Hello everyone!! I'm excited for my 70th birthday trip!! I'm embarking and disembarking a cruise in Genoa and am flying home 5 days later from Milan. I want to see Genoa, Milan and Bologna but don't know where to spend the most time. I have one day in Genoa on arrival (to ensure I make the cruise departure!!) and then have 5 days in the area before flying home from Milan. Where would you suggest I spend most of my tourist time (solo)? I don't know anything about Bologna, and it doesn't seem to get much press. I don't yet have hotel reservations but time is short with a March 9th arrival back to Genoa port. Looking for suggestions. Thank you all, and God bless!!
Posted by
5109 posts
You'll need at least one night in Milan to be ready for flight out, so work backwards: Determine what you want to see in Milan and if an afternoon/evening would suffice. You could definitely spend all of the available time in Bologna because there are many day trips you can do from there. So then the last thing would be to determine if you want additional days in Genoa.
Grab a good Emilia Romagna book or go to a website to read up on options--Modena, Ferrara, Parma, Ravenna are all popular in addition to Bologna itself.
https://www.bolognawelcome.com/en
https://emiliaromagnaturismo.it/en
https://www.italia.it/en/emilia-romagna
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
552 posts
Sandra, I think Bologna is a bit of a distance to travel and will use up too much of your 5 days. Milan and Bologna are close together and the trip between them will take only about 1-1/2 hours by train. Both cities have interesting things to see, but, in general, Milan will look much like many modern cities in the Western world. Genoa retains a more unique feel. The harbor is huge and the city grew up on the steep hills surrounding it. It's a bit "gritty" in the way Naples is "gritty" or a bit worn and unpolished.
My suggestion is that you spend 3 days in Genoa and the remaining time in Milan. In Milan you might want to schedule a tour of the cathedral, walk through the nearby Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and visit the Sforza Castle. Genoa has many old palaces, markets, and churches to visit but it's also an interesting city in which to wander. Try out the huge elevators and funiculars that locals use to travel from one area of the city to another. Safe and happy travels.
Posted by
8341 posts
We did Bologna and it was good, but frankly I was now wowed by it.
Posted by
OP
9 posts
Thanks. Is there not great old culture to explore and enjoy there?? I know Milan is a big city, and many find it not that interesting. Where would you spend your time in that general area??
Thanks!!
Posted by
St Louis, MO
33 posts
That sounds so exciting!
One thing I've learned while browsing on here is that everyone has such different tastes in what's fun for them. Some people plan itineraries that would make me miserable, but are great for them.
So, what do you enjoy? Museums? Churches? Gardens? Bird watching? Roman ruins? Etruscan ruins? Mosaics? Hiking? Eating? Drinking? Basking in the sun next to a pool? Biking? Shopping? Opera? Classical music? Race cars? Watching cheese be made & meeting the cows?
What sounds fun? Think about what sounds like it would spark joy.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10682 posts
Bologna has some interesting sites but it is also a hub for catching the train for day trips to Ravenna, Modena, Padua, and even Florence is only 30 minutes away by high-speed train. With that in mind, Bologna would be a good hub. But you would need to stay in Milan the night before your flight.