Non UK Italy at easter - where to go.

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Tom
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So.... the flights are booked. We are flying into Venice and flying out of Milan with a week in-between.

Plan so far is first two days in Venice (been before so just a refresher) and the last day in Milan with a road trip in between.

The bit in-between is what we need to decide on. We have come up with two options, more suggestions are welcome. We are aware the weather can be very interchangeable (last time I was in Venice it was mid August and it tipped it down) so this could sway our decision. We will have a car so can go anywhere but want to stay fairly north.

Option 1 (I am leaning to this one - just concerned as to whether poor weather might stop us doing anything):

Venice - Verona - Riva Del Gara - Sirmione - Milan

Option 2:

Venice - Florence - Pisa - Milan

Main purpose for the trip is sightseeing and relaxing but with some photography thrown in.

Any advice/more suggestions are greatly appreciated.
 
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Rome?
Matt
 
I think you made two excellent choices: both lago di Garda and Firenze are very interesting.
In my opinion though Firenze deserves at least a couple of days You should also go to Fiesole).
For just one day Riva di Garda is the best choice
 
I haven't done option two, but I've been to Verona, (if you have a chance, then book and see an opera in the amphitheatre - sit at the top and the view is just magical) Garda and Sirmione and they're absoloutely gorgeous - there are also a couple of really pretty vineyards on the edges of the lake too, so worth pottering in the vines for shots.
 
Option 2 - some of Italy's finest, although you wont have enough time tbh...

Venice is fabulous and we will return again, we are doing Florence/Pisa this year, and hae been to Milan many times...

Love love love Italy........

And, if you do that, I would go Pisa/Flo/Ven/Mil......
 
I have been to every place you mention other than Sirmione

I must suggest you head straight to Verona after Venice. A lovely city with lots to see, where one night is adequate or half a day.

You would be using a lot of valuable time driving if you went to Florence. Florence is my favorite city in Italy but it deserves a few nights.

I would suggest Venice - Verona - Garda(town of) - Malcesine - Riva Del Garda - (maybe Sirmione?) - maybe a bit of como. I liked Bellagio.

Are you flying home from Milan or Bergamo?

I love the North of Italy. What about going even further north from Garda into the Dolomites?

Pics of my last trip
http://www.jhuntphotography.co.uk/italy/
 
Based on your 2 options, 1 is more countryside/recreation type area and 2, is more architecture, history and culture. Based on personal preference I would probably say Florence/Pisa (never been to Milan), but either way, both routes are worth seeing. It is worth pointing out that the distance between Venice and Florence is fairly long relative to your other option, which might be a consideration.

Bear in mind if you decide to go to Garda that some of the places are only easily accessible via motor car or ferry, which can limit your options in the evenings if you don't have a vehicle, as when I was there the ferries didn't operate after a certain time of night. Limone for example was quite isolated after hours if you didn't have a car. Malcesine is worth seeing. If you have any interest in landscape photography, you might also consider the Dolomites as they are in that area.
 
Definitely Option 2 - but possibly going to Como over Garda given a choice.

Whatever you do - never judge Italy using Milan as a yardstick!
 
Hi Tom Green :)
If you are free and easy, i suggest going a bit further north on your way to Milan and checking out the Verzasca dam at the top of Lake Maggiore. Its stunning (and fun to jump off)! Well worth a couple hours detour :)

Also Chuckles is bang on about not judging Italy by Milan. Como is also a good shout. I'd definitely head north rather than south from Venice.

Oooo you're gonna have an ace time!
 
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Definitely option 1! If you had longer than 4 days for the road trip I would go with option 2 but with the time you've got it's just too much driving for the amount of time you actually get to spent seeing things!
 
^Joe said:
How did it go ?
Click to expand...

Was really good. Very expensive place though for anyone thinking of going. Went to a coffee shop for example, our two coffees would have been €4.50 (quite reasonable actually), however we wanted to sit down so they became €9.50.

Venice was brill, it's just.......Venice. Everyone needs to go there at least once in my opinion. It can be a bit like the worlds biggest maze but its a cool place.

Lake Garda, brilliant. Frustrating lack of parking and walking areas around the lake though in my opinion, you need to be near one of the main towns for that. Favourite place on the lake was Malcesine and Monte Baldo - beautiful little town and place that is. Limone was nice and quite similar to Malcesine in some ways. Quite liked Desenzano Del Garda as well.

Verona was one of my favourite places, you can do the whole thing in one day but its 100% worth a visit. I thought it was a really nice and picturesque place.

Milan, was ok but very much 'just a big city' in my opinion. Saying that we were only there one day and it rained so we only saw the very centre, impressive Cathedral and shopping centre though!

Will upload some images when I get round to editing them :)
 
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