kelsey22

Hello,

My question is two-fold. I have a tentative schedule for my trip in August.

Milan - 3 days
Cinque Terre 3 days
Verona- 2 days
Milan - 1 day

During this time, I would like to fit in a day or two seeing the lakes. I thought about doing one full day from Milan, but is that enough time? Do I have too many days in CT? I won’t have a car.

While I am at it, I decided to stay in Monterosso for 3 nights. Is this a good base?

I really appreciate any suggestions or advice.

greg

I see that you have a round trip ticket to Milan covered in another thread.
Unless your Milan arrival is late in the afternoon, you can recoup at least a half day by not splitting your Milan stay in two. Just do a simple math how much time you save by cutting out one full hotel check-in out cycle.
Travel straight to Verona or CT upon landing in Milan. Do all Milan in one chunk at the end.
Whether 3 nights at CT is too much or not depends on what you are doing which is not stated. Do more, need more time. Do less, need less time. If you just want to see few towns, you can do this in one full day. The CT towns are zoo during the day in high season.
Whether one day is enough for the Lake (Como, for example) depends again on what you are doing.

kelsey22

Hi - thanks! I think you are right and thanks for taking the time to check my other thread. I keep reading and the more I read, the more overwhelmed I get (I have the bad habit of wanting to see and do everything without the time/money). I have read that CT should be seen by boat and train. I thought if that is the case, then having 3 days would give me a nice pace (summer heat). I would like some time to do at least two hikes and a boat tour.

In Verona, I want to do the Juliet thing (please don’t judge me - I have wanted to visit there since I was 15). I would love to do some kind of cooking/dinner if possible.

I am still unsure about the Lakes. Open to suggestions based on experience.

HappyTrvlr

The Cinque Terre villages are very close to each other. Take a day away from there and add it to a lake.
Lake Maggiore is closest to Milan MXP, then Lake Como is next.I love the lakes and they deserve more time. Choose one of them.

kelsey22

Would Stresa be a good choice. I can take the bus straight to Stresa. I arrive early in the morning so I think I can leave my baggage at the hotel and hop onto a ferry to the island. Then from Stresa to Verona, Verona to CT and CT to Milan. Does this make sense?

neckervd

It's easy to reach MXP airport from all 3 lakes:
direct trains Como - Stabio - Varese - Busto - MXP (90 min journey)
direct trains Lugano - Melide - Maroggia - Capolago - Varese - Busto - MXP (100 min from Lugano)
direct trains Stresa - Gallarate (45 min). Gallarate is a short taxi ride from MXP. There are some local buses too.

PalenQ

August in CT complete zoo - I would rather spend that time in Lakes District which will also be crowded but not nearly the mob scene in CT. anyway for trains book long-distance trains far in advance to nab neat discounted fares - limited in number and can sell out early. Acquista il biglietto con le nostre offerte - Trenitalia or www.italotreno.com - two competing railways running trains over same tracks and into same stations - check both. www.seat61.com has loads on booking your own online tickets; general info Italian trains and where to go with them check www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts.

kelsey22

So I am back to ask a other wudstion.

is there a direct route to Verona from Stresa or do I need to go back i to Milan?

Do I need to prebook the ferry tickets to get to the islands from Stresa?

StCirq

I wouldn't touch the Cinque Terre in August with a 10-foot pole. Google for images of crowds in the Cinque Terre.It's beyond me why anyone would want to set foot there at that time of year. It was gorgeous 25 years ago; it's a total mess now.

Stresa is lovely, and easy to get to. La Cambusa is right up there with one of my favorite stores on earth for amazing food and wine (it's tiny and not famous, but boy does that couple know their foodstuffs!). It's easy to see all kinds of wonders from Stresa, from the islands to other lake towns to the places reachable on the cable cars up into the mountains. No, you don't have to make any plans in advance to take boats around the lakes to the Borromean Islands or to other towns; you just amble down to the waterfront, buy a ticket, and take your trip.

neckervd

" is there a direct route to Verona from Stresa or do I need to go back i to Milan?"

If you travel by train, you will have to change at Milan

"Do I need to prebook the ferry tickets to get to the islands from Stresa?"
No. Just buy a ticket or a day pass at the boat's pier, a few minutes prior to the boat's departure

isabel

Both Maggiore and Como are lovely lakes and either would work for you, but as you are going to Verona you could also consider Lake Garda which you will go right by on the train between Milan and Verona. The northern half of the lake is the most scenic and I love the town of Malcesine which in addition to a wonderful setting has a small castle and a gondola up to the top of a significant mountain. Lake Como the mid and northern sections are also the best. If you do go with Stressa check the ferry schedules carefully, we got there mid afternoon and there still wasn't time to go to the islands that day which surprised me (we went the following, but check to see if you could do what you want on arrival day).

I would take the train to Verona upon arriving the first day. Spend 2-3 nights there, then Malcesine on Lake Garda for 3 nights and end in Milan. That still gives you one extra night. You could add it to Verona and do a day trip (tons of great possibilities including Vicenza, Padua, Mantua, etc.). Or you could also include Lake Como (which is also possible as a day trip from Milan). Or extend your Milan time and do some day trips from there (Bergamo, Pavia, Parma, Varenna on Lake Como, Lake Lugano in Switzerland - all less than an hour from Milano).

Photos of the lakes - Zenfolio | Isabel's_View | Lake Garda
Photos of Verona and around - Zenfolio | Isabel's_View | The Veneto: Verona, Vicenza, Padua, Treviso, Udine, Trieste
Photos of Milan day trip possibilities - Zenfolio | Isabel's_View | Lombardia: Mantua, Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona, Pavia

kelsey22

Hello Isabel. St.Cirq and Neckervd, I appreciate your advice. I wish I could do all but I am travelling solo with a suitcase and by train so I have to be very strategic about this. I am a bit frustrated by this trip and I am not sure why I can't get it together. Probably I want to much with too little time. In truth, Rome is one of my favorite cities and I would like to go back this trip but one needs to explore, right?

I loved the photos of Verona Isabel and I am very excited to go.

Has anyone been to an opera there?

PalenQ

dukey, veteran Fodorgarch has performed in Verona Opera I believe! Has not been around much lately however.

neckervd

VERONA OPERA FESTIVAL
August performances: Carmen, Barbiere die Seviglia, Aida, Nabucco
https://www.arena.it/arena/en/season...-festival.html

kelsey22

I am so frustrated...I was online and found a ticket and tried to book and it was decline (credit card is fine).

PalenQ

Your bank may have declined foreign charge - tell them about it first and it may go thru.

StCirq

Or just pick up the phone and call

PalenQ

Call who - Saul? Bank or European rail company.

StCirq

It's not rocket science, Pal:

https://www.arena.it/arena/en/pages/contacts.html

isabel

Yeah, you probably just need to call your credit card company and tell them you are trying to charge things in Italy. Many credit card companies still require you to call and tell them before you travel to a foreign country and the same holds if you are just booking something there. You don't have to call Italy (the place you are trying to charge whether it be a train ticket, opera ticket, etc.) just your credit card company.