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Torino, Milan and beyond... How to spend our time?

We will be traveling to Torino next month, flying in and out of Milan. We will be in Torino for four days for work, but then have some freedom to explore for four more days before returning home. I'm looking at day trips from Milan or Torino, and trying to decide on how far is reasonable to go in our limited time. We've each been to Italy, but this is our first chance to travel there together.

I'm considering either exploring the towns around Milan, or lake country area and Lugano, or maybe even Chamonix or Zermatt, thinking maybe staying 2-3 nights in one of those places. We don't want to travel farther from Milan to see other points south and east in Italy on this trip - not enough time. I'm also hoping to find some cooler locations for this mid-summer trip, so Switzerland keeps popping up on my radar! :0) We will be traveling with carryon luggage and are comfortable with train and boat schedules and being flexible. We do not speak Italian, but have a few weeks to learn some key phrases!

Any suggestions you can offer would be appreciated. Here's the breakdown of our days/nights:

Torino (4 nights) - I will have time to wander during the day while my husband is working, and we look forward to exploring the local area in evenings for the first few days of our stay. From this city, either return to Milan or head in a completely different direction to Switzerland.

Milan and beyond (3-4 nights) - free to day trip from there after exploring the city, or simply move to a new place to stay, and return to Milan for flight home.

Thanks for your help!
Laurie

Posted by
5298 posts

Laurie,
Have you considered traveling to Lake Maggiore? You could stay in Stresa, visit the Borromean Islands, day trip to Cannobio, etc. You could also visit Locarno via ferry or train.

Another option to consider is Lake Como, staying in Varenna and visiting the lakeside villages (Bellagio, Menaggio. etc) via ferry.

Both of these lakes are about an hour away from Milan.

BTW, if you stay in Stresa, you can take the Alibus directly to Malpensa Airport.

Enjoy your trip!

Posted by
7948 posts

My first thought was Stresa, which Priscilla mentioned.

When considering locations, think about transportation time. Cities you’re eliminating (Verona, Bergamo, etc.) are faster to reach by train than Stresa, for instance.

Posted by
488 posts

Thank you, Jean and Priscilla! I appreciate your insights. Being by water appeals to me, and if there are direct and reliable trains to the airport, maybe we wouldn't have to stay overnight in Milan before our 1:40 p.m. flight. Although it would likely be less stressful to be in the city the night before our flight.

I love the idea of finding a place and just relaxing there, rather than trying to see a lot of places. Now to just figure out the best fit for this time frame!

Laurie

Posted by
16895 posts

In the direction of Mont Blanc/Monte Bianco, the town of Aosta has some Roman history to see. Trains on that route make a connection at Ivrea, former home of Olivetti typewriters and known for it's winter carnival with battles of oranges. I have not seen either in summer, only in winter some years ago. Aosta and Courmeyeur are covered in Lonely Planet's chapter on Torino and around.