We are going on a trip to northern Italy from 9/29 to 10/16. We are planning to start in Trieste and then either going to one of the islands and then to the Emilia-Romagna region or going to Emilia-Romagna and then to one of the islands. We are flying home from Milan. Would it be better to go earlier in the trip to the islands or wait till the end of the trip? We will be flying home from Milan. Which island is the most interesting to visit? Any recommendations for things to see and do in the Fall?
Posted by
Irving
3576 posts
Italy does have three islands, but none are near the landlock Lake District. Are you asking what lake you should visit in the Lake District? The lakes I’m referring to are Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and Lake Garda with the latter being the largest.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17857 posts
Which islands are you referring to? There are many around the Italian peninsula (not just 3 but almost 800, 80 of which inhabited) but from Veneto or Emilia Romagna that requires a flight or a very long ground trip and a ferry, unless you are talking about islands in the Venetian lagoon.
What you call the Lake District is land locked. There are however some small islands in some of those lakes, most famously Lake Maggiore and nearby Lake Orta. No significant islands are on the other lakes.
Posted by
OP
19 posts
Sorry, I did mean which lake to go to.
Posted by
OP
19 posts
Sorry, I did mean which lake.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17857 posts
If you fly out of Milan Malpensa (MXP), Milan’s largest intercontinental airport, then lake Maggiore would be very close to the airport and convenient. Of all the places I’ve been on lake Maggiore/Lake Orta over the last 40+ years, I think Stresa was the most convenient town on that lake.
I like also Cannobio, which I think is the quaintest village on the lake, but it is not a convenient base to go everywhere else, so I prefer to visit it on a day trip.
Milan has 3 international airports, If you fly out of Milan Linate (LIN), since many flights going to other European hubs fly out of LIN, then lake Como is closer. Varenna, Bellagio, and Menaggio are 3 popular destinations in the mid lake Como. The train goes to Varenna, then the other two are a short ferry ride across. Just be aware that Varenna, in part because of the train station, is very popular with visitors, and since it’s small, it is more crowded and hotels are more difficult and expensive to find. So if you plan on staying in Varenna, book early.