5 days, where to visit, after a business trip in Milan

Well, it would all depend on your likes and desires.....what do you like to do? what are you interested in?

You could go to one of the lakes (Como or Garda-even combine Garda with Verona), you could go to Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence, or a number of many other places.....

I am more into architecture rather than art, also nature (lakes and mountains would be great too)

Places easier to reach from Milan would be preferred
Or Rome is a must for a first timer

You could make a day trip to Venice, but it will be a long day. Another day train trip could be to St. Moritz via the Bernina Pass. Make sure you spin on the bull's balls in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele for good luck. If you enter the Galleria from the Piazza del Duomo exit the opposite end, turn right, and walk down to Luini's for a spinach/ricotta panzarotti. Visit the Italian Navy submarine at the Leonardo Di Vinci museum and, maybe, the torture museum nearby. An evening passeggiata in the Navigli section of Milan. Try the linguini and clam sauce at the Osteria Mama Rosa at Piazza Cincinnato, 4.

Buon viaggio,

If you're in Milan and love lakes and mountains, it's an easy choice in June: Go to Lake Como. Take the train (I believe it's about a one-hour ride) up to Varenna and spend a few nights there, and spend your days visiting other sites around the lake via ferry.

Florence is less than 2 hours by high speed Freccia trains. Brunelleschi's dome of the cathedral is certainly an architectural landmark.

You have 4 nights after your business trip? And where will you fly home from? Milan? At what time?

If you do indeed fly home from Milan, if your flight is not too early, you could spend all 4 night sat Lake Como and make it to the airport the morning you fly home. If you go farther away — Venice has such great architecture! — you could spend 3 nights there and come back to Milan for the night before your flight.

Do you have to fly out of Milan, or can you fly out of another airport?

From Milan, you can quickly get to much of northern and central Italy, as well as parts of Switzerland (it's a rail hub). Rome is only 3 hours by frequent high speed trains; Florence and Venice are even closer. There are also small towns, lake areas, etc.

So, start by looking at some guidebooks and videos. Rick's videos are here (scroll down to Italy): https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show

To see train connections, use the Trenitalia website: http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en. Note that even on the English version of the website, you have to use the Italian city names - Milano, Firenze, Venezia, Roma, etc.

Thanks for all the helpful replies

I will be staying 5 nights after, I can fly from Milan or Rome,

Do you think Venice and Lake Como for the 5 nights and fly from Milan
Or Venice and Rome and fly from Rome

Or other suggestions

Thanks

With just 5 nights and a one year old child, splitting time between Venice and Rome may be less than ideal.

I would suggest all 5 in Rome if you choose to go there, otherwise you option of Venice and Lake Como would work and minimize travel.

Hello,
I flew into Milan -Malpensa airport- its a tiny airport with easy access to a shuttle bus that takes you to Lake Maggiore- I stayed in Stresa but there are other towns you can stay in as well- it is beautiful there with lots to see and do- the shuttle was right outside the airport, inexpensive, and took about a hour- if you do go to Stresa, try to do the Mottorone Cable Car, and visit the 3 Borreomeo Islands as well.

Happy Travels✨💫

I also took the “Fast Train” from Milan to Rome- it is not expensive, especially if you book your tickets ahead of time- its comfortable- and fast- your in Rome in a little less than 3 hours!! I use a site that another forum poster on here suggested- its called Loco2.com- easy to use- and no markup.

Happy Travels💫✨

With the 5 nights, head to Venice on the high speed train and stay three nights. Then back through Milan to Lake Como. varenna is a lovely and convenient town to stay in for two nights. If your flight is
not too early you can go directly from Varenna to Malpemsa and avoid staying another night in Milan. That trip does take a bit over two hours so your flight has to be toward noon or later.

We have been to all three major lakes: Como, Garda, and recently Stresa. We found Lago di Como by far the most lovely.