Northern Italy Itinerary (Milan, Florence, Venice, Lake Como)
Jan 30th, 2016, 11:22 AM
#1
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Northern Italy Itinerary (Milan, Florence, Venice, Lake Como)
I will be visiting Northern Italy September 2016 for 12 nights. I will be flying in and out of Milan. The places I would like to include during my visit are:
Milan
Lake Como
Cinque Terra
Venice
Florence
If time permits a quaint village in the Tuscany area ( I have visited Cortona & Montepulciano during a previous visit)
I am looking for advice on how many nights in each area along with hotel recommendations (budget $200/night) in well located areas for walking to the sites. Restaurant recommendations too.
Any suggestions for day trips or tours from any of these areas?
Should we travel by train or rent a car OR a combination of the two.
Aside from the "must see" attractions/museums. We prefer to soak up the culture and beauty of small towns vs. city life. We are not shoppers either. Any recommendations will be gratefully received.
Milan
Lake Como
Cinque Terra
Venice
Florence
If time permits a quaint village in the Tuscany area ( I have visited Cortona & Montepulciano during a previous visit)
I am looking for advice on how many nights in each area along with hotel recommendations (budget $200/night) in well located areas for walking to the sites. Restaurant recommendations too.
Any suggestions for day trips or tours from any of these areas?
Should we travel by train or rent a car OR a combination of the two.
Aside from the "must see" attractions/museums. We prefer to soak up the culture and beauty of small towns vs. city life. We are not shoppers either. Any recommendations will be gratefully received.
Jan 30th, 2016, 12:12 PM
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Given the way you describe your interests, you might prefer to skip Florence in favor of Lucca or Pistoia or Montecatini Alto, and skip Milan other than to use the airport. Although Venice is a city, and the culture is tourism, it probably fits more with the kind of travel experience you like than busy Florence and Milan with their museum attractions.
So I would suggest you arrive in Milan but go directly to Lago di Como for 2 nights. From there, take the train to Venice. After that, another train to Lucca or Pistoia or Montecatini Alto. Then a train to le Cinque Terre. Even if you have an afternoon departure from Milan Malpensa, it is a good idea to spend your last night in Milan.
So I would suggest you arrive in Milan but go directly to Lago di Como for 2 nights. From there, take the train to Venice. After that, another train to Lucca or Pistoia or Montecatini Alto. Then a train to le Cinque Terre. Even if you have an afternoon departure from Milan Malpensa, it is a good idea to spend your last night in Milan.
Jan 30th, 2016, 01:51 PM
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I did a similar trip and would suggest you slow down and include less stops. We few into Venice and out of Milan. The trip went:
Venice
Verona
Lake Como
Cinque Terre
Milan
We were there 3 weeks and loved it all except I wasn't as crazy about Milan. I'd only stay there 1- 2 nights. For the other locations, if it is your first time, I would suggest at least 4 nights in Venice, 3 in Lake Como and 3 in Cinque Terre. If you want to soak up the local flavor, I think it is always better to spend more time in fewer locations. So, if it was me, I'd add a day to each of those. We also stayed 2 nights in Verona, which is very beautiful.
Florence is amazing and if you haven't been before, I woudl suggest 5 - 7 nights (I was there 9 nights my first time and that was great, but as I said I prefer to slow down and really get to know a place).
Venice
Verona
Lake Como
Cinque Terre
Milan
We were there 3 weeks and loved it all except I wasn't as crazy about Milan. I'd only stay there 1- 2 nights. For the other locations, if it is your first time, I would suggest at least 4 nights in Venice, 3 in Lake Como and 3 in Cinque Terre. If you want to soak up the local flavor, I think it is always better to spend more time in fewer locations. So, if it was me, I'd add a day to each of those. We also stayed 2 nights in Verona, which is very beautiful.
Florence is amazing and if you haven't been before, I woudl suggest 5 - 7 nights (I was there 9 nights my first time and that was great, but as I said I prefer to slow down and really get to know a place).
