Hello,
We are wrapping up the details for our first trip to Italy. After our 3-day stay in Cinque Terre, we will be driving to Bolzano (with a garmin) so the five of us can spend the travel day together and have flexibility after our arrival to access the Dolomite’s many trails for hikes and scenic drives. Should we rent the car in Genoa to Milan or travel from Pisa to Bolzano? Which is more scenic?
Any special hike recommendations in the Dolomites are also appreciated.
Thank you,
Trudy
I'm a little confused, why can't you rent the car somewhere close to your base in theCinque Terre, such as La Spezia?
The journey breaks down into 3 parts, which depend on whether you go via Milan (and ignores mention of Pisa).
via Milan
the first bit is a mix of coasts and hills, the middle bit is a dash across a plain with industry and Milan, followed by some staggering mountains and the Stelvio Pass - which you will be too tired to enjoy unless you stop the night north of Milan.
not via Milan
you cut across the Appenines on some reasonably interesting roads, dash around Parma and across the plain towards Lake Garda then work your way up with the scenery getting better. This should be OK in a day, even if you have the delay of picking the car up and doing the paperwork.
OK, I summarised them but this is a signficant haul.
Also, 5 people? all adults with luggage? You will struggle to get them into one car unless you go for something like a Mercedes E class or bigger. You'd really need a small mini-van, something like a Mercedes V class or VW Caravelle.
If you are traveling via Milan, the ordinary itinerary to Dolomites area is Milan-Verona-Bolzano, that with a bit of luck can be done in three hours. For the sake of scenery some lost souls try the Stelvio itinerary but it takes forever (and it is closed for snow most of the year).
Rent a car in La Spezia, near the Cinque Terre.
From la Spezia you don't drive via any of the places you mentioned. You take the freeway A15 (La Spezia-Parma) through the Cisa Pass. Once near Parma look for the A1 toward Bologna. Before Bologna, more or less near Modena, look for the A22 toward Verona-Trento-Bolzano-Passo del Brennero. Then straight on the A22 toward the Brenner pass. Not sure where you are going to the Dolomites, but Bolzano is along the A22 on the way to the Brenner pass, which is at the border with Austria.
From Spezia to Bolzano it is about 4+ hours plus pit stops.
Thank you all. Your input and directions will be analyzed shortly with the map. I didn't think to share that La Spezia is not an option due to being closed on Sunday for pick-up. I will book the car rental for the five of us tomorrow, each having one carry-on or carry on/backpack in a family sized vehicle. This is the lightest I've packed since my late 20's and it's for 2 weeks, but worth it if it allows us to see more. We are staying in airbnb's in most towns, including Monterosso and Bolzano. If you have any further thoughts, please know they're appreciated.
Thank you,
Trudy
The Cinque Terre is about half way between Pisa and Genoa, so probably it doesn't matter where you pick the the car up. However if you must pick the car up at the airport, the Pisa airport is really easy to reach from the station with the people mover. The GOA airport instead is about 30 min away from the station.
If the departure point is Pisa, then the route is the A11 or the FILIPI to Florence, then the A1 toward Bologna/Milan, and right after Modena the A22 to Bolzano.
If the departure is Genoa, take the A7 toward Milan, but at Terontola switch to the A21 to Cremona Brescia. Near Brescia take the A4 east toward Verona and before Verona get on the A22 to Trento Bolzano.
Avoiding Milan area is always good, although on a Sunday late morning traffic shouldn't be too bad.
