Italy...to car or not to car...that is the question.

Zero sense to stay in Venice twice. Fly non-stop on Ryanair to Verona [VRN] from London STN and a car [see Autoeurope]. If skipping Milan, return the car to Piazzale Roma in Venice at the end. If not, return a Hertz car to Lecco [25 minute drive from Varenna] and take the train to Milan. Train time from Milano Centrale to Venezia S Lucia is 2.5 hours. Driving in Milan is not practical because of ZTL zones [camera controlled for residents only; heavy fines for incursions].

So far I have taken 4 solo trips to Europe. I went to Italy, to Rome, Naples and Pompeii, and Florence and Pisa, in 2017. I have not rented a car in Europe. But I am a man solo traveler. What I would do if I had kids is unknowable. I suspect that I would still take public transportation if I had kids with me. I have not traveled to northern Italy yet. Part of having kids is putting up with that their "job" is to resist doing what you want them to to and to resist getting ready to go places. This is not something you should complain to them about. If you can keep track of your kids and walk as slow as they do and walk next to them all the time - it is first your jobs to keep track of them, not first their job to keep up with you - you can take the trains and public transportation. Use public transportation whenever it will do the job good enough. Try to avoid renting a car.

In your situation a car makes sense for at least some of the trip.

I agree that for a family, a rental car makes a lot of sense. The interior of the car will begin to feel like home after a couple of days. As you say, it will give you flexibility to come and go as you please instead of being tied to train and bus schedules. And the cost probably balances out against buying train and bus tickets for all the family members, not to mention keeping track of the kids if you can't all sit together or get swept up in a crowded station.

However, do read up on all the ways that drivers in Italy can end up getting very expensive tickets. There are speed cameras and pedestrian-only zones.

As for your itinerary, I agree with the comment above about not staying in Venice twice. Also, personally I wasn't very taken with Milan -- or Turin either, as far as that goes. I felt they were busy industrial cities with much less charm than most other places in Italy that I've visited (and the latter are a lot!). Having a rental car is a pain in a big city. If you're going to be at Lake Como with your friends, enjoy that. I wouldn't go to Milan just because it's on the way.

What's good about your plan is that you're not trying to cram in too many places. You'll only have, what, 10 days on the ground in Italy. You'll have no trouble finding arts, culture, good food, and unique experiences! Venice is magical, and of course the Bienniale only comes along every two years. Which reminds me, lodging gets very filled up during the Bienniale, so make your reservations if you haven't already!

With the kids a car probably makes sense. We have travelled to Europe with our kids a few times. If you are staying in a major city, or just have 1 or 2 transits between major cities public transit makes sense. You dont want a car in the big cities. But moving around between smaller towns or making multiple stops a car usually becomes less expensive than 4 train tickets multiple times. It adds flexibility, especially since the best train prices will be well in advance. If in your research you decide you want to make a change buying advanced train tickets makes that cost more.

Driving between cities in italy is fine. Just be careful of your speed as there are a lot of speed cameras and in cities be aware of all the zones you arent allowed to drive.

Do you already have your airine tickets? If not, think about flying into Venice but flying out of Milan. It will save you backtracking all the way to Venice. You could arrange to pick up your car in Venice, drive to the Dolomites, Milan (where you won't need the car) and then up to Varenna. After Varenna, drop the car at the Milan airport you'd be flying out off.

The alternative is drop your car in Milan and take the train to Varenna. The easiest way to get around Lake Como is by ferry.

Flying into one city and out of another is called an "open jaw" ticket. You get it, with the best prices, not booking one way tickets but by using the multi city option.

In an earlier thread about Lake Como, it was mentioned that you don't get much in the way of lake views if you drive around the lake; that's one reason it's recommended to use boats to visit the towns on the lake. I think you might be able to reduce the length of your car rental significantly; you shouldn't have to return the car in Venice.

I highly recommend visiting the archeological museum in Bolzano that displays Otzi, the Iceman, while you're in the Dolomites. Do note that Bolzano is down in the valley, not up in the mountains, and it can be unpleasantly hot in the summer. You should definitely stay up in the mountains. If due to some scheduling quirk you end up spending a night down in the valley, be sure you choose an air-conditioned hotel.

Before you decide to rent a car, please download this free driving PDF located at the bottom of the page. Read it several times. Easier if you print it out. It has the most comprehensive explanations on driving in Italy

https://italybeyondtheobvious.com/custom-italy-vacations/itineraries/

I’ve driven in Italy on most of my 15 trips. However in the summer the trains for your locations may provide a better option and will actually save you time.

The roads to the Dolomites will be terribly crowded with traffic sometimes at standstill.
A better option would be train from Venice to Bolzano then a bus to Ortisei. You won’t need a car here as public busses up to the lifts takes care of your needs.

Milan as mentioned is another animal. Lots of ZTLs , traffic congestion and for Americans considerable confusion w/signage.

A possible better location for you and your friends might be Lake Garda. It’s closer to the Dolomites and to Venice for your flight to London.

Look at Desenzano, Peschiera, Malcesine and Riva del Garda.

We are a family of four and we prefer to rent a car in most situations. But maybe not this one. First, your going to need a bigger car than you might think unless you all pack light (carry on only). Second, rental car prices are ridiculous right now. Third, a car doesn’t make sense in Varenna, Venice or Milan. Even in the Dolomites, you would probably not use it much. So your paying ALOT to have a car take you from point to point, then paying to park it at each point. And risking expensive ZTL tickets when only driving from point to point.

I agree with previous suggestions to fly into Venice and out of Milan.

DOLOMITES: Definitely rent a car to visit the Dolomites. Although every corner of Italy can be reached by trains or buses, the Dolomites mountains are more efficiently traveled by car.

After the Dolomites you should go to Lake Como. Driving there via the Stelvio Pass would be an unforgettable experience. The best area to stay on Lake Como is the midlake, which is well served by the ferries. The main midlake towns are Varenna, Menaggio, Bellagio. All just minutes from one another by boat. If you plan to visit Lugano (Switzerland) and ita lake, Menaggio is the better choice (45 min by car) otherwise any of the three towns will do.

If you plan to visit Milan, then the time to go is after the lake. At this point you might even consider returning the car in Milan as soon as you arrive. A car in big city Milan is definitely not needed (actually it is a hassle to have).

Since you have visited Venice already, you should consider flying back to London from one of the Milan area airports (Linate, Malpensa, Bergamo). So, if you don’t have plane arrangements yet, consider an open jaw multi city: LONDON to VENICE going, and MILAN to LONDON coming back.

Flight options:
You can fly from London area to Venice area using multiple airlines options. Venice has two airports: Venezia Tessera Marco Polo (VCE) and Treviso Canova Airport (TSF). The low budget airline RyanAir uses the latter, all others use Tessera.
Milan Airports offer these options:
Malpensa (MXP): this is the largest airport. Lots of options to London, including the low cost EasyJet which uses MXP as a hub.
Linate (LIN): This is the closest to the city center and it is used mostly by business travelers. It’s the Milan equivalent of the Washington National Reagan (DCA). It is used primarily by ITA and British Airways).
Bergamo (BGY): This is used primarily by RyanAir..

In addition to the possible traffic fines and parking fees, remember that the price of gas in Italy is much higher than here, and also that many roads charge tolls. Please reconsider public transportation and , consequently, light packing.

There are many, many horror stories here shared by folks who , a year after they returned to the US, received large traffic fines from various Italian towns, fines which were then turned over to US collection agencies. I just think that driving in a European country, while meeting the needs of two children, and navigating traffic signs in another language is too great a challenge.

Aside from that, have a great trip and make life-long memories !

As always Roberto gave the better advice. Note that you can calculate Tolls and gas costs on viamichelin.com and that only the A-highways are tolled.

There is always a sign warning about ZTLs and Speed Traps, make the all family memorise them before arriving in Italy.

If you are seriously interested in art, Milan's Duomo, the Brera Museum and Michelangelo's Rondanini Pietà are 10 times more important than the Last Supper. The truth is that It's like visiting the grave of somebody who was great: Even if the restorers made a miracle, today we see only a ghost of the fresco painted by Leonardo (who was the worst and laziest contractor ever hired by the Catholic Church). On the other hand, the petrified forest on top of Milan's Duomo is unmatched all over Italy and it's something real. The Poldi Pezzoli Museum is another underrated gem.

I may add that Italians do not live in Venice or in Varenna or in the Dolomites huts, there is no "culture" to b experienced there: It's just a show. Varenna is a Potemkin village. If you want the kids to leave to tourists' path set out by Rick Steves and to see something real, have a dinner in Milan's Navigli district. Or have a lunch in Turin's Porta Palazzo market, the biggest farmer's market in Europe where you'll see only locals, immigrants from Maghreb arguing with Chinese vendors and a few French tourists.

Lake Como is not that close to Turin by car, are you sure your friends are not thinking at the Lago Maggiore?

Before you commit to a plan, get some quotes for a rental car in July. Prices have not returned to pre-pandemic levels and car shortages are producing some eye-watering rental quotes.

Your girls are very lucky to be able to travel with you! I would suggest engaging them in the planning and research, and having them choose some of the “sights”. Yes, you need to hold fast to the “must see” list, but adding in THEIR choices might open up new vistas! For museums, plan to access kids programmes, which make the art and history come alive. If they cannot choose the activity of the day, then let them choose the restaurants. Picnics outdoors make a great alternative, and allow the kids to relax more than a restaurant meal might. Check out the festivals happening in the region, and plan around them. A village is more interesting to kids if there are some fun events to watch, too!

As for the car…YES! But travel light! Carry-on only going over, and one checked bag of souvenirs coming home? Liked the suggestion of having the kids learn the crucial road signs! Make it part of their “job” to watch for them!

BTW..map navigation is a skill even the younger child can learn, and it reinforces math and geography and problem solving learning! (Can you tell I am a teacher?) Another good idea is to learn some basic Italian around the dinner table, before you go! Kids love to “look clever” in a shop or restaurant! Bon voyage!

Yes, to a car rental when departing Venice fir all the positive reasons you stated. We loved Ortisei in the Dolomites and Hotel Grones.
Lake Como is east of Milan so you would go there before Milan.
Drop car in Milan, visit Milan and get tickets we’ll in advance for The Ladt Suppet. Fly to London from either Milan Linate( closer to downtown Milan) or Milan Malpensa(farther outside of city.)
Why would you drive all the way back to Venice to drop off the car?

Wow, thanks everyone for such thoughtful replies. I have a lot to consider, but clearly I came to the right place. Thanks so much. I’ll take all this back to the husband, crunch the numbers and will let you know what we end up doing!

Best,
W. B.

Have you bought your plane tickets from London yet? If not consider flying into Venice and out of Milan or vice versa.
You can take a train from the Venice S. Lucia station to Bolzano (3h) but requires a transfer.
From Bolzano (Bozen) you can take a train to Milan (3h 30m) that also requires a connection.
You take a direct train from Milan’s Central station to Varenna (1h 15m) which is a doable day trip from Milan.