SShprints

Hello!
Have flights booked to Milan on 12/25 and returning from Rome on 1/4. Really torn about itinerary for the time of year. I would love to spend some time in the Alps first and then 5 days in Rome. I am not too keen on Milan. Some options I have been thinking about are: Torino, Cremona, Verona, Chamonix. Chamonix looks amazing but not sure how I would get there from Milan. We are early 30s couple.

Thanks!

annhig

instead of Chamonix, you could look at Courmayer - the italian equivalent. there are cable cars and gondolas up to the top of the mountains so you can get all the views without having to ski if you don't want to. You can get there on the train from turin to Aosta [a nice town in its own right] and then get the bus.

to some extend Cremona, and definitely Verona are somewhat off your obvious route. you could drop down from Turin to Genoa and either get the train all the way there in one go, or stop off along the way.

SShprints

I read that there are also very beautiful glaciers in Chamonix that are a MUST. Is that true?
I was thinking:
Dec 26-arrive from NYC, relax in Milano
Dec 27-drive to Chamonix
Dec 28-Chamonix
Dec 29-Torino
Dec 30-Torino
Dec 31-morning train to Rome

are there things to do in Torino? Does Courmayer offer the same things are Chamonix?
Is driving hard in the Alps in the winter?
We are not really skiers so the purpose is to enjoy the Alps and small towns before beading to Rome to celebrate New Years eve.

sandralist

Something I might consider is arriving in Milan and taking the train directly to the town of Aosta -- especially since you say you like small towns. Aosta is really a spectacular town, even though it is rather small. You can rent a car in Aosta, and I imagine they keep the main roads clear and safe for skiers. But there is also a train line that runs along the valley so you can visit other towns in Italy (and a bus to Chamonix).

I have never been to Courmayer but I would expect it to be all-ski-all-the-time at that time of year. And pricey. I would think the same of Chamonix.

There is always a lot to do in Torino, which is a lovely sophisticated city devoted to good chocolate, cocktails, movies, cars, good food and wine, art and shopping.

However, what might be simpler is to land in Milano and go directly to Verona. Relax there, but then take a train up to Trento or Bolzano. You can rent a car up there and enjoy some mountain scenery -- but you need to pay attention not getting yourself into demanding driving in the Dolomiti unless the weather is perfect (and you may be required to have snow tires or chains).

I would worry about Cremona being cold and foggy/damp.

annhig

is this what you have in mind, SSh?

http://www.chamonix.com/glacier-des-bossons,90,en.html

the details given are for summer visits but i assume [I've never been to Chamonix] that you can use the chair lift to get up there in the winter too, even if you're not a skier. Courmayer is the other side of Mont Blanc from Chamonix and good skiers can ski from Courmayer to Chamoinx down the Vallee Blanche - i was never good enough for that. There must therefore be transport to and from Chamonix to Courmayer that you could use.

the ambiance of Courmayer at Christmas was lovely [we went many, many years ago when we were skiers] and although there are many top end shops, not all the restaurants were too expensive. but if you want glaciers, i think it would have to be Chamonix.

SShprints

annhig, I was talking about this:
http://www.chamonix.net/english/leis...g/mer-de-glace
looks and sounds amazing to visit and seems like its open in the winter and sounds like a great activity in the winter.

sandralist, hm..interesting thought about going straight to Aosta. To be honest, unless I can get tickets to an opera in La Scala, I don't really care for Milan whatsoever. Theoretically, skipping it all together sounds great but logistically, seems a bit of a pain after an 8hr flight to have to go to the city from the airport and then connect with a train/bus for another 3hrs to Aosta, no?
Do you not recommend driving the Milan-Chamonix-Torino route in the winter?
I am really interested in your other suggested route of Verona-Bolzano-Trento. Would you say thats a better option. If I go that direction, shouldn't I then go all the way up to Cortina d'Amprezzo which I heard is quite spectacular?

annhig

Ssh - i didn't know about the possibility to visit the glaciers in winter, but of course Chamonix does attract a lot of non-skiers so it's not surprising that there are things for them to do. [or possibly vice versa!]

spending one's arrival day travelling is not such a mad idea, and is often suggested here as a good way of using the time after a trans-atlantic flight which typically lands at about 9am. you're unlikely to be able to check into a hotel at that time, and as you've got to end up at the station anyway on your way into Milan, why not just hop on the train to Aosta and sleep on the train?

then when you get there, you can hopefully check straight into your hotel and start to enjoy yourselves.

SShprints

aanhig..ok I think you have convinced me
I can not find any direct trains from Milan to Aosta. They all have 2 stops, one of which is in Torino..but thinking about it..what if I just go to Torino from Milano upon arrival..there are tons of trains and its 45mins on the fast train. I can spend the first 2 days in Torino and then take a train/bus to Chamonix for another 2 days, then return to Torino for the train to Rome? Assuming there won't be direct trains from Aosta to Rome

SShprints

do you recommend trains/buses vs a car?
Seems easier to just rent a car at Malpensa and drive directly to Aosta or Chamonix or Torino.