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Arriving 3 days before VI tour. What would you do?

Posted by (Toronto) on

Hi all. We have just booked the Village Italy tour for May 2018. We intend to arrive 3 days prior to the tour to help get adjusted to the time difference. No flights are booked yet so we could really arrive anywhere....thinking probably either Venice or Milan. We are lucky enough to have been to Italy before and have done Venice, Rome, Florence, & Amalfi. Our tour starts in Padua. And we will probably extend in Milan at the end of the tour. We are currently thinking of visiting Verona and a lake....but not sure which lake or what other options could be available to us? We just need to ensure we are in Padua on May 14.

We are an active couple, mid 50's, no physical restrictions, and are looking for a mix of scenery, history, hikes, food, wine, and local culture. This trip is for our 30th anniversary so I am allowing a reasonable budget if it is worth doing. So..... what would you do with 3 days pre-tour?

Thanks all!
Jerry

Posted by
1133 posts

That looks like a really amazing tour. I would choose either Bellagio for Lake Como or Ortisei and go to the Dolomites. Decisions, decisions...... Enjoy!

Posted by
265 posts

Here are my thoughts.
Lake Como and the town of Varenna are some of Rick's favorites. A regional train ride from Milano Centrale is not too complicated with jet lag. Then you could book one pre-tour night at the first hotel of the tour. Then the early morning of the first day you could take a day train trip to Verona and then get back in time for the "meet the group" gathering. Should be enough time for a highlights of Verona visit. IMO

Posted by
631 posts

Keep it simple. For transatlantic flights stick to Milan Malpensa.

Verona is about 45 minutes from Padova by fast train.

Lake Garda is about 30 minutes by regional train from Verona.

Malpensa is normally 2hours45 to Verona with change of train in Milano Centrale, these call at Desenzano del Garda about 20 minutes before Verona.

The answer would be stay in Verona and have a day trip to the lake, or stay in Desenzano and have a day in Verona.

Desenzano del Garda also has fast trains to Padova in a little over an hour.

info about Desenzano http://www.visitgarda.com/en/Desenzano-del-Garda-vacanze-lago-garda/?s=303

info about lake ships http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/g_illago.html note they are currently showing the peak summer timetables, you can still find spring 2017 at http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/g_download/2017%20BATTELLI%20primavera.pdf

The ship call at Peschiera also has a railway station for local trains to either Verona or Desenzano

Posted by
688 posts

I agree with SteveB. Verona is a gem and you may just want to spend the entire time there. After an all night flight and a train trip of 2.5 hours you will want to relax, spending the following day in Verona as well. On day 3 you could take the train to Lake Garda which is beautiful and much more spectacular then Como IMHO, spend the day then train back to Verona.

Posted by
14966 posts

I would plan to spend an extra night in Padua. I had not keyed in on there being so much I wanted to see in Padua and went there from Venice on the day the tour started. There was an afternoon free but didn't get everything done. I loved the Botanical Gardens which are near the hotel.

I would not spend an extra night in Orta San Giulio. I would plan to spend the AM there after the tour ends, have lunch, then take a taxi in to Milan (tour guide will likely arrange for everyone's transportation out).

Posted by
12078 posts

I like Robert's idea to go to Lake Como/Varenna and then go to Padua in time to 'meet the group'

Posted by
32401 posts

My suggestion would be to spend a few days in Varenna on Lago di Como, as that's a perfect location to get used to being in Italy and to celebrate Luna di Meile (or in this case a 30th anniversary). It's an easy trip from Milan so can easily be done even in a jet lagged state. Varenna is a good "home base" for exploring other locations along the mid-lake area, including the fabled Bellagio.

Another option would be to spend a few days in Stresa on beautiful Lago Maggiore, which has an air of old world elegance. It's also a very easy trip from the airport and not a problem in a jet lagged state. While there you could tour the Borromeo Islands, take a trip to Mt. Mottarone (great views if it's not hazy) or take a day trip to Locarno (CH) on the scenic Cento Valli Railway, returning to Stresa in the early evening by boat.

I didn't enjoy Lago di Garda as much as the other lakes, so don't recommend it with the same fervour as the other lakes.

Posted by
8 posts

Wow! Thanks all for your quick responses. You have given us lots to investigate. I get the feeling whatever decision we make we can't go wrong! Thanks again for all your valued input!!!

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