We'll be in Italy at the end of October. Beginning in Venice then train to Chiusi. Our base in Tuscany (for a week) will be just outside of Radicofani.
We're having trouble planning our last two nights before a mid morning flight from Malensa. We have considered either Cinque Terra or the lakes region. Not sure how long the drive will be or if two nights is enough. We are also open to other suggestions. Your help will be appreciated. Thank you.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15275 posts
If you have a car drive from Radicofani to Lake Maggiore and spend your last two nights there (Stresa or Arona). The morning of the flight you need to be at the airport at least 2 hr prior to departure. The drive from Stresa to the airport is 40-45 min. From Arona it's a 35 min drive. Allow extra time for the car rental return at the airport.
Radicofani to Stresa on the lake is a 5 and 1/2 hour drive (from Radicofani to the Malpensa airport is at least 5 hours).
The trip is nearly all freeway driving except for the first leg from Radicofani to the freeway entrance near Chiusi. Allow extra time for pit stops.
Posted by
Brewster, MA
93 posts
Fljohnson.
Where in Vince are you staying? We are going on Italy Village tour and plan to arrive couple days early and staying in Venice. I keep reading up on hotels and now confused. Worried about making wrong choice. Many look great. Some require three night stays. I have emailed 2 but haven't heard back.
Enjoy our trip.
Posted by
Tucson
4162 posts
Do you mean the airport at Milan, Malpensa?
If your flight is mid-morning, you will need to be there early, so staying at or near the airport for your last night would probably be the best option. I would not try to drive from the Cinque Terre that morning. However, Lake Maggiore might work.
Use Rome2rio -- http://www.rome2rio.com/ -- to plot out your options. BTW, it's about a 5 1//2 hour drive from Radicofani to MXP, a little over 3 hours from the Cinque Terre and about an hour or less from many towns on Lake Maggiore.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thanks very much for your help. Does anyone have recommendations for hotels in Stresa or Arona?
BTW, we're not staying in a hotel in Venice. Rented a flat.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15275 posts
http://www.milansperanza.it/en
Stayed at this hotel in Stresa last year. I have been at others years ago but don't remember the names.
I liked the hotel and the location (right in front of the ferry docks to the islands). Their guests have parking privileges at the nearby Regina Palace hotel parking structure (a more posh luxury hotel about 100 yards away which was above my budget).
But there are lots of hotels in Stresa for all budgets, from the very cheap to the grandiose, so all you have to do is search on booking.com. Since you have a car inquire about their parking arrangements (if the website does not give that info), as the small historical center of Stresa is a ZTL (limited traffic zone). In any case the hotel above does have a place for your parking.
Never stayed in Arona. It's only 10 min closer to the airport however, so not that much of a time saving.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thanks very much, Roberto. We'll check it out.