Unless you are starting from elsewhere in Europe, youll want to carefully choose which airport to fly into. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. 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. It belongs to the I Borghi pi belli dItalia (the most beautiful villages in Italy). Start as far west as possible in Courmayeur to visit Mont Blanc and the Val Ferret. Staying & dining in style at Villa Crespi on Lake Orta/Italy, staying and dining at Chteau Saint-Martin. 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. This is our second trip. Italian Riviera 2 nights. 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. In regards to returning to the states, would you recommend I fly out of Naples? And the Italian lakes regions really deserve more time then 2 nights. And of course I will also let you know how it is staying and dining at Chteau Saint-Martin. On our last day in Annecy, we took a bus/train combo back to Paris that left Annecy around mid afternoon. 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 Then youll head to Venice, from which you can do a day trip to the Dolomites. 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. Likely would still plan to go to the Piemonte area. Ok, I will plan for 3-4 hrs from the arrival time at CDG to the time for the departure with the TGV. 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. Franciacorta is a territory between Bergamo and Brescia that produces sparkling wine or spumante, mostly Prosecco, Italys version of Champagne. When you see a photo of these villages its hard not to be drawn in so if you are in that group you could add a day or two in this area either before or after Florence. 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. 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 I will not go into it in this overview article. It is located near Alba, the truffle capital. All of Italys regions offer something unique and in this guide, the spotlight is on the north. If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out again! In fact, Avignon is the beginning of the famous Ctes du Rhone wine road, which connects a series of hill towns with amazing scenery and of course wine tasting. Im glad it was helpful. 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. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-112568990', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');France and a bit of Northern Italy in August to celebrate our 25th anniversary. I would love to hear your suggestions for an itinerary and how long to spend in each place. Those are all amazing places to visit! I think Id do that and fly out of Rome. If you wish to see mountains, you could drive your way up to Annecy on the French side of the Alps either by the Route des Grandes Alpes or by the Route Napoleon for example. more, Reply to: Rough Itinerary: Southern France, Northern Italy. 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. 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. You cant take a romantic trip to Italy without enjoying the swoon-worthy, picturesque atmosphere of Venice. If you skip it you wont be missing much, or you might stop for one night just to break up the journey a bit. I thought maybe with not sleeping much on the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? havent decided. Avignon to Nice by train: About 3 hours. France and Italy: Best 2 to 3 week itinerary for first-time If its your first stop you should add at least one extra day to help deal with jet lag, but you should plan on staying as long as possible because the French capital is one of the worlds great (and most beautiful) cities by any definition. Naples is also famously the birthplace of pizza and home to one of the worlds best archaeology museums so its worth a day trip for sure. 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. Any advises you can share- I appreciate it. Read my full disclosure! Italian food is in a league of its own, but youll soon find Total distance: 751 Km, 8.5 hours drive in total. Of the 5 towns, Vernazza is probably best for a short visit and its definitely the most scenic. 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. We are considering a trip to France and Italy. Quite the contrary, it makes part of the Italian lake region. If taking the RER I would probably opt for an hotel close to one RER B line station. Days 5 6: Zermatt, Switzerland. Prepaid French 3G micro-SIM for iPad - it's not a problem! At the time, we dined at the Michelin starred Cannavacciuolo Bistrot (my post) in the Piedmonts capital. And we wanted to stay and dine in style. However, if you have only 7 days in Northern Italy, I would probably only stay 1-2 days. Head east and end your itinerary in Venice. Lake Garda 2-2.5 days. Then either take trains or fly (flying is faster because the trains in that area are fairly slow) to Venice for 2 nights or even 1 night (spending 24 hours in Venice is plenty for many people because its so small and so crowded). Nice to Venice by train: About 7.5 hours. France Which itinerary is on your bucket list? Let me know what youve come up with if you dont mind sharing! Buses are usually the cheapest option for getting around, as Flixbus tickets are as low as $5. Train to Cinque Terre 3 nights They have an excellent breakfast buffet as well, and plenty of amazing restaurants nearby. Ultimate Southern Italy Road Trip Itinerary: 2023 Guide We cooked our dinners at our accommodation and swam in the pool. Coming back to Santo Stefano Belbo, you find here the hotel of our choice not far from it. Looking at the plan I have, I am curious what location would you consider cutting out and where would you stay longer? The best time to visit is in the fall, also when the White Truffle Festival takes place in Alba. Play with the http://www.viamichelin.com chosing prefered route and discovery route and see what it offers you. Stop to explore Nices Old Town on your own before returning to your hotel. 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 can help more with the itinerary if you like. And another good point from tradeform about your arrival in Paris. Last stop for lovers: Venice! We chose to take on Northern Italy by train and it was super easy and comfortable! And this time, you encounter here the gentle hills full of vineyards. Its the traffic and general sense of chaos (multiplied by the summer heat) that wear on visitors. Also, I would like to catch some nice beach weather, how is the weather in June or early September in France and Italy? Trains are generally easy to navigate, so tourists shouldnt be intimidated. Book trains on sncf-connect/en-en . Part of the reason we chose this area was so it would be do-able to spend a few hours in Eze on the morning of check-out on our way to Italy. In the time to come, you will find reviews of the luxury hotels we stayed and the Michelin (starred) restaurants we dined. 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. Read my guides to Italy in Summer, Italy in Fall, and Italy in Winter to dive deeper into which season may be a better fit for you. The towns are all fairly similar and in April or May they will still be rather quiet, especially in April. The great news is that Naples is very easy to visit from nearby Sorrento, which is a lovely and friendly place where most people know English. My friend mentioned it is better to go with inclusive package and I feel that will be too expensive. But (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? On the other hand, youve got the time it seems so it could be a good place to slow down for a bit. I considered this northern Italian spot as the ideal one to start our trip. The Ultimate Northern Italy Road Trip Itinerary for 2 Weeks The drive from Avignon to Barolo is very long - see http://www.viamichelin.com for itineraries, driving times and costs. Whats more exciting than an Italy road trip? 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. Its almost impossible to get a bad meal in the city and most of the food is reasonably priced considering the quality. A view of the village of Manarola from the Cinque Terre hiking trail If you are only staying 1 night in Paris and your flight is at 11.00 - which implies being at CDG by 8.00 I would either stay "at" the airport (not "near" the airport) or near Gare de Lyon where your train from Annecy will arrive. You do not need a Eurail pass for your 2 weeks in Northern Italy. Pizzoccheri are a mix of short buckwheat tagliatelle pasta, potatoes, cheese, and greens. The water was beautiful and warm and we spent a couple of hours out there going in and out of the water. 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 Day 1: Milan Day 2: Lake Como Day 3: Verona Day 4: Lake Garda Days 5 & If you love the idea of vineyard views on end and wine tasting with your partner, it must be added to your romantic itinerary. Its a really nice uncrowded town with an amazing location. 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. Im planning a 2 and half (possibly 3 weeks) week trip for next summer (or September); based off of your Itinerary, I basically would be going to all the cities except Provence, Milan, and Cirque Terre. Both these cities will be your home base on this kind of itinerary. And also if your mas is not too far south of (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? It should be a nice change of pace between the city visits. 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. But first and foremost, we think of a specific region to go. It is housed in a building typical for this region, a so-called mas. No one regrets their first visit to Rome, but many swear that itll also be their last. Manage Settings Either option is great for a road trip of Italy. No itinerary in Northern Italy should not leave unvisited 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. We want to make this more of a romantic trip rather than a tour type trip. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. There isnt much else to see in Pisa. Good way to wind down after busy trip? This is a very nice small town on the Portofino peninsula and I loved the relaxed atmosphere and the views of the sea. 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. Another necessary and important element of visiting northern Italy is knowing how youll get around. To reachSorrentoyoull take a train to Naples and then change for a one-hour local train (known as the Circumvesuviana) to its final stop. We have a total of 12 nights. Maybe you'll catch 40 winks on the train, even if I think it's better to try to stay awake as long as possible on arrival day. 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. I loved it in Eze, it was so beautiful in the morning as it was quiet and not crowded and the Jardin Exotique was amazing, with unforgettable views. Yet it was such a great experience after so many Switzerland staycations! Rognonas is about 10 minutes by car from Avignon TGV station. I'm usually the first to warn people of driving when jet-lagged, but for such a short 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. From Florence to Rome its only around 90 minutes by train, so another easy and pleasant travel day. And it's that way in every direction. 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. Not sure if buying a package or just make our plan since we have budgets to meet. The trick is to stay at least one night, if not two,on the main island itself. This article was most recently updated in August, 2022. The other dish I ordered at every restaurant in Liguria: Trofie al Pesto. We returned the rental car on arrival and walked to our accommodation which was very close by. Ultimate Two Week Northern Italy Road Trip Itinerary I love simple focaccia, made with just oil, but the bread is so versatile that youll find many different versions. From metropolitan Milan to the medieval hilltop city of Bergamo, the major cities in Italy all offer a different landscape to be explored. Newer travelers always assume that more is better and overly-seasoned travelers always preach that virtually any city anywhere deserves at least a week. When planning your itinerary, I highly suggest planning at least 2.5 days at Lake Garda. And in between you have many other ways to make your trip work for you. This has helped me tremendously! The beach weather in southern Italy usually goes into early October or so. So expect suggestions for high-end accommodations, gourmet dining-spots and things to do, especially short walks (details on the latter in separate posts to follow). At the castle we took a tour and visited the grounds. If you are over 25 you have to buy a 1st Class Eurail Pass, and those are probably only best for those with a bit more money to spend. Hopefully all these options make clearer what is at the top of your northern Italy bucket list! 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! Franciacorta. I will do some more internet research before deciding, thank you all again for your suggestions. Then youd take a high-speed train to Nice and then perhaps a local train to the destination of your choosing. Breakfast in Paris tends to be a small baguette, jam, butter, and coffee at some hotels, while other hotels have a nice buffet with eggs and meats as well. Let me know if you have any other questions. My favorite hotel in Paris is called the Hotel Cler, which is on a small market street called Rue Cler, just a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower. Obviously you could go to an offline travel agent and have them put something together for you, and if youve done that in the past with success then it might be fine to do it again. 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 Days 2 4: GoldenPass and Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. I found it hard to narrow down the areas that we want to go to. I love creating free resources for your travels and personally responding to your questions over chat and email. Rough Itinerary: Southern France, Northern Italy 10 Day Northern Italy Itinerary Breakdown. 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. The Provence is known for its stunning landscapes full of river valleys, gorges and old villages. Nearby Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure are a few extra stop ideas. The ticket machines are in English and easy to navigate. featuring the one Michelin starred Restaurant Le Saint-Martin. Really appreciate any comments/suggestions you have. 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. I just wanted to come back and thank everyone on the forum for their helpful replies. Not only on this thread, but also having read so many other c 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 As far as how long to spend in each place, here are my recommendations for a minimum amount of stay based on how much there is to do in each place (& my personal favorite spots! ): 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. When I have looked in the past, there have been few Airbnbs with really good locations in Paris or most other large European cities. 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. Comment* Similar to Paris, Rome is crammed with amazing sights too numerous to mention, but unlike Paris, Rome can be a frustrating place to visit. People. Northern Italy Let me know if you have any other questions. It was very pretty and the stores and streets were interesting to walk around. France If you are fine with this, then no problem. If you have only two weeks total then the above minimums will also pretty much be your maximums, give or take a day. 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 Thank you both for the suggestions, tradeform and Planner. So I have gradually reduced the extent of the distances I travel. All of your tips are very helpful. Youll be sick of the crowds by then anyway. Here we chose Vienne, a town known for its Roman heritage. Note that the scenic footpaths connecting the towns are partly closed down at times due to instability, so a quick tour by train or even by boat might be a better option. WebYou could go from there to Andorra la Vella, then cross into France and visit Tarbes and Pau before heading toward Biarritz, San Sebastin, and Bilbao, then over to Santiago de Compostela and A Corua before heading back through, say, Len and Zaragoza. You can easily do day trips to Naples, Pompeii, Capri, and the rest of the Amalfi Coast. So in a way its a bit like visiting a theme park, and four nights is a long time in a theme park. Rushing around for two weeks can be exhilarating, but rushing around for three weeks can really start to get exhausting. 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. Suggested route: Toulouse Narbonne Arles Camargue Aix-en-Provence Cassis Cannes Nice. At last, my husband and I set to a first longer trip abroad after the imposed Corona time-out. The point is, Venice is very frustrating during those hours, so to appreciate the city its important to work around them at least a bit. Come back later to learn a bit more about Vienne and its flagship hotel and restaurant. I hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions. Dive deeper into the Val Brembana to the north of Bergamo to visit the villages of Branzi and Cornello dei Tasso. The girls really want to spend time on the coast, maybe rent a boat one day. While the town of Santo Stefano Belbo seems to be a pleasant place to live, it is not necessarily a must-do for travelers. 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. Train (TGV) at ? 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. Required fields are marked *. Nice to Milan by train: About 5 hours 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. We also went to the Pont du Gard where we spent half a day, with walking around admiring the site, taking the tour which included walking through the top part, went through the museum, had a picnic lunch, and waded in the water. Night 12 - Hotel at Paris CDG airport. We had not checked out the town of Vienne, where this establishment is located, in detail. This is a hilltop stone village below the ruins of an old castle. 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. Nights 1,2,3 in Rognonas at Mas Saint Antoine: Here, we visited the town of Rousillon where we walked on the ochre trail, had gelato, wandered and explored the streets, and had delicious pizza at a local place with a patio overlooking nature. Train travel in Italy is the perfect way to get between all of the locations in this Northern Italy travel itinerary. Italy and Switzerland in 2 weeks
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