can't decide whether to go to cinque terra and portofino or to the lake region for three days at the end of our two week Italy trip, will have been to rome,venice,florence and tuscany. Getting lots of different suggestion. We're flying out of milan. Any help in making this decision is greatly appreciated. thanks!

sorry about the spelling, I meant the Italian Riviera. We'll have a car, and were going to cinque terra until a friend said the lakes would be better, appreciate any feedback. thanks again.

Maureen, I could answer better if I knew <BR>what time of year and what your sequence <BR>of itinerary If Tuscany is your previous <BR>stop then you can do one nite at C.T. <BR>and then the last 2 at the lakes. Also, <BR>I assume you are driving. The quick answer is easy--the lakes. That would <BR>put you closer to your Milan departure <BR>and give you a real romantic and relaxing ending to your sojourn. I love <BR>both areas, but your real choice should <BR>probably be not IF the Lakes, but which <BR>one---Maggiore/Orta is hard to beat.

thanks, Bob. Yes we will have spent 3 nights in Sienna touring around tuscany, and have 3 full days to drive before Milan. Can we stay at those lakes or do you stay one place and travel around. Any hotel suggestions, as I left those nights open without reservations, since I didn't know where we were going. thanks again.

sorry again , we will be in the area the week of Oct 23, 1999

I have travelled extensively in both regions and they are both very different. The Lake area is easier to get to even with a car. The CT is more remote and at the end of a two week trip you will have a more relaxing time in the lake region. The CT requires a lot of walking and if you decide to go to the lakes region you can't beat Lago de Garda. This lake is the prettiest of them all. If you need more details e-mail me.

MAUREEN, Given 3 nites and a car I would <BR>drive 3 hours from Siena to Portovenere <BR>for one nite, stay at the Grand Hotel <BR>Portovenere[ they have a good web site]. <BR>I would then drive another 3.5 hours north to Stresa on Lago Maggiore for the <BR>last 2 nites. You can find good info at <BR>www.stresa.net for hotels. Be sure to <BR>visit the fabulous Borremean Islands and <BR>try to day trip over to magical Lake Orta about 20 miles west of there. You will have hit 3 of the best destinations <BR>in all of Italy. Buon viaggio !!

Wow! Thanks to you both, I am excited about going up there now.

Hi Maureen, <BR> It's unanimous. After Rome,Florence, Venice, etc., head for the lakes. Any <BR>one (Como, Maggiore, Orte)will be a great wind down at the end of your trip. <BR> Even Lagos Garda or d'Iseo aren't that far from Milano and equally terrific. <BR> There are other great places like Pavia & Bergamo, close to Milano to consider, to spend a last few days relaxing, dining & wining before that <BR>boring flight home. <BR> Feel free to e-mail.

This is great info for me, because I was trying to fit in both the cinque terre and one of the lakes during my itinerary in a few months. <BR> <BR>I am surprised that there haven't been any posts on this thread in favor of cinque terre, not even from that "claudia" lady who is always posting thinly veiled advertisements for her hotel.