northern italy and southern france itinerary

Thank you! We returned the rental car on arrival and walked to our accommodation which was very close by. 3 hours is the the recommended time to allow Manage Settings Take a train from CDG to Avignon from 13.00 onwards. 3 hours is the the recommended time to allow between flight arrival and train departure. Book After crossing the boarder between Italy and France, we arrived on the famous Cte dAzur, also called French Riviera. ): Piedmont: at least 2 nights (Piedmont is a large region, so depending on how much you want to see, you could easily extend this a couple of nights) Lake Como: at least 1 night Bologna: at least 1 night Florence: at least 2 nights Verona: at least 1 night Lake Garda: at least 1 night (or even a day trip from Verona & you stay in Verona 2 nights) Dolomites: at least 2-3 nights. There will be options and decisions youll have to make based on your own tastes, but no matter how you do it this should be an unforgettable trip. Hotel rooms in Paris (especially in prime locations) tend to be quite small, and Airbnbs will be small as well, although not as small as hotel rooms. Its almost impossible to get a bad meal in the city and most of the food is reasonably priced considering the quality. This is not our first trip to Europe. Lake Garda 2-2.5 days. Prepaid French 3G micro-SIM for iPad - it's not a problem! Your last stop on this itinerary is tapping into a bit of central Italy territory, but it is a must stop for foodies. Either option is great for a road trip of Italy. After all, this nation is the cradle of European civilization established by the Roman Empire and carried on by the Roman Catholic Church. On our way home, we made a stop south of Lyon (Vienne), too. The most famous among the latter is probably Les Baux-de-Provence. If you are coming through in between fairs and events, hotels can actually be unusually cheap, so its worth checking rates if you are considering stopping. In other words, you can spend a whole day on Capri and then have many other options on other days. If youre someone whos embarking on their once-in-a-lifetime trip to Italy, this itinerary is for you. complete with the Restaurant Guido da Costigliole, a Michelin star dining-spot. While the drive from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Tour the Villa Ephrussi, a mansion built by a member of the Rothschild banking family, and stroll through the villa gardens. As announced, my husband and I attach much value to staying and dining in style. Bus can also be a flexible and inexpensive option for airport transfer. If taking the RER I would probably opt for an hotel close to one RER B line station. We stayed in the old town in Annecy and really liked it here a lot. Find here my Google Map of our journey. Check out the map to see this sample itinerary and extra suggestions on where to visit: Some travelers cant get enough of a historic, bustling European city and Italy is rich with them. Its much appreciated!! However, if you have only 7 days in Northern Italy, I would probably only stay 1-2 days. And Nice has great museums and food as well. My question is to kick off the trip, which city should I start with from your itinerary (flying to Europe from Los Angeles)? Since its a fairly large city and a major transit hub, Nice is still active while nearby towns like Cannes and Antibes are partly shut down. Days 2 4: GoldenPass and Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. This was so helpful. Days 1 2: Lucerne, Switzerland. Franciacorta is a territory between Bergamo and Brescia that produces sparkling wine or spumante, mostly Prosecco, Italys version of Champagne. Play with the http://www.viamichelin.com chosing prefered route and discovery route and see what it offers you. Niceis the largest (and cheapest) city on the Cte dAzur (AKA French Riviera) so its the perfect base to explore this stunning part of the world for a few days. The post Northern Italy & southern France in style, a 11-day road trip itinerary first appeared on Swiss Traveler, Your email address will not be published. Notwithstanding that, I have never seen a more beautiful vineyard landscape on my Piedmont trips than here in the Langhe wine-growing region east of Alba. Southern France Northern Italy Itinerary suggestions Can anyone suggest an itinerary and logistics for 22 days..Fly into Nice out of Milan in May Would like to go Florence to Rome by train: About 90 minutes. So one option could be to leave Italy for another trip to be able to give it the time it deserves. Without doubt there are other spots in the Piedmont more worthwhile visiting. Not sure of best way to fit Venice in the plans. Love planes & trains so both total options! The drive across the Alps via the Col de Larche/Colle della Maddalena is pretty, unless you're the sort of person who gets very annoyed if stuck behind trucks for long periods, while the drive along the Riviera coast offers good sea views from many high viaducts once you're past Menton. Ive yet to make it there myself and I imagine itll be somewhat quiet in December, but Im sure there will still be tastings and tours and such. As we live in times of Corona, we only opted for lodging that comes with foodie hotspots, too. Also take advantage of the linked posts within this article to discover individual destinations in depth and ultimately allow you to plan your trip better. There isnt much else to see in Pisa. Day trips 1) Arles and Le Baux; (2) Avignon and Pont du Gard. Nice to Milan by train: About 5 hours The cuisine here is, of course, world famous, and it can get even better and cheaper if you spend a day or two in one of the many scenic villages in this part of Italy. In the article below youll see the best option to string together a tour of these countries in two or three weeks. Thanks sooo much for the above itinerary you have created! WebFrance is so treasure-filled that you could barely do more than skim the surface in a week. The day we checked out we were headed back to France, on our way we made a stop on the way for a couple of hours in Aosta, Italy, before driving through the Mont Blanc tunnel. There is truly so much to do and see that one trip may not be enough, which is why I have curated 5 northern Italy itineraries that play to certain strengths: one for those who want to see the most famous locations, one for outdoor adventurers, one for city-lovers, one for couples, and one for foodies, so you experience a little bit of everything. Paradou near Les-Baux-de-Provence, Provence, https://swisstraveler.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/4F320ED5-66D7-4C66-9371-88CEE660F749_1_201_a.jpeg, https://swisstraveler.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/8E4C591F-C653-4310-9E66-3A9C0E1422AA-1030x343.png, Northern Italy & southern France in style, a 11-day road trip itinerary. Newer travelers always assume that more is better and overly-seasoned travelers always preach that virtually any city anywhere deserves at least a week. I think the hiring a car for a village near Siena sounds great. If youd like to visit some hill towns or Pisa or Siena, you can easily do those as day trips. We cooked our dinners at our accommodation and swam in the pool. We are coming from the West Coast of the US (California). Also visited the hilltop town of Gourdon which was beautiful and we relaxed there and had snacks and lemonade at a cafe, wandered the streets and the shops. I highly suggest taking a look at the embedded maps to discover places worth adding to your itinerary based on the amount of time you have available. Bergamo 2 Nights. If you can afford another 3-4 days, then the plan looks much more sensible. Discover more specific destinations for loved-up travelers on the map: Italian food is in a league of its own, but youll soon find out when visiting northern Italy that the traditional dishes are not pasta and pizza. Any advises you can share- I appreciate it. Curious about more spots to hit? We walked around the area, and out to the point on this huge rock where there were steps going down so you could go for a swim. The best things to do in France; A summer guide to Chamonix, France; My first Via Ferrata in Nax, Switzerland and a night at Hotel DAngleterre in Geneva; The best things to do in the Dolomites, Italy It used to be that round-trip tickets were always much cheaper than two one-way tickets, but often that is no longer true. In reality, any daytime visitor who uses the typical precautions will be fine. Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy, but its small, cascading hillside towns make the atmosphere intimate. Itinerary #3: Cinque Terre and the Italian Riviera On this coastal itinerary, you'll hike between the scenic villages of the Cinque Terre, stopping to relax on the beach and taste locally produced wines along the way. And in recent years I even like better staying longer (1, 2 or 3 weeks) in less bases doing day trips to discover all around every day. On site there is also a sister hotel where you find the Restaurant Nancy Bourguignon. Hi Roger, Bergamo is big in size, but quaint in spirit. The places we visited in France and Italy were just beautiful, and I cant wait to be able to cross the ocean again one day. We rather wanted to enjoy the vibes coming with being by the sea and of course we were eager to explore the region, above all by walking. The choice fell on Alassio, a Ligurian seaside resort west of Genoa. The stops on this north Italy itinerary include: Youll probably start this itinerary in Milano, given that the most major airports are located just outside the city. Arrive on an empty stomach! Venice to Florence by train: About 2 hours. You could do it in a day, but you might be more The main city is Arles and that is probably the best base, although Avignon (where the Popes lived) is also very tourist friendly and could be a good choice. Verona is the ultimate city of romance in Italy: the setting of Shakespeares Romeo & Juliet, made up of rose-hued buildings and castles nestled over the Adige River. All of your tips are very helpful. I think Ill be nervous about getting to the airport on time, so I think Id be most comfortable with that. My husband and I walked to it while staying at the nearby Paradou. Gondola ride for two? Days 7 8: Glacier Express and St Moritz, Switzerland. I can help more with the itinerary if you like. Coming back to Santo Stefano Belbo, you find here the hotel of our choice not far from it. Sometimes the one-way flights are exactly half the round-trip fare, sometimes a bit more than half, and other times they are double. Polenta is a versatile grain made plain, with cheese or as Polenta Contadina, made with cheese, spinach, and local sausage. If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out again! As you probably know, Florence is the capital of Tuscany and definitely the best place to base yourself. If you only have two weeks per year it would take a lifetime of trips to explore even half of Europe at the slow pace, so it makes sense for newer travelers to move at a good clip. And we wanted to stay and dine in style. I think the general plan would be to fly into Paris and spend 4 or 5 days there, perhaps allowing time for a day trip or two to the Loire Valley or some wine regions. Something like this might be better for a second or third trip to France unless youve got weeks to spend here. Before taking the ferry back to Camogli, we stopped for a drink and a snack at a tiny little place right near the ferry stop that was so laid back and friendly, with tables outside and music playing. Before I go any further, Id love to hear whether you feel any parts of this potential plan do not make sense! If you have only two weeks total then the above minimums will also pretty much be your maximums, give or take a day. 10 Day Northern Italy Itinerary Breakdown. You definitely need to consider it for your next trip. Good way to wind down after busy trip? My husband found most of the driving was fun (Im glad he was driving, hes a confident driver whereas Im more of a nervous wreck kind of driver). Here youll find two specialties: polenta and pizzoccheri. While youll easily be able to get from city to city and even towns using regional trains, going through the mountains will mean there are less stops and train options, or there may just be no option at all. For the last night, yes, I will plan for a hotel at the airport. Luxembourg, St-Michel-Notre-Dame or Chtelet-les-Halles would be my first pick. It used to be that Paris was one of the cheapest, and its still competitive, but it doesnt rank high on the list ofEuropean cities that are cheapest to fly into. Nice is the most convenient for visiting Monaco and other towns in that area, but most of them are on the same local train line and you can go from one to any other pretty easily. As to your itinerary, I wouldn't do so much driving in such a short time either. Set on a low range of hills covered with these wonderful vineyards, it offers everything a demanding traveler could wish for. I prefer Lake Garda over Lake Como (which I visited twice) because the towns of Lake Garda are prettier, and it is more affordable and My friend mentioned it is better to go with inclusive package and I feel that will be too expensive. Probably the most efficient first trip to France along with Italy is to spend a few days in Paris and then head to Nice (see below) to explore the French Riviera, but if the beach scene doesnt interest you, or if you are coming in the cool months (the beach areas are pretty dead from November through March) you might instead stop in the Provence region. And this time, you encounter here the gentle hills full of vineyards. With fewer than 400,000 residents,Florencefeels more like a small town than the others, even though its much larger than Venice. The car was our chosen mode of transport. Required fields are marked *. Required fields are marked *. I considered this northern Italian spot as the ideal one to start our trip. Train to Venice 4 nights Make Avignon a day trip from there. More details follow in a separate blogpost (stay at Villa Crespi). I think for us it would be enjoyable, but the plan is not carved in stone yet so we are open to suggestions. I'm usually the first to warn people of driving when jet-lagged, but for such a short distance I'd risk it. Id do 3 or 4 nights in Paris, 1 or 2 nights in Venice, 2 or 3 nights in Florence, and 3 nights in Rome. Take a train from CDG to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? And that is even more true of lunches and dinners in random restaurants. Id fly into Paris and spend 3 or 4 night there and then take a train down to Nice for 2 nights there. Last stop for lovers: Venice! My experience in Italy is that some people with limited English speak good French, so you might be able to use your French there. I recommend for anyone visiting the Italian Alps either rent a car or plan to book a tour that handles transportation throughout the days activities. France and Italy: Best 2 to 3 week itinerary for first-time visitors, best cities in Europe to visit for anyone, many reasons why fast travel might be your best option, Here are the best first-time Italy itineraries for 3 days to two weeks, European cities that are cheapest to fly into, Buying a France-Italy regional Eurail Pass, Buying individual train tickets in advance, Buying individual train tickets one at a time when you get there. Spend at least three nights in Paris itself and if you have extra days you might do a day trip (tour buses are a great choice) of the nearby Loire Valley. You could easily spend 2 or 3 quick days in Nice alone, but you might also consider spending a few hours in Cannes and/or Monaco, which are both only about 30 minutes away by train in either direction. The thing is, between about 10am and 5pm every day of the year, the main walkways in Venice are a slow-moving parade of more tourists than seem possible or even safe. So I have gradually reduced the extent of the distances I travel. Hire car and stay in a village near Siena 4 nights (day trips in the car) We walked whenever possible according to the motto Only where you were walking, you have really been (Wolfgang von Goethe). 50miles, 1h40. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-112592926', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Europe and France in particular has such a concentration of things to see and do that every 15 - 30 km you will find a new village, town, castle, abbey, a natural beauty of some sort. Rough Itinerary: Southern France, Northern Italy, Re: Rough Itinerary: Southern France, Northern Italy, Get answers to your questions about France, Eiffel Tower tickets to the top smallest wait time. And this is true for our first destination, Lake Orta. The Tuscany of northern Italy? Drop off car in Rome 4 nights It's a pity Lake Como may be too much for this trip. Then youd take a high-speed train to Nice and then perhaps a local train to the destination of your choosing. Don't get too stuck on Barolo. But if you have three weeks you will be adding days to these cities or adding new cities altogether. On a quick visit you can hop on the local bus in Sorrento that takes you through Positano and Amalfi to Salerno. In general, visit Northern Italy if youre interested in art history, fashion, mountain vistas and fast-paced cities. And I found out that this is an offshot of Villa Crespi in Orta San Guilio, a high-end accommodation with a two Michelin star gourmet temple. We also visited a small town called St-Quentin-de-la-Poterie. My impression was that it was a pretty busy place with a lot of groups in for wine tastings and such. That might be a bit hurried for 12 days. On our way home, we made a stopover south of Lyon, Frances third largest city. This area also goes under the name of the French Riviera. If so, what would you recommend we eliminate? Day 8: Italian Riviera via Monaco. If you love the idea of vineyard views on end and wine tasting with your partner, it must be added to your romantic itinerary. I think two weeks is about right as long as you plan it well and Id definitely plan it and do it yourself if you feel like you are up to it. You could probably do all three of those things on a guided trip from Rome. Do you have any suggestions? I wouldn't tell you not to do it but you need to be careful. But in general, when you want to explore small towns and villages and see the countryside and tale scenic routes, you need to take the smaller roads.

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northern italy and southern france itinerary