Northern Italy Itinerary - Suggestions/tadvice/tips welcome

Just maybe flesh out more what you want to do while in Milan? I know I could enjoy those days and then some in Torino and Genoa (probably Bergamo too, though I am less familiar with it and its surrounding), but I just don't have that same passion for Milan.

We liked Torino, and I am planning to return there next September for three nights. There’s nice museums, palaces, etc. besides the excellent food. Since you will be there on a weekend, keep an eye on any local events/festivals. We attended the MITO event there and enjoyed it so much!

For Bergamo, my favorite hotel is the Gombit Hotel up in Citta Alta. I did a couple of private outdoor art classes there. Let me know if you want the contact info.

Some other close options while in Milan are Cremona & Stresa. I have Pavia on my radar, too, for September. Let me know if you recommend it. : )

Hi Mary, no glaring problems, sounds like a wonderful trip. My Italian neighbor tells me Turin is the 'most cultured city in Italy' so we're really looking forward to visiting next year! I've literally just walked in the door from the library researching a trip to Turin & Milan so here are a few thoughts -

I see you're arriving into Milan on Monday, the Duomo will be open but not the Duomo museum, and the Last Supper is closed. We're going to spend more time in Torino, (5 nights) with fewer museums but excellent food & drink options AND the 2nd largest Egyptian museum in the world after Cairo. (How WILL I get my hubby out of that museum??) and less time in Milan (2-3 nights max). From what I've read here and specifically heard from Acraven, there is a plethora of excellent museums in Milan (in case you're a super heavy museum goer!) From what little I saw of Milan on a business trip, it's a big city without the charm of many other places in Italy, so I think as long as you can get Last Supper tickets & see what you want of the Duomo, 4 days should be more than enough. Hope that's helpful!

Hello Mary,

A couple of suggestions:
- Brescia (closer to Bergamo but faster on the train from Milan) has really underrated Roman ruins, a series of interconnected impressive piazzas and a castle on top of the hill. I really enjoyed it as a full day trip.
- If you are at all interested in fashion don't miss the Armani Silos in Milan.
- I haven't been but Chiavari - 15 minutes past SML by train - is considered by locals to be the ideal Ligurian town. If you want to explore the Ligurian coast more. It is decidedly less fancy than SML but should also have fewer crowds in June.

Have a great trip!
=Tod

Thanks to Todd for details about ancient Roman sites on way to Verona in Brescia, most appreciated! (It would depend upon interest of course, but this is a fascination of ours so thank you!) https://www.bresciamusei.com/en/museums-and-venues/brixia-roman-archaeological-area/

Thank you all for your feedback and suggestions!

I LOVE museums (could spend hours in one museum) and churches. I also love wandering around (without a map) and getting "lost." I will also walk up any tower or hike up a hill for great views. I am am especially looking forward to the Egyptian Museum and the royal palace in Torino, and any palazzo that is open to the public.

I have enough museums and churches planned for 2 hectic/busy days in Milan but would prefer to do it over 3 less busy days. The other days will be spent on day trips.

@hiredman Thanks for the reminder about Brescia. I had it on my list for day trips but somehow failed to prioritize it. I will probably do the day trip to Brescia from Bergamo as the ~57min Trenord train ride seems reasonable. Also, thank you for the tip about Chiavari.

@Jean Thank you for the Bergamo hotel recommendation and reminder to check for local festivals in Torino. I am adding Cremona to my list of day trips from Milan.

@Sandancisco The one and only time I was in Milan, it was the first Sunday of the month. So I decided to skip the Last Supper so it's a priority for this trip. I visited the Duomo and went up to the rooftop. My list of museums I want to visit in Milan is long.

I am struggling with the decision whether I should take one day from Genova and add it either to Torino or Bergamo. Will have to figure it out before I start booking hotels.

Lastly, I am seriously considering changing the order of the cities to visit (currently: Torino-Genova-Bergamo-Milan). Going from Genova to Bergamo seems inefficient as I would have to go to Milan and change trains to Bergamo. So after Genova, I want to go straight to Milan, then take train to Brescia. The day before my flight home, I would take a late afternoon/early evening train to Milan to say at an airport hotel (new: Torino-Genova-Milan-Bergamo-MXP airport hotel). The flight I plan to book departs MXP for Boston at 9:20 am. So it make sense to make life easier and stay at the airport. The MXP airport website lists two airport hotels: Sheraton (1) and Moxy (terminal 2).

If you decide to do Brescia I'd recommend taking the metro one stop from the train station to Vittoria to avoid walking through the "everyday Italy" that exists between the train station and the old core. It's fine but it's certainly not very interesting. Starting at chain together Piazza Mercato to Piazza della Vittoria to Piazza della Loggia to Piazza della Loggia to Piazza Paolo IV with the old and new churches.

The Roman ruins are Parco archeologico di Brixia Romana: https://www.bresciamusei.com/musei-e-luoghi/parco-archeologico/
Buy the combo ticket with the Museo di Santa Giulia because aside from it being a very interesting museum it sits on top of the old Roman baths so the basement is a series of in situ mosaiced rooms and some of the museum walls are actually Roman walls from the excavation.

The timed entry part of Brixia Romana is actual entrance into a restored temple area with a fascinating history and the open entry into the forum and largely fallen arena area.

And it looks like the Museo di Santa Giulia houses an additional display of Roman houses (Le domus dell’Ortaglia) that I missed. Information is scant and I'm not sure if this requires a guide or some other kind of special entry. It appears to have the same kind of limited number and time of entry that they temple section of Brixia Romana has to limit humidity and wear on the preserved sites.

The castle on the hill has some exhibit spaces and some scattered sculptures as well to explore if you want to make the hike up the hill. Definitely under rated and probably the best Roman ruins in the north although Verona would object to that statement.

Worth it if you can find the time.
=Tod

Just some suggestions for Torino: Check out the Lavazza Museum! Even if you are not a coffee aficionado you will enjoy it. It is so well done -- learning about its founder Luigi Lavazza and everything that goes into the production of coffee from harvesting to marketing. At the conclusion of the tour/museum you are offered various coffees to try - really fun! Here is a link: https://www.lavazza.com/en/lavazza-museum.html

Also, if you happen to be in Torino on a Saturday there is a FREE “Welcome to Torino Tour" given by the Tourist Bureau. I'm assuming this will continue again in 2025 (from march to October) Below you will find the link. They also conduct other tours but they are not free but are rather reasonable in cost. (https://tinyurl.com/d6jpz2k9)

@hiredman Thanks for the additional information about the Roman ruins and Museo di Santa Giulia in Brescia. Day trip to Brescia is now set in stone! Roman ruins and mosaics are my weakness :)

@oeandrose Thank you for the information about the Welcome to Torino tour. I will be in Torino on a Saturday and I will keep an eye on the Torino Tourism website as my trip gets closer. I hate to say that I am not a coffee drinker but I may visit the Lavazza Museum if I run out of things to do on a rainy day.