Travel in Italy / France
Jul 17th, 2011, 07:01 PM
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Travel in Italy / France
My husband and I are arriving in Milan in late October, planning on heading up to the Lake Como area by train, and then will head to Venice for a few days, where we hope to see the opera (but the tickets we want are not on sale yet) and Florence. Some of the other areas we are considering visiting are Vicenza, Verona, Ravenna, Bologna, and Ravenna. We are also thinking about a visit to the Piedmont wine are before heading into France.
We would appreciate any feedback on this itinerary, and most specifically information on a possible homebase of sorts for making day trips to some of these areas. We love visiting the museums, historical sites, and wineries. Has anyone had any success with winetasting in the Vicenza, or Piedmont areas?
Thanks for any advice!
We would appreciate any feedback on this itinerary, and most specifically information on a possible homebase of sorts for making day trips to some of these areas. We love visiting the museums, historical sites, and wineries. Has anyone had any success with winetasting in the Vicenza, or Piedmont areas?
Thanks for any advice!
Jul 18th, 2011, 07:17 AM
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I disagree about adding Le Cinque Terre to your itinerary. I think you gave an excellent list of places to visit already, and CT is slightly out of the way and a diversion from your plan.
You can either stay in Venice and day trip to many of the cities you mention or choose one of the smaller ones you mentioned in the Veneto. Train travel in that region is easy, even to Bologna, although the food there is such a draw you might want to stay there, instead, and day trip out.
You can either stay in Venice and day trip to many of the cities you mention or choose one of the smaller ones you mentioned in the Veneto. Train travel in that region is easy, even to Bologna, although the food there is such a draw you might want to stay there, instead, and day trip out.
Jul 18th, 2011, 07:37 AM
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If doing all that train travel in France and Italy then investigate the France-Italy railpass, valid on nearly all trains in both countries. a pass allows you to chose which trains you will take once say in Italy - the online discounted tickets that must be secured often weeks in advance to get are usually train-specific and unchangeable and non-refundable I believe.
But compare the price of a pass with both full fares and online discounts - for Italy check www.trenitalia.com and France www.voyages-sncf.com - I have traveled on trains in both countries annually about for decades now and IME first class is much more relaxed, especially for folks with baggage, than 2nd class, though 2nd class is comfortable as well just not as comfy - seats in first class are bigger and there are often empty seats to put your bags on, etc. anyway for more than you ever want to know about train travel in these countries check out these IMO fab sites - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com. And Man in Seat 61 of the first site admitted in on Fodor's thread that he too 'is an afficiando of first class travel on trains.'
But compare the price of a pass with both full fares and online discounts - for Italy check www.trenitalia.com and France www.voyages-sncf.com - I have traveled on trains in both countries annually about for decades now and IME first class is much more relaxed, especially for folks with baggage, than 2nd class, though 2nd class is comfortable as well just not as comfy - seats in first class are bigger and there are often empty seats to put your bags on, etc. anyway for more than you ever want to know about train travel in these countries check out these IMO fab sites - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com. And Man in Seat 61 of the first site admitted in on Fodor's thread that he too 'is an afficiando of first class travel on trains.'
Jul 18th, 2011, 07:40 AM
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There is so much to do and see in the Veneto. I have spent two weeks there, and never come close to seeing everything. Mosaics, roman ruins, fishing Villages, cheese, great museums. With Florence, unless I had more than a month, would stick with Italy and do France another year.
