You can also spend the day in Alpe di Siusi, hiking or biking between the rifugios, dining on Italian food, and enjoying the view of Sassolungo. They made these islands in the beautiful botanical gardens which they are now. Spend the afternoon strolling through the streets of Verona. Alternatively, you can rent a car for the full 10 days. Here are some in-depth guides to help you plan exactly what to do in each destination: Check out this Google Maps Trip Planner with extra itinerary suggestions: Outdoor enthusiasts will fall in love with the Italian Alps. 7 Days of Northern Italy Itinerary: Northern Italy Itinerary Day 1-2: Bologna. The Best of Northern Italy: 10-Day Itinerary - Petite Suitcase Tuscany region is great to spend more time. Venice 2 Nights. But it's the fastest way to get there with buses routing every 11 minutes. You will have to book a time slot in advance, and when to do this depends on your arrival time in Venice today. Relais Balcone di Giulietta is another highly rated hotel located next to Juliets balcony. It is always fun to explore a city for the second time. And they really are wonders - this is the land of the cathedral-like Dolomites, the actual cathedrals of Milan, and the glistening Italian Lakes, after all. Hit the 5 major areas on everyone's northern Italy bucket list. Bologna is the origin of many Italian food favorites: Parmigiano Reggiano, Mortadella, Rag Bolognese, Balsamic Vinegar and Lasagne. But in five days you still can see a lot. Verona is worldwide known as the city of love. On our first trip to the Dolomites, we had three days and once there, we wished we had a lot more time. Because theres no traffic, the vibe is even more unique. Our recommended articles are: Driving from Genoa to Parma is a beautiful road when you skip the tollroads. Italy Tourism Italy Hotels . Franciacorta is a territory between Bergamo and Brescia that produces sparkling wine or spumante, mostly Prosecco, Italys version of Champagne. Any of these itineraries can be turned into a road trip itinerary like I said, the country is best experienced by road trip! But this is more expensive, since you are paying for 2 days of a rental car plus parking fees. For more great itineraries in Europe and around the world, visit our Travel Itineraries page. The best way to get around the Dolomites is by car. View from Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute | Northern Italy Itinerary. You can have lunch or dinner on the rooftop terrace with views of the Venetian Lagoon. Milan Lake Como Cinque Terre Venice Dolomites Highlights They arent as cheap as buses, but theyre less expensive than renting a car. The Dolomiti Lodge Alvergets exceptional reviews. Train Travel: To travel from city to city, train fares range from $15 to $60, depending on the distance traveled and the speed of the train. Medici Family,who invented modern banking, but also a few popes came from this family. Its easy to travel between Milan and Venice by train, so you can get back to your starting point without much time, effort, and money. Lots of time and effort goes on behind the scenes to keep the free resources coming, so, if you have found my website or personal help useful and want to support me. This large parking garage is located in Venice in Santa Croce. Italy does not have a national bus line, so most buses are only regional or city. In the evening, check into your hotel and have dinner. If skies are clear, consider riding the cable car from Cortina dAmpezzo to Cima Tofana for one of the best views of the Dolomites. Unless you have a late afternoon flight, you will either have to leave very early in the morning or travel to Venice the night of day 9. Lago di Braies | Northern Italy Itinerary. Once in the area of Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio, you will get around by ferry, which runs frequently and it doesnt take long to get from town to town. It may look like I put a lot of time into the Dolomites (because I did ). There is so much to find in Rome, historic building, culture, and great food! For full details on how to do this, refer to our Lake Como Day Trip guide and Things to Do in Bellagio. I think it is best to cut costs by staying in a cheaper hotel or eating out less often, so you can take the faster train and have more time exploring the city. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. I've also offered options to add on other locations if you're travelling for longer too or adding Italy to part of a longer Europe itinerary . You can either wander the canals on your own or take a walking tour. He travels the world with the love of his life and writes about inspiring cultures and practical travel tips. The vaporetto is a water bus that runs along the Grand Canal (and also out to the lagoon, Murano, Burano, and Lido). We started our adventure in Bologna. All of Italys regions offer something unique and in this guide, the spotlight is on the north. Also, we will recommend places to stay in each recommended city where you will stay overnight during this road trip. Are you planning to travel to Italy? If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out again! As you continue east on the promenade, you will pass Hotel Danieli and to your right will be gorgeous views across the canal. You can find them on our recommendations page, or scroll down and read the plan your trip part in this article. DAY: MALCESINE & LIMONE DEL SUL (Lake Garda) Sightseeing In Limone Sul Garda Sightseeing In Malcesine Northern Italy Itinerary - 10. Gems of Northern Italy | Smithsonian Journeys For information on renting a car, including rental car fees, drop fees, and things to know ahead of time, take a look at our article Important Things to Know Before Renting a Car in Europe. This northern Italy itinerary is a point-to-point trip. 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. Day 9 Milan. There is plenty to keep you busy here for three days, and the minimum amount of time that we recommend is one day in Lake Garda. Take the time to purchase the Firenze card right away. But for the cities of Venice and Florence, it is busy year-round. Were here to help you plan the best road trip in Northern Italy. Our website uses cookies. Verona is located in northern Italy, about 110km from the romantic city of Venice. We recommend Ai Do Leoni, which is next to St. Marks Basilica and serves sandwiches and small plates of pasta. Four nights in Milan with a day trip to the Lakes OR two nights in Milan and two nights at Lake Como. The other dish I ordered at every restaurant in Liguria: Trofie al Pesto. Arrive on an empty stomach! Many people think this village was the scene for the movietwilight. We have more info on how to do this in our article Things to Do in Bellagio. Northern Italy itinerary: what to see and how to see it This Italy itinerary is a great starting point for designing your own custom itinerary. The Ultimate Northern Italy Road Trip Itinerary for 2 Weeks You can also book one of the transport options below. 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. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. If you still have a rental car, drive to Bellagio (1.5 hours) or Varenna (1.5 hours). Tre Cime di Lavaredo is one of the most popular hikes to do in the Dolomites and you can easily add on the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint. However, if you like the idea of visiting Lake Garda, here is a sample itinerary, if you have 12 days in Italy. Required fields are marked *. 7.1 Venice - 5 days. However, the Dolomites can be cold year-round, especially when you go high into the mountains. We stayed at the Grand Hotel Savoia, which is a beautiful 5-star hotel in Cortina. Ready for the trip of a lifetime? And despite Romeo and Juliet is a fictional love story, it is possible to visit Juliets house. Youll probably stop a few times just to enjoy the views. It is recommended to plan this a few weeks before your arrival. We prefer Lake Como over Lake Garda, which is why we designed this northern Italy itinerary with Lake Como. The last day of this road trip itinerary is traveling back to Milan. Last stop for lovers: Venice! In the next part, youll find step by step itineraries where we explain the best stops, famous landmarks, and best places to stay. Sign me up for the newsletter & access to resources from The Travel Library! Dynamic pricing from $3,217. Not to worry. The drive back from Lake Garda to Milan is around 2 hours, so make sure you plan that properly according to your departure. We have tons of information on the Dolomites, which you can see in our Dolomites Travel Guide. The lake is the largest in the southern part of Switzerland. Ultimate Northern Italy Itinerary For 10 Days Voices of Travel For this Itinerary we recommend you to start in Milan. Learn how to spend one perfect day in Verona. If youre someone whos embarking on their once-in-a-lifetime trip to Italy, this itinerary is for you. Bus travel is also an option, but comes with its own challenges: one, understanding regional bus routes in a short period of time, and two, using coach buses means youll get dropped off in one spot and you dont have much freedom to travel around. Alternatively, you can spend the night in Bellagio or Varenna, which are on Lake Como. It saves you a day in rental- and parking costs. An afternoon is plenty of time to see these sights. St. Marks Square dates back to the 9th century AD. We feel it is essential that you plan your trip with the best booking recourses. Northern Italy has an amazingly extensive train network that connect many of the country's top destinations. 5 days is very short, and you need to make some choices in what places youre going to visit. 5 Northern Italy Itineraries You Should Steal The Bucket List Northern Italy Itinerary If you're someone who's embarking on their once-in-a-lifetime trip to Italy, this itinerary is for you. Hotel Danieli is a luxurious 5-star hotel located on Riva degli Schiavoni. Northern Italy Itinerary: Venice, Dolomites, Verona & Lake Como Read about all the best towns on Lake Garda. Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you have longer, great! Required fields are marked *. If you cant get one, consider joining a tour. Not much driving after that . We chose to take on Northern Italy by train and it was super easy and comfortable! Then explore Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso, the oldest national park in Italy, before heading north to the tiny town, but skiing haven of Breuil-Cervinia to see Monte Cervino otherwise known as the Matterhorn! Cinque Terre is known for its beautiful coastline, colorful houses that are built into the cliffs, stunning nature and excellent hiking trails. The two best lakes for watersports like kite- and windsurfing are Lake Como and Lake Garda. This 14 day Italy itinerary crams in a lot, and can easily be slowed down if you have more time. Sitting next to the Rialto Bridge is the T Fondaco Terrace. In these two months you get the best weather, the very beginning or the tail end of the busy summer tourist season, and if you book ahead, you can get great deals on reservations for rental cars and accommodation.