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Which additional city would you add to this northern Italy itinerary?

Posted by (Idaho, USA) on

Hi fellow forum participants,

I am planning a couple of trips to Italy next year. The second one will be in northern Italy. I am bringing my second adult daughter for our first Mother/Daughter European trip together. : ) She has a specific number of days she can be gone, so she is flying into Venice to meet me for the second half of my time there. The trip will be in September.

What other city would you recommend for my solo portion? It needs to be reachable by train.. In that region, I have stayed in Torino, Milan, Stresa, Varenna, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence, Parma, Bergamo, Cremona, Mantova, Bologna, Vicenza, Verona, Padova, Ferrara, Venice & Ravenna. (I don’t want to head into the Dolomites on this trip.)

My solo portion:
- Stresa. This is lower priority since I’ve been there multiple times….but it’s my favorite jet lag spot.
- Torino
- Pavia
- Modena
- Ferrara

My daughter arrives:
- Venice
- Verona
- Mantova
- Bergamo
- Milan

Thank you for your suggestions!

Posted by
1976 posts

Padua is one. And Siena if going to Tuscany.

Posted by
376 posts

You don't say how long you have for the extra city, but plotting your route on a map and imagining you don't want to return somewhere you've already been for the extra city, I'd suggest either, for a shorter stay - one night:
Novara (very pleasant and very untouristy) - we spent part of a day there but could easily have stayed longer. This is my visit: https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/2023/07/novara.html
Or for a couple of nights or more something totally different from the other northern Italy cities
Genova - a bit chaotic with the cavalcavia by the port but I loved it - Boccadasse - on foot or by bus from the centre, is very pretty and the Unesco site Strade Nuove Palazzi dei Rolli, etc etc, lots to see and not on the usual tourist beaten track

Posted by
7768 posts

If I consider Tuscany or nearby, I have stayed at Lucca, Siena, Montepulciano & Arezzo. Arezzo’s jousting festival will be happening while I am in Italy. It was fun to attend it back in 2022.

Posted by
7768 posts

Thank you for the reply, Kenko! Padua is another spelling for Padova. My husband & I stayed there for five nights in 2007 and enjoyed it.

Posted by
7768 posts

Tinac, Novara & nearby Vercelli could be a nice choice - thank you!

Posted by
44 posts

Treviso, Bassano del grappa, the cities of Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Posted by
1077 posts

I enjoyed Brescia although it is seldom mentioned as place to visit but it fits in exactly with your route. Amazing Roman ruins, Unesco site, series of great interconnecting piazzas with varying degrees of public art and a castle on top of hill to round things out.

Trento is (sort of) in the area and also on my list, but I haven't had a chance to get there yet.

Sounds like a great trip!
=Tod

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