Trip Report: Orta, CT, Piedmont, Varenna, Milan -- including my take on the frequently asked questions about which of the Lakes to visit, where to stay in CT and whether Milan is worth a stop
Jul 24th, 2006, 08:04 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Trip Report: Orta, CT, Piedmont, Varenna, Milan -- including my take on the frequently asked questions about which of the Lakes to visit, where to stay in CT and whether Milan is worth a stop
Hello everyone. I got back two weeks ago and am happy to report that our trip was wonderful, with many thanks to the Fodorites who were so, so helpful. I’ll try to give you a mixture of facts and hints that may help in your planning as well as general impressions and, as the title said, will give my input on those oft-asked (and answered) questions about the Lakes and CT.
We are an active middle-aged couple from Los Angeles and have been to Italy several times. This itinerary is not meant for a first-time visitor. We were traveling comfort style – not budget and not deluxe. We flew SwissAir on mileage economy tickets from LAX through Zurich to Milan and found the service good. All the flights were on time and we made our tight connections in Zurich. Hint: Ask the flight attendants for extra Swiss chocolate bars; they are usually happy to oblige.
First, some housekeeping details and then on to the trip report.
Weather
We were extremely fortunate. During the last week of June and first 10 days of July the weather was great – mid to high 80’s during the day, comfortably warm at night. It only rained two nights and one night in Varenna it was cold enough to need a long-sleeved shirt over my tank top!
Insect Repellent
I do suggest bringing the Cutter stick with 30% DEET, or some other product you trust. At night there were some biting insects, especially in the hotel room with the windows open. Better safe than sorry.
Meals and Cost of Food
I took baggies to breakfast and liberated rolls, cheese and fruit to have for lunch most days. We didn’t have any of the long lunches described on this board – sometimes some pizza or foccaccia or other local specialties. Dinner was at local trattorias or ristorantes and usually ran between 40-50 euro for two of us including a shared appetizer (or two), a pasta, shared main dish, a shared salad or two, mineral water and ½ carafe of wine. Dessert was usually gelato while wandering. Pizzeria dinners with salad ran 30-40 euro for the two of us.
Rental Car
We rented a car for most of the trip, picking it up in Malpensa at arrival and returning to Lecco before our final days on Lake Como and in Milan, where we did not need a car. After much research and reading many threads here, thanks to a Fodorite we booked through Andrew Bestor at www.gemut.com and were very happy. He booked an Avis car through AutoEurope but at a better rate and we were able to deal with a real, live person. Because the pre-paid excess insurance would have cost $200 to bring the deductible down to zero for 13 days, we declined it and planned to risk the 590 euro we would have been out of pocket if the car was damaged. However, when we got to the Avis counter we were offered a much cheaper policy to bring the deductible down to zero – I think around $90 – and so we took it. We reserved an economy car with a guaranteed upgrade to compact and requested a trunk so that our luggage would be out of the way. We could not have been happier with the Renault Megane. It was peppy, comfy and a perfect size. If you rent a car at Malpensa you pay a 15% surcharge, but this itinerary worked for us. We wanted to return the car prior to visiting Lake Como and Milan, and Lecco was suggested since they have an Avis office. This worked out MUCH better than returning the car to Milan Central Station, which could have been a nightmare. The drop-off in Lecco was easy and there were frequent trains for the 20-minute train ride to Varenna.
Lake Orta
It is only because of Bob the Navigator and others on this site that I even heard of Orta and I owe them a debt of gratitude. I highly recommend this spot, especially for the beginning or end of a trip that includes Malpensa. It was a very convenient 90-minute drive from the airport and a perfect place to unwind at the beginning of a trip or chill at the end. We loved it! The Orta Hotel is an old, European-style hotel without a lot of frills. However, if you are lucky enough to get one of the first floor terraces, as we did, you will be in heaven. The rooms are simple, but immaculate. Our room with VERY large terrace overlooking San Guilio Island was 130 euro, plus required ½ board of 20 euro per person. I think the board requirement may be only weekends or high season, because they were willing to let us have room only on the non-weekend night we were there. The dinner is a bargain as it includes a starter, pasta, main course, buffet salad and buffet desserts. Breakfast is also good. The hotel is charming and beautiful and relaxing and lovely. There is not a lot to do in Orta itself, other than enjoy the remarkable views and the lovely cobblestone piazza outside the hotel. We did hike up to the sacred chapels and it made for a nice walk. We also took a motorboat over to the island for 3 euro each and wandered a bit there and around the town of Orta San Guilio. The church is lovely. Mostly we read on the terrace and gazed at the view while listening to the lapping of the waves and the church bells. The hotel was not air-conditioned and if we had run into very warm weather it could have been a problem. I did use insect repellent stick at night and still had a couple of little bites. Other than the height of summer, I would say the charm and location of this hotel is well worth the risk of no a/c. We took a day trip to Stresa so we could visit the Borromean Islands and really enjoyed it, but were glad to return home to Orta. It’s a beautiful, but very curvy drive to Stresa. The “toll road” is a particularly lovely stretch. Note: When you get to Stresa, be sure to buy your boat tickets from the concession in the building and NOT from the guys in the parking lot with nautical suits who sell from a kiosk. Fortunately, we had been warned. They sell more expensive tickets for boats that don’t run as frequently. We would have been happy with visiting just one island and really enjoyed the villa and gardens at Isola Bella and then walked around the pedestrian area of Stresa a bit before returning to Orta. If we had another day we would have taken the combination train/boat Lake Maggiore Express to Locarno, Switzerland. Two full days in Orta worked for us (requiring 3 nights’ stay) but we would have been happy to have another day as well. Google Lake Orta to find out more information or do a search on this site as there is very little information about it in guidebooks. ****Highly recommended. Thanks again, Bob and others.
Cinque Terre
I agonized over this portion of the trip, as I notice many others do. Partly because this was the dream part of my trip and partly because I wanted to be sure that both Significant Other (S.O.) and I were both satisfied. He wanted air conditioning which, along with having a car, limited our options. I read every thread on where to stay, researched every property in every town and probably ended up with the best option for us – not that it would be for everyone. We were spending 6 nights there so we could explore not only the CT, but other spots in Liguria so we wanted a place convenient for day trips. Levanto worked out great for us for those reasons – 10-15 minutes from the autostrada so very convenient for day trips – and we were able to get more for our money and the amenities we wanted, as compared to the CT towns themselves. This has been debated over and over. If I had not had a car and a/c was not a factor, or if I was only staying a night or two, I would have preferred to be in one of the 5 towns – although probably not Vernazza, which is most people’s “darling” town. We stayed at the Garden Hotel in Levanto in room 503. This is a small, family-run hotel across from the sea and the beach and in the heart of the lively, pedestrian area of Levanto. The hotel had been on the first floor only (one floor up from the street), but they refurbished the 5th floor in April and we could not have been happier with our room. It is the largest room they have, and as far as I know the only one with a large terrace and sea view. (the others have balconies.) We paid 120 euro in June and it was absolutely worth it. I think their less expensive rooms are 95 euro. All the rooms are spotless, very functional, and the breakfast is good. Also, the a/c really works. The free, reserved parking is a ten-minute walk away right near the train station. Levanto itself is lovely with great areas to walk around day or night, many restaurants, foccacia places and lots of gelaterrias. With a car, the only other town I would have stayed in was Monterroso, but it would have been much more expensive for parking, a/c, a view, etc. We loved all of Liguria and the CT. It wasn’t that crowded the end of June, and we did not have the feeling some folks have had of disliking the tourists and the crowds. It was fantastic. We hiked Vernazza to Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Even with five full days we never did get around to hiking Monterroso to Vernazza or Levanto to Monterroso. We loved seeing the towns by train, hike and boat. One day we took the boat from Monterroso to all the towns plus Portovenere, just so we could see them from the sea. We were sorry we didn’t get over to Lerici. If we’d timed it better we could have included a boat ride over to Lerici on the day we took the boat to all the CT and Portovenere.
Another day we hiked the CT villages and took time to explore the towns, each of which has its own personality. We also took a day trip to Camogli where we took a boat first to San Fratuosso to wander around and see the abbey, and then a different boat on to Portofino (we didn’t get off, but the harbor is beautiful) and Santa Margherita Ligure where we wandered around before a 5-minute train ride back to Camogli where our car was parked. Hint: Wednesdays there is free parking in Camogli – a big plus!! Camogli was particularly beautiful. We ate at the Rosa restaurant overlooking the harbor with probably the most incredible view of the trip. While I agree with many people who post that Camogli may be the most charming and beautiful of all the Ligurian coastal villages, I’m still glad we stayed closer to CT. From Levanto, we took the train into Monterroso one evening for dinner and Vernazza another. We had a fabulous meal at a restaurant mentioned on this board in Monterroso, but I can’t remember the name. I think it means “alleyway” in Italian. We also ate at Gambero Rossa in the Vernazza harbor and while it was good, I think my expectations were too high. Any of the harbor restaurants probably would have been fine and the view is exceptional. Our best meal was at Osteria della Manaan (or something like that) in Corniglia. Corniglia is the least visited of the towns because you either have to hike in from Vernazza or take the train and hike up 300 steps – it’s the only town without a boat stop. We loved it and spent several hours just chilling on the little square. There’s nothing much there, but this restaurant is amazing – a gourmet’s delight. We had homemade pasta with pesto among other local specialties. The place is tiny and I’m sure everything is good. It's inside, so unfortunately, no view. ****Highly recommended. (We avoided walking up the 300 steps by hiking from Vernazza and then taking the steps down in the evening after dinner and taking the train from there.) We only ate in Levanto one night (although enjoyed much foccaccia and gelato there!). Ristorante di Rino was very non-touristy on a quiet alley with good local food. Be sure if you visit Levanto to get over to the quieter side where the church is located. The church itself is lovely and this medieval part of the town is very charming. We happened on a choir concert there late one evening after hearing singing voices in the distance – the choir was from Gillette, Wyoming!
We were happy that we selected Levanto as a base for other day trips. We spent one full, long and wonderful day in La Lunigiana, an area I definitely recommend. Go before it’s featured on the front page of the NY Times travel section! You have probably never heard of this area as I hadn’t either and it isn’t in many guidebooks, although why is a mystery to me. It’s made for tourists – a narrow area going inland from Liguria that is actually in Northern Tuscany, about 45 minutes to an hour from CT. My fascination started when I read about “panigacci,” a specialty that’s like a pasta pancake with toppings, that is only made in this area, specifically in the town of Podenzana. With that to go on, I searched on travel sites and google and found out about this wonderful region filled with little medieval villages and castles. This full day may have been one of the highlights of our trip, starting with the quest for panigacci in Podenzana. We finally found an open ristorante by just driving around, “Da Gambin,” but I’m sure that any ol’ panigacci place would do. They spoke no English but we managed to get two orders of these combination pizza/pasta/pancakes topped with tomato, pesto and something else. Then we traveled on the road that parallels the autostrada north of Aulla and just stopped at one castle or village after another, ending at the small Stele museum in the northernmost town, the name of which escapes my memory now. Then we took small roads with a castle and a view around every bend and ended up in Fivizzano, further to the east. I had read one trip report posted by Sheila about her trip to La Lunigiana and she had mentioned an agriturismo near there, so we found it and had the single best meal of our trip. It’s “La Produscella” in Moncigoli, just outside Fivizzano, phone: 0585 93271, email [email protected], although I can’t imagine who could reply in English. No English was spoken and the owner brought out a set menu of everything grown or raised on the farm – all this with a view of vineyards, farmland and grazing land, including the most artful bales of hay. We had no idea what the meal would cost and he charged wine by consumption. For appetizers, pasta, main courses, salads, dessert, wine and mineral water – 48 euro for the two of us. And the food was positively fantastic. We drove back to Levanto that night very satisfied with our adventurous day.
Another day trip was to Pisa and Lucca. Since so much is available about these destinations I won’t go into too much detail. But I will add my two cents about the Pisa debate. We really enjoyed it for a few hours. Found the initial view of the Field of Miracles breathtaking – even with the kitchy souvenir shops on the periphery. We found Lucca magical and loved renting bikes for an hour for a quick loop around the walls and through the town. If I could change one thing about the trip, it would have been to add one night to stay over in Lucca, which we found magical at night. (I would have taken the day away from Piedmont, but more about that later.)
We had hoped to get to Carrara to see the marble caves, but just didn’t have enough days in this area. On our final day we ventured to Genoa on our way to Piedmont. What an intriguing city! The good news was that we were there on a Sunday and it was navigable; the bad news was we were there on a Sunday and the shops in the winding lanes of the medieval quarter were closed. It’s a very confusing city, hard to drive in, but we were glad we stopped for a half-day. On our way out of town we managed to find the famous cemetery which was really interesting – goes on for what seemed like miles with fascinating monuments and crypts. All in all, wish we’d been in Genoa on another day to really enjoy the alleyways and lanes of the medieval quarter.
I think I’ll stop now and finish the rest another time. Please ask questions and I’ll do my best to answer.
We are an active middle-aged couple from Los Angeles and have been to Italy several times. This itinerary is not meant for a first-time visitor. We were traveling comfort style – not budget and not deluxe. We flew SwissAir on mileage economy tickets from LAX through Zurich to Milan and found the service good. All the flights were on time and we made our tight connections in Zurich. Hint: Ask the flight attendants for extra Swiss chocolate bars; they are usually happy to oblige.
First, some housekeeping details and then on to the trip report.
Weather
We were extremely fortunate. During the last week of June and first 10 days of July the weather was great – mid to high 80’s during the day, comfortably warm at night. It only rained two nights and one night in Varenna it was cold enough to need a long-sleeved shirt over my tank top!
Insect Repellent
I do suggest bringing the Cutter stick with 30% DEET, or some other product you trust. At night there were some biting insects, especially in the hotel room with the windows open. Better safe than sorry.
Meals and Cost of Food
I took baggies to breakfast and liberated rolls, cheese and fruit to have for lunch most days. We didn’t have any of the long lunches described on this board – sometimes some pizza or foccaccia or other local specialties. Dinner was at local trattorias or ristorantes and usually ran between 40-50 euro for two of us including a shared appetizer (or two), a pasta, shared main dish, a shared salad or two, mineral water and ½ carafe of wine. Dessert was usually gelato while wandering. Pizzeria dinners with salad ran 30-40 euro for the two of us.
Rental Car
We rented a car for most of the trip, picking it up in Malpensa at arrival and returning to Lecco before our final days on Lake Como and in Milan, where we did not need a car. After much research and reading many threads here, thanks to a Fodorite we booked through Andrew Bestor at www.gemut.com and were very happy. He booked an Avis car through AutoEurope but at a better rate and we were able to deal with a real, live person. Because the pre-paid excess insurance would have cost $200 to bring the deductible down to zero for 13 days, we declined it and planned to risk the 590 euro we would have been out of pocket if the car was damaged. However, when we got to the Avis counter we were offered a much cheaper policy to bring the deductible down to zero – I think around $90 – and so we took it. We reserved an economy car with a guaranteed upgrade to compact and requested a trunk so that our luggage would be out of the way. We could not have been happier with the Renault Megane. It was peppy, comfy and a perfect size. If you rent a car at Malpensa you pay a 15% surcharge, but this itinerary worked for us. We wanted to return the car prior to visiting Lake Como and Milan, and Lecco was suggested since they have an Avis office. This worked out MUCH better than returning the car to Milan Central Station, which could have been a nightmare. The drop-off in Lecco was easy and there were frequent trains for the 20-minute train ride to Varenna.
Lake Orta
It is only because of Bob the Navigator and others on this site that I even heard of Orta and I owe them a debt of gratitude. I highly recommend this spot, especially for the beginning or end of a trip that includes Malpensa. It was a very convenient 90-minute drive from the airport and a perfect place to unwind at the beginning of a trip or chill at the end. We loved it! The Orta Hotel is an old, European-style hotel without a lot of frills. However, if you are lucky enough to get one of the first floor terraces, as we did, you will be in heaven. The rooms are simple, but immaculate. Our room with VERY large terrace overlooking San Guilio Island was 130 euro, plus required ½ board of 20 euro per person. I think the board requirement may be only weekends or high season, because they were willing to let us have room only on the non-weekend night we were there. The dinner is a bargain as it includes a starter, pasta, main course, buffet salad and buffet desserts. Breakfast is also good. The hotel is charming and beautiful and relaxing and lovely. There is not a lot to do in Orta itself, other than enjoy the remarkable views and the lovely cobblestone piazza outside the hotel. We did hike up to the sacred chapels and it made for a nice walk. We also took a motorboat over to the island for 3 euro each and wandered a bit there and around the town of Orta San Guilio. The church is lovely. Mostly we read on the terrace and gazed at the view while listening to the lapping of the waves and the church bells. The hotel was not air-conditioned and if we had run into very warm weather it could have been a problem. I did use insect repellent stick at night and still had a couple of little bites. Other than the height of summer, I would say the charm and location of this hotel is well worth the risk of no a/c. We took a day trip to Stresa so we could visit the Borromean Islands and really enjoyed it, but were glad to return home to Orta. It’s a beautiful, but very curvy drive to Stresa. The “toll road” is a particularly lovely stretch. Note: When you get to Stresa, be sure to buy your boat tickets from the concession in the building and NOT from the guys in the parking lot with nautical suits who sell from a kiosk. Fortunately, we had been warned. They sell more expensive tickets for boats that don’t run as frequently. We would have been happy with visiting just one island and really enjoyed the villa and gardens at Isola Bella and then walked around the pedestrian area of Stresa a bit before returning to Orta. If we had another day we would have taken the combination train/boat Lake Maggiore Express to Locarno, Switzerland. Two full days in Orta worked for us (requiring 3 nights’ stay) but we would have been happy to have another day as well. Google Lake Orta to find out more information or do a search on this site as there is very little information about it in guidebooks. ****Highly recommended. Thanks again, Bob and others.
Cinque Terre
I agonized over this portion of the trip, as I notice many others do. Partly because this was the dream part of my trip and partly because I wanted to be sure that both Significant Other (S.O.) and I were both satisfied. He wanted air conditioning which, along with having a car, limited our options. I read every thread on where to stay, researched every property in every town and probably ended up with the best option for us – not that it would be for everyone. We were spending 6 nights there so we could explore not only the CT, but other spots in Liguria so we wanted a place convenient for day trips. Levanto worked out great for us for those reasons – 10-15 minutes from the autostrada so very convenient for day trips – and we were able to get more for our money and the amenities we wanted, as compared to the CT towns themselves. This has been debated over and over. If I had not had a car and a/c was not a factor, or if I was only staying a night or two, I would have preferred to be in one of the 5 towns – although probably not Vernazza, which is most people’s “darling” town. We stayed at the Garden Hotel in Levanto in room 503. This is a small, family-run hotel across from the sea and the beach and in the heart of the lively, pedestrian area of Levanto. The hotel had been on the first floor only (one floor up from the street), but they refurbished the 5th floor in April and we could not have been happier with our room. It is the largest room they have, and as far as I know the only one with a large terrace and sea view. (the others have balconies.) We paid 120 euro in June and it was absolutely worth it. I think their less expensive rooms are 95 euro. All the rooms are spotless, very functional, and the breakfast is good. Also, the a/c really works. The free, reserved parking is a ten-minute walk away right near the train station. Levanto itself is lovely with great areas to walk around day or night, many restaurants, foccacia places and lots of gelaterrias. With a car, the only other town I would have stayed in was Monterroso, but it would have been much more expensive for parking, a/c, a view, etc. We loved all of Liguria and the CT. It wasn’t that crowded the end of June, and we did not have the feeling some folks have had of disliking the tourists and the crowds. It was fantastic. We hiked Vernazza to Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Even with five full days we never did get around to hiking Monterroso to Vernazza or Levanto to Monterroso. We loved seeing the towns by train, hike and boat. One day we took the boat from Monterroso to all the towns plus Portovenere, just so we could see them from the sea. We were sorry we didn’t get over to Lerici. If we’d timed it better we could have included a boat ride over to Lerici on the day we took the boat to all the CT and Portovenere.
Another day we hiked the CT villages and took time to explore the towns, each of which has its own personality. We also took a day trip to Camogli where we took a boat first to San Fratuosso to wander around and see the abbey, and then a different boat on to Portofino (we didn’t get off, but the harbor is beautiful) and Santa Margherita Ligure where we wandered around before a 5-minute train ride back to Camogli where our car was parked. Hint: Wednesdays there is free parking in Camogli – a big plus!! Camogli was particularly beautiful. We ate at the Rosa restaurant overlooking the harbor with probably the most incredible view of the trip. While I agree with many people who post that Camogli may be the most charming and beautiful of all the Ligurian coastal villages, I’m still glad we stayed closer to CT. From Levanto, we took the train into Monterroso one evening for dinner and Vernazza another. We had a fabulous meal at a restaurant mentioned on this board in Monterroso, but I can’t remember the name. I think it means “alleyway” in Italian. We also ate at Gambero Rossa in the Vernazza harbor and while it was good, I think my expectations were too high. Any of the harbor restaurants probably would have been fine and the view is exceptional. Our best meal was at Osteria della Manaan (or something like that) in Corniglia. Corniglia is the least visited of the towns because you either have to hike in from Vernazza or take the train and hike up 300 steps – it’s the only town without a boat stop. We loved it and spent several hours just chilling on the little square. There’s nothing much there, but this restaurant is amazing – a gourmet’s delight. We had homemade pasta with pesto among other local specialties. The place is tiny and I’m sure everything is good. It's inside, so unfortunately, no view. ****Highly recommended. (We avoided walking up the 300 steps by hiking from Vernazza and then taking the steps down in the evening after dinner and taking the train from there.) We only ate in Levanto one night (although enjoyed much foccaccia and gelato there!). Ristorante di Rino was very non-touristy on a quiet alley with good local food. Be sure if you visit Levanto to get over to the quieter side where the church is located. The church itself is lovely and this medieval part of the town is very charming. We happened on a choir concert there late one evening after hearing singing voices in the distance – the choir was from Gillette, Wyoming!
We were happy that we selected Levanto as a base for other day trips. We spent one full, long and wonderful day in La Lunigiana, an area I definitely recommend. Go before it’s featured on the front page of the NY Times travel section! You have probably never heard of this area as I hadn’t either and it isn’t in many guidebooks, although why is a mystery to me. It’s made for tourists – a narrow area going inland from Liguria that is actually in Northern Tuscany, about 45 minutes to an hour from CT. My fascination started when I read about “panigacci,” a specialty that’s like a pasta pancake with toppings, that is only made in this area, specifically in the town of Podenzana. With that to go on, I searched on travel sites and google and found out about this wonderful region filled with little medieval villages and castles. This full day may have been one of the highlights of our trip, starting with the quest for panigacci in Podenzana. We finally found an open ristorante by just driving around, “Da Gambin,” but I’m sure that any ol’ panigacci place would do. They spoke no English but we managed to get two orders of these combination pizza/pasta/pancakes topped with tomato, pesto and something else. Then we traveled on the road that parallels the autostrada north of Aulla and just stopped at one castle or village after another, ending at the small Stele museum in the northernmost town, the name of which escapes my memory now. Then we took small roads with a castle and a view around every bend and ended up in Fivizzano, further to the east. I had read one trip report posted by Sheila about her trip to La Lunigiana and she had mentioned an agriturismo near there, so we found it and had the single best meal of our trip. It’s “La Produscella” in Moncigoli, just outside Fivizzano, phone: 0585 93271, email [email protected], although I can’t imagine who could reply in English. No English was spoken and the owner brought out a set menu of everything grown or raised on the farm – all this with a view of vineyards, farmland and grazing land, including the most artful bales of hay. We had no idea what the meal would cost and he charged wine by consumption. For appetizers, pasta, main courses, salads, dessert, wine and mineral water – 48 euro for the two of us. And the food was positively fantastic. We drove back to Levanto that night very satisfied with our adventurous day.
Another day trip was to Pisa and Lucca. Since so much is available about these destinations I won’t go into too much detail. But I will add my two cents about the Pisa debate. We really enjoyed it for a few hours. Found the initial view of the Field of Miracles breathtaking – even with the kitchy souvenir shops on the periphery. We found Lucca magical and loved renting bikes for an hour for a quick loop around the walls and through the town. If I could change one thing about the trip, it would have been to add one night to stay over in Lucca, which we found magical at night. (I would have taken the day away from Piedmont, but more about that later.)
We had hoped to get to Carrara to see the marble caves, but just didn’t have enough days in this area. On our final day we ventured to Genoa on our way to Piedmont. What an intriguing city! The good news was that we were there on a Sunday and it was navigable; the bad news was we were there on a Sunday and the shops in the winding lanes of the medieval quarter were closed. It’s a very confusing city, hard to drive in, but we were glad we stopped for a half-day. On our way out of town we managed to find the famous cemetery which was really interesting – goes on for what seemed like miles with fascinating monuments and crypts. All in all, wish we’d been in Genoa on another day to really enjoy the alleyways and lanes of the medieval quarter.
I think I’ll stop now and finish the rest another time. Please ask questions and I’ll do my best to answer.
Jul 24th, 2006, 09:21 PM
#3
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 45,322
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am sorry but I cringe when I read that one takes baggies to the hotel breakfast table and "liberates rolls, cheese and fruit" to have for lunch. Does the word "liberate" translate into "steals"?
I don't mean to be critical but truly I do not think that is what a hotel owner considers when pricing the hotel room and the breakfast.
I have read that the Rick Steves does that also.
Perhaps many will not agree with me but if I wanted a "picnic lunch" for the afternoon I would talk to the hotel and see if arrangements could be made and what the price would be for a picnic luncheon.
OK, I will get off of my soapbox, but honestly although I try to "live and let live" this is a custom I keep hearing about and I honestly do not think it is right thing to do. I also would imagine that those of us who do not "liberate" food for their lunch are paying a higher hotel rate because of those that do take advantage of the food laid out for what is intended as breakfast food.
I don't mean to be critical but truly I do not think that is what a hotel owner considers when pricing the hotel room and the breakfast.
I have read that the Rick Steves does that also.
Perhaps many will not agree with me but if I wanted a "picnic lunch" for the afternoon I would talk to the hotel and see if arrangements could be made and what the price would be for a picnic luncheon.
OK, I will get off of my soapbox, but honestly although I try to "live and let live" this is a custom I keep hearing about and I honestly do not think it is right thing to do. I also would imagine that those of us who do not "liberate" food for their lunch are paying a higher hotel rate because of those that do take advantage of the food laid out for what is intended as breakfast food.
Jul 24th, 2006, 09:30 PM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"liberate" may have been a poor choice of words. We are talking a hard roll, slice of cheese and piece of fruit. I don't think that raises the price of the hotel room, especially since the fruit is usually very ripe and may not even keep until the next day. I was using this to explain why we didn't take time (and expense) for long lunches. Sorry if this offended you, but in the limited quantity i'm talking about I can't imagine it was a problem for the hotels. Also, we could have consumed much greater quantities at the breakfast buffets and instead were judicious. I've also taken a lot of time and effort to share all my trip information, partly because I feel that I owe it to all the readers and posters who helped me and in hopes that the impressions and information will be of assistance to others.
Jul 24th, 2006, 10:05 PM
#5
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 45,322
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Alison, I hear what you are saying but unless you got permission from whoever was working in the breakfast room I don't agree that it was "alright" to take food for lunch. But that is just my opinion and how I feel about the situation. Obviously a lot of people won't agree. I am glad you had a wonderful trip and I truly hope you two have many more trips. Best regards.
Jul 24th, 2006, 10:36 PM
#6
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 45,322
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Alison, just forget about my comments, I didn't mean to upset you, honestly. I have had friends and family members that have been hotel managers and they have often said what hotel guest do that upset them so guess I am overly sensitive about matters like this. Again, just forget about my post..it is not that I posted comments that I don't believe in but I sure didn't mean to uupset you. And your trip report is a beautiful report and I didn't mean to take away from it. And I truly am happy that you had a wonderful time in Italy.
Jul 25th, 2006, 01:30 AM
#7
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 446
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As a hotel owner I can assure you that LoveItaly is right. Fortunately only a few people do this but we always note who they are & are then insert them in our computer as unwanted guests so that if they request a room in the future we will be fully booked. Sorry but it's just something you don't do in a hotel.
Jul 25th, 2006, 06:29 AM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
alison, what a great read. I am planning next year to visit the Lake area (Como, now maybe Orta) and Piedmont. Can't wait to read about your Piedmont portion. I plan on liberating some wine for those picnic lunches. 
Jul 25th, 2006, 06:31 AM
#10
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 679
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Great report Alison! Really super reading - sounds like you had a wonderful trip!!
We are going at the end of August for 2 weeks to Italy including a 4 day stop in the Cinque Terre and reading this makes me even more excited!
Sally
We are going at the end of August for 2 weeks to Italy including a 4 day stop in the Cinque Terre and reading this makes me even more excited!
Sally
Jul 25th, 2006, 09:53 PM
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Continuing my trip report….
Piedmont
This is the toughest part to write because it is the only segment of the trip that didn’t work out perfectly. A few months ago, another poster got skewered for saying Piedmont wasn’t her favorite area of Italy, but I must agree. Some of it was the time of year – early July was very quiet and no matter what time it was and wherever we were, whatever we were looking for seemed to be closed. Also, of all the areas, I think where you stay in Piedmont can potentially make the most difference because your trip can be improved immensely by your hosts’ guidance for wineries, wanderings and restaurants.
We stayed at Villa La Favorita just outside Alba not because it was our first choice, but it was a compromise because S.O. really wanted air-conditioning. Now, I must say that during our time in Liguria when the Italian newspapers had blaring headlines about an expected heat wave of 40-45 degrees centigrade in Piedmont for the time we were going to be there, if we hadn’t been booked at a place with a/c my name would have been mud. As it turned out, it was warm – but not unbearable.
Villa La Favorita is a lovely old farmhouse just above Alba – it would be a long walk, but a very short drive. And Alba is a really nice medieval town with a great pedestrian walking area and plenty of restaurants and shopping. We liked the proximity for our evening gelato stroll. Villa La Favorita is very charming and pretty, the rooms lovely, the breakfasts imaginative and delicious. Roberta, the proprietor is gracious and hospitable, but certainly did not offer the level of service or advice that I have read about on this forum and other sites, such as that offered by, for example, Tim at Villa Sampaguita. Also, we weren’t into serious wine-tasting and did not want to do any serious wine-buying, so that limited some of our options. The pros: We did need the a/c in our room at night and were glad to have it. The property is beautiful with a refrigerator for guests’ use, lots of places to relax and read in the sun or shade, a very complete library and really all the physical beauty and charm one would want. Hint: If you are going to stay there, print out a map of Alba as well as detailed directions and good luck....Alba is surrounded by a series of roundabouts and even after 4 days we were confused by them.
We spent one day wandering through various wine villages, all of which began to look alike, including the requisite castles. The evenings we ate at good, but not memorable, restaurants – partly because we didn’t enjoy the Piedmont specialties as much as we did those in Liguria. Also, we did not eat at the expensive, gourmet places that have received rave reviews.
Another guest couple was very happy with the wineries arranged for them to visit, but we wanted to visit a dessert winery and instead of sending us somewhere she knew, Roberta picked a place in Mango out of one of her many wine books and unbeknownst to us they were complete strangers to her and it was a total waste of time – and this in an area where there are dozens of wineries specializing in dessert wines.
My recommendation would be that unless you are really into tasting and buying wine, you might want to visit this area at a more lively time like truffle season. Or, do a lot of advanced research or pick a place to stay where your hosts will really make special arrangements for you. Also, we are from California, so it wasn’t like beautiful wine country was so foreign to us. I will say that the scenery is breathtaking and would be particularly interesting for those who have not spent time in Napa Valley.
It was a very relaxing 4 nights for us, but in retrospect I would have skipped it entirely or at least reduced our stay to 2 or 3 nights, and stayed in Liguria one more night. Again, our experience would likely have been completely different – and I might be raving that this was the highlight of our trip – if we’d “clicked” with generous and gracious hosts like others have spoken about.
Turin was another story. We loved our day there. It was about an hour’s drive from Alba and once we found parking (not easy!) we had a wonderful time. Much has been written on this forum about the joys of Turin, including the quirky museums, and if you are planning a visit to Piedmont I suggest you do a search for it. We didn’t even get to the famous Egyptian Museum, but I really enjoyed Mole Antonella, the cinema museum. The elevator ride through the tower and up to the top was spooky, the view great, and the museum very interesting. The whole visit can be done in an hour and is worth it. We also shared one “choco-pass,” purchased through the Tourist Office, and it was so much fun to go from confectioner to confectioner and café to café turning in our coupons for different kinds of chocolate, candies, pralines and 3 types of hot chocolate drinks. Can’t think of a better way to see a city! Turin has a completely different look and feel from the cities we had seen – Liberty style architecture, rather than medieval, with grand plazas and arcaded streets. ***Highly recommended day trip.
On to Varenna on Lake Como....to be continued.
Jul 26th, 2006, 03:24 AM
#14
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Alison, I am enjoying your trip report very much. I am going to be in Varenna in September and am looking forward to that portion of your report. Also the answer to the question is Milan worth the stop? I am flying into Malpanesa airport and have one night before the hotel I reserved in Varenna is available. I am having trouble finding accomadations in Milan and am wondering if I should skip it totally.
Jul 26th, 2006, 05:51 AM
#15
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry to hear about your Piedmont experience. I'm planning a week there chasing good wine/food. The choco-pass tour will give my wife something to do.
Now, how was Varenna. I am planning to stay in Menaggio.
Now, how was Varenna. I am planning to stay in Menaggio.
Jul 26th, 2006, 09:14 AM
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
quick answer to the Milan and Varenna questions. (I will try to post the rest of my report tonight.) We loved Varenna and had a great time at Lake Como. Milan was a surprise hit, especially if you are not there on a Monday when everything is closed. Great museums, sights, shopping. Hotel availability is completely determined by what exhibitions are in town. KMH7, you might want to try Gran Hotel di duca. That's where we stayed in Milan and it was VERY reasonable and excellent location. I think one day in Milan, as long as not a Monday, is definitely worth it. More later!
Jul 26th, 2006, 01:59 PM
#18
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,500
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi alison,
Although it sounds like you were pleased with your accomodations near the CT, there are hotels in the five towns of the CT with AC that are in the 120€-130€ range... but you usually need to book at least six months in advance because they always fill up fast! In any case, I'm glad you enjoyed the area. DH and I have visited several times and we love it.
Although it sounds like you were pleased with your accomodations near the CT, there are hotels in the five towns of the CT with AC that are in the 120€-130€ range... but you usually need to book at least six months in advance because they always fill up fast! In any case, I'm glad you enjoyed the area. DH and I have visited several times and we love it.
Jul 26th, 2006, 09:33 PM
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Trip Report...continued
Lake Como/Varenna
The drive from Alba to Lake Como was uneventful. We had chosen to return the car to Avis in Lecco to avoid driving into the center of Milan to return it at the train station. This was a good choice. However, the Avis rental office had moved and was not at the address on our confirmation. Once we found the new office it was fine and we took the quick and easy train ride to Varenna.
I had been so worried about our time in Lake Como because it seemed just too touristy, but I felt that if we were going to be in Northern Italy it was on the must-see list. I am very glad, however, that we also had Lake Orta as a lake experience. We were also very pleased we stayed in Varenna rather than Bellagio. It had a lovely, small town feel and we weren’t interested in night life. The only problem with Varenna on a weekend in high season is booking restaurants in advance. If you are set on a particular restaurant, do reserve in advance. The most popular ones were full. Other than that, even a July weekend didn’t feel that crowded.
We stayed at Albergo du Lac in Varenna and were extremely happy with it. Booking five months in advance wasn’t enough to get a terrace or balcony on a summer weekend, but we did have a gorgeous lake view. The hotel is very, very nice and it turned out that the public terrace is so large and comfortable that we were fine spending a lot of time there reading and enjoying the view.
Our first night we had reserved dinner at Albergo Milano because so many people had raved about it. While it was “yuppier gourmet” than any other meal on our trip, and was very good with inventive foods, it turned out to be the most expensive of the trip and probably wasn’t worth it, at least for us. We also hit freak cool weather and a rainstorm that evening so we ate inside, missing the beautiful view. The set meal is a reasonable 25 euro per person, but with wine, mineral water and couvert it ended up quite a bit more. We had made reservations at the popular Il Cavatapi (only 5 tables indoors, no outdoor seating) well in advance, but really wanted to eat outside our last night so we ended up canceling and probably making some other diners very happy! Our best meal in the Varenna area was at Ristorante Crotto di Pino, in the adjacent town of Pino. The hotel arranged it and the restaurant sends a car to pick you up (we heard from others that there’s another restaurant that provides transport as well). It’s only a 5-minute drive and it was really special with fantastic food and great view – very reasonable. It was not crowded at all, even on a Saturday night. We had a pasta dish with local lake fish that was superb, as was everything we ate there and I think the bill for two was about 48 euro including wine.
After dinners each night we just strolled Varenna with our gelato and enjoyed the view and peacefulness. It is really a special place.
During one day we took the boat to Bellagio to walk around and gaze at the shops. We walked 20 minutes to a little fishing village, Pescallo, where we ate a picnic lunch on a bench with an incredible view. You can only walk there, and it’s tiny, but definitely worth it -- so peaceful and cute.
One afternoon S.O. stayed behind and I hiked up to the castle overlooking Varenna. I must say, this was a more strenuous hike than the Cinque Terre, but it turned out to be a highlight. It’s about 30 minutes straight up – but a beautiful walk. The castle is somewhat restored and you can climb up to the tower for a truly breathtaking view of Lake Como. There’s even a café there and it would make a nice snack stop. Then, coming down I was ambling through the adjacent “village” (population 50) and came across a walking path that took me another way back to Varenna, through some really interesting scenery and more breathtaking views around each bend. This path was longer, and took me to the other side of Varenna near the funicular for the Emilia Gaudio hotel (sp.), but it was just a wonderful walk and I’m so glad I not only visited the castle, but went up and back on different paths.
You can get a mid-lake daily boat pass for 10 euro and visit each village – or just enjoy the boats all day long. We just ended up visiting Bellagio one day and then were able to see the entire mid-lake region by boat by purchasing a round trip to Lenno to see Villa Balbianello. I had read many threads about the complications of visiting this villa, and it turned out that – at least when we were there – it was much easier. Lenno is out of the way, but we really enjoyed seeing this villa. Most people go to Villa Carlotta (we didn’t) because it is much more accessible, certainly cheaper, and from what I understand much grander. Villa Balbianello can be reached by taking the boat to Lenno and then, depending what day it is, either walking to the villa (about 25 minutes) or on certain days taking a motorboat to the villa. We happened to be there on a day that walking was permitted and while it was a nice walk, arriving by boat at the landing – and seeing the villa from the lake – would have been gorgeous. Also, all the guidebooks say that you have to hire a private guide. When we were there, guided group tours were available in Italian and English several times a day. You just have to time your visit for one of these tours. It was 11 euro and definitely worth it. The villa is as “understated” as any 20-room villa can be. Not your grand palace at all. And the story behind the most recent owner, and the owners through the ages, and the history of the site are extremely interesting. There are many other villas and gardens on Lake Como, but since we were only going to visit one, we were happy with our selection. Just have your hotel check about tour times and allow plenty of time to get there. Check the boat connections carefully since not all the boats stop at Lenno.
Three nights in Varenna was just right for us, keeping in mind that we had also had three nights in Orta. It was very relaxing and there was certainly more to do than we did – villas, gardens, visits to towns on market days, seeing the old town part of the city of Como, etc. What a beautiful place.
Then it was on to Milan for two nights before flying home. Easy train ride and then we took a cab to our hotel from the Central Station. The Hotel Gran Duca di York is a 3-star hotel about 5 minutes walk from the Duomo. We got a very cheap internet rate of 98 euro since it was a July Sunday/Monday and nothing was going on in Milan. It was certainly clean and comfortable, very adequate for our needs, and the location was excellent. One of the desk people didn’t speak English, so reception wasn’t much help to us – but we knew what we wanted to see. Since we knew everything in Milan is closed on Mondays, we got there early afternoon Sunday so we could see some museums. We had Last Supper reservations at the end of the day and it was really something to behold. During the afternoon we visited the Brera museum, with one of Italy’s largest and finest collections of Renaissance art. I happen not to be a Renaissance art lover. We walked around the castle and probably would have enjoyed any of the museums there, but just weren’t in the mood. There are so many museums of all different types you could spend a week visiting them. If you can get reservations for the Last Supper (they are always sold out – book well in advance) I do think it’s worth seeing.
That evening was the World Cup finals and we couldn’t have been in a better place. We ate at a café with a TV set up outdoors and then spent the latter part of the game in the Piazza di Duomo with about 50,000 others. It was mobbed, with flags waving and tons of cheering and noisemakers – slightly rowdy, but in no way scary or dangerous. It was great fun to be there when they won.
On Monday we went to the La Scala museum, which I only recommend if you are a real opera fan. That evening we went to an opera at La Scala and that experience I recommend to everyone! They have a very user-friendly website for purchasing tickets in advance and it was really amazing to be there, even for a non-opera lover like me. S.O. is a real opera fan and he loved it.
During the day on Monday we wandered Milan and did some shopping. The central part of the city near the Duomo is really beautiful and the Vittorio Emanuelle “arcade” (the world’s first covered shopping mall from the 19th century) is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. The Duomo itself still has scaffolding – apparently this renovation project has been going on for years. But I must say that the trip to the rooftop is one of the single most amazing tourist activities I’ve ever done. Usually one looks at parapets and gargoyles from afar. Walking on the roof, one sees all of this handiwork – centuries old – up close and personal. **Do not miss going to the rooftop of the Duomo**
We took one of the trolleys to the Navigli area – an old canal area being gentrified. It’s really better to visit at night and if we had another night there I’m sure we would have enjoyed the restaurant, pub and street life there. It was still nice to take a short tram ride out of the central tourist area.
All in all, we liked Milan much better than we expected. I wouldn’t put it in the category with Rome, Florence and Venice, but for those visiting Northern Italy, or using Malpensa to arrive or depart, it is certainly worth a day or two.
We took a short cab ride to the Malpensa Express and then it’s an easy train ride to the airport. Door to door from our hotel in just over an hour – couldn’t have been more convenient.
We really enjoyed this corner of northwest Italy. As you can tell, we fell in love with the Ligurian coast, but also found Lake Orta and Lake Como to have very distinct personalities and great places to relax with what I’d call “soft sightseeing.” Our itinerary allowed for a nice mix of cities, countryside, lakes and sea, as well as relaxation and culture. As most of you know, anywhere you go in Italy is bound to be beautiful, interesting....and with great food.
Thanks for reading! I’m happy to answer any questions.
Lake Como/Varenna
The drive from Alba to Lake Como was uneventful. We had chosen to return the car to Avis in Lecco to avoid driving into the center of Milan to return it at the train station. This was a good choice. However, the Avis rental office had moved and was not at the address on our confirmation. Once we found the new office it was fine and we took the quick and easy train ride to Varenna.
I had been so worried about our time in Lake Como because it seemed just too touristy, but I felt that if we were going to be in Northern Italy it was on the must-see list. I am very glad, however, that we also had Lake Orta as a lake experience. We were also very pleased we stayed in Varenna rather than Bellagio. It had a lovely, small town feel and we weren’t interested in night life. The only problem with Varenna on a weekend in high season is booking restaurants in advance. If you are set on a particular restaurant, do reserve in advance. The most popular ones were full. Other than that, even a July weekend didn’t feel that crowded.
We stayed at Albergo du Lac in Varenna and were extremely happy with it. Booking five months in advance wasn’t enough to get a terrace or balcony on a summer weekend, but we did have a gorgeous lake view. The hotel is very, very nice and it turned out that the public terrace is so large and comfortable that we were fine spending a lot of time there reading and enjoying the view.
Our first night we had reserved dinner at Albergo Milano because so many people had raved about it. While it was “yuppier gourmet” than any other meal on our trip, and was very good with inventive foods, it turned out to be the most expensive of the trip and probably wasn’t worth it, at least for us. We also hit freak cool weather and a rainstorm that evening so we ate inside, missing the beautiful view. The set meal is a reasonable 25 euro per person, but with wine, mineral water and couvert it ended up quite a bit more. We had made reservations at the popular Il Cavatapi (only 5 tables indoors, no outdoor seating) well in advance, but really wanted to eat outside our last night so we ended up canceling and probably making some other diners very happy! Our best meal in the Varenna area was at Ristorante Crotto di Pino, in the adjacent town of Pino. The hotel arranged it and the restaurant sends a car to pick you up (we heard from others that there’s another restaurant that provides transport as well). It’s only a 5-minute drive and it was really special with fantastic food and great view – very reasonable. It was not crowded at all, even on a Saturday night. We had a pasta dish with local lake fish that was superb, as was everything we ate there and I think the bill for two was about 48 euro including wine.
After dinners each night we just strolled Varenna with our gelato and enjoyed the view and peacefulness. It is really a special place.
During one day we took the boat to Bellagio to walk around and gaze at the shops. We walked 20 minutes to a little fishing village, Pescallo, where we ate a picnic lunch on a bench with an incredible view. You can only walk there, and it’s tiny, but definitely worth it -- so peaceful and cute.
One afternoon S.O. stayed behind and I hiked up to the castle overlooking Varenna. I must say, this was a more strenuous hike than the Cinque Terre, but it turned out to be a highlight. It’s about 30 minutes straight up – but a beautiful walk. The castle is somewhat restored and you can climb up to the tower for a truly breathtaking view of Lake Como. There’s even a café there and it would make a nice snack stop. Then, coming down I was ambling through the adjacent “village” (population 50) and came across a walking path that took me another way back to Varenna, through some really interesting scenery and more breathtaking views around each bend. This path was longer, and took me to the other side of Varenna near the funicular for the Emilia Gaudio hotel (sp.), but it was just a wonderful walk and I’m so glad I not only visited the castle, but went up and back on different paths.
You can get a mid-lake daily boat pass for 10 euro and visit each village – or just enjoy the boats all day long. We just ended up visiting Bellagio one day and then were able to see the entire mid-lake region by boat by purchasing a round trip to Lenno to see Villa Balbianello. I had read many threads about the complications of visiting this villa, and it turned out that – at least when we were there – it was much easier. Lenno is out of the way, but we really enjoyed seeing this villa. Most people go to Villa Carlotta (we didn’t) because it is much more accessible, certainly cheaper, and from what I understand much grander. Villa Balbianello can be reached by taking the boat to Lenno and then, depending what day it is, either walking to the villa (about 25 minutes) or on certain days taking a motorboat to the villa. We happened to be there on a day that walking was permitted and while it was a nice walk, arriving by boat at the landing – and seeing the villa from the lake – would have been gorgeous. Also, all the guidebooks say that you have to hire a private guide. When we were there, guided group tours were available in Italian and English several times a day. You just have to time your visit for one of these tours. It was 11 euro and definitely worth it. The villa is as “understated” as any 20-room villa can be. Not your grand palace at all. And the story behind the most recent owner, and the owners through the ages, and the history of the site are extremely interesting. There are many other villas and gardens on Lake Como, but since we were only going to visit one, we were happy with our selection. Just have your hotel check about tour times and allow plenty of time to get there. Check the boat connections carefully since not all the boats stop at Lenno.
Three nights in Varenna was just right for us, keeping in mind that we had also had three nights in Orta. It was very relaxing and there was certainly more to do than we did – villas, gardens, visits to towns on market days, seeing the old town part of the city of Como, etc. What a beautiful place.
Then it was on to Milan for two nights before flying home. Easy train ride and then we took a cab to our hotel from the Central Station. The Hotel Gran Duca di York is a 3-star hotel about 5 minutes walk from the Duomo. We got a very cheap internet rate of 98 euro since it was a July Sunday/Monday and nothing was going on in Milan. It was certainly clean and comfortable, very adequate for our needs, and the location was excellent. One of the desk people didn’t speak English, so reception wasn’t much help to us – but we knew what we wanted to see. Since we knew everything in Milan is closed on Mondays, we got there early afternoon Sunday so we could see some museums. We had Last Supper reservations at the end of the day and it was really something to behold. During the afternoon we visited the Brera museum, with one of Italy’s largest and finest collections of Renaissance art. I happen not to be a Renaissance art lover. We walked around the castle and probably would have enjoyed any of the museums there, but just weren’t in the mood. There are so many museums of all different types you could spend a week visiting them. If you can get reservations for the Last Supper (they are always sold out – book well in advance) I do think it’s worth seeing.
That evening was the World Cup finals and we couldn’t have been in a better place. We ate at a café with a TV set up outdoors and then spent the latter part of the game in the Piazza di Duomo with about 50,000 others. It was mobbed, with flags waving and tons of cheering and noisemakers – slightly rowdy, but in no way scary or dangerous. It was great fun to be there when they won.
On Monday we went to the La Scala museum, which I only recommend if you are a real opera fan. That evening we went to an opera at La Scala and that experience I recommend to everyone! They have a very user-friendly website for purchasing tickets in advance and it was really amazing to be there, even for a non-opera lover like me. S.O. is a real opera fan and he loved it.
During the day on Monday we wandered Milan and did some shopping. The central part of the city near the Duomo is really beautiful and the Vittorio Emanuelle “arcade” (the world’s first covered shopping mall from the 19th century) is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. The Duomo itself still has scaffolding – apparently this renovation project has been going on for years. But I must say that the trip to the rooftop is one of the single most amazing tourist activities I’ve ever done. Usually one looks at parapets and gargoyles from afar. Walking on the roof, one sees all of this handiwork – centuries old – up close and personal. **Do not miss going to the rooftop of the Duomo**
We took one of the trolleys to the Navigli area – an old canal area being gentrified. It’s really better to visit at night and if we had another night there I’m sure we would have enjoyed the restaurant, pub and street life there. It was still nice to take a short tram ride out of the central tourist area.
All in all, we liked Milan much better than we expected. I wouldn’t put it in the category with Rome, Florence and Venice, but for those visiting Northern Italy, or using Malpensa to arrive or depart, it is certainly worth a day or two.
We took a short cab ride to the Malpensa Express and then it’s an easy train ride to the airport. Door to door from our hotel in just over an hour – couldn’t have been more convenient.
We really enjoyed this corner of northwest Italy. As you can tell, we fell in love with the Ligurian coast, but also found Lake Orta and Lake Como to have very distinct personalities and great places to relax with what I’d call “soft sightseeing.” Our itinerary allowed for a nice mix of cities, countryside, lakes and sea, as well as relaxation and culture. As most of you know, anywhere you go in Italy is bound to be beautiful, interesting....and with great food.
Thanks for reading! I’m happy to answer any questions.
