Northern Italy

Italy (it’s july) and ..... where would be good base and not too crowded.

I suspect you can have 'not too crowded' if you go some place really remote, but 'be a good base' ( for day trips) it would not be.

Suggest you decide where you want to go and accept that there will be crowds.

A day trip to Venice is a last resort type of choice. You will be there at the most crowded time when all the other day trippers will be there, and cruise ship visitors.

Also understand that where you go in Italy will give you a completely different experience. As an example, if you go to Bolzano it will feel just like Austria as most people in the area will be speaking German and eating Austrian/Germanic foods. (Yes, even though it is in Italy.)

Think possibly of either Verona or Bologna as a base. Both are good places where you can get trains to different areas in case you don't want to drive. Easy day trips to Venice, Florence, Sienna, Padua, and numerous hill towns. They are also interesting places themselves.

But as noted, it's going to be July and it will be crowded and hot.

Daytripping to Venice is a very bad way to see that gem of a city. You’ll arrive just in time to meet all the other bazillions of day trippers and cruisers. And you’ll leave just in time to see the others leaving, too. And THAT’S the perfect time to be in Venice..after day trippers are all gone.

Thank you for your replies. I understand it will be the middle of summer and peak season, thus why I was pointing it out. This is the 2nd last week of a long trip. We want to stay someone where that is lovely and has enough on its own, and then if feel like it we can also do day trips. Which day trips is less relevant to us than the actually base location. I am considering Bellagio on Lake Como. It sounds a bit quieter than Como or other cities? but has enough local attractions (exploring town, ferry, restaurants, views...) if we choose not to have any big days. Would others agree?

Also, wondering what would be the best way to get to Bern from here. We are still deciding whether to hire a car in Switzerland or stick with trains. One option i think is to train to Lugano and rent a car there to return in bern or on way to Geneva. Would anyone have experience with this or a suggestion? Trying to reduce the drop off fee when returning to different country than the pick up.

We love Bellagio and we’re just there two weeks ago. We stayed at Borgo Le Terrazze and love it because it’s just above Bellagio with a great view of the town and Alps. They also have apartments for families. Outstanding prices in my opinion. I definitely would not stay in Como.

That being said, 7 days would be excessive there with teens in my opinion. The roads around Lake Como are very narrow and lots of twists and turns. It can be pretty stressful if you’ve never rented a car in Italy. I would not consider this a good location for road trips via car, unless you’re putting it on the ferry to get to your other locations. It is really nice t9 take the ferries up and down the lake and explore the villages and villas.

My recommendation would be to pick two locations for this leg of your visit. Venice is easily accessible by train, so you could train there for a few days (you won’t need a car here), then either rent a car or train to Varenna and ferry to Bellagio.

I love Verona because it is a neat place on its own, and you can get to lots of places from there. I personally found Venice overwhelming in July (and I grew up in a big city). From Verona day trips to Bolzano (to see Otzi the Iceman), or Lake Garda (for a boat ride or a hike along the shore), or Ravenna (2 to 2.5 hours by either train or car) for the brilliant 5th Century Mosaics, or Padua for the Giotto frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel are all possible.

It's about six hours by train from Salzburg to Venice, or to Verona across the Alps. https://www.bahn.de/en/view/index.shtml

Our best vacation ever was a month in Ortisei in the Dolomites, no car required but feasible if you like. We go back every year! Cooler than Bolzano by far, great scenery, hiking, and plenty of Italian food. Rent an apartment (check out Residence Astoria where we stay) and enjoy light hiking, gondola rides, and being out of the hot cities.

Regarding transportation, train to Bolzano then bus or taxi (Euro 90, I can give you a recommendation) to Ortisei, if you don’t want a car. Or rent one in Bolzano. Train to Switzerland will take all day, though, through Innsbruck or Milan,

Thank you everyone for your replies. You have given me a lot to think about. I am happy to not go to Venice on this trip, it was always a maybe due to the time of the year, but we have now decided to skip it.