We have only two days and wish to purchse day trips from Milan. Can any one advise me please which two Lakes out of Como, Garda and Maggiore we should choose. All opinions would be welcome. Thank you.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32402 posts
Ann, My suggestion would be to focus on Lago di Como (Varenna) and Lago Maggiore (Stresa), as they're both an easy day trip from Milan (about an hour each way by train). Some of the activities you could consider while in Varenna would be a short trip to the posh resort of Bellagio (20 minutes by Ferry), exploring the elegant gardens at Villa Cipressi and Villa Monastero and just enjoying the relaxing ambience of Varenna (and a walk along the lakeside promenade, watching the boats travel back and forth). While in Stresa, you could tour at least a few of the Borromeo Islands, especially Isola Bella (elegant mansion and gardens, complete with Peacocks), take the Cable Car to Mt. Mottarone (alpine gardens near the top) or take the chair lift right to the top for magnificent views (provided it's not hazy). One other option you might consider would be to take the train from Milan to Domodossola and then the scenic Cento Valli Railway to Locarno (CH). Return to Stresa by boat in the late afternoon and then take the train back to Milan. While in Locarno, you could window shop in the posh Bucherer jewelry store (or perhaps buy a CHF$10K Rolex), visit the beautiful Madonna del Sasso Franciscan Monastery, visit the Casino, explore the town or take the Cable Car to Cardada for incredible views of the city and lake. There will be NO shortage of things to do in that area! Happy travels!
Posted by
OP
Christchurch, New Zealand
2 posts
Sounds great - thank you I am excited.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32402 posts
Ann, One more point to mention...... The trains you'll likely be using from Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino and Milano Centrale to Stresa will likely be Regionales (especially on the Varenna route). Note that you MUST validate your tickets prior to boarding the train on the day of travel, or you'll face hefty fines which will be collected on the spot! If the trains are EuroCity (which is sometimes the case on the Stresa route), these require compulsory reservations, which are specific to a particular train and departure time. BE SURE you have reservations, or again hefty fines. If you're buying P-P tickets, the reservations will be included. You can check the specifics of the trains you want to use by referring to the Trenitalia or bahn.de websites. Cheers!