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Italy itinerary in November - adding 2 more days

Posted by on

Hi guys, I am planning a trip to Italy in later half of November and have decided on the below:

  1. 2 nights in Milan with 1 day trip to Lake Como region (if good weather) OR Verona (if bad weather)
  2. 3 nights in Venice (1 day trip to Burano / Murano)
  3. 1 night in Bologna
  4. 4 nights in Florence with 1 day trip to Siena in one day, another day trip to Lucca/Pisa (on the same day)
  5. 5 nights in Rome with maybe 1 day trip to Pompeii/Naples

It's my third time in Italy and I have previously spent a week each in Florence and Rome. I will be flying into MXP (land at 6am so a full day) and out from FCO. I am hoping to rest well during the flight and not have any jetlag.

I am able to add 2 more nights to the itinerary and am looking for suggestions as to where to add these extra nights! I am considering the below options:

Option 1: Add 1 night to Bologna and 1 night to Varenna. Do a day trip to Verona from Milan instead.

Option 2: Add 1 night to Bologna and 1 night to Venice. Do a day trip to Verona from Venice instead.

Option 3: Add 1 night to Bologna and 1 night to Venice. Do a day trip to Verona or Padova using the extra night from Venice.

Option 4: Add 2 nights to Bologna and do a day trip from Bologna (Ravenna?)

Option 5: Add 2 nights to Varenna and spend 2 nights in Lake Como. Do a day trip to Verona from Milan instead

On the Naples / Pompeii day trip, I heard Naples is unsafe and I have already been to Ostia Antica - is it a good idea to go?

Posted by
7322 posts

Have you been to Venice before? If not, I would definitely add a night there.
Otherwise, I would spend 2 nights in Naples to visit Pompeii more comfortably and see a bit of Naples. Parts of Naples are unsafe (but not where the tourists go) and the city is quite scruffy, but it is otherwise definitely safe to visit, and quite fascinating!
A day trip to Pompeii from Rome is quite tiresome, and leaves zero time to see Naples (the station in Naples is not close to the main sights).

Also, you are planning 2 nights in Milan but seem to have little interest in visiting Milan: why not head straight to Verona? Lake Como is unlikely to be pleasant at that time of the year.

Posted by
9 posts

I have not been to Venice before.

On Lake Como: I really want to see some nature / scenery on this trip as I come from a tropical sunny city with little or no nature. So I thought of visiting Lake Como on a day trip if the weather permits.

My friend visited Naples a few years ago with 4 other guys and she found Naples extremely unsafe. I am travelling with one other friend, both girls so not sure if going to / staying in Naples is a good idea.

I intend to see the main sights in Milan on my first day - Duomo, Galleria Vittoria Emmanuel, Sforza Castle.

Posted by
12010 posts

Pompeii day trip, ................. - is it a good idea to go?

In late Nov. the daylight hours will be much shorter than during summer. A day trip likely has you traveling a lot in the dark

If you have 2 additional nights, go to Sorrento from Florence and use the 2 nights there and see Pompeii from there and then finish in Rome

Posted by
605 posts

In my opinion adding time to Venice is a good idea. Also, you could add time to Bologna and easily do a daytrip to Ravenna. I would not do a daytrip to Pompeii or Naples from Rome: both require the better part of a day to really appreciate them. A nice daytrip from Rome is Tivoli to see Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa.

About Naples; We, two women, did not find it unsafe at all, let alone extremely so. It is a big, hectic city, but safer than many major cities in the US. I don't know what your friend experienced, of course. But, if you are worried about being there, then it might be difficult to enjoy all it has to offer, so skip it. You want to enjoy your trip, not add more stress. Have fun planning and buon viaggio!

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