Hi All,

Looking for a specific city recommendation for Italy for a family of four. Two girls (10 and 13) and wife. Living in London for the last four years. Key facts:

We're fairly well-travelled in Europe but only I have been to Italy (Florence, Naples, Rome). Wife and I have been to Milan and Turin (both very briefly). We enjoy biking, eating good food, walking, sightseeing, and museums, in that order. Any suggestions for a three-day trip to one specific city in October?

Cheers and thanks in advance.

DKG50

How about Venice? It is a fun place to wander around and is very different from the rest of Italy.

The center is busy during the day but very nice once the day trippers leave. We enjoyed taking the ferries and exploring Burano and Murano. At night, listening to the orchestras playing in St. Mark's Square is fun and the square seems magical. I think your daughters would enjoy a gondola ride. (It was my 13th birthday when I first visited and a handsome gondolier singing to me was a whole new experience.)

Now, it's not a great biking location. I've heard people say it's not a great "foodie" location but we had excellent meals thanks to recommendations from our hotel.

When in October... early? late?

A "biking" and "city" destination seems a bit of a conflict...

I'd want a short, non-stop flight from London, not half-day journeys to and from southern Italy. Maybe fly into Verona and spend one day at Lake Garda. Verona is a nice town for walking around, and there are other cities/towns a short train ride away... Vicenza, Padova, Mantova...

Or forget the biking idea, and go to Venice.

If you'd need a quad/family room, you might want to look into lodging availability and cost in a few places. October is still pretty much high season in many destinations in Italy.

I'd 100% consider Venice -- and forget the biking bit

Venice!

If not Venice, then Pisa! For more bicycling, Lucca. Please report back about your trip.

Another vote for Venice!

Verona is lovely and not too far by train but for only 3 days, just do Venice. There's lots to absorb and it is one of those places that get shortchanged by the day-trippers... the real magic happens when they leave and you can spend your time during the day mostly away from St. Mark's... make reservations for the Doge's Palace and Basilica San Marco.

I think, given the age of your daughters, I'd go to Rome--with Venice a very close second.

Both cities might/will likely be mobbed and therefore less enjoyable in October, especially if you're trying to see the major/most famous sites in three days. Will this trip be mid-week (better) or over a weekend? Since you're in London, perhaps you don't need to tick off the biggies and can just relax a bit off the beaten path?

By the way, Ferrara is great for biking, a beautiful and relaxing small city with terrific food, but probably doesn't have the wow factor for tweens. However, since you all like biking, keep it in mind for future trips as part of a longer itinerary.

I like the idea of 1. Venice!, with maybe side trip to Verona, 2. Rome, so much history!

If you're coming from London you have the advantage of an easy flight.

See what cities you can get to easily from your local favorite airport. London has so many . Then don't worry too much and just leap.

It's a short flight and you can try a different city next long weekend.

What's the worst that happens? You waste three days.

Ferrara is the most famous cycling city in northern Italy, on the flat (the Po plain) not far from likely airports Verona and Venice. Interesting wild life, great castle (not open on Mondays I think, but many things are closed on Monday), garden, walls, lots of nature trails. If bored, hop on a train to Bologna and the big city!

Just an extra thought you could let them ride the walls of Lucca, not really a cycling city but interesting enough and easy to get from Pisa or Florence

Clearly Italy has a large geographic North- South spread and October (early / late) is a shoulder time for the weather. During October half term we have been to many areas of Italy and seen anything from heat waves to blizzards.

Sicily will have an average the best weather , Ortigia has a lovely centre , great food and easy access to the islands interior for day rides of around 20 miles with relatively forgiving hills. If you have a car - Vendicari, Etna, Monica, Ragusa Ibla and Noto are good day trips. There are bike hire companies in Ortigia.

I would recommend Ferrara for such a short stay. It's a lovely town, with great food, a castle right in the town centre, and several day trip possibilities, including Ravenna (a little over an hour by train) and Bologna (about half an hour). I think it has plenty of wow factor for teens. You could fly into Bologna, and take the shuttle bus to Bologna Central Station.

If you're interested in a cycling tour, there are some very interesting possibilities south of Milan. We once had a very enjoyable three-day cycling tour based in Abbiategrasso. Abbiategrasso is connected to Milan by a canal (Grande Naviglio) and you could even cycle there from Milan along the canal path. However, I would recommend taking the train to Abbiategrasso. Here are some interesting cycling ideas:

https://www.outdooractive.com/mobile...sso/114320651/

This is another place with great food, and you might want to spend a day in Milan, a vibrant and often overlooked city.