Itinerary help

1.5 day in Venice and 2.5 days in Rome

MORE time is needed, otherwise wondering why you are even going there.

Joe Stefan’s reported to webmaster.

Hi qura.ain and welcome to the forum!
It's unfortunate that your first post cluttered by a spammer; the webmaster will deal with it as soon as he can get to it.

OK, a couple of comments on the plan? Without focusing specifically on day 4,5 and 6, I have to ask why you are renting a car at all? You won't use it to get around in Milan, and Varenna>Milan and back will be by inexpensive regionale train, and Bellagio via ferry from Varenna and back (we've done it). Someone more familiar with Tirano/ Brescia/Bernina will weigh in that piece but rail may be a more convenient option there too.

Exactly how far out of Milan is your accommodation?

Venice: I'll be honest here that you are spending SO little time there that's it's not worth the effort, IMHO, and you could really use another day in Rome. I'd think about skipping it altogether and save it for another trip when you can plan a longer stay?

1.5 day in Venice and 2.5 days in Rome MORE time is needed, otherwise wondering why you are even going there.

I have to say I really don't understand this type of comment. I personally immensely enjoyed my 2-1/2 days in Rome 2 years ago. And for me, more than a day in Venice would be too much. I understand others disagree entirely, and that's OK.

Bottom line: everyone has his/her own interests and priorities.

Thank you jphbucks. I appreciate your support. A lot of the times people in the forum start criticizing or questioning why someone is renting a car or where they are staying or how long they're spending on an area, instead of really trying to help with the real issues raised.

In my group, different people want to see different things (my mom for instance is really looking forward to Switzerland even if it is just a train ride in and out). I have little kids which would make it harder to see a lot of Roman attractions from the inside, so I am ok with sightseeing from the outside for this trip and for that, the 2 days are fine.

car rental. It's a personal preference.

For those who are from Italy or who have visited the areas milan/Brescia or lake garda or verona/venice, how would you structure the 3 days?
My milan apartment host replied saying we can leave luggage there and pick up later so that works out thankfully.

OK then a last word on the car for at least Milan/Varenna/Bellagio...
Be cautious not to leave anything you can't afford to lose in it if leaving it unattended. Anything you do leave in it should be kept out of sight. It also looks as if you're traveling with at least 5 people + luggage? If so, you might want to include what sort of vehicle you've rented and if car seats are involved. Yes, this is a "meant to be helpful" question. Ignore it if you wish to.

Yes, it's understood that people have different preferences for how they travel. At the same, travelers who've "been there, done that" might recommend different options based on firsthand experiences and/or effort to reduce potential pitfalls, especially for first-timers. We do it because we care. :O)

About the towns you asked about:

Brescia is an interesting Italian town with a long series of interconnected piazzas centered around different buildings and functions. There are great Roman ruins to explore and museum with air upstairs and a lower floor of excavated Roman mosaics and ruins in their original places. There is also a huge castle on top of hill that Brescia surrounds which might be of interest to the kids.

Verona has a very chic, arty, cafe culture and mostly pedestrian old city core on the huge bend in the river based on the old Roman street plan. There is an intact Roman Arena (still used) and Roman Theater to explore which leads into the Archeological museum. The arena is in the center of town and easily explored. The Roman Theater (also still in use) and the museum are interesting but are a continuous series of walking up if anyone has mobility or stair climbing issues.
Note that parking in the old section of Verona is a nightmare - search for the recent thread on Verona parking tips for good information.

Lower Lake Garda is easily reachable by train from Verona and Brescia so it is as touristy as you think it is. The upside of that is there are things like water parks - particularly around Peschiera - which might be of interest to the kids. But if you have a car I would look slightly further up the lake for a town that is not easily reachable by train for some peace. Maybe someplace like Lazise which looks like a mix of both, but I say that never having been there - just a suggestion.

My $.02 is that you are trying to do too many places in the time you have and should spend longer in fewer places and spend less time on transfers and more time exploring. But no one can plan and take your trip except for you and the only way to learn what works for you is to do it and find out. Others offer their personal lessons - usually hard won - in an effort to help you but feel free to take and ignore advice as you see fit.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

No idea where you are getting your driving time estimates but they seem 'optimistic'

If you are using google, you can set the 'depart time' for the time and day of the week you will be traveling to get a bit better accuracy. If you let it use the default it likely is off because of the time zone difference.

Don't forget to add time to find parking and get from there to where ever it is you are going ( and back to the car to move on to the next destination)

Could you return car in Verona rather than Venice and train to Venice? It might be easier logistically and Verona is a very nice place-nicer than Brescia I think.

And presently, you won’t start touring in Venice until after returning car at noon and it sounds like you are leaving in the afternoon after lunch the next day for Rome. So really you have parts of two days not 1.5 days.

In addition to ZTL zones, watch out for the speed limit cameras. You are ticketed for even 1 km over the limit, and it's a separate ticket for each camera that catches you. In many places the cameras are quite close together.
Are you taking car seats or renting them? These laws are very strict in Italy and the daily rental can be quite expensive.
There is an inexpensive bus #5 from the airport to Piazza Roma/ train station area.
I'm confused what area you are calling Venice centre for car rentals?
Have a great family trip.

hey hey qura.ain
so many different answers to who, what, why, when and how. it's your vacation and you do what you like. when you say family, how many adults and kids?
make sure with renting a car you will need an IDP (CAA/IDP international driving permit) go to your local CAA, apply for one for each driver with 2 passport photo size picture (they make take it there), legal drivers license, $30+. will receive same day and good for a year.
read up about the laws, parking areas, documents, stickers/vignettes in switzerland needed, tolls and if cash only or credit cards excepted.
if you are on the bernina, pack a picnic lunch to enjoy the ride. will you be roaming around end of your train ride and return back to milan for this day trip? you may need to add you times of traveling with driving, finding a parking spot (look on local maps for parking garages). curious about the double car rental rate at venice. make sure the train station is venezia santa lucia and not venezia mestre. i'm assuming when you say venice center you mean the piazzale roma near train station. very busy with cars, local & city buses, taxis, tour buses. maybe worth dropping at off at VCE or verona as BethFl or changing rental to another rental that you can return to venice. says and take train to venice and get to your airbnb to relax after a long day. many small restaurants are near venezia santa lucia to have dinner, gondola ride in the side canals without the crowds on the grand canal.
hope all works out for you and your family to enjoy your fast paced trip seeing as much as you can. pack light
aloha

Thank you everyone for your time and input. I am traveling with hubby (who will be the only one driving...he has driven in Pakistan where driving is terrifying so I am confident he can handle italy), 3 kids 2.5, 7 and 9 and my parents. If I hadn't already booked the bernina tickets, honestly I would drop it cuz it's such a detour but I do think kids would really enjoy this.
Car rental return is currently booked for venice marco pole Airport. But I can look for one in verona near the train station.
I have traveled within north America with kids and my parents and we like to be on the go and see as much as we can. However this italy trip planning has been a lot of work as so many different things to look up and be aware of.

Just today I found out my toddlers car seat with chest buckle is considered illegal in italy so now I might rent his from the car rental company. Who knew!

Curious what sort of car you are renting? 4 adults and at least 2 kids in car seats; is the 9 yr old over 5 ft tall to not need a car seat?

I am not aware what sort of car can fit 3 across when at least one position has a car seat. It might be possible, but I suspect at least one person will be extremely uncomfortable.

@ Qura

Not much help on the itinerary. I will try and be a little positive. As Todd has observed, you maybe trying too much. Many could not accomplish what you have in mind. I do not think my family and I could. Perhaps our organisational skill level is lower than yours.

I have spent time north of Brescia around Malonno and on the slopes of Adamello. Working in the Cantinas cleaning and hosing out wine making vats and pumping fermenting grape juice between vats. Also, in the olive groves spreading tarpaulins and such like sheets to catch the olive fruit that fell after my mates, and I viciously attacked the trees with rakes. Transporting to the processing sheds, washing, sorting, and feeding into the mashing wheels and then to the presses. What happens to the pips? Good question. One can find out by working on site. All this has been as volunteer labour for my friends/relatives. And loving it.

Todd has covered Brescia nicely. I like it. From experience can also report that the hospital has modern equipment and is efficient.

I find Verona a tourist trap that one needs to do at least once. Others have found what they are seeking there and return for a fix.

I see the anti-car alliance has given you the once over. I assume that they have all had the bad experiences they describe. I have not, or if I had such bad driving skills, I would not admit it to the world at large. I think their experiences are genuine, or at least a repeat of universal stories that are abundant. Learn from them, do not make the same errors. Many prefer the train network which is top notch. I, and my Italian friends and relatives feel safe knowing such ones are on the train network. And pray they will stay on the rails.

Shame Budget does not have an office at the parking station at Tronchetto. All is not lost. There is an office at Via Venezia 3, Venezia Mestre that may meet your needs. About 10 to 12kms north from Piazzale Roma. Should you return there the staff should be able, with a little advance warning, arrange a black Mercedes van, or like, take your family and luggage close to Piazzale Roma. Seems to me the best option and worth your consideration.

However, the arrival into Venice through Santa Lucia and walking out to see the waters of the Grand Canal in brilliant sunshine the first time is a wonderful moment. The second and third is just as good. Perhaps worth the cost and effort of changing to the train by having the taxi drop you at Mestre Station for the short train ride to Santa Lucia. 14 years since I last did that. A recall still puts a smile onto the face of my wife and myself.

Further on driving. I come from a land down under where women glow and men thunder. A Commonwealth member. A challenge is grasped with both hands. Just driven around a small part of Friuli-Venezia Giulia area in April. Still enjoy it and the Italian style of driving. Maybe oblivious to dangers around me.

Sometimes surprising things pop up during one’s travels. 10 days ago, drove from upper Michigan through Gary to Chicago and onto O’Hare. First time. Was an experience but lived to tell the tale to my mates. A bonus was that American Airlines, Flagship lounge at ORD had Laphroaig whisky (a favourite) on offer. A lot less in the bottle when I boarded my flight to LAX.

Qura, if you think that everything will work out perfectly, you are dreaming. My family and I never accomplish more than 60% of what we planned and have built that into our expectations. Does not leave us disappointed, just hope next time to do better. My wife counts hindsight as my second-best quality.

Best wishes Ron.