We will be traveling to Milan towards the end of February and have 12 full days to tour wherever we want, only caveat is we will arrive in Milan and need to return to Milan, part of the Iceland Air stopover program. I love art and architecture, can't do any strenuous hiking but do like the outside and cold weather doesn't bother us. Originally our plan was to visit Milan, Florence and Venice - but the more I read the more confused I get. So many wonderful places!
thanks for your help. Sarah
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11839 posts
Italy is quite nice in late winter. We had a trip to Venezia and Firenze in March one year and enjoyed sunshine and moderate temps. Italy is also very outside-oriented even in cities: people are out-of-doors all the time. We have had many a fine "urban hike" in Venezia, Firenze, and Milano.
Staying north and visiting those 3 cities is a nice plan. You only need a couple of nights in Milano, so assuming you arrive there early enough (by Noon or so), you can take a train directly to Venezia to start your trip with a 4- night stay. It might be fun for you to experience a smaller town like Padova or Vicenza for 2 nights, then perhaps on to Firenze for 4 nights, wrapping up with your final 2 nights in Milano. Each location has great indoor sights (museums, churches) as well as wonderful wanderability.
You do not state where you are from so it is hard to know if you would find the climate cold, but as a northerner myself, I can say that I only found Milano cold in December-January-February when it was raining. Then it is a lot like Seattle, maybe a bit colder.
Posted by
seattle
2147 posts
Torino is a very nice city south if Milan. Also the string of cities- Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and Bologna are very historical with great food. Each of these places is easily reached by train and could make a nice stop on your way to Florence on Venice.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15798 posts
I suggest you split your time between Venice, Florence (day trip to Siena by bus), and Bologna (lots of great day trip choices by train), with your last night in Milan for your flight out. With 12 full days, you could start with 2 nights in Verona on the way to Venice.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
These ideas are great; thank you all.