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| Joey’s Guide to North Italy |
| Joey's Travel Guide >> Guide to the North of Italy |
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What to see and do in Northern Italy between Milan and Venice:
1. Lake Como
2. Padova
3. Bergamo
4. Verona
5. Soave
6. Lago di Garda
7. Vicenza
8. Treviso
9. Asolo |
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Please email any questions that arise from reading it, and have fun planning!!!
Lake Como
Lake Como is a must see if you will be in or near Milan (Italian: Milano) and is such a beautiful place for a honeymoon. All 3 villages: Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio are great and it is nice to drive around the lake from one to the other but it takes hours and will make your wife and kid car sick as it is very windy. It may be a nice afternoon thing for you to do on your own though. If you want to a do a drive around Lago di Como, you should plan to stay a night there in Bellagio. George Clooney has a villa near Bellagio and I know he is there now working on his film Leatherheads which we are doing the Massive work for. There is a bar there on one of the little step streets that Clooney hangs out at, I think it may be this one: http://www.divinacommedia.com/bellagio.html. The guy who owns the bar sells bottles of wine that he paints on and there are photos of him with George Clooney there.
If you stay the night in Bellagio stay here
Padova
I am partial to Padova because I lived there but it is definitely a great little city and anyone would agree with that. It has lots to see and is wonderful to walk around the central historic district. English books call it Padua but no one in Italy does. I absolutely suggest a visit to Padova (population 360,000). It is very vibrant with many cafes and piazzas to hang out in, gorgeous architecture and young people everywhere because of the university. It is not touristy and is a good place to get away from the crowds of Venice.
Padova is also a good place to stay if you can't find something good in Venice because you can take a quick train there and not have to park your car outside Venice at a high daily rate. If you stay in Padova, your choices are:
The Toscanelli, where we always stay. It is right in the heart of Padova and there is valet, but because it is in the centro, it is not easy to drive to
Another good choice there, is this chic modern place which is just across a little bridge from the historic center so it is much easier to get to and has a parking lot: the Hotel Methis
Bergamo
Check out Bergamo Alta - the old part of town up on a hill
If you decide to stay the night: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/bergamoalta
Verona
Verona is a great place to shop. The old town is very quaint with pedestrian only streets and a huge ancient Roman arena. It is where Romeo and Juliet was set and there are some really lovely areas. Again, the shopping is really good. If you just want to check it out on your drive from Milan east, drive into town following the signs for 'centro' which look like a circle with a dot in the middle. Park along the big avenue (Corso...Nuova) that ends in the arch going into the no-car zone (you need to pay for a parking ticket at a tabacchi or go to an actual parking lot off the main street).
If you stay a night in Verona:
Soave
This is a cute little town just off the highway that is easy to stop at along the way for lunch or a glass of wine. It is a famous wine town that has a big wine festival every year at the end of September. Try the white wine; they are famous for it.
Lago di Garda
This is another great lake area to visit. It is a little less charming that Como and a little less mountainous around it but it is easy to get to, it is huge and it is a little quieter as far as a visit.
If you want to stay around Garda, stay in Sirmione, it is an amazingly quaint little town on an island just inside the lake: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/sirmione
Vicenza
This is a great little city that I like even better than Verona but it is just a little less easy to get into and park. The Corso Palladio is a great place to stroll and shop and the Piazza dei Signiori is a great place to sit and have a drink. It is a gorgeous place and there is a great old restaurant with a big fireplace for dinner:
Treviso
Another great city nearby which is not touristy. It is a hilly, nice city that has lots of money, so the shopping is good and it is clean and pretty.
Asolo
A bit of a drive out of your way but worth it if you want to see a beautiful small town in the foothills of the Alps. It is truly gorgeous! It is one of my favorite little towns in Italy and tourists don't visit so you really get to see a beautiful, well preserved spot. It is on a hill and the views from the town are amazing.
You could stay a night here if you want: http://www.hotelduse.com
If you are traveling a little futher south, Bologna has some of the best food in the world, and Ferrari is a lovely little town with some amazing cafes.
Please email any questions that arise from reading it, and have fun planning!!!
Joey
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