Villlage Of Italy Tour - Venice, Milan maybe ??

hrmeroar, if it were me, I'd fly into Venice, and stay there for those first few jet lagged days and see that unique city. By the time the tour ends, you might be too worn out to enjoy Milan. Three nights would be enough for me.

Yes. To both, lol.

I flew in to Venice a couple of nights ahead. I'd just been there on another tour so just wanted 2 nights. f you've not been there I'd do 3 or 4 if you have the time. I "should" have added an extra night in Padua because there was a lot to see there that I didn't get done. I took the train out on the day the tour started.

At the end, we stayed an extra night in Orta which was too much. We could have spent the AM doing the Sacra Monte and then headed to Milan after lunch but it was also pouring rain so that was a downer. I also stayed 1 night in Milan and should also have done 2 nights there. I did not figure days well enough to be able to see the Last Supper so will have to go back to Milan for that.

BTW, Levanto is the town you stay in for the Cinque Terre area. I know your brain was busy thinking about Italy, lol!

This is an excellent tour!

editing to add: The guide will start working on exit strategies early on in the tour. Ours grouped people for van rides to the Milan airport as well as to the train station. We were the day after the tour ended along with another couple and it turned out we were all staying at the same hotel in Milan so got the van to take us there instead of the train station. This transport was not part of the tour but it was wonderful for the guide to get it all organized.

I did this tour in 2012. Great tour with a great guide.

I would definitely add time in Venice, especially if you haven't been there before. If you are there in peak season, I might try to get away to the islands Burano (prettiest), Murano (busiest) or Torcello (least busy). Short vaparetto trip from Venice. Personally, on my last trip to Venice, I found the crowds pretty overwhelming. The islands were a nice getaway.

At the end of the tour, I might head from Orta San Giulio over to Varenna for a couple of nights, before returning to Milan. Varenna is beautiful. I didn't do this on my trip, but after visiting Varenna on another itinerary, I would make it a point to head there. Note that train from Orta to Varenna will probably involve a connection in Milan.

As for Milan, I think you could do it at either the beginning or end of the tour. I flew into Milan and stayed two nights before heading to Venice. Book ahead for the Last Supper. Visit the cathedral, climb out on its rooftop, and enjoy the area around the cathedral. Venice is easy train ride from Milan.

I cannot speak to this particular tour, but have done a similar tour a number of years ago. Any time we take a guided tour we like to extend our stay at the beginning as well as the end. Venice would definitely lend itself for a few nights to get over jet lag. At the end I would opt to stay a couple of nights in Milan or one of the lakes. We stayed in Cinque Terre and one eve we went to Levanto, for dinner. It was recommended by our guide whose aunt lives there. It is called Restaurant Antiga Ustaia "Zita." It's a well hidden restaurant in a little village in the mountains. Incredible meal and view. The best pasta dishes and Tiramisu we had in Italy. www.zitalevanto,com

hrmeroar, you are in for a treat. This is a great tour.

We skipped Venice, took the bus from the Venice airport straight to Padova, and have never regretted it. Although we arrived on Friday, and the tour started Monday, we never ran out of things to do. In fact, we wished we had had even more time there.

After the tour, we shared a cab with other tour members to Milan, and stayed there four full days, again, wishing we had stayed longer.

Are you sure about spending the last night in Levanto? The Cinque Terre portion of the tours stays in Levanto, but then the group moves on from there for the last night, to Orta San Giulio, unless they've changed the itinerary. That might make a difference to how you choose to spend your post-tour time.

I did the tour ten years ago (oh my!). I was coming from the north and trained into Padua. I had been to Venice before and figured a day trip would be fine. Wrong. I should have spent a few nights in Venice before the tour began in Padua. I did not have time at the end, but finishing with a day or so in Milan sounds like a good idea.

BTW, I enjoyed the beach in Levanto. Instead of hiking, a few of us enjoyed a vacation from our vacation there. Good memories! Enjoy your trip.

If you have never been to Venice, then absolutely get there a few days early to enjoy it and get over any jet lag.

Padua is only 30 minutes by train from Venice.

At the end of the tour--in Orta San Guilio not Levanto as has been pointed out--you can either go to the airport for a flight home or take the train direct to Milan. If you have the time, spend some time there as well or any other neighboring town/city.

If you have never been to Florence, and you have some time after the tour, I would suggest that over Milan.

I flew into Milan and took the train to Padova. Super easy. Lots of flights to MXP

Lots of informative and very, very fast helpful responses. Thank to all. Keep on traveling.

How about both if you can manage it?

Jane above and I were on the same Village Italy tour in 2017. Traveling solo, I used my pre and post tour time slightly differently. I flew to Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), arriving on June 12, and back home from the Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), leaving on July 12. I spent extra time before the tour in Rome, Ravenna and Venice and 3 nights in Milan before flying home.

I spent 6 nights in an apartment in Rome, catching up on things I hadn't seen or done there in previous trips, like taking a private graffiti tour on the back of a Vespa driven by the tour guide. That was a hoot and very informative.

Then I took the fast train to Ravenna where I spent 2 nights in a B&B. I'd been there before in 1977 (yikes!) and Ravenna is on the tour schedule, but it's an "on the way on the bus" stop and there's not enough time to visit all the mosaics, so I used that solid day between the 2 nights to see all but the one farthest away.

From Ravenna I took the train to Venice where I spent 5 nights in an apartment, also catching up on things I hadn't seen or done there before. From there it was a short train ride to Padua for the start of the tour.

At the end of the tour, I took one of the shuttles the guide provided to the Milan train station. I spent 3 nights at the Hotel Berna within easy walking distance of the train station and took the train to the Malpensa Airport (MXP) to fly out the last morning.

I hadn't been to Milan before. I didn't do the Last Supper, but I did do a thorough visit to the Duomo, from basement to roof. And of course, I had to visit the Galleria next door. Next time I'm there, I hope to visit a couple of the places Tucci did in his Searching for Italy series. I really liked Milan.

If you are going to fly into Venice, by all means stay a few nights, preferably in an apartment, explore on foot, get lost and find yourself again, get a vaporetto pass (it will save you lots of €) and enjoy this magical and unique city.

If the timing isn't right for a days early arrival in Venice, and spending a few nights in Milan at the end is better, that's also a good choice. You can't go wrong with either one.

So many options - so little little time. A lot better than no options- no time . Thanks to all. If you see some old bald-headed farm boy stumbling around like he does not know the day or the country - that be me. Get my attention, I'll buy you a drink or some sweets.

I had an excellent experience with Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo in Venice. In a quieter part of the city, but easy walk to everything. Also just a block (with no stairs!) to a vaporetto stop.

And Lo, what a wonderful trip that was! I hear from Debbie occasionally; in fact, she traveled with us on the Heart of France tour in 2019.

And I still owe you a lunch, if I can ever get to Tucson again!