Verona or Naples or ?
 

Hi,
My friend and I are going to be in Venice for a conferience he is attending from May 15th through May 21st. After that we will take the train to Rome for a couple of days. I want to go to Verona and he wants to go to Naples. We will only have 2 nights to spend at any location. Also we fly into Milan and and out of Milan. Any suggestions and please tell me why?

Thanks,
Monica

My vote would be for Verona. It would be on your route back toward Milan, so it is logistically more simple. Bergamo is worth a stop as well, but not necessarily overnight. I would opt for Verona mostly because of eliminating so much travel in a short time. It is a beautiful town for walking along the river. Of course, Naples has much to offer as well, but I felt much more of the hustle and bustle of city life there and enjoyed Verona more. PJK

Could either of you skip Rome? It would be simpler if you did, because than you could each have what you want.

Must you spend these last two nights together? Why don't you go to Rome and your friend goes to Napoli?

Were you planning on spending your first night in Milano? If you can, why not spend it in Verona? It's not far. Also, is the conference so compelling you have to be there every minute? You can do Verona as a day trip from Venezia.

I love both Napoli and Verona and they are simply polar opposites in terms of the experience. Verona is genteel, upscale, sparsely populated and with a handful of outstanding attractions. It has luxuriously rich food and wine, almost Germanic at times, and with not a lot of pasta. It's a very walkable city.

Naples is jammed, chaotic, everything is over the top (or else buried under centuries of stone). The food is pizza, pasta, the patisseries are huge and flamboyant, the art is outrageous, children run wild (on Vespas), you fear for your life crossing the street. It's premiere attraction is actually outside the city -- Pompeii -- and needs a full day to do it justice.

For two days, with a flight out of Milano, I'd pick Verona, with a night in Milano for some urban zip. If I decided on Napoli, I would fly from Napoli back to Milano to catch my flight.

Truth is, I'd probably ditch the conference in Venezia and head to Napoli for the entire time. Would it be noticed?

ooops. I meant you go to Verona while your friend goes to Napoli. Meet back up in Malpensa.

Wait! I have an idea.

Why don't you both go to RAVENNA!!!!!!

Check it out.

ttt

Ditch Rome.

He can fly with apli eagles from Venice to Naples while you go to Verona and on to Milan. Or you both go to Verona the night of the conference ending (Sunday?) and he flies the next day from Verona to Naples with apli eagles or with meridiana.

Then you meet up in Milan a couple of days later.

WK

Thanks for all of the great suggestions.