Italy - help me plan (Bologna, Verona ... and others)

[redrabbit29]

We are planning a 7 night trip to Northern Italy



This is pulled together with limited research at this stage - I have searched this forum which was helpful, and done about an hour of looking online. But just wanted to raise this early as I continue planning.

Possible Itinerary

Fly into Bologna, fly out of Milan potentially (26th August leave and 3rd September return)

1 night in Bologna
2 nights in Verona
2 nights in Lake Garda
1 night in Milan (not heard great things but just want to see it)

... that leaves one night to play with
So could maybe stop somewhere like Parma or do another night in Verona

Questions and Considerations

1) Would a car be better rather than train from Bologna to Verona?
2) Is it worth staying at Lake Garda rather than getting the train from Verona each day? I think it probably is it would as then we could enjoy drinks and dinner without worrying about driving or trains
3) I don't want to water the trip down too much, or hop around execessively to the point it becomes tiring
4) With that in mind, maybe I should use the extra night in Verona or something?
5) Any advice whilst I continue dealing with my first world problem?

Edited by redrabbit29 on Friday 21st July 10:55

[Regbuser]

Also consider Brescia and Bergamo - they have been named Italy's cities of culture 2023, so there may be events on.

[the-norseman]

If your going near Bologna... Modena and Maranello are very close by.

[The Leaper]

Personally, if I had four days in the area you are considering I'd do things rather differently.

1. Be based in Verona, so fly in and out of Verona Airport.

2. Don't bother with a car...expensive, and too many ZTLs where you could be driving.

3. Use the train to visit other places from Verona. Train services in Italy are really good, easy to use, and not expensive. From Verona you can do Bologna, Florence, Mantua, Venice, Vicenza, Padua, Bresica, Lake Garda etc all easily in a day.

4. Book and pay for all train tickets from the UK before you go...use Trenitalia English's website. Note that you will be required to insert the towns in their Italian name not English, eg not Florence but Firenze.

I realise that this will mean that you miss out on Milan so maybe save that for another trip?

By the way, wife and I have been to Italy loads of times, probably stayed in 20 different places. Verona is a favorite. We are going again to Verona in October for 5 nights partly to enjoy the Verona Hostaria, and this will be our fifth visit there. We have also been by train to the the places mentioned above. This year we are thinking of a day trip by train to Bolzano, gateway to the Dolomites.

R.

[redrabbit29]

The Leaper said:

Personally, if I had four days in the area you are considering I'd do things rather differently.

<snip>

Thanks for the reply - just to say we have 7 nights there - just saying in case that changes your view

Regbuser said:

Also consider Brescia and Bergamo - they have been named Italy's cities of culture 2023, so there may be events on.

Interesting, hadn't heard or considered those. Thank you, will look at them and see if anything is happening there

the-norseman said:

If your going near Bologna... Modena and Maranello are very close by.

Will also look at this too

........

I just need to ensure we're not trying to do too much. I want it to be relaxing and slow, so not frantically trying to tick of lots of places. A good mix of 2-3 places I think would be good.

Thanks again

[The Leaper]

redrabbit29 said:

The Leaper said:

Personally, if I had four days in the area you are considering I'd do things rather differently.

<snip>

Thanks for the reply - just to say we have 7 nights there - just saying in case that changes your view

No, underlines my view!

R.

[TO73074E]

Another vote for using the trains over car rental, they are very good. I travelled all over Italy in 2018 for two weeks using the train, much less stressful than car rental and cheaper.

We went to Modena while there and checked out the Enzo Ferrari Museum and also went down to Maranello. We stayed in Bologna so we could reach Sant'Agata and did the Lamborghini factory tour.

Also one of my favourite places was Turin which is just over an hour from Milan on the train. They have the Lingotto (former Fiat factory, Italian Job roof scene and yes you can go on the roof!) and also the FCA Heritage which showcases classic Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Fiat and Abarth's.

Not been to Bergamo yet but also heard good things so that would be next on my list.

[languagetimothy]

I’ve been to the places you’re looking at. Bologna was ok for a night but then we got a train up to Padua and stayed there for a few days, mainly because it’s a very short train ride into Venice which is well worth seeing if you can fit it in. also we day tripped from Padua to Verona and Garda by train.

Milan, nice place to be although busy in places.

The trains are very good and modern with aircon. You can book online when there (or before) and they just scan the QR code. I’d much prefer using these than a car, as you said you can have a few beverages too without any worries.

Enjoy

[leef44]

Bookmarked because we are planning to go to Bologna next year for say 10 days with views to go Modena and other places.

I haven't been abroad for holiday trip since 2006

[RicksAlfas]

Regbuser said:

Also consider Brescia and Bergamo - they have been named Italy's cities of culture 2023, so there may be events on.

OP, which Milan airport are you flying out of? It might be Bergamo!

[gangzoom]

Please don't waste a night in Milan, think Birmingham with some more posh shops and you get close to the 'experience'. Yes there is the Last Supper to see, but you need to book tickets 3 months ahead or pay on local guide more money for a fast track ticker (still needs booking weeks ahead).

We are currently in Como, it honestly is so relaxing and chilled I'm annoyed we did wasrw a day going to Milan.

As for driving, isn't this PH not Train Spotters .

We've driven here and have actually used the car everyday. Parking has been no where near as hard as parking in the UK, nor have we had any issues with local driving standards (better than Leicester).

Some of the roads are simply gorgeous, it's hard to stay under the 50km/hr limit, and I may have picked up my first speeding ticket on this stretch after getting too carried away.



Having a car also let's you explore mountain roads, and villages that aren't rammed with tourists because there is a train station. We did so a couple of train rides, they are cheap, clean and virws are grear, but busy and you are tied to traveling with the crowd.

We have based our selves in one location for 7 nights, couldn't do the same if we didn't have a car. Local supermarket food is actually superb for Pasta etc, we're essentially eatting out at lunch when exploring around, than escaping the afternoon heat in the apartment and chilling by the pool/hot tub for the evening.

If you can afford to hire a car, I wouldn't think twice about it, you end up with so many more travel/accommodation
/food options.

Edited by gangzoom on Saturday 22 July 07:06

[gangzoom]

This photo sums up Milan for me, I got really excited when I saw Ferrari appear on Google Maps in the posh shopping area. What a great way to pass some time than to oggle some Italian automotive engineering, instead all what greets is bags, shoes, and cloths.....We headed back to the train station after that, and managed to miss the train, so had to wait another hour. We spent more time experiencing the public transport system in Milan and sight seeing!

[Stuart70]

Lived in Milan for years. Do Bergamo instead. Beyond the galleria and the duomo, Milan is not that great.

That said, the tour of the roof of the duomo is very cool (in my memory at least).

[gangzoom]

Stuart70 said:

That said, the tour of the roof of the duomo is very cool (in my memory at least).

Not when it's nearly 40degrees in the sun with no shade, literally the opposite of cool .

We are leaving the Como area today, will miss it, but Lake.Gardia will be a destination after we do Portugal/Spain next year.

I've loved driving on road like these, I cannot understand why anyone on this forum would rather take the train versus drive when the scenery/roads are as amazing as this. We haven't got anything close to roads like these in the UK.

Edited by gangzoom on Sunday 23 July 05:36

[havoc]

Wife and I did a driving tour down there about 10 years ago, pre-kids.

Bologna felt a bit rough to be honest - lot of graffiti, lot of overhead cables...not an especially welcoming or photogenic city.

Milan as above - it's a big city with an Italian flavour...not somewhere I'd rush back to.

Verona I wish I'd spent more time in. Touristy and pricey, but that's the only negatives.

Lakes Como and Garda were both beautiful, as were the towns dotted around them. Would go back in a heartbeat.

Modena/Maranello/Sant'Agata are worth visiting. You can probably book yourself onto one of the regular Lambo factory tours if you're booking ahead, we e-mailed Pagani directly and had Horacio's PA take us round as he was at Goodwood with the new Huayra that week, and a friend who works at the Scuderia took us around the Ferrari museum.

I'm not sure what the trains are like but driving was absolutely fine once you got used to Italian road manners and slowing to a crawl for narrow blind corners...certainly helped around the lakes and getting to/from car factories.

[redrabbit29]

Thanks everyone. My big debate now is how to plan the stays/accommodation durations.

We'll probably fly into Milan as it's a lot cheaper than anywhere else. Based on comments here we won't stay the night.

Thinking of going to Lake Garda for 2 nights
Verona for 3 nights

That leaves 2 nights to play with

I could stay longer in Verona but use the time to do day trips
Or move on and stay somewhere else (advantage is I can relax more without worrying about travel)

[The Leaper]

redrabbit29 said:

Thanks everyone. My big debate now is how to plan the stays/accommodation durations.

We'll probably fly into Milan as it's a lot cheaper than anywhere else. Based on comments here we won't stay the night.

Thinking of going to Lake Garda for 2 nights
Verona for 3 nights

That leaves 2 nights to play with

I could stay longer in Verona but use the time to do day trips
Or move on and stay somewhere else (advantage is I can relax more without worrying about travel)

We always stay at Hotel San Luca when we go to Verona (stayed there 3 times in the past and already booked for our visit in October 2023). Why?

• Despite it's outside first impressions, it's a reasonably good hotel,
• very central so a super location for visiting Verona and getting to/from the station.
• price is OK,
• nice staff,
• acceptable continental breakfast,
• If you have a car, I think that they do a valet service and the car park is nearby.

Post again if you need any help with Verona eg restaurants etc.

R.

[The Leaper]

Stuart70 said:

Lived in Milan for years. Do Bergamo instead. Beyond the galleria and the duomo, Milan is not that great.

That said, the tour of the roof of the duomo is very cool (in my memory at least).

Stuart,
Wife and I are visiting Verona in October for a few days. It will be our fifth visit . We usually take a day trip somewhere by train, and we are thinking Bergamo this time and visiting their Citta Alta area. Looks to be a good place for a wander, lunch etc for a day. Would you recommend this? Also, are taxis easily available? I ask because my and my wife's mobility is Ok but not up to a full day's walking, so we'd get a taxi from the station to Citta Alta and back.

R.

[Zio Di Roma]

redrabbit29 said:

Thanks everyone. My big debate now is how to plan the stays/accommodation durations.

We'll probably fly into Milan as it's a lot cheaper than anywhere else. Based on comments here we won't stay the night.

Thinking of going to Lake Garda for 2 nights
Verona for 3 nights

That leaves 2 nights to play with

I could stay longer in Verona but use the time to do day trips
Or move on and stay somewhere else (advantage is I can relax more without worrying about travel)

Add the spare nights into Garda.

[havoc]

Zio Di Roma said:

Add the spare nights into Garda.

Or Como if they're flying in/out of Milan.

Or Modena / Florence if they're still travelling one way via Bologna.