Thinking about northern Italy in November
 

I can get a good deal on flight to Milan with miles. I want to avoid having a car, just stick to trains or buses. Thinking about going to Verona upon arrival (by bus or train??) than work my way town hopping back to Milan. Thinking about possibly also staying in Bergamo and/or Brescia, as they are all connected by train and places we haven't been. I'm guessing either one could be a base for day trips as well. Only plan on spending last night in Milan. Been there before so no need to spend much time there. I'm thinking 8-9 nights.

I know it could be chilly in November and may rain, but I like the idea of "off season" in these places. I've recently taken 2 major trips where we had a good amount of rain despite not being rainy season (rained 12 out of 12 days while in Vietnam!), so thinking rainy season can't be any worse.

Any advice or recs would be appreciated.

Sounds like a potentially beautiful trip, November notwithstanding. I wouldn’t really worry about inclement weather. That can happen at anytime if the year, at least in northern Italy. I’ve lived in northern italy and November wasn’t wet, by any means. December, January and February are what you need to be careful of. Enjoy your potential trip.

November can be very rainy. Does it matter? Depends on what you're planning. It doesn't rain inside museums etc. But don't plan on going hiking.

I wouldn't worry about cold.

Not overly concerned about rain. Invested in water resistant pants, which really came in handy during our last 2 trips, so we are rain ready if need be (although we'd prefer sunshine even if chilly). And we don't plan on any major outdoor activity except maybe some city walking tours and just wandering (I'm a street photographer).

As far as going from MXP directly to Verona, I see the Flixbus leaves directly from airport (is it reliable? I read some mixed reviews), the train requires a change to get to the main train station from the airport. We will have carry on only, so no large luggage. But still want to avoid stairs or long walks with carry on size wheely and backpack. Is that train transfer pretty straight forward? We are seniors, and do keep active, but still don't want to over do it, especially when jet-lagged. My husband said he's actually OK with driving, but I rather not deal with parking arrangements and driving in and out of the cities.

We were there last year from mid-October through the beginning of November and for the most part we had pretty spectacular weather. Blue skies and puffy clouds, not especially chilly but anything is possible. We had rain on our arrival in MXP and our plane did not connect to a gate location so we did get wet deplaning but not terrible. We were heading into Milan for three nights before moving on to Venice, Bologna and Florence, returning to Milan for two nights at the end. Only other time we had rain we were on the train heading to Venice and then on the train heading back to Milan from Florence as well as that afternoon. We didn't make it to Verona this time around. We took the MXP Express train both to and from Centrale Station in Milan, no changes required but it does take time.

Any thoughts on Flixbus? They have service going directly from MPX to Verona. This would eliminate the train transfer. Door to door travel time probably similar considering the the 2 train rides and time in between. I also saw Itabus, but from what I read, they are worse than Flixbus. I'm reading mixed things on Flixbus so not so sure about that either.

I have to consider we'll be tired from overnight flight and probably in need of a good cup of coffee. I'd love the idea of a private transfer, but not sure if it's worth the cost (seems to be $400+). Is the train transfer pretty straight forward? From what I read, for the airport train, we can just swipe a card. For the high speed train from Centrale Station to Verona, best to download app and get tickets that way. I'd probably do this last minute, as we can never be sure if flight will be on time, and not sure how long things take at the MXP end. The flight I booked is scheduled to arrive at 8:05am on a Tuesday.

All our other transfers seem straight forward by train, and after that first day, we'll be better rested. Would a day tour to Lake Garda/Sirmione from Verona make sense in November? Also considering day trip from Verona to Padua by train (on our own).

One thing I try to take into account when choosing public transport is how easy it is to find the bus stop/train station. My one and only experience with Flixbus (which was fine) was that the bus stop was nowhere near anything much (had to take a local bus from the train station to the street where the Flixbus bus stopped). No doubt it's different at Milan MXP, being such a major location, but wouldn't hurt to check to see where the stop is, especially if bus and train look equally easy. Frequency of service is another important consideration, especially as you can't guarantee exactly when you'll be ready to leave the airport.

Good point Dreamon. I have used some of these type buses here without any issues I checked the Verona location, it's near the train station, so either way I'd need a taxi to get to our lodging (tbd, but want to be in or very near to the old town).

I don't know about Flixbus in Italy, but I had a good experience with them in the Czech Republic. (Don't know if that is helpful.)

I will note, though, that I never take a train from an airport into the city, don't want to deal with that with jetlag and luggage. Depending on the city, I will take a taxi or shuttle. However, in Milan, the cost of either one was so high that I decided to take the train. It was very easy, no high steps to get on the train, you just step on, easy even with luggage. Of course, you do still have the change at Milan Centrale. If you do decide to do train, be aware that there are two different ones to different stations in Milan, so be sure to get the one to Centrale.

From what I can tell the bus does not seem to have anything scheduled for late morning/early afternoon on a Tuesday (we arrive on a Tuesday at 8:05am, not sure how long things will take to exit the airport, and if flight will be on time). Would purchasing a Flex ticket in advance for the high speed to Verona make sense? I'm assuming the train from MXP to Milan Central station, we can just swipe and go.

Once we arrive in the various towns' train stations, are taxis generally available? Are there any rideshares that work in the smaller cities?

The last time I was in Milan (2017), we arrived by train. Could not get a taxi because it was the Giro d'Italia race and the streets were closed. We had to take metro to the stop before the stop that would have been closest to our hotel (near the Duomo) because that metro station was also closed! I had no idea when I planned the trip that we'd be steps away from the finish line of a major bike race with 1000s of spectators. It was quite the sight and sound with all the cheering at the finish and all the people around the duomo area.

There is a well organized taxi queue when you exit Centrale Station in Milan. We bought the MXP tickets at the ticket office and paid by credit card

I'm wondering about taxis at the rail stations of the smaller cities (Verona, Brescia, Bergamo)?

Great itinerary concept — northern Italy in November is genuinely underrated and your logic about off-season vs. "bad luck" rain is sound. Here's some input:

Milan → Verona: Train, not bus

Take the train without question. It's fast (1h15–1h30), frequent, and cheap. Trenitalia and Italo both serve the route. Buses are slower and less convenient for that leg.

Verona in November

Lovely choice. The Arena, Piazza delle Erbe, and Juliet's house are all very walkable and far less crowded than summer. The Christmas markets usually kick off in late November if your timing aligns. Plan 2–3 nights here.

Brescia vs. Bergamo as a base

Both work well, but they have different personalities:

- Bergamo is the more picturesque of the two — the Città Alta (upper town) is a walled medieval hilltop city and genuinely stunning. It's also very compact and walkable. Great base for a day trip to Lake Como or Lecco.

- Brescia is a real, lived-in Italian city with a fantastic Roman archaeological site (Brixia), a great medieval castle, and an underrated food scene. It gets far fewer tourists than Bergamo, so you'll feel more "off the beaten path." Good base for a day trip to Lake Garda (Desenzano or Sirmione are easy by train).

If you can, do both — 2 nights each works well. Bergamo → Brescia flows naturally toward Milan.

Day trip ideas from either base

- Lake Garda (Sirmione is especially lovely and very manageable in November without summer crowds)

- Lake Como (from Bergamo, about 1h by train to Como)

- Cremona (easy from Brescia — famous for violins and the best torrone in Italy)

- Mantua/Mantova (easy from Brescia or Verona — gorgeous, very few tourists, incredible food)

November notes

- Temps will be roughly 5–12°C. Bring layers and a good rain jacket.

- Most major sights stay open, though hours can shorten slightly.

- Restaurants and locals are noticeably more relaxed without the tourist rush — you'll get better service and more authentic interactions.

- The light in November can actually be beautiful for photos on clear days — soft and golden.

- Lake Garda will be very quiet but not fully shut down; some restaurants/hotels do close for the season, so check ahead.

Rough itinerary sketch (8 nights)

- Night 1–2: Verona

- Night 3: Mantua (optional detour)

- Night 4–5: Bergamo

- Night 6–7: Brescia

- Night 8: Milan (last night, done)

You're going to have a fantastic trip — this part of Italy rewards slow, train-hopping travel exactly the way you're planning it.