Please review my itinerary for Northern Italy in May 2025
May 19th, 2024, 06:02 PM
#62
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KW: sounds like a wonderful trip, although quite crammed I may suggest. You are definitely hitting all the solid Italian hot spots. Last December for the Christmas markets we flew Boston to Milan Linante via British Airways as Linante is smaller and closer to Milan Central. Enjoyable train connection to Verona for 3 nights (beautiful city) and then again an enjoyable train ride to Bolzano. Wasn’t “crazy” about Bolzano but as you say The Otzi museum was a 10. Back to Milan for 4 nights which was great, lots to do, we stayed in neighborhood away from the main sites and loved the local cafes and restaurants. May 2020 was Lucca and Volterra for 2 weeks. I prefer Lucca over Sienna but both are beautiful. The promenade along the Lucca walls is a delight for walking and cycling. It’s also an easy 30 min train into Pisa for an easy day trip. For an off the beat no tourist village check out Borgo a Mozzano, a beautiful , quick 25 min drive from Lucca. It’s famous for the Ponte Della Maddalena Bridge (Google image). Aka “ Devils Bridge”.
Can you give me the names of the hotels you stayed at in Milan and Verona? What neighborhood did you stay in while in Milan? Any restaurant recommendations for Milan and Verona?
Did you stay in Bolzano or somewhere else?
May 19th, 2024, 06:14 PM
#63
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There are both advantages/disadvantages to staying in Bellagio and Varenna. I don't think dining options in Varenna are so slim that you can't eat well and happily for 4 nights, although the town is definitely much more low key in the evening (a bad thing?). We found the Hotel du Lac very quiet. Its location is not near the main road and nowhere near the train line. In Bellagio, we've stayed at the Hotel Florence a couple of times. Love it. Much more action throughout the town in the evening and LOTS of shopping (if that's a priority).
May 20th, 2024, 08:05 AM
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Karen,
It is about a 10 minute walk to the train and a little less to the ferry.
Hotel du Lac is on a cul de sac with Hotel Royal Victoria (where we stayed) in a quiet part of Varenna, which we preferred, to be away from the road noise, train, and ferry crowds. Hotel du Lac was our first choice, but was sold out (always a good recommendation.) It was a little more economical but still has the beautiful lake views and balconies. And there are many restaurants within a 5 minute walk along the lake.
Varenna is good choice if want to use the train. And there are plenty of restaurants to accommodate a 4 day stay. Even though, we loved heading to tour Bellagio one afternoon, and then staying for drinks and dinner.
It is about a 10 minute walk to the train and a little less to the ferry.
Hotel du Lac is on a cul de sac with Hotel Royal Victoria (where we stayed) in a quiet part of Varenna, which we preferred, to be away from the road noise, train, and ferry crowds. Hotel du Lac was our first choice, but was sold out (always a good recommendation.) It was a little more economical but still has the beautiful lake views and balconies. And there are many restaurants within a 5 minute walk along the lake.
Varenna is good choice if want to use the train. And there are plenty of restaurants to accommodate a 4 day stay. Even though, we loved heading to tour Bellagio one afternoon, and then staying for drinks and dinner.
May 21st, 2024, 08:16 AM
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May 22nd, 2024, 01:03 PM
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Hi KW, in both Milan and Verona we stayed in apartment rentals. In Milan we were in the Lazzaretto area near Piazza Cincinnato. 10 minute walk from the main train station but very few tourists to be found. Great selection of cafes, restaurants and incredible bakeries. About a 35 min walk to the Milan Cathedral. In Verona we stayed on Via Leone directly across from the Church of San Fermo Maggiore and the Ponte Della Navi bridge ( beautiful area/highly recommend crossing the bridges over the Adige River to explore the neighborhood. I don’t immediately recall the names of restaurants we frequented, but they were all very good in both Milan and Verona. We tend to eat out for lunch and then cook dinners in our apartments. Yes, we stayed in Bolzano for 5 nights for the Christmas Markets, again in an apartment. We stayed about 2 miles from the main square area of Bolzano but a 10 min bus ride brought us directly into the main Christmas Markets.
May 22nd, 2024, 06:43 PM
#69
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coral22 and Jean, thanks for your info about Varenna and the Hotel Du Lac. That's at the top of my list.
mike1728, thanks for the info about Milan and Verona. Will definitely explore the neighborhood you mention in Verona, and check out hotels in that area. We prefer hotels to apartments because we don't cook while on vacation
unless we are doing a beach vacation with our children and grandchildren.
mike1728, thanks for the info about Milan and Verona. Will definitely explore the neighborhood you mention in Verona, and check out hotels in that area. We prefer hotels to apartments because we don't cook while on vacation
unless we are doing a beach vacation with our children and grandchildren.
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