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Please help us plan Northern Italy/lakes trip 6/19
We are just starting to plan a 10 day trip with another couple to Northern Italy--the lakes region, and spend the last few days in Switzerland. Instead of spending a couple of days at each of 3 lakes, we are thinking about 3 days at two of the lakes. (maggiore and garda). Are these the two you would choose? and are day trips to the others easy to navigate? Also any suggestions for lodging with a view would be welcome. airb&b?
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In the fall of 2017, we went to Lakes Como, Iseo and Garda and northern cities (Turin, Milan, Bergamo). We did a 2-part trip report. In short, we liked Garda best (just less touristy, at least American touristy). However, Como was breathtaking.
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...tober-1649643/ https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...tober-1649644/ Last fall, we stayed on Lake Orta and did a day-trip (a return for us) to Lake Maggiore. I think we preferred Como and Garda but that may have been that we relied more on the car when at Maggiore. We much preferred the ferry transits we used on the other lakes, but that as I understand it, Maggiore also has some great ferry service. https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...ember-1659620/ We also did a brief but perfect (thanks largely to good weather) couple of days in Switzerland in September. Here is that trip report: https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...esome-1659589/ |
Thank you whitehall. The more I learn, the more my ideas of what to do changes. Your info will be very useful. I'm sure i'll have more questions.
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Lake Garda forms 1 area and the 3 lakes of Maggioere, Lugano and Como form the other one.
Day trips from Lake Garda to the other 3 lakes is not a good idea IMO. Lake Gasrda is a good base for trips to Verona, Trento, Vicenza, Mantova and the Dolomiti di Brenta, however. Lugano is in the center of the 3 other lakes, with trains to Como (Lake Como) and Locarno (Lake Maggiore) every 30 min as well as train connections to Lucerne/Zurich (2 hrs journey) at least every hr and to Milan (1 hrs journey) at least every 2 hrs. If you stay in a hotel on the Swiss side of Lake Lugano or Lake Maggiore, you will most probably get a regional travel pass for free. |
Our favorite lake is Maggiore, with a side trip to Orta most times we go there. We always stay in Stresa. If I had only 3 days I wouldn't go lake-hopping. I'd pick one and settle in.
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Originally Posted by StCirq
(Post 16860882)
Our favorite lake is Maggiore, with a side trip to Orta most times we go there. We always stay in Stresa. If I had only 3 days I wouldn't go lake-hopping. I'd pick one and settle in.
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Well, Orta for me is just a daytrip from Maggiore.
But yes, I see she wants to spend 3 days each on two lakes. In which case I'd say Maggiore and Garda. |
Maggiore and Garda would be fine - my two favorite lakes but Como is nice too. You going by train or car? Trains would be fine as once on the lakes boats go all over all the time.
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Other than Garda, where I've returned, I've only been to Maggiore and Como once each.
I'd pick Como and Garda. I liked the scenery better, and the food too. Just my own take on your questions. |
Ah that is very helpful information. Thank you! So does it make sense to spend 3 nights near Lake Garda, and the other 3 nights at one of the other 3 lakes maybe Como,, then take a day trip or two to see the others.
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Como and Garda would probably be enough. We needed 3 nights in each and thought that was a minimum, and we enjoyed perfect weather in each. The biggest attraction on Iseo is the island of Monte Iseo, and that isn't an easy day trip. I guess you could do a day trip from Como to Stresa on Lake Maggiore and take a ferry to Isola Bella, but that probably would be at he expense of time you might need on Como. If you opted for Maggiore instead of Como, a day trip to Lake Orta is easy (only really worth seeing Orta San Giulio there).
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Originally Posted by PalenQ
(Post 16860965)
Maggiore and Garda would be fine - my two favorite lakes but Como is nice too. You going by train or car? Trains would be fine as once on the lakes boats go all over all the time.
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As I told you in post 4:
if you have no car, want to see all 3 lakes (Como, Lugano, Maggiore) and to proceed later to internal Switzerland, Lugano is the best place. From no other place, you can reach the 2 other lakes every 30 minutes by public transport in 1 hr or less and from no other place you have direct trains from Lake Garda (only once daily, however) and to Zurich/Lucerne (at least every hr, 2 hrs journey). |
thank you tuscanlifeedit We have Garga for sure and are deciding on the other one. Which town around Como do you suggest?
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Thank you necker This is the first international trip i've planned myself and the thing I'm the most nervous about is the transportation. So any and all tips about that really helps.
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So it sounds like Como might be a better choice than Maggiore? A tough decision. Which town in Como would you sggest?
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May be it would be helpful if you could tell us to which place in Switzerland you plan to proceed after the lakes. Some places along Lake Como are real cul-de-sacs.
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It would be useful for you to see which towns are served by ferries and buses. The ferry website is currently showing the winter timetables, so you can check routes and trip durations now and return to the site in March/April to check frequency of service.
Navigazione Laghi | Lago Maggiore | Lago di Garda | Lago di Como Navigazione Laghi | Lago Maggiore | Lago di Garda | Lago di Como Bus service: https://lakecomotravel.com/bus-servi...enaggio-colico Bus timetables Lake Garda | Visitgarda |
Bus lines Lake Como:
https://www.asfautolinee.it/content/...te-extraurbana Bus lines Lake Lugano: Lubano - Gandria Lugano - Menaggio Lugano - Campione d'Italia Lugano - Carona Lugano - Morcote Lugano - Tesserete - Valcolla Lugano - Sonvico - Valcolla Lugano - Arosio - Breno - Miglieglia cableway Lugano - Cademario - Novaggio - Astano - Sessa Ponte Tresa - Castelrotto - Novaggio Ponte Tresa - Fornasette - Luino Ponte Tresa - Ghirla - Luino Ponte Tresa - Porto Ceresio - Varese Ponte Tresa - Ghirla - Varese Porto Ceresio - Brusino - Capolago Capolago - Arogno Capolago - Mendrisio Mendrisio - Serpiano Mendrisio - Serpiano Mendrisio - Chiasso - Como Mendrisio - Muggio - Scudellate Bus lines Lake Maggiore: Locarno - Ascona - Brissago - Cannobio - Intra Locarno - Ronco Locarno - Bignasco - Fusio Locarno - Sonogno Locarno - Spruga/Vergeletto Magadino - Indemini Magadino - Ranzo - Sant' Abbondio Maccagno - Biegno Luino - Dumenza - Agra Luino - Brezzo - Musadino Luino - Varese Stresa - Gignese Arona - Colazza - Gignese Cannobio - Malesco Cannero - Trarego Intra - Premeno - Piancavallo Intra - Pallanza - Omegna Train and cableway lines Lake Como: Milano - Monza - Lecco - Varenna - Colico Como - Lecco Milano - Seregno - Como Milano - Saronno - Como Como - Brunate Arcegno - Pigra Train and cableway lines Lake Lugano: Bellinzona - Lugano - Capolago - Como - Monza - Milano Varese - Porto Ceresio Lugano - Ponte Tresa Capolago - Monte Generoso Lugano - San Salvatore Lugano - Monte Bre Brusino - Serpiano Miglieglia - Monte Lema Rivera - Alpe Foppa Train and cableway lines Lake Maggiore: Bellinzona - Locarno - Domodossola Bellinzona - Magadino - Luino - Laveno - Sesto Calende Domodossola - Verbania Pallanza - Sesto Calende - Milano Laveno - Varese - Saronno - Milano Locarno - Cardada - Cimetta Intragna - Costa Verdasio - Comino Verdasio - Rasa Piero - Monteviasco Laveno - Sasso del Ferro Stresa - Mottarone |
Thank you so much for all of this info.
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