Verona Travel Forum

How to order destinations in N. Italy, (5 week trip over X-mas).

I have 5 weeks to explore Northern Italy, arriving in Bergamo, and visiting different parts of the North specifically including:

1) Trentino/Bolzano (Dolomites)
2) Genoa/Cinque Terre
3) Como/Maggiore Lakes

My question is how to order the trip? Which region first?

I'm arriving in the middle of December at Bergamo, and leaving in the middle of January (again from Bergamo).

I guess I will have to go to Milan, at some point but it's really the least important stop for me (except for maybe the Duomo cathedral there). I can't hitchhike because it's too cold, so I'm dependant on Italy's discount bus, and rail tickets (if they even exist)? Some rail networks, like Norway, and other bus companies, like a few in London, offer really cheap discount e-tickets if purchased well in advance, sometimes only 1 euro, plus tax. Other countries are really good for rideshare, or lifeshare, (NOT carpooling), where young people share the cost of gas/driving, and more or less ride for free. Does Italy factor in on any of these possibilities?

Please let me know in which order to visit these provinces/regions, and where to spend Christmas, and New Years. Please note I really like landscapes, and photography but prefer to stay away from groups of tourists, Italian or otherwise especially when they're skiing. I don't like ski lifts either, I prefer quiet valleys, and kind, hospitable townspeople, with delicious local foods.

Thanks

Hi,

there are little ways to save money from transportation in Italy, but on the other hand transportation is cheap compared to Western Europe. Buses are mainly local, with the exception of some buses that go from the North to Sicily and they traverse the area around Florence, Bologna, etc. so they are not exactly on your way. The company is called Sena Bus:
http://www.sena.it/index_e.htm?CID=A201L204L120081204202026MKFPKGMRJJD08644416
You can browse for local transportation by googling "X (place name) Y (place name) bus", it often works. A comprehensive list of bus companies with links to their websites is:
http://www.orariautobus.it/
Try to search intuitively: when sizable places are less than 50km apart and there is no direct train, you can expect to find a frequent bus (especially likely within the same region). The companies are listed under the province in which they base their operations. Normally buying the ticket from the driver costs some cents more than buying it at a counter.
Reservation of train tickets is 5% cheaper when done online (only for the expensive trains). The Amica fare is 20% discounted and you have to purchase it in advance for a particular departure time. As far as I know return discounts do not exist.
You can also use an Interrail Pass for Italy, which might be a bargain if you use enough IC (not IC Plus, though) and Espresso Notte (cheap night trains). They do not require reservation and thus, no supplements are required, either. If you stick to either regional trains and buses in the mountains or to Eurostar Italia, an Interrail pass is of no use for you. Still, do your calculations.
I haven't heard of any ride-sharing and the like. This probably means that even if there are some, they are not very common and useful.

Hope that helps,
Venelin

Hi! As you're arriving/departing from Bergamo, I'd advise taking some time to explore this town, particularly the upper old town. Bergamo is 10-15 mins by bus from the airport(stopping at the train station). It often gets missed by travelers racing to Milan or The Lakes.
I was there in October, and thoroughly enjoyed my short stay there. Would like to go back there one day soon.

I hope you find the answers to your query. Have A Great trip!
Best Wishes,
Sue

Don't forget lake Como and Padova

Hi, I know WHERE to go, I just can't decide which direction to go after Bergamo, west to the Lake district, and then Liguria via Milan, or east, to Trentino/Bolzano/Alps, and then down to Cinque Terre, and back to Bergamo via Genoa, and Milan.