Please sign in to post.

Milan/Lake Como/Bolzano/Bologna

Any recommendations when visiting Milan, Lake Como, Bolzano, and/or Bologna in late September-early October would be fantastic. A little background: I'm 30yrs old and enjoy trying foods/wines, talking with locals, doing anything outdoors active when traveling (kayaking, hiking, runnning, etc.), and meeting other young people (locals or travelers). Any suggestions for inexpensive but nice places to sleep (I'm open to hostels too), places to eat for a true taste of the local specialties, hidden gems, good places to hang out meet others around same age (English or Italian speakers). In the Bolzano area I'd like to do an all day bike and/or hike, so any recommendations to be able to do that would be awesome, like where to rent a bike, (preferably a road bike), safe routes, etc. Thanks!

Posted by
21274 posts

When in Bolzano, be sure to look in on the Ice Man, the 4000 year old original outdoorsman. He is in his own refrigerator at the museum. But other than that I would not spend much time in Bolzano. It is the bottom of a deep alpine valley it is gloomy most of the day. Instead get on a bus heading for the Val Gardena. I don't know if it is too late in the year, but the Seiser Alm area would be fantastic for your interests. It is at the top of a cable car near the village of Ortisei. At he top of the cable car is an expansive alpine meadow full of trails (many are ski runs in the winter). They'll probably doing the final hay cutting of the year. To the west is the towering Langkofel and to the east the spooky Schlern pinnacle. Should be able to rent mountain bikes there as it looks like a mountainbikers paradise. Plus it's sunny here, not like the valleys.

Posted by
17580 posts

Here is a hidden gem, a hike, an inexpensive place to stay the night and enjoy local cuisine, and a great place to meet locals your age all rolled into one: http://www.schlernhaus.it/ Also known as Rifugio Bolzano, it is open theour 7 october this year. It is a 3-hour hike above compatsch on Alpe di Siusi which is mentioned above. Well worth a visit1 I've hiked up there on a dayhike but did not spend the night; next time we want to do that.

Posted by
6 posts

I'm flying into Milan Malpensa and planning to get from one city to another by train.