I'm on Rick's Village Italy tour which ends 10/21/2007 in Lake Orta. Reaching Malpensa airport from Lake Orta looks complicated. What's the easiest route? Is anyone else on this tour who is needing a travel partner to Malpensa? Looks like it'll be necessary to add 1 day's travel, since my plane leaves at 6AM!
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
Yikes! I couldn't believe they would end the tour in Lake Orta but I checked and yes, they do. Unless ETBD has any brighter ideas, I think you'll be stuck arranging for a taxi. Train service will run into Milan with a transfer across town to get back to Malpensa.
By car, you follow the signs to the Autostrade and then to Milano. Malpensa is on the way and it's well marked. Rental car returns are in the parking garage in the terminal.
It looks like a great tour but for the life of me I don't understand why they drop you in Lake Orta. Don't get me wrong - Orta's beautiful. You'll love it. Have dinner on the lakefront terrace at the Hotel Leon d'Oro.
But it is hard to get to and from except by car and even that's slow. And the train station is a hike from the town.
With a 6 am departure, I'm afraid you should plan on spending a day in Milan and sleeping near Malpensa. The Hotel Cervo is a good choice.
Posted by
OP
Omaha
3 posts
Thanks, Doug, for your reply, and for your recommendations. After I posted, I was chagrined to find the info in all the materials that the RS company mailed me. It gives info along the same lines you did, and calls it "a bit of a challenge". I guess they look at it as a nice place for the group farewell, but still...
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
Since reading your message and responding I've still been puzzling why ETBD ends a tour there. I'm glad the material they sent you at least acknowledges the "challenge".
More than anything, I'm PO'd that Rick has found Orta. This has been my wife's and my secret "back door" since we found it after fleeing high prices and miserable weather in Switzerland one year. We found the Hotel Santa Caterina and booked two nights. We ended up staying six.
We just stopped in for dinner a month ago while returning through Malpensa (We had a rental car). It's just beautiful. And almost no Americans know about. Thanks a lot, Rick...
Have fun!