Hello,

I am new to the site - Hello Everyone - and I posted a message asking for itinerary help in the Venice/Lakes area and have had only one response (albeit a good one, thank you). I am so disappinted, as I see so much great advice and experience in other responses.

What can I do different or better to elicit people to talk to me?

That, and there has to be an easier way to find my message and the responses.

Can someone give me navigation advice?

The question I have is:

We are flying into Venice on October 1 and out of Milan on October 9th (due to FF mileage availability), do we spend 3-4 nights in Venice and then do Inner Veneto - Verona, Padua, etc?

OR

Do 3-4 nights in Venice and then head to the Lakes - Como and Maggiore?

Any advice would be terrific.

To find your own post click on your "screen name" after Author: at the top of this post. That should bring up anything you have posted previously. You then add a comment to your own question (like thank you or the words "topping&quot and post that reply. It will bring you message to the number one position for a moment.

That is the answer for both how to find your message and how to elicit more responses by keeping it in the top 50 messages.

Hello 2Michals,I never saw your post. What interest do you have and what would you like to do after you enjoy Venice? And do you like cities or would you prefer to stay away from cities. How are you travelling in Italy, by train or are you renting a car?

While Venice and the Lake region forms only the bookends of my trip report, you might be interested in it:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34607146

There's nothing wrong with a little bit of "whining" (like this post) -asking... please see my post!

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34673705

And/or "topping" it (which I have just now done with some fresh alternative answers).

Best wishes,

Rex

If you start a Fodor's home page, you will find your screen name in HTML (colored and underlined), and if you click on that, you will be advanced to the talk forum, and all postings you have participated in will be listed.

If you start at the Talk page (this page) again you will find your name in HTML, and can click on it to bring up the postings.

Or, if you are at one of your postings, your screen name by author will work as well.

I can't answer your original question, as we have been only to Venice; a week there was not enough for us, but a lot depends on your interests. When I read your initial question, you didn't seem to say what you are looking for, so I would suggest you post what your interests are. A person looking for scenery, a person looking for food, and a person looking for great art are likely to have varying opinions of where to go.

I still feel so inadequate. Suze, did I reply in the right way? Thanks much to those of you that responded.

LoveItaly, my first question is whether to stay 3 or 4 nights in Venice? Then with the remaining time should we try to trek (by rented car) to the Lakes and do Bergamo/Bellagio or stick to the Inner Veneto area, i.e. Padua, Verona, etc.?

LoveItaly and clevelandbrown, I would say we are more about the sights than food or luxurious hotels. I want to experience the area and find the little treasures. We don't claim to be experts in art, but appreciate the museums and churches in each area.

I am not sure how to answer cities or no cities - I think there is room for a mix in each itinerary.

Thanks so much for any further advice and Michael I will read your posting.

thanks Rex for the support!

Hi

My wife and I went to Milan and Venice a couple of years back. I have posted a trip report with some pictures on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com . Maybe you can find some useful information there. Have a great trip

Regards
Gard

La Tupinade in Bordeaux, assuming that it is open. It's near the Porte de la Monnaie.

Sorry, somehow the last message when to the wrong posting.

Gard, read your trip report and took noes. Sounds like you feel 3 nights is plenty in Venice.

Hi 2Michals, well I will take a stab at trying to offer a few suggestion.

You will have 8 nights to be in Italy. I would stay at least 4 nights in Venice. There is so much to see and one of the best ways in my opinion is to walk around Venice as much as possible. Try to get away from the real crowded areas such Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge after enjoying the sites there.

I do not know what time your plane leaves from Milan (assume you will be flying home from the Malpensa airport). I would not wait until the last minute to get to the airport so to speak. If you have a rental car you can turn the car in at the airport. If you will be going to Milan by train personally I would go to Milan on the 8th and then enjoy that city. You can take the Malpensa shuttle bus from the Centrale Train Station to Milpensa. Although it can be quicker I would figure an hour on the shuttle bus, in case of real heavy traffic. The shuttle bus runs every 20 to 30 minutes. The reason I would not depend on the train the day of my flight is that there could be the chance of a strike or work stoppage for a period of time. And I have experienced trains in Italy being over 2 hours late. Wouldn't want that worry on the day of my flight. And you will find plenty to enjoy in Milan if you do arrive there on the 8th.

Padua is a beautiful and delightful city as is Verona. Both are really easy to walk around in. You could get to these cities via train.

The lake area is beautiful. I think though if I hadn't seen any other cities except for Venice I would prefer to visit other places and leave the lake area for another visit.

Or, if you have not been to Florence you can train from Venice to Florence is less then 3 hours, enjoy Florence and then train to Milan (again on the 8th day) and enjoy Milan until it is time to go to the airport. It is about 3 hours I think to train from Florence to Milan.

Just a few thoughts. You have lots of options of course.

I don't know how much you like changing hotels. Some people don't mind changing hotels every night. If possible I enjoy 2 nights in the same hotel so that I have one full day in a place without losing time checking in, checking out etc.

I hope I have given you a little something to think about.

And don't feel like your questions are being ignored. Think right now people's minds are on the devestation from Katrina etc.

Best wishes to you planning this beautiful trip!

Venice and Lake Como are 2 of my favorite places. If it was me, I would do 4 nights in Venice , 3 in Bellagio, and 1 in Milan.

While in Venice, if you feel the need, you can always do a quick and easy train ride to Padua or another town for a day. Another option is Avventure Tours- they do small (8 people max) well priced day tours from Venice.

Bellagio and Lake Como are absolutely beautiful- you can't go wrong.

If you are not into driving a rental car, you can train from
Venice to Bellagio to Milan.

Enjoy your travels!

http://www.tours-italy.com/veneto/index.html