Dolomites and . . . ?

A great day trip would be to take the Grossglockner Alpine Highway which starts just north of Lienz, Austria. That's almost on the Italian border. The Grossglockner takes you over the second highest point in Europe, and it is absolutely incredible scenery. It ends just south of Zell-am-See, Austria, which is east of Innsbruck. You can go west to Innsbruck and south thru the Brenner Pass to get back where you're staying. You can also get to Venice easy if you're not planning on going there. I never get tired of this incredible city.

There are so many options it really depends on your priorities and interests. Have you been to Italy before? For me personally, I couldn't imagine going to Italy for the first time and not seeing the highlights of Rome. That is one option. You could stay your 6 extra nights in Rome and see the museums and ancient sites with perhaps a half day in Ostia Antica. Alternatively you could base yourself in Tuscany and day trip to various towns in the region. One last option I'll propose is to stay in Venice which would cut down on travel time from the Dolomites. My preference would be for the Tuscan option. There is so much to do in Tuscany and so many places to see I could stay there forever!!

Dina, The plethora of options is exactly the problem. I can't decide! I have done the typical Rome, Florence, and Venice tourist route in 7 days. It was a wonderful introduction, but I don't think that's what we want to do for this trip. That said, my hubby has never been to Italy, so I'm wondering if we should make Rome our first stop for at least 3 or 4 days. Personally, I liked Venice better than Rome, but I think the historical sites in Rome would appeal to him. (I think this is what we call a "first world problem," eh?)
Thanks for the input. Other suggestions are welcome!

"Food and wine are important (cooking school?), along with historical sites. We like outdoor activity (hiking, cycling, beach). Art, opera, symphony is a lower priority except for the most famous or high quality." How about combining a great place for food in wine with world-famous opera in an historical setting? You can see Aida performed in a Roman arena (yes, the real thing, not a reproduction) in Verona on June 14. It is opening night of their 2013 season, which is a centennial celebration. We went a couple of years ago and the experience was amazing, even tho we didn't make it all the way through to the last act. (It was our first night in Europe after traveling form the West coast). If you are interested I can tell you more abuot types of tickets and suggest where to stay. Verona is a lovely city with historical sites (there is a Roman theater as well, and other archeological sites), and is situated in a region known for good food and great wine. We did not look into cooking classses there but I'll bet there is a good one. Verona is right on your way to most of the rest of Italy, coming from the Dolomites. One place you could go from there if you want beaches and outdoor activity is Lago di Garda, which is very close to Verona (15 min. by train). The lake is flanked by mountains (we hiked on Monte Baldo), has beaches, and is a popular spot for windsurfing at mid-lake. But it would also be easy to get to Rome from there, by train, via Bologna and Florence. Or head to Milan and Lago di Como.

You're not far from Lake Garda, there are beautiful towns, Riva del Garda, Limone sul Garda, Sirmione, there you can do outdoor activities and you can eat and drink very well, there are excellent wines and excellent cuisine based on fresh water fish and meat.

In addition to the performance of Aida on June 14, there is another on June 23, in case that suits your timeframe better. And in addition to the Lake Garda towns mentioned by Claudio, consider Malcescine. Just google th eword "malcescine" for images and you will see why I recommend it.

Thanks, Lola! I found the Verona opera festival online. That sounds like a great possibility. I'll also check out the towns you and Claudio mentioned.

Just be aware that many Verona hotels raise their prices on opera nights, some night by night, and some for the whole season. We found a very nice place that did not raise prices, listed as a B&B but actually an apartment, just steps from Piazza Bra and the arena: La Finestra sull'Arena. Check the reviews on Tripadvisor and send Mossimo a message to see if it is available. As for Garda, you will want a car to get there and back. Lots of people praise the historic town of Sirmione at the south end, but it is crowded. We preferred the views and ambiance of the mid-lake area (Malcescine). Limone sul Garda, directly across, might be similar, and Riva, at the north end, looked nice when we drove through. Lake ferries connect all of these for leisurely visiting. Malcescine had some nice-looking beaches, although we were there early season (april) and it wasn't really beach weather.

I can second Lola's suggestion because I've done the exact same thing - attended Aïda at the Verona arena and stayed at La Finestra sull'Arena. Fabulous B&B literally steps from the arena. We loved Verona and wished we had spent more than one night there. The opera was fantastic. We struggled with Venice due to our Canadian intolerance for heat; after my husband nearly passed out from heat exhaustion and both my teenagers vomited in very public venues, we abandoned our prepaid, unused museum passes and beat a very hasty retreat to the countryside. So as a radical alternative, may I suggest some lovely smaller towns in the Veneto (Portogruaro, Treviso) or possibly Piedmont (Acqui Terme, Alba, & not-small Turin)? Great food, wine, cycling, perhaps a more immersive Italian experience. I don't know if your husband would feel he was missing out on the big sights, but we enjoy slower travel so I thought I'd throw the idea into the mix. Our first trip to Italy was ten days in the Veneto. This summer, the Italian portion of our trip will be two weeks in Piedmont in one villa. If this idea appeals to you, I can share more specifics of smaller places. We'll get to Rome-Florence-Venice someday - NOT in the summer!

Oh, Lola - Malcesine! Oh.My.Gosh. I always thought I'd paraglide over the Alps...but now I'm thinking maybe Malcesine! Sorry to hijack, Heather...;-)