Fly back to Paris and do canal trip 5/6 nights (Dijon area or Midi?) Polenta is a versatile grain made plain, with cheese or as Polenta Contadina, made with cheese, spinach, and local sausage. All of the stops are 2 to 3 hours apart by train. Either option is great for a road trip of Italy. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-112575872', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Avignon I would directly go there it would be one less lodging change in a short amount of time. 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. If you have less time and want to see a lot, plan out your transportation well and get ready for days jam-packed with things to do and breathtaking places to see! Days 9 10: Bernina Express and Milan, Italy. 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. I will do some more internet research before deciding, thank you all again for your suggestions. But I do have a couple of questions for a future trip that I am planning. Obviously youll want to visit Paris, and it makes sense to either start or end your whole journey here. All to say, for me, although this trip was wonderful, next time I would go with fewer locations and stay longer at each one. 11 days itinerary for Southern France and Italy Itinerary to explore Barcelona, Southern France and a little of Italy in just 11 days is now live on the blog. There aremany reasons why fast travel might be your best option, but only up to a point. On our way home, we made a stop south of Lyon (Vienne), too. As to your itinerary, I wouldn't do so much driving in such a short time either. As for Capri, I havent been there yet myself, but I do know its quite small and since its not far from Positano, its going to be pretty similar. A Foodies Northern Italy Itinerary. If you head out on your adventure using one of these itineraries or have questions for curating a totally customized itinerary, share with me Id love to hear how your trip has gone or help you further plan your dream northern Italy itinerary! Not far from Franciacorta is the region of Veneto, wherein the next half of the itinerary lies. In these two months you get the best weather, the very beginning or the tail end of the busy summer tourist season, and if you book ahead, you can get great deals on reservations for rental cars and accommodation. From metropolitan Milan to the medieval hilltop city of Bergamo, the major cities in Italy all offer a different landscape to be explored. Whether you like hiking in the summer or skiing in the winter, the mountains are paradise. Its hard to fit it all into one trip, but hopefully youve found the perfect itinerary for your trip to northern Italy or at least sparks of inspiration! All of that said, Rome is absolutely a must-visit, although you wont be blamed for hustling through the city quickly and efficiently so you can spend more time in the relative serenity of anywhere else. For this trip we are interested in exploring mainly small towns, countryside, mountains. Heres a more in-depth look at how to get around northern Italy: There are both national train lines and regional train lines, meaning you are well-connected between the major cities and there are also options to reach smaller towns. Here youll find two specialties: polenta and pizzoccheri. If the two one-way flights are within US$150 or so of either round-trip, then they are your best option. If youre thinking of using regional or city buses, the real challenge is understanding the routes and planning your itinerary around the timetables. Its 45 minutes away by highspeed rail and the town has a lot more to see including a major cathedral. Its quite different from the rest of Italy so it will feel a bit more exotic, and the weather is milder during most of the year as well. In fact, Nice used to be a winter resort because the weather is mild compared to the other big cities. We only had one night available and had not planned to do longer activities in town. Instead the meals are heartier, which reflect the lifestyle of people living here: industrial workers or those living in the Alps having to face long winters. I will be visiting Paris in December 2022. The sights in Paris are almost all worthwhile, but dont think you have to spend an entire day in the Louvre in order to enjoy it. As announced, my husband and I attach much value to staying and dining in style. I think for us it would be enjoyable, but the plan is not carved in stone yet so we are open to suggestions. There are also bus tours from Florence that take you all the way there, but those come with the slowness of large-group travel. Train to Cinque Terre 3 nights 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. So in a way its a bit like visiting a theme park, and four nights is a long time in a theme park. Total distance: 751 Km, 8.5 hours drive in total. Cinque Terre photo byWorld Walk About on Flickr, Your email address will not be published. Southern Italy Road Trip: Stop 4 Sicily Itinerary. I find that I get exhausted easier as I got a bit older. Around Gare de Lyon can also be an option since it's one stop away from the RER B. We really took it easy here, walking in the town, shopping at the small market, swimming in the pool at our accommodation, and we went out for a really nice dinner where we had local wine, great food, and ate outside with views of the vineyards. The itineraries here take you to some major attractions and some charming off-the-beaten-track towns. Kind regardsCraig (NZ). Northern Italy is the most developed part of the country, so transportation is easy-to-access and can take you just about anywhere. If the round-trips are much cheaper then your best option is to buy one of those as well as a one-way flight between the cities (for around US$100) for just before you fly home. All of Italys regions offer something unique and in this guide, the spotlight is on the north. We took a bus that goes around to the small towns around the lake. Come back later to learn a bit more about Vienne and its flagship hotel and restaurant. 50miles, 1h40. Sometimes the one-way flights are exactly half the round-trip fare, sometimes a bit more than half, and other times they are double. I hope this helps and Im happy to answer other questions if you have them. Do you think 2 weeks will be sufficient enoug? -Roger. Worst of all, accommodation in Milan can be insanely expensive if there is a trade fair or event in town. And we wanted to stay and dine in style. There will definitely be champagne tastings (obviously meant for tourists) in Paris on any given day, but you could also visit the nearby town of Reims, which is the main tourist center of the Champagne region. You don't say where your mas is south of Avignon, but if not too far I would rent the car on arrival and go there directly if you can add 1 more night. Required fields are marked *. Of course there are many ways to travel. And long road trips are indeed possible. But Europe and France in particular has such a concentration of t It was very pretty and the stores and streets were interesting to walk around. It truly is the best way to visit the country and enjoy just how vastly different the landscapes are across the peninsula. I'm usually the first to warn people of driving when jet-lagged, but for such a short distance I'd risk it. But you wont get bored, and if you do you are probably doing it wrong. (note to Perilizia, Im not stuck on Barolo, just used it as an example as I was looking at accommodations in other towns sort of near there, including La Morra). The drive from Avignon to Barolo is very long - see http://www.viamichelin.com for itineraries, driving times and costs. Finally, my husband and managed to do a longer trip abroad after a forced break due to Corona of more than one and a half year. And we came upon Hotel and Restaurant La Pyramide. That might be a bit hurried for 12 days. A view of the village of Manarola from the Cinque Terre hiking trail https://provence-alpes-cotedazur.com/en/alpes/things-to-do/road-trip/route-des-grandes-alpes-tour/, https://www.fortravelovers.com/en/roadtrip-on-the-route-des-grandes-alpes-the-must-see-stages. But first and foremost, we think of a specific region to go. Do you have any suggestions? The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 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. My husband and I walked to it while staying at the nearby Paradou. While the drive from Annecy to Barolo is long, two of viaMichelin's suggested routes are quite scenic. The drive across the Alps via the Col de Lar Ive yet to do one myself, but Ive heard good things. 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. The Provence is known for its stunning landscapes full of river valleys, gorges and old villages. Not only is Sorrento the perfect base for a visit to Naples and Pompeii, but its also the gateway to the Amalfi Coast and a short ferry ride from the touristy island of Capri. Its almost impossible to get a bad meal in the city and most of the food is reasonably priced considering the quality. We are thinking at least 2 to 3 weeks and it would be for April or May of 2024. 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. And you find here also the one Michelin starred Nove Restaurant. And another good point from tradeform about your arrival in Paris. I think we made the perfect choice, and this with ChteauSaint-Martin in Vence. My husband and I will be traveling to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? 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. Bus travel is also an option, but comes with its own challenges: one, understanding regional bus routes in a short period of time, and two, using coach buses means youll get dropped off in one spot and you dont have much freedom to travel around. Comment* That is up to you and the flexibility of your travel dates! For the last night, yes, I will plan for a hotel at the airport. 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. However, coach bus companies like Flixbus operate throughout the country and Europe, so you could travel between regions using their service. Curious for more ideas? And I think a canal trip around Paris would be great. 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. But (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? It is a fascinating medieval village, enveloped by woodland and backed by mountains. Im sure youll find good information by Googling it. Looking at the plan I have, I am curious what location would you consider cutting out and where would you stay longer? Stop to explore Nices Old Town on your own before returning to your hotel. 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 have been to Ba You could either go independently on trains, or book a bus trip that covers them both. Discover more day trips from Milan to beef up your itinerary. Positano and Amalfi itself are the two most famous ones, but there are others. Of the 5 towns, Vernazza is probably best for a short visit and its definitely the most scenic. Lake Garda 2-2.5 days. Milan 2 Nights. which months would you recommend? Read my full disclosure! Roughly said, most of Italy's "classics", including Venice, Milan, Florence, Cinque Terre, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, are all located in the north (see the Northern Italy map on the right), whereas the sunny gems such as Naples, the Amalfi Coast and Sicily, are in the south. The trick is to stay at least one night, if not two,on the main island itself. On our way back from the south of France we had been looking for lodging to stay and dine in style. WebThis 10-day itinerary is the perfect quick trip through Southern Europe that hits all the hotspots and popular cities. But for a quick trip where you are trying to include as much as possible, Pisa is best for a day trip. I wouldn't tell you not to do it but you need to be careful. Sign me up for the newsletter & access to resources from The Travel Library! We did not stay directly by the sea, but headed to the hills high above Nice, to the picturesque village of Vence in the region of the Mtropole Nice Cte dAzur. If you are fine with this, then no problem. They are all just so filled with Europeans during July and August that it can be frustrating, so going just before or after those months is ideal. in northern Italy also love their local ingredients. So relax and savor Paris, Mont-St-Michel, Chardonnay, or Cannesamong other alluring destinationssaving the rest for another day. Head east and end your itinerary in Venice. Fantastic site.really appreciate the info! Here you can have breakfast and dinner in this Michelin restaurant. Im jealous! Similar to Paris, Rome is crammed with amazing sights too numerous to mention, but unlike Paris, Rome can be a frustrating place to visit. So we did not have to venture further to indulge in culinary highlights. I would love to hear your suggestions for an itinerary and how long to spend in each place. Dive deeper into the Val Brembana to the north of Bergamo to visit the villages of Branzi and Cornello dei Tasso. Suggestions? -Roger. Let me know if you have any other questions. They are on the west coast a bit north of Florence, so they are a bit out of the way if you are headed to Rome. havent decided. Or I might just stick with France only on this trip. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); My wife and I will be celebrating our 35th anniversary next year. We walked back down and went to the municipal beach where we enjoyed a swim in Lac DAnnecy. 2 nights means just one full day of sightseeing in all those places. Duration: 14 days. After crossing the boarder between Italy and France, we arrived on the famous Cte dAzur, also called French Riviera. On the other hand, youve got the time it seems so it could be a good place to slow down for a bit. The coast is also called Italian Riviera. Manage Settings But they are small villages and I think 2 nights might be enough there. Paris to Avignon by train: About 3.5 hours I start my first trips doing road trips. We want to make this more of a romantic trip rather than a tour type trip. Thanks also for pointing out the long distances and shorter 2 nt stays can make it harder to have time for the small towns. Aug 20 Flight from Ottawa to Paris overnight. 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 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 The same is true for the nearby Saint-Paul-de-Vence, a museum village. For a 4-day Switzerland road trip itinerary, check out this post. After heading to the sea, return to the mountains around the area of Bergamo. That could be another option. 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. Second, I became aware of a hotel with restaurant here on our Turin journey in 2019. 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 Hello, my husband and I are planning a 2 week trip to Paris and then work our way to Rome in June of 2023. We are not opposed to flying in and or out of any airport as long as it makes sense. Some of these links are affiliate links. In other words, you can spend a whole day on Capri and then have many other options on other days. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. My question is to kick off the trip, which city should I start with from your itinerary (flying to Europe from Los Angeles)? Many of them stay in hotels nearby on the mainland, while many others just come in for the day on part of a bus tour. I considered this northern Italian spot as the ideal one to start our trip. Any of these itineraries can be turned into a road trip itinerary like I said, the country is best experienced by road trip! Just one thing to consider. It will probably also be too cool for sunbathing until May or so, in case that matters. WebThe plan would be to fly into Venice for 3 nights, then Courmayeur for 2 nights, then proceed with the original trip (2 nights in Manarola, 4 nights in the Tuscany area, then 3 But if the price is better in Rome, you could always take a train to a major northern Italian city or find a cheap flight with RyanAir, for example. WebRe: Rough Itinerary: Southern France, Northern Italy 1 year ago Save Take a train from CDG to Avignon from 13.00 onwards. In fact, I highly recommend taking the 3-hour double-decker sightseeing tour (run by several companies) on your first day in order to see at least the exteriors of all of the famous landmarks. And in between you have many other ways to make your trip work for you. Those in a hurry can spend half a day in Naples and a couple hours seeing Pompeii and be safely back in Sorrento for an unforgettable dinner. You can easily do day trips to Naples, Pompeii, Capri, and the rest of the Amalfi Coast. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Drop off car in Rome 4 nights We are trying to plan a trip for 6 to Paris 4-5 days, then Lake Como for 2/3 days, then Amalfi Coast Before going into details about the places we visited, here is the itinerary of our trip. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-112592618', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');car right after a long flight. The areas you are planning to visit are all obviously very well established and there arent many pitfalls to worry about if you plan it yourself. Our first trip we visited Rome, Florence, Bologna, Venice, Genoa/Cinque Terre. Without doubt there are other spots in the Piedmont more worthwhile visiting. If youre working with a 10 day northern Italy trip, you can make it simple by spending two days in each place, or do as Im suggesting using Milan and Venice as your home bases to explore more with day trips. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. In regards to returning to the states, would you recommend I fly out of Naples? However, the travel time is the longest. Nights 6, 7: Camogli, Italy (specifically we stayed in Ruta di Camogli which was just above Camogli). Regardless, these two sister cities are only 40 minutes apart by car, but exhibit completely different landscapes. My friend mentioned it is better to go with inclusive package and I feel that will be too expensive. You are spending a relatively large amount of time on the road vs seeing things. Your email address will not be published. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-112591753', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');plane and then the travel by train, by the time we make it as far as Avignon wed be exhausted and just want a bed to lie on! I do think its your best non-Paris option that time if year, and you can still do quick day trips to Monaco and Cannes while you are there. This is perhaps the most challenging question when planning an itinerary. But the true draw is the landscape. We cooked our dinners at our accommodation and swam in the pool. Paris4 nights You can pretty much walk into any bakery in Liguria and get an amazing piece of focaccia. This was the first time in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? People. Day 8: Italian Riviera via Monaco. Here are the most romantic places in northern Italy: Portovenere is an underrated, hidden gem on the coast of Liguria. I would actually recommend the slower pace to most people on their first trip because travel days (checking out of a hotel in one city and into a hotel in the next city) are rarely good sightseeing days and they can be a bit stressful, so minimizing them is good in some cases. 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. Thank you. Hopefully all these options make clearer what is at the top of your northern Italy bucket list! Sorrento is a really nice place to base yourself on a longer trip, but its not nearly as interesting as the other cities on your list. We arrived in Eze around 9 am and parked in a big parking lot (you keep driving above Eze, it was a great price and included one pass for the Jardin Exotique. Youll find both French and Italian are spoken here because of how close the two countries are. So I have gradually reduced the extent of the distances I travel. We had not checked out the town of Vienne, where this establishment is located, in detail. 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. Many do advise against driving a car right after a long flight. I have done it plenty of times for both personal and business trips. I find that I 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. Also is it a good time to go to Nice, etc other places beside Paris while I am there until January 8. Since they are very concentrated in northern Italy, I would suggest flying roundtrip in and out of Milan. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. In the article below youll see the best option to string together a tour of these countries in two or three weeks. Im glad you have enjoyed the site and Ill try to help. As you can see, the drive from Puglia to Sicily is a long one. Make it easier to visit using my Lake Como budget tips, but dont be afraid to indulge in visiting its most romantic places like Villa del Balbianello and the town of Bellagio. 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. -Roger. France is a deceptively large country so travel will eat up some time unless you are flying or taking the bullet trains. Italy in Spring guide coming soon!). Id say 2 or 3 nights would be enough, but if you get out in the morning and then again in the evening, Venice is much nicer and its stunning. Do I need an international driver's licence for car hire? First, it is close to Switzerland near the Lake Maggiore. Night 12 - Hotel at Paris CDG airport. 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. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Play with the http://www.viamichelin.com chosing prefered route and discovery route and see what it offers you. Of the two, Italy is a bit more straightforward because it has a Big 3 of tourist cities consisting of Rome, Florence, and Venice. Those are all amazing places to visit! 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. Ill stop rambling now and hopefully this is at least a bit helpful. Thank you both for the suggestions, tradeform and Planner. Ok, I will plan for 3-4 hrs from the arrival time at CDG to the time for the departure w I cant begin to thank you enough for your input and detailed info with links. I will sprinkle in extra tips and suggestions based on my own experience (so you dont have to make the same mistakes I have) and extra destinations as well so you can play with how much extra time you have and be informed about other places in the area well-worth seeing.
