Hello,
We are looking to schedule a trip to Italy in September 2022. We already have tickets that we were going to use last year that fly us in and out of Milan. I wanted to do 3-4 days in Lake Como, 3-4 days in Venice and then 7-8 days in Tuscany. I have never been to any of these places and wanted advice on where to go first and where to end the trip. We will be traveling by train while we are there.
thanks,
Scott
Go to Venice directly first then Florence (is in the region of Tuscany) then Lake Como. All by train.
When you say Tuscany what town are you planning to stay in ?
Swu
It will be difficult to do Tuscany by train. Can you rent a car for those days? The villages are spread out in the countryside and you don’t want to miss them.
Scott - what time are your intended flights and where are you flying from? Early morning arrivals in Milan can give you a fairly decent 1st day of your vacation. It's the return flight that might be the problem. Check available flights and try not to cut out too much of your last day. Maybe your ticket will give you enough flexibility so that you don't have to spend the last night at the airport. What you come up with may help you better decide the order.
Tuscany is a beautiful region and well worth the amount of time you are considering. May I suggest looking at your guidebooks and maps to decide which areas you want to visit. It might be possible, by train or bus, to do day trips from a base. Florence may be the best for that. Remember that packing and unpacking at different hotels really does chip away at your vacation time. Bus or train travel at least gives you a relaxing way of seeing some beautiful scenery. While in Tuscany I'd recommend at least you check out Siena and Lucca. Verona, Bologna and Padova are not too far away either - any one of these is easily doable while in transit from Venice to Florence. You have lots of options! Enjoy the planning - it only helps build the excitement!!!
Scott,
Fly into Milan, Malpensa airport and take the train to Varenna a small town on Lake Como. This is a small laid-back town from which you can take boat trips throughout Lake Como. We toured a lovely extensive garden at Villa Carlotta. There’s lots of things to do or ways to chill out after your transAtlantic flight.
Then you can travel to Venice and spend time there. Tuscany is a broad region so you might need to research the area. I understand train travel here is not readily available and you might need to rent a car.
Rick has a guidebook for Tuscany and surrounding towns which will have tons of practical ideas and itineraries.
Enjoy your trip!
Hi Scott!
It would be helpful to have an idea where you're planning to go in Tuscany? Depending on what you want to do, It isn't impossible at all to explore a week's worth and MORE of the region without a car. Just as a for-instance, there is a lot to see just in Florence, if you've never been there and are interested in what it has to offer. Fiesole is just 20 minutes or so away by city bus, and Siena is about 75 - 90 minutes away by regional bus or train.
Lucca is another very popular day-trip from Florence: abt. 75 minutes by train. Then there's Pistoia (about 35 minutes by train), and Pisa (abt. an hour by train) and, well, you get the idea! Some folks are fine just basing in Florence and day-tripping as the spirit moves 'em - it can be nice for reducing the amount of packing and unpacking - but others might prefer to split their time: 3-4 days in Florence and a few in Siena and/or Lucca.
If you MUST fly both in and out of Milan (Malpensa: abt. an hour outside of rhe city), I'd recommend the Milan>Venice> Florence/Tuscany> Varenna> Milan route. I'd also recommend adding a last day in Milan itself: you'd have a nice half day if coming from Varenna, there's plenty to see to fill those last hours, and you'll be closer to transport to the airport. Our flight back to the states from Malpensa left early enough that we had to be up and out before dawn but that might not be your case.
Have you explored flying into Venice and out of Milan?
Thanks to everyone so much for the reply's and to answer a few questions:
Thanks for all the replies, I do like the idea of Venice, Florence, and Veranna with the last day in Milan.
