People usually have very strong feelings about these two places. Some really love it or hate it.

Naples also gets very mixed reviews. I had read conflicting reports about Naples prior to going and now having been there I can say that I actually liked it. I loved the archeology museum with its content from Pompeii as well as the Farnese collection. In addition, the streets were vibrant with plenty of markets. The pizza was great. Yes it was a gritty but it was a vibrant city.

What are your thoughts and descriptions of Milan and Venice. Why do you like it or dislike it?

We are very taken by Venice. Ten visits, about 300 nights.
Venice, April 2014. Some thoughts ...

I like Milan and love Venice.

Milan: excellent museums; some terrific churches and galleries; good restaurants; big-city vibe that I enjoy.

Venice: La Serenissima!; extremely beautiful; fascinating history; once you've seen the major sights it's easy to focus on what interests you that's not too crowded (for me that's art and cultural events, including/especially contemporary); many gorgeous churches; an interesting food scene with some terrific restaurants. I'm probably forgetting things...

I have never been to Milan, but I love Venice. I like to take photos, and there is so much lovely, crumbling goodness there to photograph. I am planning a trip to France in 2022, and my hope is to add a side trip to Venice for four or five days just to wander and explore.

Too many people think Venice is just a day trip, which is the worst way to see anyplace as far as I'm concerned. It's truly magical after the tours leave for the evening.

Love Venice but I tend to go off season. Wake up early. Wander around in the evening. I agree with the comment it's not a daytrip. Daytrips to Venice are the equivalent of shoving your face into an electric fan. You should expect it to be unpleasant.

I like the big city vibe too and Milan has a energy, high fashion, the beautiful people., worth some time.
Venice without day trippers and cruise ship hordes is wonderful.

Venice - by a huge margin.

Here is my wife's Shutterfly book about a recent one-week trip there. Venice starts on page 62.
https://stududley.shutterfly.com/55
Click "Full screen"

Stu Dudley

Venice is embraceable in two days, with all the services focused at the tourists. Milan is an industrial city with a large city centre holding historical buildings well spaced out.

I like both but Milan needs more time an effort to enjoy.

Love them both. I have no idea why Milan gets such short shrift. Fascinating city with lots of places to see. Check out Chapters 2 - 4 of our 2018 Italy trip. It covers our time in Milan. Spent three days, and could have spent more.

https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/italy-2018/

The picture below we took on Duomo di Milano rooftop. One of Europes most spectacular sights, IMO.

Peter--Thanks for your trip report. I just responded on my other thread that I think Fondazione Querini Stampala garden by Carlo Scarpa sort of reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater and I see that you also mentioned that in your trip report.

StuDudley--Thank you for sharing your photo album. Beautiful pictures! Can't wait to be able to visit. Ca Rezzonico and Ca D'Oro are both on my list in addition to the Ducale Palace of course.

Maitaitom--I love all your trip reports and pictures! Thanks for sharing the link. I have a feeling you do a fair amount of research yourself prior to your trips.

Very cool!

My theory is that there is a direct relationship between how long someone spends in in Venice, and whether they love it or hate it.

Every single person who has told me that Venice is overrated has only been there briefly - sometimes only the night before a cruise, and often less than a day. Same with Naples.

A woman on Fodors once wrote a trip report where she and her daughter landed in Paris, took a taxi to the hotel, shopped for scarves on Rue Rivioli (not my favorite street), went back to the hotel to nap, went to the restaurant at the Branly museum for dinner - but took the metro in the wrong direction. Next morning was drizzling. She wanted to visit the Louvre - but there was a transportation strike and the Louvre was closed because docents could not get there. She sat on a curb & pouted. Went to Notre Dame instead. That same day she was to take a flight to Venice. But she missed the flight & didn't get to Venice until after midnight. She reported that she didn't like Paris.

This is a true story - I have the thread bookmarked.

Stu Dudley

+1

We have friends who didn’t like Venice. When we asked about their experience it turns out they went to Venice for lunch, then left!

I think Milan is hugely underrated. I was there in April 2019. The Duomo is breathtaking. Da Vinci’s Last Supper...what else needs to be said? Basilica Sant’Ambrogio. Opera at La Scala (I’m not even an opera fan but this was a cool experience). Big city vibe. Italian but not quite, etc. etc. I have been recommending it to my friends ever since I’ve returned.

Venice: Stunning. One of the world’s most beautiful cities. I have been there twice and if I can get back to Italy this year, I want to start my trip there with 6 nights to really dig deep into neighborhoods tourists often don’t get to,

Naples: Hated it the first time I was there in 2003. Chaotic, rather dirty and I got pickpocketed. Went back on my 2019 trip. I now speak decent Italian and so that gave me confidence to take Napoli head on and I really really liked it. Agree with an earlier poster- the Archeology Museum is incredible. So much art in the city that many don’t know about. The sculpture of “Veiled Christ” in the Capella Sansevero is stunningly lifelike. The chaos (in a good way) of the Centro. Chatting with a cab driver that “il traffico a Napoli e pazzo!” Yes, the pizza is good but I’ve had equally good pizza in the US. Wonderful little trattorias run by kind people that really lit up when I shared that I am an Italian American and that my grandmother was from Naples. I left with wonderful memories of that city but will say that it is probably best suited to a more experienced, confident international traveler.

I really enjoyed Venice, Milan and Naples. Each so different but with so much to offer. I think Naples might be a difficult place to enjoy on a first European trip but, once you fall in love with Italy, Naples adds to the adventure.

Most of my Italian (north and south) friends don't think Naples is part of Italy ;-)

It is the only city in the world that I went on a business trip in an armoured car.

But I kind of like it.

We visited Naples for a education conference and stayed out by Castel dell'Ovo. It was very enjoyable and we hope to go back and see many things we didn't have time for that trip. From there we visit Capri for 3 nights which is another place many do as a day trip but really is beneficial to have at least a couple of nights there.

Hallstatt is another place that can be magical at night. There is a reason tourists flock to a place; it's just a shame most don't see those places to their full advantage.

Ugh, in moderation... no links, nothing suspicious...