Lake Como vs. Venice

I have been to both. You didn't say when you were going but no matter when, I would choose Lake Como or Lake Maggiori (?) hands down over Venice. Having made 10-20 trips to Italy, I avoid Venice, Florence and Naples. Just my taste. Congrats on your 25th. I hope you have a wonderful time, whichever place you choose.
Joe

We will be there in September.

Your first trip - Venice is essential. It's like nowhere else on earth. Its combination of scenery, art and history makes it a destination you have to see once in your lifetime.

By comparison, Como is pretty. But it's a resort area. If how you want to spend your 25th is a pretty place on a lake, save a bunch of money and just go to Tahoe.

So Lake Como is comparible to Lake Tahoe? I do see your point about Venice being unique. One reason I would like to go to Lake Como (besides the beauty) is my father was stationed near there during WWII.

We will have 20 days on the ground in Italy and we have to narrow down the wish list of places to go.

So far we are considering Rome (we fly into Rome), Sorrento, Tuscany (undecided where we will stay), CT, Lake Como, Venice and Verona. We will likely stay at least the last night in Italy in Verona because we will be traveling to the Munich area from there. Unless we can easily travel to Munich from Lake Como, then that could be a consideration too.

So many choices, so little time...

I personally think that Lake Como is more relaxing than Venice. I like both places but I think it depends on the pace you want. I was in Lake Como in September and it was the end of our trip (we flew out of Milan). After going at a pretty fast pace for the entire trip, Lake Como was the relaxing end that we needed. If you decide on Como, consider staying at the Albergo Milano & get a room with a lake view. It was wonderful to wake up in the morning, open our balcony doors & stare out onto the lake. Have a wonderful anniversary trip!!

I agree with Sheron....Albergo Milano is an excellent choice for a hotel. Beautiful view and great location! Personally, I didn't care for Sorrento. We had a great time seeing the Blue Grotto, but other than that it wasn't anything too special.

Andrea,

That's a difficult choice! Both locations are great, but considering the occasion, I would lean somewhat towards Lago di Como (Varenna). From there you could take day trips to Bellagio ("the pearl of the lake"), Mennagio or other spots. If you're lucky, perhaps Clooney will invite you for lunch!

Stresa (Lago Maggiore) is about the same distance from Milan, and is also a nice spot. From there you could take a day trip on the scenic Cento Valli railway to Locarno (CH) and then return by boat. Lugano is another beautiful spot and again an easy trip from Milan.

Verona is a great location for the last night before heading to Munich, as the trains that travel the Kufstein-Brennero route often stop there anyway. Visiting the fictional Romeo & Juliet garden would be perfect for a 25th!

One other thing to consider in your decision - as Rick frequently says "assume you will return", so whichever location you don't see this time will be waiting for your next trip.

Happy travels and congratulations!

Steve in LA - LOL about the Venetian!!! No, I would not consider that to be a substitute for the real thing, any more than I would skip Paris because they have an Eiffel Tower. I have to confess, I have been to 12 countries and over 35 states but I have never been to Vegas!

As to my Lake Como vs. Venice dilema...I am thinking about skipping Sorrento (not really enroute to the other places we want to go anyway) and that way we should be able to fit both places in.

When I have fine tuned the itinerary I will be posting for imput. Thanks for all your replies.

I was going to suggest what you just stated.Skip south of Rome and go to Venice and Como.Much easier travel wise.It really doesnt matter where you celebrate your 25th as long as the two of you are there.

Glad that you'll visit both Venice & Lake Como. They're both great. Have a wonderful trip.

Thanks to all for your wonderful advice.

September will be a wonderful time of year. We have to go in June or July and southern Italy is hot, but worth it! I'd just choose spring or fall if I could. Como was fun, relaxing, just remember that (hope I have this right) grocery stores are closed on Monday mornings and open afternoons. And banks (and other shops) are closed on Mondays or just afternoons or something. Just ask people. Mondays are different, I know that much, in Como.

And remember siesta, in the summer especially. I marched into a shop during the noonish time and felt like the ugly American. They were chatting and sweeping and I was hungry. Not a good combination. I felt the eyes rolling whether they were in fact or not.

Glad you can see both! I'll also highly recommend Albergo Milano. And, the thought of comparing Venice to raunchy Las Vegas is upsetting my equilibrium (nasty)! Have a great trip!

Steve - I never even considered that anything I might see in Las Vegas, if I ever do go there, would be a substitute for the real thing. I have done a lot of traveling and have avoided Vegas so far!

I was torn between Lake Como and Venice because I really wanted to see both. After some soul searching I decided that Sorrento could be saved for another trip. My husband doesn't care where we go, as long as he gets to go to Oktoberfest!!!

We go to Lake Como area every summer and we just love it. We just celebrated our 23rd year anniversary this past summer. It is so romantic and breathtaking with all of its lovely little hillside towns. We also have family in Baveria down by the "castle" and in Munich. We drove from Lake Como to Munich by car and it took about 5 hours and by train it was 7 hours from Milan. If you want to stay in the Lake Como area you can check out this website
www.lakecomohomes.com and search for Casa Perricone.

Thank you for your input Linda. The place you recommended looks really nice. I don't think it will work for us because I don't plan on having a car in that area. That drive to Germany would be great if it wasn't for the extra charges to rent in one country and return in another. At this point I don't think we will have a car in Italy except for in Tuscany. We probably will have a car in Germany, but will rent after we get there.

You cannot go wrong with Lake Como area (I prefer Varenna) or Venice, for romantic spots. But cost may be a factor, you will spend alot more in Venice for lodging and eating, if you do not need air cond. your chance of finding a place for under $200USD per night is more doable.

Some may disagree sharply, but I'd treat Venice almost like a check-box... spend part of 1 day there, no nights, and move on. It is very unique, so almost a must-see on a first trip -- but as others have said, it is on the more expensive end, and it is a city.

For my time, when I've seen Venice in the past I've taken a morning hours train into Venice, had lunch and the afternoon in Venice, then an overnight train out to soemewhere else.

Something like that may work for you, too.

You cannot see Venice in a day. If you are planning on only spending a day or two in Venice then you would be better off going to Las Vegas. Most tourists only see the main attractions in Venice - the Rialto bridge and the Piazza San Marco areas. See them but not between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM when the day trippers are crowding these areas. Spend those hours exploring the other 95% of the city which is mostly devoid of tourists. I have been to Venice many times for a week or two at a time. We always rent an apartment so we have some room and the ability to cook if we want. You can easily find one for 600 Euros or less per week. I like to stay in the area across the canal near San Salute. And there is plenty to do at night contrary to many peoples opinions. Campo San Barnaba and Campo Santa Margherita are loaded with restaurants and bars, jazz clubs and a younger crowd (though I am now in my 60's so most everyone is younger).

Andrea - I am not sure if you have finished with finalizing your itinerary but thought I'd give my 2 cents FWIW.

Last Spring was our first trip to Italy but we didn't want to spend more than 6 nights there and wanted a "a taste". We were also bringing along my boyfriend's parents (late 50's/early 60's). We decided to begin our trip with 3 nights in Varenna on Lake Como, then took the train (about 4hrs with change in Milan but a nice ride) to Venice and stayed 2 nights but 3 days (the 3rd night was a night train to Budapest). It was the perfect amount of time for us.

Starting our trip with jet lag in Varenna couldn't have been more perfect. (We also flew into Zurich, took the Golden Pass across Switzerland, jumped off the train in Como and grabbed a boat for Varenna so we arrived via boat!). That place forces you to relax and it was wonderful.

We stayed at the Casa Rosa villa part of Albergo Milano (top floor, very very romantic and private). In Venice we stayed at Pensione Guerrato, another RS recommendation. We did see a lot of sights in Venice but tried to explore off the beaten path away from the crowds which helped us enjoy it for what it is.

His parents STILL talk about Varenna when we see them and this was last Spring. We think for their 40th anniversary we may send them back! All they talk about it wanting to explore all the little towns on the lake.

Congrats on your 25th. We will be celebrating our 30th with a trip in June. Have you considered visiting Lake Maggiore and Lake Como, and have you thought of a travel route? I would be interested to know the best way to get to both sites. Thanks.

Dennis - Congrats on your 30th! We will be going from Cinque Terre (Vernazza) to Lake Como (Varenna), presumably by train. From there we will go to Venice. It is too far away to really worry too much about the trains. I'm sure we will do point to point tickets except the train from Verona to Munich. We can buy that ahead of time.