isabel

I am needing to come up with a Plan B for a week in Italy in July. Italy will be 8 nights in the middle of a trip that starts with about a week in Solvenia/Croatia, and after Italy has ten days in the Benelux countries. The original plan was that my husband and I would ferry over to Italy from Rovinj, Croatia and rent a car and planned to visit Urbino, Ferrara, Bassano del Grappa/Asolo, Mantova, and end up in Milano. Now it's looking like I may be doing the whole trip solo and would therefore not want to rent a car.

So I need an itinerary that is easily done by train, with as few bases as possible. By car and with my husband I don't mind moving every day or so but by train and on a solo trip I prefer bases and do day trips. On previous trips I have done Padova, Vicenza, Verona, Bologna, Modena, Ravenna (not all on the same trip) so I'd prefer to concentrate on towns I have not been to.

Any ideas?

bobthenavigator

Hmmm! Let me think about that---I will get back.
But, I do think I would include Lago Garda and Bergamo.

bobthenavigator

Yes, I would include Lago Garda if you have not been before.
You train to Desenzano on the south end but you do not have to stay there. The ferry system on the lake is very good so you can stay where you want. The north end is far more scenic, so plan to spend an entire day on the lake with stops in Malcesine and Riva--if not more.

After that I am torn. The Citta Alta in Bergamo is very impressive but may not be worth a 2 day stop. I would look at Parma---a place I have always wanted to see. The train from Desenzano is only 2:22 via Brescia. Have you seen Stresa and the Borreman Isles? If not, that would be high on my list.

Good planning--I will be eagerly awaiting your gallery.

zeppole

From a base in Brescia, you would have a tremendous range of daytripping possibilities: Trento, Bergamo and Lago di Garda, and even Mantova if a 90 minute train trip is OK with you (although I would do that as a day trip from Milan.)

Brescia itself has its extraordinary museums

http://www.bresciamusei.com/

and in July it will not be heaving with tourists. You can find an air conditioned hotel at a moderate price.

So if you can stand the heat in Ferrara in July, you could go to Ferrara for 2 nights, Brescia for 4, Milan for 2 (with a day trip to Mantova).

zeppole

PS: if you wanted, for your final days, you could go to Milan in the morning, stow your bags at the train station, and switch to a train for Stresa (one hour north). Have lunch and see the Borromean Islands, come back to Milan, go to your hotel. Next day, day trip to Mantova (one hour south).

So basicially you have this

1 - Ferrara
2 - Ferrara
3 -- Brescia -- explore Brescia
4 -- Brescia -- day trip to lago di Garda
5 -- Brescia -- day trip to Trento
6 -- Brescia -- day trip to Bergamo
7 -- Milan -- afternoon on Lago Maggiore (Stresa Borromeo Islands)
8 -- Milan -- day trip to Mantova

or vice versa for days 7 & 8

You could buy even a bit more leisure if you left Ferrara in the afternoon of your second day there and headed to Brescia. You could make two trips to Lago di Garda and see different parts of the lake. It is only 15 minutes by train from Brescia to Desenzano del Garda. But if you get summer thundershowers, the museums and churches of Brescia are world class. Or the weather might be nicer in Trento.

zeppole

http://www.bresciabedandbreakfast.it/en/index.html

qwovadis

seat61.com/italy hop regional trains
in the north a lot headed there in Aprilour favs
Stresa/Baveno/Isola Bella Area Hotel Grand Dino
Varenna www.bellagio.info area Residence D'Ulivo
Garda www.sirmione.com Hotel Eden
from 100-120 euro per nite booking.com

Have fun!

isabel

Thanks for the ideas. I think I do want to see Lake Garda (on previous trips I've been to Lakes Como and Maggorie). I will look into Trento and Brescia some more. But trying to maintain as much of my original itinerary as possible (although I'll have to change all the hotels as the dates will be off) I've come up with this:

Ferry from Rovinj to Venice, then train to Bassano for two nights

Then Verona as a base for four nights to do day trips to Mantova, Ferrara and Lake Garda

Then Milano for two nights with a day trip to Parma.

Does that sound reasonable?

Question - I want to see Asolo from Bassano, is that easily done without a car? If not, is Bassano 'worth' it or would those two days be better off in Trento or Bergamo or Brescia?

zeppole

i don't think anybody can answer intelligently your question about whether Bassano del Grappa is "worth' it for you as opposed the other places you mentioned -- but that doesn't mean you won't get an answer!

If you actually haven't got a problem staying in Verona again, and you've already looked a Trenitalia to see the length of the day trips you'd be undertaking from Verona and Milano, surely you know better than we do what kind of trip you'd enjoy.

You might consider staying in Asolo and visiting Bassano del Grappa rather than the other way around. Here are some logistics for doing that:

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...729010002.html

ekc

We stayed at the Albergo Al Sole in Asolo and loved it. Very charming town with some very good restaurants and a nice central cafe.

bobthenavigator

I liked Bassano---we used it as a base to tour Veneto and stayed 4 nites. The reason I did not include it was the train connections to points west---we had a car. If that works then try to include it.

isabel

ekc - did you have a car. I really want to see Asolo and Brassano - this is actually my second trip to the general area that they have been on my 'list' but without a car they seem like they may not be 'worth' the trouble it takes to get to them.

Obviously 'worth' it is relative and will be different for different people. But I value the opinions of fodorites even if they are just that - opinions.

I'll do some more research on Bassano too and maybe post another threat asking for opinions of 'favorite' towns in this region. Thanks again

isabel

sorry, that should be 'thread', not threat. That will teach me not to prof read.

ekc

Isabel, we had a car which I would highly recommend. We also loved Cividale - beautiful small town with a couple of good small museums. That was one of the towns on the trip where I thought "I could live here" ...

zeppole

Isabel,

It seems rather easy to get to either Bassano del Grappa or Asolo from Venice using public transportation. Did you read the link I gave you?

I'm having hard time figuring out what you are asking about some place being "worth it" considering the travel time when you are considering it "worth it" to take a day trip to Parma from Milan despite the length of the journey, yet question whether it is "worth it" to go to Bassano del Grappa, when it is pretty much the same time spent traveling.

isabel

zeppole - yes, thank you I did read the link - but it's a train from Padua, so I would have to take a train to Padua (I realize many of the trains from Verona to Padua might continue on without having to change) and then a bus. So while the total time ON the train/bus might be the same as a train from Milan to Parma, there would/could be more connections - which not only take time but require coordination. I realize it is entirely possible but it requires more thought, more potential to screw up. I have traveled quite a bit in Italy, mostly on trains and I'm quite competent but I don't speak but a few words of Italian so there is potential to make a mistake. That's what I mean by 'worth' it. In the cases of Milan to Parma there are direct trains every hour - I don't have to worry about which one I'll catch for the return, etc. So even though the time may be the same, the planning is not. For someplace that I really want to see I'll go to quite a bit of effort, but if there is someplace equally interesting with less hassel then I'd opt for that. I know no one can give me "the answer" - but as I said, I value the opinions of fodorites, especially people like you who live there. I'm just gathering information, then I'll make a decision. Usually in cases like this I put more places on my 'list' than I know I'll probably get to and that's ok too.

ekc - if it turns out my husband can come with me after all we are definitely going to both Bassano and Asolo. I'll look into Cividale also. Thanks.