From Lake Como to Venice itinerary help

Try the Dolomites if you will be there from mid-May on when some of the lifts will be open in the Val Gardena. The road from there to Lake Como can be done over the Stelvio Pass (it opens mid May) or over the Paso Tonale and Paso Aprica. Stelvio is a real nail-biter, the highest road pass in Italy.

I too agree about the Dolomites if you're already in Venice--and have a rental car.
My favorite place in the region is actually Lienz, Austria which is on the southern border. The Alps north of there is the most beautiful place I've ever seen, and the Grossglockner Alpine Highway (opening in May) takes you across the second highest point in Europe ending in Zell-am-Zee.
There are over 200 places for accommodations around Lienz--some of which are large resorts.

I would not take the direct, boring, toll-charging autostrada. You could do that easily by train. I'd use the car to get to places that are not easy by train, like the Dolomites.

Hi Lisa,

I agree with heading to the Dolomites. head to Cortina d'Ampezzo and then west across into the Alta Badia. The Val Gardena is the next valley over, with a drive over the stunning Gardena Pass. Even if most lifts aren't open, the passes in the area are a great way to get up close to the peaks. In the area between Cortina and the Val Gardena (about 1:30 drive time) are the Giau, Falzarego, Pordoi, Campolongo, Sella and Gardena passes.

For instance, this is our own "Best of the Dolomites Drive". It can easily be done in a day and covers drives over 4 Dolomite Passes.

It can be started/ended from any point really, but I'll use Alta Badia:

At Corvara, take the Campolongo Pass (SS244) to Arabba. From Arabba take the Pordoi Pass (SR48) towards Canazei. Before you get to Canazei, take the Sella Pass SS242 (or stop in Canazei and go back a bit to continue). Take the Sella Pass and at the end, get right on the Gardena Pass SS243 (they branch off one another) towards Colfosco/Alta Badia. There's a cafe/restaurant/rest stop at the "top" of the Gardena, Sella and Pordoi Passes. You'll also notice a few small places to park along the passes to get out and walk among the Dolomite peaks.

For some info and photo's of the passes, check out:
www.alpineroads.com/dolomites.php

Some are listed under the German and or Italian name:
Gardena Pass - Grödnerjoch
Sella Pass - Sellajoch
Pordoi Pass - Passo di Pordoi
Campolongo Pass - Passo di Campolongo

Rainy day options could include the old towns of Bozen/Bolzano (and the excellent exhibit on the "Ice Man" at the Museum of Archaeology) or Brixen/Bressanone (and another good museum, the Diocean Museum).

www.bolzano-bozen.it/en/
www.brixen.org

Hope this helps.

FYI: This statement that David posts too often is not true at all: "the Grossglockner Alpine Highway (opening in May) takes you across the second highest point in Europe". The Grossglockner is nowhere near the second highest peak in Europe.

Paul

I would suggest 4 nights in buzzy Bologna, an historic university city, and much warmer than the mountains in May.
Day #1 to Ravenna
Day #2 to Ferrara
Day #3 to Parma and Modena