Hello!
We'll be arriving at Milan mid-April. We have 6 nights to explore the area around Milan and we can rent a car if required.
We love the charm of small towns & villages and also like being in nature.
From what I can tell, the Dolomites are not very accessible in April (let me know if I'm wrong).
Do you have any suggestions on towns we could visit nearby? We've already been to the Tuscan region, Cinque Terre, Florence, Venice. We'd like to focus on some other places in North Italy this time.
Posted by
San Diego, California
4898 posts
How about Lake Como, which is about an hour away by train ( Varrena). However, I do prefer spending the night there to experience the evenings and morning.
Safe travels !
Posted by
585 posts
Just been watching the tV show Jamie’s cooks Italy and he did a couple of episodes from the Piedmont region north of Milan and Turin. Stunning mountain scenery, attractive small villages abd towns. etc and probably a bit less overrun with tourists. Turin looks like an interesting city as well.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16422 posts
I will assume you are thinking of overnight stops, not daytrips from Milan.
I will suggest Desenzano or Sirmione on Lago di Garda. Desenzano is less than an hour by train from Milan Centrale; for Sirmione you get off at Desenzano and take a taxi or ferry to nearby Sirmione.
Here is a website with more information on Sirmione:
https://saltandwind.com/what-to-do-sirmione-italy/
Two nights would be good.
From Desenzano it is a short train ride to Verona.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15282 posts
Just a few ideas (not in any order) within about one hour from Milan (using public transport)
Stresa (along the Milano-Domodossola railway on Lake Maggiore)
Bellano and Varenna (next to each other on the same railway Milan-Tirano on lake Como), also Bellagio across the lake from Varenna (5 min ferry)
Morimondo Abbey (a suburb near Milan near Abbiategrasso)
Crema (filming location of 2017 movie "Call Me By Your Name") via bus or train
Cremona (via train)
Bergamo (via train or bus)
Vho (via train)
Posted by
428 posts
I'll add Pavia ±30min South of Milan by train. Nice small town with medieval center, churches, castle, university, good pedestrian only zone, off the main tourist radar. Certosa di Pavia is very close.
Posted by
1 posts
Great suggestions all around. I work in the area and can tell you the most popular spots are Sirmione, Bellagio, Bergamo Alta, Riva del Garda, the Franciacorta wine region, and the small towns of Piedmont like Nizza Monferrrato.