Where would be most logical place to insert? As we live in times of Corona, we only opted for lodging that comes with foodie hotspots, too. Italian Riviera 2 nights. The choice fell on Alassio, a Ligurian seaside resort west of Genoa. We stayed at the Pullman because of the huge pool, as I wanted to make sure to go for a swim after sitting for hours on the bus and train The next morning we had to leave early for our flights back home. Those beaches should be great in June and September. Let me know if you have any other questions. So we had decided to opt for a luxury hotel a bit further away from the sea but with views of it. I highly suggest taking a look at the embedded maps to discover places worth adding to your itinerary based on the amount of time you have available. That is a minimum of 9 nights or it could be 12 nights if you went at a more leisurely pace. Milanis famous, though that alone is not enough of a reason to stop there. There will be options and decisions youll have to make based on your own tastes, but no matter how you do it this should be an unforgettable trip. Life moves just a little bit slower, especially up in Citt Alta, an UNESCO World Heritage site and the medieval, historic old town that rests on a hilltop overlooking the more economic center, Citt Bassa. Arrive on an empty stomach! We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. First, it is close to Switzerland near the Lake Maggiore. But if the price is better in Rome, you could always take a train to a major northern Italian city or find a cheap flight with RyanAir, for example. It is known for its long sandy beaches. My friend mentioned it is better to go with inclusive package and I feel that will be too expensive. Train to Florence 2 nights France But I quickly began to experience little frustration or rather a little disappointment each time I learned about something interesting near by that I didn't have enough time to go see. ): Piedmont: at least 2 nights (Piedmont is a large region, so depending on how much you want to see, you could easily extend this a couple of nights) Lake Como: at least 1 night Bologna: at least 1 night Florence: at least 2 nights Verona: at least 1 night Lake Garda: at least 1 night (or even a day trip from Verona & you stay in Verona 2 nights) Dolomites: at least 2-3 nights. There is an airport in both Venice and Milan so you could start your itinerary in either place. We walked back down and went to the municipal beach where we enjoyed a swim in Lac DAnnecy. This is perhaps the most challenging question when planning an itinerary. The Tuscany of northern Italy? Depending if you have the intetion on taking the RER to CDG or taking a taxi. Aug 20 Flight from Ottawa to Paris overnight. Here are the most romantic places in northern Italy: Portovenere is an underrated, hidden gem on the coast of Liguria. Northern Italy is the most developed part of the country, so transportation is easy-to-access and can take you just about anywhere. I will go into it in more length at a later point of time (what to do in Orta San Giulio). Book trains on sncf-connect/en-en . Northern Italy vs Southern Italy | Part I hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions. But it takes a lot longer to reach your destination that way. Depending on your budget, spend one or two nights on the main island and youll be quite satisfied by the time you leave. Depending on your interests in Naples and Sorrento, you could spend one more day in Rome and do a day trip to Naples and/or Pompeii from there. WebDepending on the length of your trip, and taking geographic proximity into account, here are our recommended priorities: 3 days: Paris, maybe Versailles 6 days, add: Normandy 8 And we wanted to stay and dine in style. We chose to take on If you skip it you wont be missing much, or you might stop for one night just to break up the journey a bit. WebThis 10-day itinerary is the perfect quick trip through Southern Europe that hits all the hotspots and popular cities. Bergamo 2 Nights. Part of the reason we chose this area was so it would be do-able to spend a few hours in Eze on the morning of check-out on our way to Italy. And you find here also the one Michelin starred Nove Restaurant. Honestly, if this is your first trip to these countries, youll really get the most bang for your buck by adding extra days in Paris or Florence or both. complete with the Restaurant Guido da Costigliole, a Michelin star dining-spot. Days 7 8: Glacier Express and St Moritz, Switzerland. As far as how long to spend in each place, here are my recommendations for a minimum amount of stay based on how much there is to do in each place (& my personal favorite spots! Take a train from CDG to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? 7 Days in Italy Itinerary - a guide to what not to miss in This is about Relais San Maurizo, an impressive resort in a former monastery. Read my full disclosure! We are thinking at least 2 to 3 weeks and it would be for April or May of 2024. The point is, Venice is very frustrating during those hours, so to appreciate the city its important to work around them at least a bit. Another thing to know is that many highways are not really scenic and are quite expensive. Its about an hour by train or bus from Florence, so you can literally do it in half a day there and back. If you are coming through in between fairs and events, hotels can actually be unusually cheap, so its worth checking rates if you are considering stopping. Im sure youll find good information by Googling it. I prefer Lake Garda over Lake Como (which I visited twice) because the towns of Lake Garda are prettier, and it is more affordable and Cinque Terre photo byWorld Walk About on Flickr, Your email address will not be published. That said, I totally see the point about moving around to too many different accommodations and having just 2 nights at a location is generally too short (I knew it was not the best plan even while planning it, but I just couldnt narrow down my focus at that point on our first trip to europe and couldnt shake the feeling that we might not be able to go back for at least several years). ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-112592926', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Europe and France in particular has such a concentration of things to see and do that every 15 - 30 km you will find a new village, town, castle, abbey, a natural beauty of some sort. Do I need an international driver's licence for car hire? The great thing is that even this itinerary is worthwhile for people who arent nature lovers but love the mountain landscape. The big 3 in Italy are Rome, Florence, and Venice, and if you have time for only 3 cities those are the obvious ones to choose. We enjoyed the peaceful walk up to the castle with great views of the town, the lake, and mountains. Let me know if you have any other questions. (note to Perilizia, Im not stuck on Barolo, just used it as an example as I was looking at accommodations in other towns sort of near there, including La Morra). Check out more in-depth locations for the perfect city-break itinerary to northern Italy on the map: Its no secret Italy is one of the most romantic countries in the world to visit, so Ive also curated a North Italy itinerary perfect for couples, whether on honeymoon, anniversary, or simply a romantic trip. When arriving, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that this town overflows with Roman history. As to your itinerary, I wouldn't do so much driving in such a short time either. more, Reply to: Rough Itinerary: Southern France, Northern Italy. Check out the map with extra suggestions: I could go on and on about all of the beautiful places to visit in northern Italy, but this post would then be at least 10,000 words. Later on, I have also discovered that Orta San Guilio is a truly splendid village. This will be our first time in Europe. Sorrento is a really nice place to base yourself on a longer trip, but its not nearly as interesting as the other cities on your list. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-112568990', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');France and a bit of Northern Italy in August to celebrate our 25th anniversary. Day 1: Milan Day 2: Lake Como Day 3: Verona Day 4: Lake Garda Days 5 & We walked around the area, and out to the point on this huge rock where there were steps going down so you could go for a swim. Nice itself is quite nice, but there are dozens of small towns to choose from including Cannes, Antibes, or even Saint Tropez. While it is part of the Piedmont, it is not necessarily known as an area where they grow vines. As the largest and most central city in Tuscany, Florence is a cultural capital filled with famous museums, cathedrals, and other sights, but its also the ideal jumping off point for day or overnight trips into some of the nearby hill towns. That is up to you and the flexibility of your travel dates! Yes, its a tourist experience, but its also still incredibly unique and wholesome to run away to the city and get lost in its alleys for a few days. Aug 21 Arrive in Paris 10:00 am. But I will inform about other options to travel around, too. Instead the meals are heartier, which reflect the lifestyle of people living here: industrial workers or those living in the Alps having to face long winters. Around Gare de Lyon can also be an option since it's one stop away from the RER B. Days 5 6: Zermatt, Switzerland. And long road trips are indeed possible. I think the train only takes you to Sorrento and then you have to take a bus or a shuttle to Positano, but Im sure youll figure that all out. Let me know if you have any other questions and Ill be happy to try to help. I wasnt even aware that outlet shopping had spread to Europe, but according to the internet, it has! Certainly one of the most beautiful and unusual cities on the planet,Veniceis something that everyone should see, though it can be a bit tricky. Required fields are marked *. If you have less time and want to see a lot, plan out your transportation well and get ready for days jam-packed with things to do and breathtaking places to see! The main city is Arles and that is probably the best base, although Avignon (where the Popes lived) is also very tourist friendly and could be a good choice. If so, what would you recommend we eliminate? in northern Italy also love their local ingredients. This area also goes under the name of the French Riviera. Nice to Milan by train: About 5 hours At the time, we dined at the Michelin starred Cannavacciuolo Bistrot (my post) in the Piedmonts capital. Its 45 minutes away by highspeed rail and the town has a lot more to see including a major cathedral. The areas you are planning to visit are all obviously very well established and there arent many pitfalls to worry about if you plan it yourself. The train from Florence to Pisa takes about an hour and then you can walk to the Leaning Tower and spend an hour or two there before taking the train back. I highly recommend booking a tour with a local guide for the unique experience of hunting for truffles and do a Barolo wine tasting. All of that said, Rome is absolutely a must-visit, although you wont be blamed for hustling through the city quickly and efficiently so you can spend more time in the relative serenity of anywhere else. Worst of all, accommodation in Milan can be insanely expensive if there is a trade fair or event in town. Driving time: 2 hours (190 km/118 miles) from Fantastic site.really appreciate the info! Sometimes just putting 2 destinations will give you more options then putting the entire itinerary at once. When Ive had even those breakfast buffets in Paris the food is almost always amazing. To reachSorrentoyoull take a train to Naples and then change for a one-hour local train (known as the Circumvesuviana) to its final stop. Train to Nice 2/3 nights document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); My wife and I will be celebrating our 35th anniversary next year. Nice to Venice by train: About 7.5 hours. Another necessary and important element of visiting northern Italy is knowing how youll get around. Otherwise, I would just stay put in France. It comes from Valtellina, a valley in Lombardy bordering Switzerland. Paris4 nights Suggested Itineraries in France There aremany reasons why fast travel might be your best option, but only up to a point. Do you think 2 weeks will be sufficient enoug? As you can see, the drive from Puglia to Sicily is a long one. I concur that 3 h after your arrival time is the minimum amount of time recommanded for taking a train in CDG. And also if your mas is not too far Venice 2 Nights. If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out again! Its the traffic and general sense of chaos (multiplied by the summer heat) that wear on visitors. This is our second trip. Any of these itineraries can be turned into a road trip itinerary like I said, the country is best experienced by road trip! Generally speaking, I recommend skipping Milan at least on your first trip. Great website. If you have only two weeks total then the above minimums will also pretty much be your maximums, give or take a day. The most famous among the latter is probably Les Baux-de-Provence. The Hotel b design & Spa was the hotel of our choice in the Provence. However, if you have only 7 days in Northern Italy, I would probably only stay 1-2 days. Id also like to see Lake Como, Lake Guardia, Dolomites and Piedmont but know we cant fit it all in and Im ok with making another trip some day. I think Ill be nervous about getting to the airport on time, so I think Id be most comfortable with that. Since its a fairly large city and a major transit hub, Nice is still active while nearby towns like Cannes and Antibes are partly shut down. Do you have any suggestions? It used to be that Paris was one of the cheapest, and its still competitive, but it doesnt rank high on the list ofEuropean cities that are cheapest to fly into. I might not choose the town itself to stay, but someplace outside the town or a smaller town or village, which might be more relaxing. Either option is great for a road trip of Italy. -Roger. I live in northern Italy, so the area not only has a special place in my heart, but Ive also happened to travel all around it! We did not stay directly by the sea, but headed to the hills high above Nice, to the picturesque village of Vence in the region of the Mtropole Nice Cte dAzur. From metropolitan Milan to the medieval hilltop city of Bergamo, the major cities in Italy all offer a different landscape to be explored.