I am traveling to Italy for 11 days in December from New York. I have planned out a temp itinerary for the time.
23rd half and 24th full day in Milan (1/2 day for local sight seeing), 1 day tour to lake garda and verona. for local sight seeing, The Last Supper and Duomo. What else can be done in evening in Milan?

25th- day tour to Bologna on the way from Milan to Florence.

25th, 26th, 27th: 3 nights and 2&1/2 days in Florence.

28th evening, 29, 30: Rome for same time (3 nights and 2&1/2 days.

31st: leave for Venice. Spend a day and half (31st and 1st) in Venice and

1st evening: head back to Milan in late evening. Leave for NYC on 2nd jan morning.

Is it enough? I want to squeeze in the train "Bernina express'. checked out on viator.com , its 150 per person, and covers entire day. It costs me an extra day as well in Milan. worth the extra day?


need trip suggestions. Thanks all.

I haven't been to Bologna for quite a few years, but what do you mean by "day tour" and what do expect would be going on there on Christmas Day? I would expect nothing much. Same in Florence, at least without reservations for meals and such in advance.

Same thing for New Year's Day in Venice, though I was there late December last year and it was crowded as all get-out, but missed NYE, so can't speak to that. I can't imagine much will be going on in Lake Garda, either. I wouldn't bother with Verona at that time of year and on such a short trip.

I wouldn't "squeeze in" anything else on such a short trip. And why do you have to go back to Milan? Are your plane tickets already purchased? If not, buy open-jaw-tickets into Milan and out of Venice.

There's plenty to do in Milan of an evening. Check out the official city website and see what's going on.

Trains - book ASAP -up to 90 days out at www.trenitalia.com or www.trenoitalo.com for discounted tickets -Bernina Express - yes it-is the most awesomely scenic train in Europe IMO but it is all day on a train from Milan - Tirano - change to Swiss trains - locals or the official Bernina Express but locals are just as good - no need to pay $150 - no need to go to St Moritz but just half-way to the summit stations Alp Grum and Bernina Ospiz- that's where the most stunning scenery will be- then hop local trains back to Tirano and Italian trains to Milan. Check www.bahn.de/en for schedules in December.

Anyway for lots of info on Bernina Pass rail route - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com -latter also superb info on discounted tickets for Italian trains and how you can easily book them yourself online.

I am not sure how it would be on Christmas day in Bologna, just saw a few suggestions that you can cover Bologna on the way to Florence from Milan via train.
I will be having a day in Milan and checked that there are day tours in and out of Milan to Verano, Lake garda, Lake como and a few other places.
I don't necessarily have to go back to Milan. Tickets aren't bought yet.

And, Bernina express plan has to be cancelled, it doesnt run that late in December. It seems then, opt out the lake tour and just enjoy the day in Milan.

Churches will be open in Bologna, food markets typically stay open until noon, many restaurants will be open for lunch per Italian custom. Venice hosts a huge NYE bash in piazza San Marco.

I was among the last visitors to the Last Supper in Milan on NYE some years ago. It was open well into the evening.

But for this trip I suggest heading straight to Venice, going to Florence after Dec 26 and finishing up with NYE in MIlan.

Just checked -there are frequent local trains so easy to hop on them- official BEX may leave only once a day. Check www.bahn.de/en for schedules from Milan-Tirano and Tirano-Alp Grum/Bernina Ospiz summit stations - will save a few hours by going only half way.

Is it worth it? Well yes and no - it would be hard for me to say:

https://www.google.com/search?q=bern...w=1920&bih=950

Summit station views - spend some time there if not just to ogle the winter wonderland sight.

>> don't necessarily have to go back to Milan. Tickets aren't bought yet.<<

Then you DEFINITELY want to book open jaw (multi-city). In to Milan/ home for Rome, or in to Milan / home from venice, or in to Venice/ Home from either Rome or Milan. Basically any combo. Then plan the order of your itinerary around the flights you book.

Yes figure costs and time returning to place you flew in and even if open jaw costs more it may be cheaper!

In case it wasn't clear, I was talking about Dec 25, Christmas, in my post:

"Churches will be open in Bologna, food markets typically stay open until noon, many restaurants will be open for lunch per Italian custom."

Have you been to Italy before?
Knowing what you have already seen will make for better advice.

Are flight tickets bought?
Backtracking is not a good idea for this itinerary - wastes both time and money and requires checking into and out of hotel in Milan twice, more time wasted. Best to do multi-city (not two one-way) tickets, into one city, out of another.

If you must land in and depart from Milan, it would be best to plow on to Venice and put all time in Milan at the end. However, there is a problem with that - what days are open for the Last Supper? I assume The Last Supper and Duomo in Milan is important to you or you would not be going to Milan.

If you could land in Venice, then do Milan, Bologna, Florence and depart from Rome, that would be better.

Have you considered short days, chilly weather and things closed around holidays?
You need to know opening and closing times and plan carefully so you are not stuck with nothing to do and miss things you want. You may need restaurant reservations for some days too.

Think seriously if Lake Garda would be nice at that time of year. Consider some Tuscan towns like Siena instead. I know they are not the Lakes, but they are nice anytime of year.

Are you traveling solo?
Makes it easier, but if you are not, knowing your group or family will help with advice.

Have you checked on tickets for The Last Supper?
It is probably too early, but they do sell out quickly when they become available, so once plans are firm, consider a tour. Also, planning it on arrival day is not a good idea if things go wrong with flights or jet lag makes it not enjoyable.

Your lay-out is not allowing enough time for travel between places.
You may be jet lagged on arrival.

I am heavily biased, but IMHO there is SO much more to see in Rome, at least if you are interested in Art and old architecture, like 600 BC old, I would take at least a half a day off of Florence or elsewhere and add it on to Rome.

IDK about the other cities, but in Rome it is important to check open and closing times because many are not only closed on Sundays and or Mondays, but are closed for 3-4 hours midday and some churches only open in the morning, the French church requires reservations at least a week in advance, etc. The Borghese galleries have perhaps the most beautiful sculptures I have every seen, but they require reservations well ahead of time as well.

In both Florence and in Rome I found that I got much more out of the main sites by taking a tour with a reputable company that guarantees a small group, than I would ever have noticed or understood by myself. (Ufizi gallery and Pitti Palace (sp?) in Fl). You can also buy skip the line tickets by themselves for about $10 on top of the ticket price. When you compare ten bucks with what you are paying to be there and how valuable those hours are... but sometimes there are no lines... I found that most churches other than St Peters were virtually empty, and, of course, free!

In Rome you can do the Coliseum at night which is great because it is soooo hot in the daytime. And the night tours include going under the arena floor.

It's a lot of work to check out and figure out all these times, but better ahead of time, than when you are there.

Again, keep in mind that much may be completely closed on Sunday and or Monday.

Italy is wonderful and you will have the time of your life. Just go with the flow, remember that you aren't in the US anymore, and start every conversations with Bongiorno (bon-geeor-no) or Salve (sal-vay) so as to avoid being rude.

Enjoy!

Oops, sorry, I misremembered when you were going, so obviously nevermind about the heat, lol.

start every conversations with Bongiorno (bon-geeor-no) or Salve (sal-vay) so as to avoid being rude.>

and end with ciao!

Open jaw tickets are way expensive. Checked out the prices, Home to MIlan and flying out of Venice is 600 usd more than two way to Milan. That's why I'll have to fly out from Milan.
Havent been to Italy before.
Last supper tickets on the website are booked, might go with some tours online which include Last supper tour and Duomo tour combo (2 places def not going to miss in Milan). WOuld also want to do the Naviglia canal or visit the bank for cafes/rest.
Regarding Bologna, I wouldn't have time to visit it. 3 days in Florence (Pisa, Sienna and San Gimignano done in one day). How about doing a day tour to Cinque Terra from Florence). Would that be too much.
3 days each in Florence and Rome. Enough?

Flying with wife.

Multi city trip are expensive. will be shelling out 500 bucks each. Flying in/out of same city is the best option.

Multi city trip are expensive. will be shelling out 500 bucks each. Flying in/out of same city is the best option.>

Depends on airline - many have open-jaw at little or no extra but others obviously do not.

"Open jaw tickets are way expensive."

Did you check for flights using two one-way flights? That will usually generate high prices. Use the "multi-city" function to get the best prices.

If you think open-jaw tickets are expensive


You're probably looking at two one-way tickets instead of actual open-jaw (multi-city) tickets, which are often just about the same price as RT tickets.

The Cinque TerrE in December would be a waste of time, IMO.

Three days in Rome or Florence would be a bare scratch of the surface for me, but if that's all the time you've got, sure.

It's Buongiorno (bwon-gee-orno), not Bongiorno. And ciao is fine, but a little familiar. Probably best to say arrivederci.

checked out the multi-city options on websites. still expensive.

round trip from nyc-milan is 720 usd each, and multi city nyc-milan, rom-nyc is 970 usd.

And you don't think you will spend nearly $250 and waste a day futzing around with travel back to Milan?

Plus try all the open jaw options: in to Milan/out of Rome or Venice; in to Rome or Venice/home from Milan; etc.