arindasue

Too many changes have made my original post out-dated, so... We are now planning to leave Venice on May 8 after 6 nights, followed by two nights in Verona, two in Milan, three in Mereggio, two somewhere between Mereggio and Volterra, two in Volterra, ending with four in Rome (we've been to Rome several times so four is OK.) Lots of moving, I know, but we're up for a road trip this time. We'll have a car most of the time.

Nothing except flights are in stone, though, so still open to any suggestions, especially on where to stay and what you especially like about any of these areas.

Thank you so much!

sandralist

Where is Mereggio? Do you mean Menaggio on Lago di Como? Or Viareggio in Tuscany?

Do you plan to rent a car at some point (where?)

arindasue

Oh good, sandralist! I love your suggestions.

Actually, as I wrote the word Mereggio, I knew it didn't look right. I was too lazy to double check! We will be at Lago de Como...many hotels are already booked in Varenna and Bellagio, so we've found a room at Hotel du Lac...but in Menaggio.

We will have a car from Venice to Rome as of now. I realize we won't really need it in all areas, but will probably just park it when we don't.

We will be going to Menaggio from Verona, then to Milan. Not the other way around, as I wrote before.

Can you suggest a good stopping point from Milan to Volterra? Since we will have been in a city environment in Milan, I think I'd rather stay somewhere other than Bologna.

Any favorite sites or restaurants along the route of this trip would be welcome!

sandralist

If you are picking up the car in Venice, I suggest you put Menaggio ahead of Milan. Otherwise, pick up the car in Milan (and do without one in Verona).

If end up sticking with your plan and already have car in Milan, I suggest you pick lodgings on the south side of the city, and find a hotel with guaranteed parking, and use the subway to get to the center. Finding a hotel somewhere in the vicinity of Linate, near a metro stop, might be the best strategy.

Were it me, leaving Menaggio for Volterra, I might target Parma for sightseeing and lunch, and then overnight in Pontremoli. Eat testaroli with pesto and enjoy the town, and do some sightseeing with car to smaller towns in the immediate vicinity, or have lunch at the seaside in Lerici or Portovenere enroute to Volterra.

sandralist

The area between Parma and the sea that contains Pontremoli is called the Lunigiana, and here is more information about it:

http://tramedilunigiana.it/en/place/borgo/pontremoli

http://www.turismo.intoscana.it/site...The-Lunigiana/

http://www.apathtolunch.com/2014/05/...ngs-to-do.html

arindasue

Thank you, sandralist. We are scheduled to go to Menaggio after Verona. I had made a mistake above. We had thought to wait and get the car in Verona, but I did want to make at least a lunch stop in Padua. Maybe the train station in Padua has luggage lockers.

If it's not that pleasant of a drive from Venice to Verona, we could still consider waiting to pick up the car in Verona.

I certainly will take a look at your links for after Milan. Thanks so much.

Anyone with suggestions for where to stay...with a car...in Milan?

sandralist

I think there are luggage lockers in Padova train station.

For Milan, I would look on booking.com for a place to stay with parking. You can filter the search for that. You can also see where any hotel is located on a map. Since you are headed west after you leave Milan, just try to stay on the northeastern side of the city. I don't know where the ZTLs in Milan are located but you want to avoid them. If somebody doesn't add that information to this thread, you might want to put up another thread with a subject line that specific asks for that information, or ask on the TripAdvisor forum for Milan.

However, I also recommend doing the research to see how much extra hassle it would be to hold off renting a car until you leave Milan vs picking it up to Verona and driving it from there. Having a car at the lakes and having a car in Milan mostly means paying a lot to park a car you won't be using at all.

To get to Menaggio from Verona means you will need to either (a) take a fast train to Milan, switch to a slower one to Varenna, and then a short but beautifual ferry ride to Menaggio (quite pretty) or (b) take a fast train to Milan, a commuter train to the town of Como, then a longer ferry ride to Menaggio.

Seems to me that even if you arranged for your hotel in Como to get a taxi to pick you up at Milan train station you probably would end up saving money vs. what you'll be spending on daily car rental for 5 days + parking for a car you won't be using except for point-to-point driving on routes where public transportation is available.

If you decide to wait until you leave Milan to pick up a car, it is probably worth the less-stress to take the airport bus to Linate airport from Central Station in Milan or a taxi to Linate airport from your Milan hotel to pick up the car rental there. Airport rental offices are open continously and on weeknds. Easier to skip driving Milan's heavy traffic and just drop south.

sandralist

Google searches appear to confirm the existence of luggage storage at Padova station.

For some people, hauling luggage through train station is such a mood killer that they'd rather have a car, even if it means more money and hassle along the way. So that's a subjective call. But the way I would probably do your itinerary is

Venice -- no car
Padova -- stow luggage in station
Verona -- no car
the Lakes -- train from Verona to Milan, switch to train to Varenna, ferry to Menaggio; departure: ferry to Como, commuter train to Milan
Milan -- no car; leaving Milan, go to Linate airport pick up car

Have car through Volterra and, leaving Volterra, take scenic drive through Tuscany to Chiusi, drop off car, take train to Rome.