Since I have gained a lot of useful information from this subreddit, I wanted to share a trip report from our recent journey through northern Italy.
My wife and I (both in our 60s) just returned from our first trip to Italy. We have traveled to many countries before, but somehow never made it to Italy until now. We focused on northern Italy this time, partly based on a recommendation from a former colleague from Bologna. We plan to visit Rome, Florence, and Sicily on future trips.
Itinerary: Milan (3 nights), Venice (3 nights), Bologna (3 nights). It was a well-balanced plan, although a couple more days would have made it even better.
Milan
We arrived at Malpensa in the morning and immigration was quick, taking about 15 minutes thanks to the EES system working smoothly.
We stayed near Piazza della Repubblica, which turned out to be a great location with many restaurants within walking distance and easy access to tram and metro lines.
We used public transport throughout Milan, mainly trams and the metro. The old trams were especially enjoyable and very well maintained. Tap-to-pay worked seamlessly, and I mostly used my Apple Watch for payments. We spent almost no cash during the entire trip.
We visited The Last Supper using a guided tour since direct tickets were unavailable. The guide was excellent and we were able to view the painting without feeling rushed. The tour also included a short walk around Sforza Castle.
One minor disruption occurred due to farmer protests, which caused metro trains to skip the Duomo station. We got off at San Babila and walked back to the hotel, even passing a convoy of tractors from the protest.
On Sunday, we visited the Duomo terraces early in the morning with pre-booked tickets. The views were spectacular, and we also happened to attend part of Sunday mass inside the cathedral, which was unexpected. We also visited the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci, which was excellent and could easily take a full day.
On Monday, we explored parks and districts since many museums were closed. We walked through Giardini Indro Montanelli, visited the Scala Museum, and explored Brera during Milan Design Week, which added a lively atmosphere.
We then traveled from Milano Centrale to Venice using a Frecciarossa train. The journey was smooth and scenic, especially around Lake Garda. We booked business class in advance through the Trenitalia app, which was very easy to use.
Venice
We arrived by water taxi, which was very convenient and dropped us near our hotel by San Zaccaria.
We visited St Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace with a guided tour, followed by Murano and Burano, which were highlights of the trip. Murano glass workshops and Burano’s lace museum were especially memorable. We also enjoyed local restaurants and scenic walks in Dorsoduro.
We took time to visit St Mark’s Campanile and the Arsenale area before departing.
Bologna
We took a short Frecciarossa ride to Bologna, which quickly became our favorite city. The atmosphere was lively due to the university population, and the city had excellent food options everywhere.
We explored the historic center, climbed the clock tower at Palazzo d’Accursio, and visited local museums including the municipal art museum.
We also took a countryside tour of Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar production, which was very enjoyable. Bologna was especially accommodating for vegetarian options, which worked well for my wife.
We visited Ravenna on a day trip, including the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and Basilica of San Vitale. It was a highlight, though we mismanaged timing for one site due to overlapping entries.
We ended our stay with visits to additional museums in Bologna before returning to Milan and staying overnight near the airport for an easy departure.
Overall, everything went smoothly, transportation was efficient, and the entire trip was very enjoyable with no major issues
0