Poogie

We are close to formalizing our itinerary but we are faced with too many choices and not enough time. We have 13 days not incl. travel/airport days. Here is what we have so far:
Fly into Milan arrive Sun 10:45AM, spend remaining time in Milan
Sun night stayover in Milan
Mon: Do 1/2 day shopping in Milan before driving to Lake Como, arrive Verenna at 6PM.
Tues: Spend day around Lake Como, eve in Varenna.
Wed: Spend day around Lake Como, eve in Verenna
Here is the part we are having trouble with:
Thurs, drive to Aosta and see the Castello Fenis that day.
Fri: Drive to the Alps or the National Park.
---OR---
Thurs: Drive to Wineries in Alba, Asti, Barola
Fri: Spend a day in Turin, eve in Turin

Sat: Drive to Italian Riviera
Sun, Mon, Tues Italian Riviera
Wed: Drive to Tuscany via Pisa
Thurs: Tuscany
Fri: Tuscany
Sat: Tuscany
Sun: Fly home
Another question is, if I drive around the Tuscan country side to the small towns and villages, is this similar enough to the Alba, Asti, Barola region that I can justify not doing those towns but doing the Alps and National park instead? Also, should I put one less day in Tuscany and add it to the Northwest area so that I can do the Alps and Aosta plus still see Turin?
Also, if there are things you think we shouldn't miss or great places to stay in these places please let us know.
Thank you.

jgg

We did a similar trip in June (Piedmont, Italian Riviera, Tuscany, Rome) in 3 weeks. Here is the link to my trip report which you may find helpful. http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34830020.

I suppose you could argue that Piedmont and Tuscany are similar (visiting small towns and villages, wine tasting, etc.) however, we found Piedmont so wonderful as it was much less touristy than Tuscany. Wonderful towns, food and people! We also really enjoyed our day visiting Torino - highly underrated. Can strongly recommend the Baur B&B (www.baurbb.com) in Acqui Terme. We had an incredible stay with our hosts Diana and Mischa. Wouldn't want to stay anywhere else in Piedmont. It is well located for the things you would want to visit.

I haven't been to the lakes or alps so can't really compare there.

jgg

One more thing. You should mention what month you are going as that may have a bearing on whether people would recommend lakes, alps or Piedmont.

Sampaguita

Poogie,
I think you are being travel smart not trying to cram as much into your trip as you can, but concentrating on one region, either NW Italy or Liguria/Tuscany. So it all depends on waht are your priorities, mountains, beaches, cities, or wine hills. Aosta is quite spectacular if you do that route, and you could fit in a day in Turin on the way back to the airport. IMO one day in the wine area of Piedmont is too short, you are not going to see much as after the drive you have only a half day, I would cut down Como by one day and give a full day to the wine area or Aosta as well as a full day in Turin. Or you could skip both and go to Liguria, and do a day in Genoa which is also a underated and undertouristed city.

Tuscany is another story, but I think Piedmont is just as beatiful, has better food and wine and less tourists, but then I live here!

SurferX

Go straight from Malpensa to Vareena. That'll free up one extra night for the alps.

bellacqui

Thanks, jgg We love you guys too. I still owe you a recipe!

Piemonte and Tuscany are distinct and different areas. They have distinctive cultures, landscapes, wines, cuisines, habits, dialects. While they are both about food and wine, in the very best sense, they offer different experiences. In Piemonte, we have very little mass tourism, which makes for a very different holiday: The beauty of coming through the wine hills, surrounded by the Alps, and stopping in the small jewels (towns) along the way, never hearing German or Japanese or English spoken in any of them, is decidedly different from the Chianti.

I think a Piedmont/Liguria vacation is a wonderful thing. You can touch on so many things which are part and parcel to the general Italian experience. Of course the lakes are wonderful, the Aosta is wonderful, Tuscany is wonderful. But by specializing and going deep in two to three areas, you will get a much better and more complete vacation experience.

I also think that Piemonte appeals to a sophisticated traveler - the lack of English being spoken and the traditional amount of tourism present in Tuscany can be daunting to some people. In exchange, however, one receives the unassuming friendliness of locals who are happy that people choose to come here, the best wine and food in Italy(my opinion there), and endless, endless natural beauty.

Budman

So, a week in Piedmont too much?

nessundorma

Poogie,

It would really be easier to advise you if you told us what time of year you are going.

My general comment is that you have too many destinations for 13 days. The point of going to Italy is to relax!

Also, I would suggest that you not rent a car until you are ready to leave Lago di Como. Take the money you were going to spend on a car and spend it on a taxi from Malpensa to Menaggio. From there you can take a ferry to Varenna.

OR: Check out when buses for Menaggio leave from Malpensa. Your timing might work. I think they leave at none.

When you are ready to leave Varenna, take a train to Milan, put your luggage in the train storage room, do your shopping, and return to the station to pick up your luggage and rent a car.


OR:

Take a train to Torino from Milano, spend the night and rent a car there the following day.

I would spend the time in Piemonte enjoying the sights and make day trips to the Italian Riviera.

Drive back to Lago Maggior or Lago d'Orta to spend your last night before flying home from Malpensa.

If you want to see Tuscany, go directly there from Lago di Como. Skip the Italian Riviera in favor of the Tuscan seaside.

nessundorma

PS: What I should have written about Tuscany is drive there from Milano, base somewhere near Lucca, visit the Riviera if you like from there, or if you prefer southern Tuscany, do the Tuscan coast as a day trip from there.

Poogie

Wow!; Thanks for all the tips, it's going to take me 2 nights after work to digest the info. Sorry I forgot to mention, I will be arriving in Milan, Sept. 24th.
Thanks again, I will probably have more questions once I read it over in detail.