My daughter and two cousins and I are planning a trip to Italy next May. We are beginning our trip in Rome and ending in Venice, however, I'd like to take my daughter somewhere after Venice for a couple of days before heading home. I was thinking Austria. Is there a town close to Venice in Austria (with an airport nearby) we can visit that would be worthwhile?

Hi deb,

May I suggest taking www.myair.com from Venice VCE to Paris ORY?

If it must be Austria, you can take the train to Vienna or Salzburg.

Munich airport is about 2 hr from Salzburg. It might be cheaper than flying out of Salzburg.

Why not drive to the Italian Lakes from Venice and spend your time there. Do Austria next time round.

Or Trieste.

I'm totally in agreement with Rd, Deb, to stay and discover a bit of Northern Italy-the Lakes would be great, but how about Italy's answer to Austria, the city that was once part of Austria, and where the Habsburgs left their mark-Trieste? You've got the great coffee houses that you'll find in Vienna, one of the most beautifully sited castles on the sea, with stunning gardens, you'll ever see anywhere-Castello di Miramare-built by the Austrian Archduke Maximilian for his wife. A Piazza (Piazza Unita) that many believe is more beautiful than San Marco because it faces right on the sea-and of course, if you want to experience a lovely little beach resort community, with a small ancient historical center and great seafood restaurants, you can hop the ferry for the 15 minute ride over to Grado, from Trieste. I extended my stay in Trieste I liked it so much; it reminds me a bit of Northern California, how the mountains go down to the sea, and up top there is another castle fort that the Venetians built as a look-out.

Great place that nobody seems to visit, is Trieste, other than famous writers and poets-R.M. Rilke wrote his "Duino Elegies" here-staying as he did right by the Duino Castle, which is just down the road.