I am spending 5 days in Milan, Italy in Oct. 2016. 2 of the 5 days I will doing day trips by train to Pisa and Florence. ( I have been to Florence , Rome and Venice in the past.) . I plan to stay at the Hotel Garda, close to the central train station. Has anyone stayed in that area and / or have any tips/suggestions for my trip? Anyone take any of the city tours that included seeing the Last Supper?
Thanks!
Jeannie A
I have stayed at Hotel Garda, it's very nice, and convenient.
You can buy tickets from a broker online before you go; does not include a city tour, unless you want that option. I use Select Italy, I think they are based in Chicago. You can try the official website, but they are often sold out, so you would have to keep trying for a cancellation.
Yes, stayed on that block at the Berna. Entrance to the Metro is half a block away going towards the station. Good restaurant is the Antica Osteria Cavallini, about 2 blocks walk away.
Did do a 3 hour walking tour in order to see the Last Supper, but enjoyed the knowledgeable guide, a French grad student with some outsider's insights into Milano culture. Also went to San Siro stadium to watch AC Milan take on Napoli.
I'm not sure Pisa in a day from Milan is worth all the travelling. I would consider Lake Como, Bergamo, Pavia, or even Verona.
http://www.planetware.com/milan/milan-day-trips-i-lo-msur.htm
With only 5-days, based out of Milan, how determined are you to see Florence and Pisa? Of the two, Florence would be easier however, that's still a long train ride, Pisa is even longer and I found it over-rated; either one you'll spend more time riding the train than exploring your destination.
Instead, visit the Lakes region (Lake Como, Maggiore and Garda) and the surrounding towns; visit the Emilia-Romagna region. A fast train down to Ravenna to see the Byzantine mosaics is very worth while, UNESCO Heritage Site. I'll be in Bologna in Oct and I'm there purely to eat the foods and walk the markets.
I would take a trip to Florence even if you've been there before. I have gone from Florence to the Milan area several times the past few years and this year on my second trip of the year from Milan to Florence for the day. Florence is a magnet to me. The trip on a high speed train leaves plenty of time to spend a good portion of the day before returning.
Definitely Florence, but Pisa just isn't worth it. Verona has lots to see, especially the Arena in the late afternoon sun.
In Milan, go up to the roof of the Duomo and walk around the spires - also some nice views of the city. I enjoyed a tour of La Scala and the museum there. Castello Sforzesco is nice and has interesting museums. From what I've read here, the main reason people take a city tour is because they haven't been able to get tickets to the Last Supper on their own.
I'll second the vote for Bergamo: that one will be an easy trip from Milan, and the upper Medieval part of the city (Città Alta) is scenic and interesting. I don't know as I recommend Pisa as it's pretty far away.
I love Ravenna, but it requires a combination of fast train and regional train, changing in Bologna. To get to Ravenna before 12:27 PM, one must leave Milan at 7:45 AM on a weekday or 7:20 AM on a weekend. The trip takes 2-1/2 or 3 hours each way.
Another vote for Lake Como.
It's an easy 1Hr train ride to Varenna, a charming lakeside village. Once you reach Varenna, you can take a ferry to Bellagio, Menaggio & other lakeside villages.
We were there in early October in 2014 & would love to go back someday! ;-)
Have a wonderful trip!
I forgot to say, if you have mobility issues, Varenna may not be the best choice as there are many stairs to climb, but there's a nice lakeside promenade which is flat. Ciao!
