althom1122

My husband and I (mid-60s) enjoy outdoor scenery, moderate hiking and good food. We're not really city people and enjoy museums only in small doses. We're planning a 2-week trip to Northern Italy, mainly for the mountains. Our flights are booked, arriving in Venice on Aug. 28 and flying out of Milan on Sept. 10, although we could modify them, possibly even adding a couple more days and/or flying to or from a different airport (Innsbruck? Munich?).

Below is my first attempt at an itinerary. My husband Tom, who really loves the mountains, wants to maybe add some of Austria. We'd appreciate any suggestions on the itinerary as it stands - any places that we should cut, any places that we should add (keeping in mind that we're more interested in outdoor scenery and day hikes than in cities). And in particular, what should we do with those extra three days? Should we head up to Austria from the Dolomites and then back down to Lake Garda? Or??

Day 1 - Arrive Venice
Day 2 - Venice
Days 3-6 - Pick up car and drive to Cortina d'Ampezzo - spend 4 nights.
Day 7-8 - Relocate to Selva di Gardenia area for 2 nights
Day 9 - Lake Garda - spend night (or 2?) at Malcesine
Day 10 - ?
Day 11 - ?
Day 12 - ?
Day 13 - Drive to Milan - drop car
Day 14 - fly home

For those three days, we've considered another day around Lake Garda, maybe 1 night in Verona, and possibly a night in Varenna/Menaggio on Lake Como before going back to Milan for the flight home. If we wanted to add Austria, should we go directly there from the Dolomites and then come back down to Lake Garda? All suggestions welcome!

Melnq8

I'd start by adding a night or two to Selva - two nights is only one full day, and there's plenty of hiking/mountains/cable cars in the area.

Jean

I agree with Malnq8. I would add those ? days to Selva and Lake Garda. I'd rather do this than do one-night stays in a couple of places.

While in the Dolomites, I'd want to drive over as many of the mountain passes as possible.

Unless you have a desire to go to Milan, Malcesine is closer to the Venice Airport than to Malpensa. If you return the car where you picked it up, you avoid the one-way rental surcharge.

joannyc

I’d add more time to both Venice and Milan. If you’re interested in seeing The Last Supper, book your tickets early!

ms_go

I'd agree with adding time to Selva. We spent a week there on our first trip to the Dolomites and didn't have enough time for all we wanted to do in the area. I haven't stayed in Cortina d'Ampezzo - only visited during the day a couple of times - but I didn't love it. Too much high-end shopping for what I like when in the mountains. Also, I recently looked around Cortina with Google Street View in preparation for our own upcoming trip to the Dolomites, and there seemed to be a lot of construction around the city center. I'm guessing that's in conjunction with the upcoming Winter Olympics (it's a co-host along with Milan). I'd personally pick a smaller town, especially having a car.

ANUJ

Agree, the Val Gardena is very rewarding and could easily absorb another few days.
Fyi, we visited Cortina but stayed in La Villa in the Alta Badia - another spectacular location.

HappyTrvlr

Salσ, on the SW coast of Lake Garda, is a lovely town, a favorite of Europeans.

basingstoke2

Check out Toblach/Dobbiaco, a beautiful hiking mecca in the Tyrol. The Italy - Austria border runs right through town. We loved it there during our too short stay. If you have an interest in music, inspired by its beauty it is one of the places where Gustave Mahler would visit to compose.

Gardyloo

Years ago we stayed at a lovely castle hotel near Eppan/Appiano in the South Tyrol, not far from Bolzano. Schloss Korb has lovely rooms and grounds, and it's along the "wine route" - Strada del Vino or Weinstrasse (still a lot of German spoken in this once Austrian area.)

You could do a day loop through the Dolomites from there, and if you modified your departure point to Innsbruck, it's around 90 minutes from the hotel over the Brenner Pass. Map - https://maps.app.goo.gl/NhwB4ckryqiNH1pU8

Schloss Hotel Korb - 4-star superior hotel in Appiano, South Tyrol - Resort Schloss Hotel Korb (schloss-hotel-korb.com)

neckervd

A short side trip to Austria (Lienz, Innsbruck or so) would bring absolutely nothing: same language, same architecture, same food, same culture as in South Tyrol.
Same remark for Lake Como after a visit of Lake Garda.
May be you visit the provincial capitals you will pass through: Bolzano/Bozen and Trento.
Fly back from VCE if you have the choice.

althom1122

Thanks so much, everyone, for the great advice. I'll sit down with Tom and we'll figure out what we want to do. I happened to meet a woman this morning while hiking in Sedona who had been to northern Italy recently - she agreed that we should stay at least one extra night in the Selva area and that if we do Lake Garda we probably wouldn't need to do Lake Como. I'll probably be back with additional questions once we've made a few decisions.

neckervd

"if we do Lake Garda we probably wouldn't need to do Lake Como"
Theere aren't any "needs" anyway. Do just what YOU like, it's YOUR holidays!
And don't forget the smaller (up to tiny mountain) lakes that you may find along your itinerary (or not far away from it):
Lago di Santa Croce
Lago di Cadore
Lago di Santa Caterina
Lago di Misurina
Duerrensee
Pragser Wildsee/Lago di Braies
Karersee/Lago di Carezza
Kalterersee/Lago Caldaro
Lago di Santa Giustina
Lago di Molveno
Laghi di Toblino e Santa Massenza
Lago di Cavedine
Lago di Ledro
Lago d'Idro
.........

bvlenci

I would say that it doesn't make much sense to go to Malcesine for one night. It's a bit time-consuming to get there (and back out) so you wouldn't see enough to make the trip worthwhile. So I strongly suggest one more night there.

While you're in Malcesine, I suggest you take the cable car to the top of Mount Baldo. It's in the pre-Alps, so it's not terribly high, but there are great views, and a little cafι/restaurant. Another nice thing to do is a boat trip to the senic northern part of the lake. To do both, you might need more than two nights.

I agree that Lake Garda is sufficient for lake time. Actually, I liked it much better than Lake Como, which was a bit overrun with English speakers. At Lake Garda, there were lots of German speakers, but not 95% of the visitors.

jlm43

My wife and I spent 3 or 4 nights in Malcesine and absolutely loved it. If you're over that way, check out Santuario Madonna della Corona.

althom1122

Thanks, everyone, for your input. I agree it makes sense to add an extra night to Selva and Malcesine. Plus, we'll add a night in Verona. That keeps the itinerary simple and gives us a bit more breathing room. At this point I'm inclined to leave the return flight from Milan rather than switching to Venice, even though it's an hour or so longer drive from Verona. It gives us something different for our last night rather than a repeat to Venice. So here's how the itinerary stands. I have accommodations booked for every night (with free cancellation) except Milan. It's unbelievable how many places are already booked up! Yikes.

27 Aug - Arrive Venice around 6 p.m. Check into 3C B&B

28 Aug - day exploring Venice - want to see a few main sights but mostly just wander - may buy skip the line tickets for Doge's Palace; also considering Four Seasons concert at Vivaldi Church - thoughts?

30 Aug - pick up car - location? Should we go back to the airport or get the car at the train station? Drive to Cortina d'Ampezzo. Depending on weather, may hike Lagazuoi to Passo Falzareg in the afternoon. Hotel:for four nights: Baita Fraina.

31 Aug - 2 Sep: Would like to do these hikes (one per day) - Cinque Torri, Lago di Braes (loop around lake - will plan on arriving around sunrise), Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Thoughts? Other suggestions?

3 Sep: Relocate to Selva di Gardenia. Stop at Marmolada, then drive over Passo Fedaia and Passo Pordoi. If time in the afternoon, see Seceda. Hotel: B&B Ciauceia.

4 Sep: Hike at Alpe di Siusi. Recommendations for a day hike of five miles or less?

5 Sep: Vallunga? Val di Funes? Also a back-up day for Seceda if the weather was poor earlier.

6 Sep: Head for Lake Garda, approaching from the north. Spend a few hours in Riva del Garda, then to Malcesine for two nights. Hotel: B&B Casa Benamati

7 Sep: More of Lake Garda - relax. Suggestions?

8 Sep: Verona. Hotel - Casa Panvinio. Need to research what to do in Verona. If we arrive by noon, we'll have the afternoon and evening.

9 Sep: Drive to Milan. See Duomo.

10 Sep: Fly home.

Welcome any additional comments on things not to miss. Favorite restaurants or gelato places? Will factor in the suggestions above - thanks!

althom1122

jlm43, I've seen pictures of Santuario Madonna della Corona. It looks fabulous. I definitely want to see it. Thanks!

althom1122

What do you think of dropping the car in Verona and catching the train from there to Milan the day before our flight home?

Jean

Rather than a few hours in Riva del Garda, I'd rather spend that time at the Otzi exhibits in the archeology museum in Bolzano.

FWIW, I think Limone sul Garda is more charming than Riva.

Be sure to take the cable car from Malcesine up to Monte Baldo.

If you're open to taking the train to Milan, I'd drive to Venice to return the car. This would eliminate the one-way rental surcharge. The drive from Verona to Malpensa isn't very interesting (autostrada all the way, mid-week traffic, etc.) unless you plan to stop at Lake Iseo or Bergamo which would reduce your time in Milan. Duomo but not the Last Supper??

althom1122

Jean - thanks, maybe we should take the ferry from Malcesine to Limone - that would get us out on the water and give us a chance to walk around Limone.

I'll look into the cost of the car rental and dropping it in Verona vs. going back to Venice and then catching the train to Milan from there.

I especially like your suggestion about Bolzano - I was just reading about the attractions there, and it looks really interesting - both the museum but also the WW2 tunnel.

And yes, maybe we'll try to see the Last Supper. .

Thanks!

Jean

Re the Last Supper... You need to pursue tickets as soon as they become available for your dates. They go FAST.

I'm not familiar with the WWII tunnel near Bolzano but presume it's related to the Nazi labor camp. We enjoyed seeing the many World War One sights scattered throughout the South Tyrol area.

As you will have a car at Lake Garda, you might want to drive to Limone rather than take the ferry and then drive SP38 (Strada della Forra) from about Pieve. Since we made this drive a few years ago, the road has been made one-way only during certain hours. Do investigate the details before you set out.

https://www.stradadellaforra.com/en/