My first trip to Italy - help, please?

It looks like we can finally fit in a vacation this year and we've decided that it's about time we got to Italy! Can you please offer suggestions on what would make a great first trip? I'm super-excited but really overwhelmed. Some vital stats:

-Will be able to go for 8 or 9 days around the end of Sept/first week of October

-Nonstop flights from Newark go in and out of Milan, so that's what I expect to do

-Despite hearing how good the trains are, would like to rent a car to explore the countryside

I do not feel compelled to visit Rome on this first trip. Venice and Tuscany are high on the list, but I've heard good things about the Lakes/Dolomites, Florence, Amalfi Coast (seems too far south)... too many places, really!

What would you all suggest as winning itineraries for this first trip? It goes without saying that wine and cuisine would be highlights for the trip, as well. Thank you in advance!

Eden
I think you're thinking along sensible lines.

Amalfi Coast is lovely, but a long way from Milan

If you want to drive, then the Lakes and Tuscany make sense. Other options might include more rural parts of Lombardia or Piemonte, both with genuine wine interest.

For food interest, each of the above will be of great interest, but after all this is Italy, so there's interesting food anywhere except the real tourist havens. A Region that is especially famous for food is Emilia-Romagna, with such attractions as Balsamic Vinegar (Modena), Parma ham, Bologna (Tagliatelle al ragu ... what has been bastardised as Spaghetti Bolognese), Parmesan and so on.

Wherever you go, Fred Plotkins book "Italy for the gourmet traveller" often throws up some real gems, including places where the locals are a little surprised to see a foreigner.

Personally (and this is just my own experience) with 9 days I'd:

Stay overnight in Milan for the 1st day. You'll be tired, jet-lagged and driving might not be fun. Enjoy strolling around the city (don't catch the Metro as walking is much nicer).

On day 2 pick up the hire car, ideally from somewehere on the outskirts (airports are usually an option) so that the roads will be quiet and you can practice driving there without being harassed. Drive to your location, but you may be still struggling with jet-lag, so consider a break to grab some fresh air en-route if you're going further than (say) 2-3 hours. Alternatively, make use of Milan's excellent train links and hire the car nearer your destination.

Spend a week in the countryside, choosing a base that allows you to hop easily to the various places of interest. In staying for a week in one place, it allows you to relax, get settled and not be packing/unpacking every other night. Also many places offer better rates for a weeks stay - or even stipulate weekly stays.

Try to plan a number of 'options' for day trips. Then once you're there, choose to do as few or as many as you like. In this way you're not a slave to an itinery and it even allows you to backtrack if you found somewhere interesting. Also consider any options for not driving (perhaps a walk, cycle ride, or train trip), so that if you get fed up of driving, then you can have a day off. Also try to avoid a town/city focus, as driving in them can be painful. Mix in plenty of rural stuff as this is where the car comes into it's own.

Finally I'd spend the last night back in Milan, leaving easy access to the airport.

There's plenty of alternatives (perhaps 2 nights in Milan at the start, then hire the car from the airport & drive to destination, returning on the last day directly to the airport).

Plenty more I could add, but this should help for starters.

regards

Ian

Eden, I'll give you some more thoughts but I strongly recommend that you stay at Hotel Villa Malpensa which is literally five minutes from the Malpensa Airport. Janet and I have stayed there three times and were absolutely delighted. Get your reservations for on arrival or departure or both.

Here's a link to another traveler's description of the hotel.

http://www.virtualitalia.com/travel/lom ... ensa.shtml

Here's a link to the hotel.

http://www.hotelvillamalpensa.com/

Very strongly recommended, not only because of the convenience but because of the history and the joy of the place.

Regards, Bob

I ran a diary on my recent honeymoon to Tuscany/Rome, please feel free to take a look, link in my signature below.

Highlights:

1. I recommend driving through the countryside, roads and directions are relatively easy to follow [get a good map before you go and study possible routes]. Do not under any circumstances drive into Rome... you might die.

2. Highly recommend Montepulciano... great town, great scenery, great wine.

3. Many wineries were closed on Wednesday, plan ahead and see when they're open so you're not upset when you get to a region and find out everything's closed on whatever day.

4. Tuscan towns I didn't get to see that I will on my next trip: San Gimignano, Siena, Monteriggioni, Montalcino, Scansano, Assisi [Umbria].

5. I also highly recommend renting a villa in one location for the time you're there [surprisingly affordable if that's an issue] in a city off the tourist's map [we stayed in Montepulciano]. It was one of the highlights of our trip, being able to sit at our villa and relax nightly.

6. We went in early November, weather was beautiful, slightly cool, and less tourists.

7. Pick a region and stick to it... there's plenty to see everywhere you go... you don't want to overload yourself by doing Piedmont and Tuscany and Umbria and the Amalfi.

8. If you have anything shipped back to the US, make sure you get the shipping costs up front. We were taken to the cleaners by a ceramic dealer that charged us about $250 to ship a box with two ceramic bowls in it [in contrast a case of wine cost us $130].

Sorry about the long list but I keep on coming up with tips.

All great stuff so far, thanks!

Bob, that hotel looks stunning! Will see what I can do to fit in a night there.

I am being persuaded to hang around Piedmont a bit, so ze game plan, she is changing. Am now thinking:

Start in Venice for a couple of nights, then work our way west via car, staying ~Dolomites or the Lakes for a few nights, and then ending in Piedmont for a few nights, back to the states via Milan. Perhaps 3 nights in each location.

Any thoughts, must see-places, etc?

You guys are the best!

Eden
(Much) more travelling than I'd go for, but then you need to be comfortable with your own pace. If this is it (and you know exactly what you've got on your plate in terms of distances etc), then go for it. Personally I think it's worth planning as if you'll go back to Italy 3 or more times, which helps to ease back on trying to see everything in one visit.

Can you fly into Venice (or at least Bologna)? Milan to Venice is a long way (272km) and to then go all the way back past Milan to Piemonte (410km+) and back to Milan (138km) is not ideal - especially as this will be dull unscenic motorway driving for the large part. Note you can fly in and out of different cities (known as 'open-jaw' tickets) for pretty much the same price. Handy to avoid backtracking.

Is Venice an absolute 'must-see' for you? It's a long way out of your way if you want to go to Piemonte. If you had to choose one or the other, which would you most regret not seeing?

In Piemonte, Alba is the central location for wine regions, but if driving, I'd stay in one of the villages. The Alba based tourist agency http://www.langheroero.it/default.asp?language=UK are very efficient and can book accomodation for you by email. We stayed in lovely little apartment in Piobesi d'Alba, but you might prefer something the other side of Alba. I really enjoyed Barbaresco, though if you like racing around, then a day in Barbaresco, a day in Barolo and a day in Alba itself might go well enough. Personally I also love Turin (Torino), but not worth considering as part of a hectic schedule.

Also, whilst in Italy, make time to have a drink and a (typically light) plate of food in the wine bars. The quality of the food is generally excellent and the small but interesting selection of wine by the glass - served in good glasses, of real interest for us types.

best of luck

Ian

Hi Eden,

I would suggest picking 2 regions to explore and keep it simple since you are going for a very short amount of time. There are too many wonderful regions in Italy to explore, especially if you are into food and wine. If I were you I would do Florence and Venice, or, do Florence town and the countryside and save Venice for another time. Then, you could fly into Florence from another European city and save yourself the hassle of driving for half the time you are in Italy, and then drive out to the countryside. Greve in Chianti, or Radda has a lot of wonderful places to stay. Keep in mind that getting in and out of Venice is complicated because of the water taxis and such.

Just my two cents.

you'll have a great time whatever you decide; and this won't b e your last trip, so..... did you see the article on the lake area in the recent issue of 'wine enthusiast'? it was a good one and it is a wonderful place to visit. i stayed on lago d'orta; but the bigger ones are worth a visit. it isn't that long a drive from the airport. piemonte has good wine but one would be hard pressed to tell you what to visit there. there was a castle - was it grinzane cavour or something like that. another really lovely place is santa margarita - actually that whole peninsula near genoa.

yes, i'd go to venice - though many people don't like it claiming it is 'dirty'. if you have problems with 'old' things; or are a cleanliness freak then avoid it. if you do tuscany, i would stronly recommend san gimagnano. it is a lovely place - small walled village with great wine. my next trip i want to go to the bardolino and soave areas - i understand they are great too.

Eden, I agree with the advice to focus on two areas on a first trip. Here's a general itinerary which we followed on one of our major trips to Italy which worked very well. I'll send more details if this appeals.

Arrive Milan and depending on arrival time either stay at the hotel overnight or drive south to Tuscany. Main roads are excellent and almost all marked exactly the same way so entering and exiting is very simple. The only problem is that traffic can be extremely heavy, and on a somewhat unpredictable basis.

If you stay overnight, drive up to Milan, see the shopping center, go to the roof of the Cathedral and see the Last Supper. Then go to either Florence or Sienna and spend 4-5 days exploring from your base. Florence is very rich in culture, and I would stay in a smaller place. Cars are really impossible in Florence, but it's small enough to walk everywhere.

Then go south to Umbria using Perugia as a base for 4-5 days. Lots of interesting sites.

Return to Malpensa and if you have an early morning flight stay at the hotel at the airport.

More details if this appeals. Regards, Bob