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Ligurian Coast/Piedmont/Aosta Valley Itinerary Help

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Hi there!

Below is an initial itinerary I have drafted for 2 week honeymoon in May 2019. I am thinking of trying to arrive in mid-May. The main goals are to explore the Ligurian Coast (I have been to the Cinque Terre already and love it, and would like to explore some of the other towns), explore the Langhe region and then the Aosta Valley. Would appreciate any tips and opinions!! I know this is lengthy (sorry!!) I tried to put everything into one post.

Based on my Itinerary below, I had some questions:
1) Any ideas of a great place to base that is midway between Milan and Vernazza? I had pinpointed Parma on a map, but will there be enough to do there? If we are eager to get to Vernazza sooner would you suggest staying a jet lagged night in Milan, and then heading out to Vernazza the next morning instead? I would be happy to gain an extra day on the coast.

2)This itinerary has me in the Cinque Terre on a weekend, not ideal. When I was there last it was in September mid-week and still pretty crowded. Will a May weekend be crazed with tourists or is it still early enough in the season?

3) Will the water be warm enough to swim in on the coast this time of year?

4) Where would you suggest basing further up the coast? Rapallo, SML, Camogli or Genoa and day-tripping from Genoa? Ive heard great things about Genoa and wonder if we will wish we gave it more time.

5) Is Turin worth basing in for a night or 2, and then basing for the other 2 nights in the Langhe (Neive)?

6) Will it be to cold with too much shut down in the Aosta Valley in May? (I know tourism does not really start there until June). If so, would you have another recommendation for outdoors/hiking near Piedmont?

7) If anyone has been up to the Aosta Valley and specifically based in Cogne with day hiking trips in Gran Paradiso I would truly love to hear any suggestions you may have about them and the area itself!! There is not that much info online.

Approx 2 Week Itinerary (May 16 - June 1):
Day 1: Arrive to Milan Malpensa Airport, transfer to Parma ( or another city that's good midway point to Cinque Terre). Sleep in Parma/another city or town.
Day 2: Day in Parma (or another city/town that's a good midway point to Cinque Terre). Sleep in Parma/another city or town.
Day 3: Train to Vernazza in early morning, relaxing day in Monterosso on beach, weather permitting. Sleep in Vernazza.
Day 4: Hike Cinque Terre/visit towns. Sleep in Vernazza.
Day 5: Travel up coast (base in Rapallo, SML, Camogli or Genoa) in morning, explore Rapallo/SML. Sleep in Rapallo/SML/Camogli/Genoa.
Day 6: Day trip to Portofino/exploring. Sleep in Rapallo/SML/Camogli/Genoa.
Day 7: Morning/afternoon in Genoa and pick up car rental in Genoa. Or, train to Turin and pick up car in Turin. Travel to B&B in Neive and explore the town/relax. Sleep in Neive.
Day 8: Day in Langhe/Wine Tour/ or explore Turin & Bra. Sleep in Neive.
Day 9: Day in Langhe/Wine Tour/ or explore Turin & Bra. Sleep in Neive.
Day 10: Day in Langhe/Wine Tour/ or explore Turin & Bra. Sleep in Neive.
Day 11: Drive to Cogne, afternoon relaxing. Sleep in Cogne.
Day 12: Day in Gran Paradiso/exploring Aosta (weather dependent). Sleep in Cogne.
Day 13: Day in Gran Paradiso/ exploring Aosta (weather dependent). Sleep in Cogne.
Day 14: Early morning drive to Lake Orta, spend day in Orta San Giulio. Sleep in Orta San Giulio.
Day 15: Travel home via Milan Malpensa

Posted by
1710 posts

One reaction: Neive is pretty but tiny, and there isn't enough in Neive to fill 4 evenings. Turin has wonderful sights and can easily take up 4 days.

Edited to remove travel time remark.

Posted by
75 posts

We stayed in Alba a few years ago when we did wine tours in Piedmont. Several restaurants in town.

Posted by
16894 posts

The city of Turin has several good museums that would encourage a longer stay, but museums don't sound like your focus for this trip. My top two would be the Automobile museum and the Egyptian museum. Probably also the museum of the Holy Shroud or else the exhibit in the Cathedral. The Film museum wasn't all that I'd hoped. The Riorgimento museum had excellent historical artifacts but little info in translation, as of a few years ago.

From Milano Centrale station to Parma takes 1 h 10 m, while a destination like Rapallo tends to take an hour longer, but I'd just go ahead to a coastal destination, since Parma doesn't seem important to you and is not directly on the way. In Rapallo, http://www.residenceilconvento.com/ has some comfortable waterfront rooms (configurations vary) and friendly staff.

Posted by
11242 posts

Day 14: Early morning drive to Lake Orta, spend day in Orta San Giulio. Sleep in Orta San Giulio.
Day 15: Travel home via Milan Malpensa

What time is your flight?

Posted by
45 posts

Thank you so much for the tips so far!! I really appreciate them. That’s a valid point. I think heading right to the coast from Milan Malpensa is ideal. And to answer the question about flight time, I havent booked flights just yet and plan to in the next 2 months. If the flight leaves very early AM I suppose we will daytrip to lake Orta and stay overnight near the airport in Milan.

Posted by
3607 posts

Having been to all four Ligurian towns you mentioned, I would recommend staying in SML or Camogli, probably the former. I found Rapallo a bit dull. SML has a train station; not sure about Camogli. Genoa is o.k., but I think you can see it’s main sights in a day. My own preference would be to stay in a smaller place.
But speaking of small . . . I agree with the poster who said that Neive was too small. There’s one very good restaurant there, but not much else. We stayed in Alba and liked it. I recommend giving Turin at least one day, but I don’t recommend that you plan to drive when there. Bra is too small to fill a day, but there are other Langhe towns worth visiting.

Posted by
11218 posts

Liguria- stay in Santa Margherita Ligure. We have been there twice and love it’s size, charm and location. Get a waterciew hotel room. We visited pretty Camogli as a day trip both times. Portofino os very close to SML, drive, boat or a longish walk. You do not need a cull day there. We spent two bours on each our visits. Couldn’t wait to get back to SML!
Piemonte- Stay in Alba to access all the wine villages. More restaurant and hotel choices, activity there than in Nieve. We loved this region, uncrowded and less touristed than Tuscany.
We did not like Lake Orta and wished we had stayed on Lake Maggiore. It was during a heat wave, the hotel would not turn on a/c( first week of September) and had ceey rude staff. I had chosen the hotel as it had a/c. And the paper plant nearby sent waves of awful smells our way. An extreme case I know, but we could not wait to leave. Orta San Giolio is a charming little town as is the island in the lake. One day is enough, though. We love Lakes Maggiore, Como and Garda and have stayed on all lf them.

Posted by
45 posts

Ok, SML it is to base on the Coast when we stay up north! I am convinced :)

With regards to Neive vs Alba as a base in the Langhe, I was told by tour guides last year that Neive is very fun to base in as there are 4 restaurants and 5 wine bars you can walk to in town and it is very charming. However, my initial thought was to base in Alba so I will revisit that. The plan is to be out and about all day, and the base will only be for sleeping and some dinners.

Thank you so much Suki!! Those are incredibly helpful tips.

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