Hello,
We are planning a return trip to Venice, and keep adding on stops that are theoretically do-able, but maybe too much?
We will be flying in/out of Milan and traveling by train. Any thoughts are appreciated!
Joy
Varenna 2 nights
Verona 1 night
Bolzano 2 nights
Venice (and Padua) 5 nights
Bologna (and Modena, Parma) 3 nights
What month are you traveling? That will help us to focus our responses on appropriate factors.
Also, when you say “Bolzano”, do you intend to see the Dolomites? Or stay in Bolzano and see the city itself?
I'd fly into Venice and out of Milan. Always nice not to have to travel further once you land. We were just in Venice and Lake Como in May. I'd suggest an additional day in Varenna.
Safe travels!
To me, several of the add-on destinations are going to get short shrift with this schedule.
There's a lot to enjoy around Lake Como, but you'll only have about 1-1/2 days there.
Bolzano can be surprisingly hot in the summer but is an attractive city with an excellent museum, and it's a gateway to the Dolomites. The area's worth considerably more than the time you'll have there.
I haven't been to Verona, but just one night anywhere feels short to me. The hassle factor is so high.
I haven't been to Modena and Parma, so I don't know whether just 3 nights allows enough time for those two side trips in addition to Bologna.
To me, there are just too many short stays here in areas with substantial sightseeing opportunities.
Hi,
Thanks for the replies! We are looking at late August / early September. Our priorities are the Venice and Bologna portions. We could add one or maybe two more days. Would another day each in Varenna and Bolzano make those add-ons reasonable, or too much hassle? The point of Bolzano would be to see the town and the Dolomites, BUT one of us has a knee injury so perhaps this portion of the itinerary should be scrapped?
Thanks!
For 2023? You will find limited lodging availability and high prices, due to the current demand of pent-up travel. Available lodging may shape your itinerary. Good luck!
Personally, I'd feel better with a day added to Varenna and to the Dolomites, but I'm not in a position to advise about the potential impact of a bad knee. There are some easy strolls in the Dolomites, but I don't remember the conditions between bus stops and lifts or between lifts and access points for easy walks.
Hello Joy,
My general rule is never stay 1 night anywhere unless it is for transportation/logistics reasons. I would eliminate the Verona night and add a night to Bologna and do Verona as a day trip from there. It's 52 minutes on either fast train or 1.5 hours on the regionale and they run all day.
I really like Verona but I don't think there's anything you wouldn't experience better as a day trip than as two part days dealing with luggage, packing and checking in and out of lodging.
My $.02, have a great trip,
=Tod
Thanks all - we are going to skip the night in Verona and try to focus on Varenna, Venice and Bologna with day trips. Hopefully we'll still find some good lodging options!
