My husband and I will be on RS' Village Italy Tour 9/22-10/5. We have already been to many of the major sites in Italy but we have not been to the Dolomites, where we would be using public transportation.
We have not purchased our airline tickets yet so have flexibility regarding where we fly to/out of and the length/dates of our pre or post tour extension. We'd enjoy sightseeing and light hiking. We'd really appreciate words of advice from travelers experienced with this area.
1) Milan or Venice as airport of choice?
2) September or October?
3) Number of days to allow?
Thanks much. :)
Posted by
Bainbridge Island
3301 posts
September. Many places close in October for a rest. 3/4 days. Milan is 3.5 hours from Bolzano, Venice is 3, either way you change trains in Verona. I would choose based on price and timing of the flight.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Train travel time between Bolzano and Milan or Venice is similar: 3 - 3.5 hours with 1 connection. Of course, the farther east you travel through the mountains, e.g., by bus, the closer you get to Venice. Direct buses run from Cortina or Calalzo to Venice; see ATVO schedule through September and http://www.serviziampezzo.it/en/travel_cortina/bus_timetables.htm. Trains on this route currently require two connections.
See also destination discussion on this recent forum thread.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16240 posts
Actually Verona (VRN) airport is closer than both MXP/LIN or VCE. Cities served by VRN are below. There are no direct flights to the US, but if you fly Lufthansa or AirFrance, both airlines (or their subsidiaries: AirDolomiti and Hop! respectively) have flights connecting their hubs to VRN.
http://www.aeroportoverona.it/en/orario-dei-voli_t4
Of course price and convenience of flights are to be considered. Milan MXP generally has the lowest flights from the US, however consider the additional time and money to reach Verona (through which you must pass).September is less likely to be rainy.
Without a car, I recommend at least 3 nights (preferably in Ortisei, in the gorgeous Val Gardena, as it is a bigger town well served by public buses from Bolzano or Ponte Gardena, both on the rail line Verona-Brenner Pass)
Posted by
Green Bay
21385 posts
The lifts will gradually be shutting down in September, so earlier is better. There will still be lots running mid September. See the schedule for Val Gardena at: http://www.valgardena.it/dl/stchristina/Lifts_Summer2014.pdf
Other valleys have similar schedules.
I'd look at flying into Venice and out of Milan. Venice to Val Gardena is fairly straight forward on the train to Bolzano or Klausen, then bus onward.
It is easy to get to Padua from Val Gardena using the 350 bus to Klausen or Waidbruck, then train to Verona and Padua.