I'm looking to spend one week in Italy after a week in Geneva this spring. I'm trying to limit travel time and moving hotels as much as possible. I have a flight out of Rome so ideally my trip would end there but I'm looking for one or two other cities to go to before. Ideally I would like a place that's not a huge city like Rome so there are options for more relaxing days on the water or hiking around. It would also be nice if there were options for day trips elsewhere incase the weather isn't great.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6790 posts
Have you been to Italy before?
When exactly in the "spring" (could make a big difference in the mountains)?
If you're looking for some place in addition to Rome, for many people the obvious choice would be Venice, with Florence a close second. But if, as you say, you really prefer some place that's not a big city...maybe the Italian Lakes (Lake Como or Maggiore) or the Dolomites. I'd pick Rome plus ONE of the above, not all of them.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11775 posts
Spring is too early for the Dolomites, where the hiking season does not really start until mid-June. Lake Como or Lake Maggiore are reasonably easy to get to from Switzerland and then on to Rome. I agree with the previous commenter that ONE stop between Switzerland and Rome is enough for a week if you want to limit changing hotels and travel time.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
It is my first time to Italy. I was considering Lake Como or Cinque Terre, Lake Como seems like it would be easier to get to from Geneva though. Do you think there would be enough to do there for a few days in mid May?
Posted by
San Francisco, CA (USA)
557 posts
How are you planning to travel from Geneva....car, train or, flight?
Cinque Terre would be a nice change-up, being relatively car-free, next to the ocean and the ability to hike around; your final destination being Rome would be the opposite of all that. You can easily get there flying into Pisa airport, then taking a train. You can stay in Cinque Terre, if things seem booked-up there, consider staying in Lucca and taking a day-trip train to CT.
If you prefer more urban, Florence is a favorite, plenty to see, do and eat. Another option is to stay in one of the Tuscan hill towns, Sienna being on the larger-side, while places like Volterra, San Giminiano or, Monterossa a smaller village option.
Posted by
11569 posts
Lake Como would work well since you are coming from Switzerland. Stay in Bellagio with its many restaurants and good ferry service. Take a ferry to a different town on the lake every day.
Hike up above the town too.
Posted by
San Diego, California
5603 posts
You posted in Trip Reviews. You may receive more responses if you post under Italy.
Safe travels!
Posted by
Los Angeles, CA
700 posts
It's not Italy but just 30 minutes from Geneva is the beautiful French city of Annecy, to the south ,which could even be a day trip from Geneva. But to get to Italy, I would go to the northeast to Bern, then Interlaken which is at the doorstep of Lauterbrunen/Murren/Wengen/Grimmelwald, and then from there its a 4 hour train to Milan, where you can stop off at the beautiful lakeside town of Stresa and visit its little islands as an alternative to Como. Como is harder to get to, and the town of Como itself if slightly rough, so you need to take a 2 hour boat to Bellagio or one of the other little cute towns. From Milan you could get to Bologna in an hour by high speed train, which is a very interesting but overlooked place, or alternatively over-touristed Florence. But from Florence you could rent a car to hit the Tuscan hill towns. Rome itself has some great sights, but I am always happy to get out of there.