiore is very close to Milan Malpensa airport. Therefore it would make sense to spend the first or the last night in the southern part of Lake Maggiore (direct shuttles or train-train resp bus-train connections via Gallarate). The train ride from MXP to Lugano (via Mendrisio) takes 1 1/2 hrs. From MXP to Como (via Mendrisio or via Saronno) it's 1 1/2 hrs too.

The Lakes of Orta, Maggiore, Lugano and Como are linked with tons of train and bus lines, the most important one's are:
Omegna (Lake Orta) - Pallanza (Lake Maggiore) - Intra passengers and car ferry (- Laveno),
(Intra -) Laveno ferry (Lake Maggiore - Varese - Capolago (Lake Lugano),
Luino (Lake Maggiore - Ponte Tresa (Lake Lugano),
Locarno (Lake Maggiore) - Lugano (Lake Lugano) - Capolago (Lake Lugano) - Como (Lake Como),
(Intra -) Laveno ferry (Lake Maggiore - Varese - Como (Lake Como),
(Intra -) Laveno ferry (Lake Maggiore - Saronno - Como (Lake Como),
Lugano (Lake Lugano) - Menaggio (Lake Como).

For journeys from the above mentioned group to the other lakes (Lake Iseo, Lake Idro, Lake Garda), it's easier to travel via Milan.

Verona could occupy a few days itself - and if never been to Venice train there and back to Milan - again Lake Maggiore nice last stop before airport. From Stresa you could easily day trip to Locarno, Switzerland at northern tip of lake.

Basically you are going to probably take the train from Milano Centrale to Varenna for the Como mid-lake locations including Menaggio abd Bellagio although you could take a train to Como and reach them via ferry. Stresa can be reached directly by rail as can the lower end of Garda

Lugano to Menaggio is reached BY BUS as I recall

Many thanks all for your suggestions. Had already planned on Maggiore being last stop due to ease of access to MXP. Seeing we're now putting Garda on itinerary, would definitely want to visit Verona. So now thinking - 2 nts Milan, then either train straight to Verona for 2 days, then Garda ( 3 days) Como (3 days) & Maggiore ( 3/4 days) train to MXP for flight to Porto. Appreciate any tweaking. Seeing we wish to visit Portugal, really don't have any more time for that part of Italy.
Don't need to visit Venice as we've been there a few times.

I don't think that you will need 2 full days for the visit of Verona (unless you are using it for da y trips to laces like Mantova or Vicenza). Add this day to Lake Garda or any other place you may be interested in.

I agree with Neckervd. Verona is a pleasant small city, but you could have an enjoyable visit in less than two full days (three nights). If you really meant "two nights", which would be one full day, plus part of your arrival day, that would be about right. I would suggest staying further up the lake than the town of Como. I was not thrilled with Lake Como, but in the unlikely event that I return there, I would stay in Varenna or Menaggio. (I've never visited Menaggio, but relatives had a very enjoyable stay there; they had a baby, so they didn't do much other than relax.)

Also, I wouldn't recommend a day trip to Lake Garda from Verona, and I would stay further north than Garda. We stayed in Pai, a tiny little town, which we liked very much. The other small towns in that area are also nice; Torri del Benaco has several lakeside restaurants, one of which we liked so much that we returned several times. Sorry, I don't remember the name, but looking at the Google results, I think it might be Osteria del 4. Malcesine is very popular, but it was a bit too touristy for my taste. If you like shopping, that's your destination.

Monte Baldo is a popular excursion on Lake Garda, but there can be very long queues for the cable car to go up there. It's best to arrive in late morning, or at lunchtime, although that limits your time up there, especially if you leave early to avoid the queues on the way down. Definitely take the ferry up to Riviera del Garda, at the northernmost point of the lake. On a day trip from Verona, you wouldn't really have much time to see the northern part of the lake, which is the most scenic.

Your itinerary seems like a good mix. I agree that one day in Verona might be enough. We are fast-paced travelers, and it was enough for us. We visited the arena, or Roman amphitheatre, while the back-up acts were doing rehearsals for an upcoming Andrea Bocelli concert. You might check and stay longer if an event is scheduled. You might also make Lake Maggiore three days instead of four.

If you end up with a couple extra days, you might consider Bergamo. It’s an area that is best known for its airport that serves discount carriers. Most tourists tend to get their rental cars and head out to Milan, Venice, the lakes, etc. That may change when they build a light rail service from the airport to the city. We liked Bergamo more than Verona. Two very different places, but Bergamo seemed more authentic Italian, less international touristy. The lower city includes modern parts as well as 100-150 year old areas with shopping and restaurants. The upper medieval fortress city, a UNESCO world heritage site, is accessed by a funicular. You also can take a second funicular to a small village, San Vigilio, that is perched even higher. We found some excellent restaurants, good prices, and even discovered the gelato place that invented stracciatella in Bergamo's upper city. Verona is more compact, and therefore easier to move about. But we walk a lot and felt we got some extra dimensions with Bergamo.

Please be VERY aware that the annual opera festival in Verona begins in mid-June and given the fact that the arena holds 15,000 people I can tell you from personal experience that hotels can easily sell out months in advance. You can certainly wait to make reservations but the places closest to the center may not have many rooms. The town is easily reached by rail, as you know, and some hotels are located within walking distance of the station as well as the center but a taxi can be your friend.

Whitehall- thanks so much for your trip report, i have taken much of this into consideration.
Dukey1- am now looking at the events on during June[ sounds like something we should really do, as it will be a "once in a life time" experience. Now thinking we will spend one night in Milan at beginning, and travel to Verona later on next day, so will give us 2 nts/ 1 full day in Verona.
bvlenci - thanks for your input, and will look at the towns you mentioned on Lake Garda.

As mentioned above, the southern end of Lake Garda has two train stations. One is at Desenzano and the other at Peschiera. We've stayed at both and prefer Desenzano for a greater choice of hotels and restaurants. It also has a weekly market which is very good. Peschiera is a little quieter but still a nice place to stay for a few days.

The ferry trip from either place to the northern end of the lake will take a good few hours and you'd be better either hiring a car or taking the bus. A trip up to Riviera del Garda or Malcesine is a long drawn out process even on a nice warm day. The boats are basic ferries, not cruise liners. A trip to Verona is easy, about an hour by train.

There are a good few villages to visit up the east coast of the lake and if you have children with you, the theme park will keep them occupied, it's called Gardaland.

Re Verona. You can easily buy tickets in advance using a site such as www.geticket.it

I would opt for something besides the very cheapest seats. Verona has finally begun surtitling in English which is helpful to many.

The southern end of Lake Garda has two train stations. One is at Desenzano and the other at Peschiera. We've stayed at both and prefer Desenzano for a greater choice of hotels and restaurants. It also has a weekly market which is very good. Peschiera is a little quieter but still a nice place to stay for a few days.

If you are thinking of only one night in Milan and your flight arrives before evening, then I recommend you keep going to Verona. You're not going to go to bed so need to be up and about anyway and if Milan doesn't hold much appeal for you, I'd spend that time elsewhere. I'm also Australian and that long flight is a killer but I find one night hotel stops (especially in big cities) are more stressful than catching a train to your first proper destination.

Sirmione, again, is the Bellagio of Lake Garda - but besides the often mobbed tiny old fishing village where they now more angle for tourist bucks - but Sirmione has some stellar Roman ruins in a parklike setting looming over the lake.

Exactly our thoughts, however we’re only flying from Dubai after a 2 nt stopover there. This only a 7 hr flight. As we’ve never been to Milan, I thought we should at least have a look at it. Have heard so many disappointing reviews of this city from friends who have visited.

Have heard so many disappointing reviews of this city from friends who have visited.>

Milan is a vibrant modern city in one of Europe's most affluent regions and thus has a glitzy modern look in its center - elegant streets and elegant cafes, etc. But not your old-world look that charms so many in Europe. And of course there is the fabulous Duomo - cathedral - area. Quite a few Fodorites who have taken time to look around Milan really rave about it - one veteran traveler said they stayed a week or so and could have stayed longer.

But it depends IMO on what you are looking for and unfortunately Milan is compared to Venice, Rome or Florence - typical places for first-time travelers to Italy go to - so it suffers from that but by itself, Milan can be if not oozing old-world charms sp delightful - especially some sections away from the Duomo area - about the only area many tourists see as most seem to only spend a day or so and just to see the cathedral and the Last Supper painting.