Bessie

Want to maximize my time in Umbria/Spello - 3 nights there...does anyone know how long a drive from Spello to the Malpensa airport. Would like to take the day to drive back - and spend the night before our return flight at the Villa Malpensa. Stopping off along the way in Portofino for a look see and lunch along the way. Is this feasible? Can we do part autostrada until the coast - drive up the coast until Genoa and then autostrada the rest? Please help - my travel companion is'nt thrilled

xxx

If you take the fastest route from Spello to Portofino (Perugia, Florence, Lucca, etc), I'd estimate the total driving time to Malpensa anywhere between 6 and 7:30 hours, depending on how fast you feel confortable driving and traffic conditions. Add 1 hour for lunch plus 2 hours in Portofino and it would be perfectly feasible. You'd be in Lucca some 2:30/3:15 hours after departure and in Portofino some 1:30/2 hours later. <BR>As an alternative, you may take the Siena-Empoli-Pisa route. This would add some 30/50 minutes to your driving time to Portofino (1:30/2 hours to Siena from Spello; 1:15/1:45 hours more to Pisa).<BR>Just for comparison, the fastest route from Spello to Malpensa (through Cesena, Bologna, etc) would call for 4:30/6 hours.

Helen Donegan

Hi Bessie<BR><BR>Have you thought of flying from Perugia to Malpensa?<BR>http://www.perugiatravel.com/infoplane.htm<BR><BR>The drive up is beautiful in parts but it is a killer and with the cost of a hotel, the car and the motorway it would probably be cheaper to fly - how many of you are there?<BR><BR>Flying would give you more time in Umbria and leaving your car at Perugia airport is a lot easier (although it isn't difficult in Malpensa).<BR><BR><BR>

BOB THE NAVIGATOR

Bessie, That trip is feasible. I would plan on 7 hours driving plus stops.

ellen

We drove from Malpensa to Genoa and beyond. It's a good four-lane road, no tolls, and there wasn't much traffic on it when we drove.