We are planning a northern Italy trip for late Sept 2026 and looking for your expert advise. Goals are to spend time at the following places - Lake Maggiore - probably Stresa and take day trips from there for about 4 days, we want to see Cinque Terre, Lake Garda, Verona and the Borromean Islands, and the Dolomites probably Bolzano but looking for your advice and then end in Venice.
What is the best route? Advice on places to stay and things we must see? Advice on transportation - planned on trains but if there is something you recommend please advise
Thanks in advance
Posted by
Maryland
1067 posts
How long are you staying? Cinque Terre is a geographic outlier, the others are pretty close together, so maybe save that for another trip... or add a day to get there and a day tp get back to Verona, plus the time there. Otherwise fly into Milan, go to Lake Maggiore, then Lake Garda and Verona, go north to Bolzano and then end in Venice. Let's say Nights 1 to 4 at Lake Maggiore, Nights 5 to 7 at Lake Garda, Nights 8 to 10 in Verona (see an Opera in the Coliseum!), Nights 11 to 14 in Bolzano (Visit Otzi the ice Man) and touring the Dolomites by local bus (1 Hour to Ortisei for example and ride the gondolas to the Alpi di Suisi for a hike, or Kastelrotto from there), Night 15-17 in Venice. Fly out on day 18.
You can check train schedules on Trenitalia at https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html
A great trip.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thanks for your suggestions - we don’t have a set amount of time but thinking 14-16 days iincluding fflying days
Posted by
OP
3 posts
It’s more important for us to see the sights while there so 18 days is possible
Posted by
martinez, ca, usa
2803 posts
hey hey andepjunk
need more info from you to help you out. how many is "we", budget in euros, how many days/nights total (not counting arrival or departure days, where are you flying into and out of? if venice is your flight departure city, it's a pain since many flights are very early 6am and transport to airport for departure. september is a busy month for harvest/fair/festival season, plus italy is always busy all year long hardly an off season time anymore.
many places you want to see are the same place others want to see so then there are crowds and many want to stay away from crowds. i always like to book hotels before flights, look at cancellation policies, know that check-in times are 3-4pm & check-out times are 10-11am or book a day before or a day after.
using trains are easier taking you city center to city center, look at buses, if you plan to drive a car it is mandatory to have an IDP (aaa.com/IDP) in italy. (trenitalia.com or italo.com are the trains, use italian names for train stations) pack light since you will be carrying, pushing, pulling.
"best" is so different between everyone, what i like you may not. do more research of the places you hope to stay in and see what it offers which will be: must see's/do's, so so see's/do's and not interested. top of page has search bar, type in city/town & click, on left is filter type, click travel forum, date 6 months or 1 year. good luck & enjoy
aloha