I am planning my first trip to Italy and was wondering if using Verona as a base for daytrips to Venice, Lake Garda, etc. would be feasible, as opposed to moving more often and actually staying in Venice.
What about staying in Lucca and daytripping to CT?
All thoughts and opinions are appreciated! Thanks!!!
Have visited both Venice (by train) and Sirminione on Lake Garda (by bus) from Verona for daytrips, very straightfoward.
However beware, we liked Venice so much that we were compelled to make the first of several longer visits six months later!
Last time we were in Verona we visited the lovely town of Mantova, again by train and very easy.
Linda, are you saying that I may regret not devoting more time to Venice? I am trying to fit my original 4 week plan into a 3 week period. The 4th week of our trip will now be spent in Bavaria. My husband wants to go to Octoberfest. It's on his bucket list!!!
It's possible to daytrip to the CT from Lucca. Choose your train connections carefully to avoid long layovers in Viarregio or La Spezia. You won't have much time to do hiking but you can easily see a couple of the towns. And Lucca is a great place to spend the evening. You can also daytrip to Pisa and Florence from there.
I think you will want to base in Venice and take excursions from there, as there is so much more to see and do in Venice as opposed to Verona. If you get tired of taking day trips, then you will always have something to fall back on.
We will most likely head to Munich from Verona. That's why I was wondering about just using that as our base.
I expect we will have a car in Tuscany, so we can drive to La Spezia and train to CT if we decide not to stay in CT.
Andrea - we really like Verona, an interesting and pleasant city with some beautiful buidings. It was the first place we saw people riding bicyles rather than those d****d motor scooters.
We are lucky in that we can pop over to Italy easily so are not forced into either/or decisions. If that were not the case and I had to choose it would be to spend more time in Venice because it is unique and a daytrip would not even really scratch the surface of what makes the city so special. It is not only seeing "the sights" but also wandering around the streets and different neighborhoods or sitting in a campo or by the water eating an icecream and feeling the history of the place. However, if you or time constraints decide that a day is all you have, then go for it. Do as we did and put down markers for a future longer visit
Only you know what interests you and your husband, not everyone falls in love with Venice and often a short visit is enough for them.
Stay in Venice you will not regret it or the cost!
I would rather stay in CT than Lucca. Lucca is worth less than a day in my opinion.CT worth 2-3 Days and incl a ferry trip to Sta margarita lIgure
I think that if I wanted to day trip i would take a tour.That is what they do.Go into a town at 10 and leave at 5.After they all leave most towns are delightful.
