From Venice, it is a 2-hour drive to Cortina dAmpezzo, in the Dolomites. View from Castello Scaligero di Malcesine, Malcesine, Lake Garda. The entire area is made up of the Western Alps. We recommend staying in the town of Varenna, which is the easiest to reach, and on the road, youll need to follow the next day. The northern part of Italy is renowned for its beautiful mountain lakes. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Many people want to visit these cities while visiting Italy, but especially Rome is a bit far regarding the other cities. For this Itinerary we recommend you to start in Milan. All the major cities on our 10 day Italy travel itinerary were accessible by public transportation, and the train . We recommend spending two full days to explore the Dolomites and do some hiking. If you have a flight leaving from Marco Polo Airport (Venice), from Milan it takes a minimum of 3.5 hours to travel by train and just over 3 hours by car. Italy does not have a national bus line, so most buses are only regional or city. The highlights you dont want to miss are; Varenna is the best place to stay at Lake Como for this road trip. Gondola ride for two? Its worth a visit! From this window, prisoners on their way to execution would have one final view of the city. From the train station, take the metro to Santa Maria delle Grazie for your scheduled viewing of the Last Supper. Remember to arrive 20 minutes before your appointment. Nowadays the most important source of income is tourism. Then head over to the Dolomites: the most unique of mountains with jagged grey peaks surrounded by the absolutely stunning valleys and green hills of Trentino Alto-Adige. If you dont want to go hiking on your first day, and the skies are clear, ride the Freccia nel Cielo cable car to Cima Tofana. Dynamic pricing from $3,217. Tickets to tour the Duomo and the rooftop can be purchased at the Duomo or online in advance. Then explore Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso, the oldest national park in Italy, before heading north to the tiny town, but skiing haven of Breuil-Cervinia to see Monte Cervino otherwise known as the Matterhorn! Made For Travellers is compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. Our Florence hotel recommendations:if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'madefortravellers_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_10',140,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-madefortravellers_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Florence is known as the heart of the Rennaissance. The road trip to Rome will take up a half-day. The top places in Northern Italy are Venice, Verona, Milan, Lake Garda, Lake Como, and Cinque Terre. There are many accommodations to find in Venice. We stayed at the Grand Hotel Savoia, which is a beautiful 5-star hotel in Cortina. Of course, youll visit the famous landmarks asColleseum,Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, and Vatican City. Whether you like hiking in the summer or skiing in the winter, the mountains are paradise. The city is known for its hospitality. Learn how to spend one perfect day in Verona. Northern Italy is the most developed part of the country, so transportation is easy-to-access and can take you just about anywhere. Alternative: skip Veneto and head to Liguria to enjoy the glamorous Portofino. Bergamo is big in size, but quaint in spirit. Then, ride the cable car to Marmolada, the highest mountain in the Dolomites. Today you will drive across the Dolomites to Val Gardena. Your email address will not be published. However, coach bus companies like Flixbus operate throughout the country and Europe, so you could travel between regions using their service. As for picking up your rental car, you can do it on day 1, if you are arriving to the Venice airport. Florence was the center of trade and banking during medieval times. Answer 11 of 12: I'm planning a 10-day trip and would like an opinion on the following itinerary: Day 1 Arrive in Milan AM, Rent Car Drive to Lake Como - 1 Hour Lake Como Day 2 Lake Como. From the Dolomites, visit lovely Verona, Milan, and spend a day at Lake Como. Some of these links are affiliate links. In five days youll visit the three biggest lakes in Italy before heading back to the vibrant city of Milan.Note; the road from Lake Maggiore to Lake Como takes you a few miles through Switzerland. You can also choose to do this road trip in the other way around. Manage Settings If you arrive in the morning on a red eye flight, this first day can be challenging. From here, you get one of the best views of Venice, and it is a nice way to start your visit to this city. You can find more information about Tuscany in this article, where we tell more about the different villages in this region. Genoais known as the birthplace of Columbus, the renowned sea navigator. And the Medici Family, in particular, had significant influence at the modern banking system. Here's my suggestions for a one week Itinerary in Northern Italy: One night in Turin. For this itinerary, it is best to rent a car. Start as far west as possible in Courmayeur to visit Mont Blanc and the Val Ferret. For DaVincis Last Supper you must book a time slot in advance. In the Dolomites, the first snow begins to fall sometime in October and continues through May, so during this time, the hiking trails will be covered with snow. Find out more about Lon on his about page! The Dolomiti Lodge Alvergets exceptional reviews. Many people think this village was the scene for the movietwilight. Check out the map with extra suggestions: I could go on and on about all of the beautiful places to visit in northern Italy, but this post would then be at least 10,000 words. Which itinerary is on your bucket list? We wrote an in-depth guide about Cinque Terre. The Doges Palace served as the residence for the Doge, the seat of the government, and a palace of justice. From Florence to Rome it is about 3 to 4 hours drive. Many people say the lake is less spectacular then Lake Como, but we think it is a must-visit while traveling through this area. Lets start with the 10-day highlights! I put Lake Garda before Verona since you save a little driving time by visiting the north end of Lake Garda first. Select your preferences and let us take care of the rest. To avoid waiting in line, you can purchase your ticket in advance on the official website. Italy in Spring guide coming soon!). Spend the day either hiking near Cortina dAmpezzo or visiting Lago di Braies. People. Temperatures on average in the Northern part of Italy are favorable. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. It is also convenient to book a guided tour in the park and its surroundings, that way you make sure youll get the best things to see in the short amount of time. In this guide, learn how to plan a trip around the world. Ideally, plan to arrive in Venice early in the morning, or even the night before, to make the most of this day. However, during this trip, you dont have that much time to explore the most significant hiking trails. But this is more expensive, since you are paying for 2 days of a rental car plus parking fees. So when you want to save some money, dont go to a traditional Gondola, but hop-on a taxi boat. ITINERARY. You wont reach the Tuscany region. The great thing is that even this itinerary is worthwhile for people who arent nature lovers but love the mountain landscape. This is a good option for those who want to spend the night in a beautiful lakeside town. We recommend starting in Milan and plan your departure from Rome. A few of the highlights you dont want to miss are: It is also great to visit the surrounding islandsBurano, Lido di Venezia, Murano, which is comfortable with one of the taxi boats. Trains are generally easy to navigate, so tourists shouldnt be intimidated. North Italy itinerary for 14 days. I also recommend asking your hotel for the best way to get to the hotel. Youll drive around 62 miles (100 kilometers) a day, but that gives you enough time to explore the historical and traditional villages and countryside. We had dinner twice at Hotel Freina and this hotel also gets exceptional reviews. 7.1 Venice - 5 days. Italy All Italy Hotels In these two months you get the best weather, the very beginning or the tail end of the busy summer tourist season, and if you book ahead, you can get great deals on reservations for rental cars and accommodation. This walled village with a big cathedral dates back to the 8th century BC! We recommend using the parks website to find out the best hiking trails. It comes from Valtellina, a valley in Lombardy bordering Switzerland. The city of Verona is a maximum one hour drive from Lake Garda. The dolomites are great for exploring nature and hiking. With regional buses you can typically reach small towns, while with Flixbus, youll mostly be limited to cities. The Rialto Bridge is a covered footbridge that is lined with shops. Customize your leisure days by adding excursions to your Northern Italy Itinerary. It just depends on what you feel is more convenient. Getting from Marco Polo Airport to Venice. At every place where we recommend staying overnight, we put some recommendations for hotel bookings. So we recommend staying at the outside center ring, which makes it easy to park your car. Once in the area of Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio, you will get around by ferry, which runs frequently and it doesnt take long to get from town to town. It is one of the oldest places in Tuscany. Northern Italy Road Trip: Stop 1 - Milan Milan, in Italy's Lombardy region, is a unique blend of historical architecture, contemporary skyscrapers and well-known as a fashionista's Italian city of choice. The Best Guide to Val Brembana: How to Visit this Underrated Corner , The Best Weekend in Edinburgh Itinerary You Need to Steal, Mid-range price compared to bus and rental car travel, Well-connected between cities and towns (regional trains), Can be super cheap & is overall less expensive, Takes time to understand routes of regional or city buses. Bologna 2 Nights. Well, that is why I created this article to help you in the best way Why Is Everything So Cheap In Portugal? The drive is a bit far, around 3 hours from the national park Ademello Breno, but youll have the best views from the cable car of the highest mountain peak! Because theres no traffic, the vibe is even more unique. You can avoid the 5 fee by using Trenitalia.com, but this website is more difficult to use. Driving west from Volterra, youll reach the coastal city of Pisa. Geisler Alm, Adolf Munkel Weg | Northern Italy Itinerary. Verona is worldwide known as the city of love. But the true draw is the landscape. And despite Romeo and Juliet is a fictional love story, it is possible to visit Juliets house. Instead the meals are heartier, which reflect the lifestyle of people living here: industrial workers or those living in the Alps having to face long winters. Lines can be long to enter it, but it is worth it, both to see the golden interior and to stand on the terrace for a view across St. Marks Square. Heres a more in-depth look at how to get around northern Italy: There are both national train lines and regional train lines, meaning you are well-connected between the major cities and there are also options to reach smaller towns. Our itineraries focus on four of the eight regions of northern Italy: Emilia-Romagna (Bologna and Ferrara), Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Udine and Trieste), Lombardy (Milan and Bergamo), and Veneto (Venice, Verona, and Vicenza). So if you intend to visit the famous tourist city of Venice, you should spend an extra day or two exploring Verona also known as the city of love. If you cant get one, consider joining a tour. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Made For Travellers is about a lifestyle of freedom, fulfillment, and happiness. If you enjoy hiking, put as many days as you can in the Dolomites (in our opinion, its a better use of time than adding on Lake Garda, mentioned next). This evening, return to Milan or check into your hotel in Bellagio or Varenna. Milan is bustling, crowded, the energy is always high. Almost anything you can name is cheaper and affordable in Portugal, from housing to food, healthcare to travel. Made For Travellers is more than just a travel blog. To enter Venice, youll need to buy a ticket, which gives you also access to the taxi boats. For those who want to combine a few Italian cities with some of the most beautiful scenery in Europe, youll love this northern Italy itinerary. Restaurant Rifugio Ospitale is located outside of town but is also very highly rated. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. There are several options to spend five days in the Northern part of Italy. An afternoon is plenty of time to see these sights. Hi Michela, I would love some suggestions on a 14 day itinerary to Northern Italy.