My husband and I are planning our first trip to Italy for our 10th anniversary in May 2006.

We are planning on arriving in Venice and spending four nights at La Calcina. We are then planning on taking the train to Varenna where we will spend three nights at Eremo Gaudio before flying home from Milan.

We have hotel reservations, but we do not our airline tickets (we are hoping for good/better rates in the next couple of months).

I would like opinions on this itinerary. We would like a romantic vacation and don't want to pack too much in since we only have seven nights. However, I'm wondering if we would be happier visiting a destination other than Lake Como -- maybe Florence or Tuscany since this is our first trip to Italy? On the other hand, Lake Como looks beautiful and relaxing. We thought about spending the entire week in Venice, but the expense scared us off. Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!

With only a week, I like this itinerary---why not? Next year you can do Tuscany and whatever. I would consider arriving in Milan and departing from Venice to avoid that dreaded last nite near the airport.

Good suggestion from bobthenavigator. Milan's international airport, Malpensa, is at some distance from the city, so you'd probably have to stay a night in Milan before you leave.

Venice and Lago di Como make a wonderful romantic and relaxing vacation. If that's what you're looking for, save Florence et al for another time.

I think your itinerary is fine. If your departure time out of Milan is after noon, you could easily spend your last night in the town of Como - a nice destination for a night, in its own right - rather than at an airport hotel.

Itinerary sounds great to me. Regarding the last night: We spent our last night in Bellagio a few years ago. Our flight from Milan was in the early afternoon so we were able to spend the night in Bellagio, take the ferry across the next morning and arrive at the airport in plenty of time. You should be able to do the same and avoid a boring last night in an airport hotel.

Hi Griffin.
There is an early train from Varenna to Milan you can take for an afternoon departure. Flying out of Venice is also a good choice.

Venice and Lake Como fit well for what you're looking for. Another huge plus for an Italy first-timer looking to relax is that you are:
CAR FREE!

39Steps raises a good thought -- departing from Venice rather than Milan. I'd check your flight options from both places and choose the latest departure. Getting to Venice airport for an afternoon flight is easier than getting to Malpensa from mid-Lake Como. Both are doable, just involves less effort from Venice.

Thanks everyone. I'm feeling better about my itinerary already.

I guess I will have to wait until I have airline tickets before deciding whether to stay in Varenna or Milan on our last night. I think we'll definitely leave out of Milan only because I have hotel reservations, and I know the reservations at La Calcina would be almost impossible to change.

Thanks again for your responses!

I'd spend the last night in Milan. See the Duomo/Galleria/La Scala area. If arriving early enough, get a reservation to see the Last Supper.