coll. - Italian Lakes Road Trips

WELCOME TO
THE ITALIAN LAKES

From the snowy slopes of the alpine Milky Way region to villas framed by gazebos and mould-breaking art and architecture, northern Italy is as action-packed as it is artful. The glacial lakes of Lombardy where fishing boats bob in tiny harbours while palaces float in the Borromean Gulf have been a popular spot since Roman times. Meanwhile, artists, celebrities and moneyed Mitteleuropeans have been lured here since the days of the Grand Tour, by world-class art, an embarrassment of culinary riches, cult wines and a slew of sophisticated cities.

While Venices city of palaces dazzles and Milans Golden Quad rapidly helps to relieve you of your hard-earned cash, youre never far from a rural hinterland that still moves with the rhythm of the seasons and seems largely untouched by modern tourism.

Walkway over Lake Como,
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ITALIAN LAKES HIGHLIGHTS

The most picturesque of the regions lakes, Lake Como has long been a lure for the rich and famous.

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This unique and hauntingly beautiful city needs no introduction.

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Jutting out onto Lake Garda, Sirmione astounds with its Roman ruins, spectacular views and thermal spring.

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CITY GUIDE

Home of Italys stock exchange, an industrial powerhouse and the internationally accepted arbiter of taste in fashion and design, Milan is a seething metropolis. At times it can seem brash and soulless but beneath the veneer is a serious sense of history and place.

di Milano (Milan Cathedral)
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It simply isnt worth having a car in Milan. Youre better off using public transport; a ticket costs 1.50 and is valid for one metro ride or up to 90 minutes on buses and trams. Route maps are available from ATM Info points, or download the IATM app.

In the centre, street parking costs 1.50 per hour in the city centre. To pay, buy a SostaMilano card from a tobacconist, scratch off the date and hour, and display it on your dashboard. Underground car parks charge between 25 and 40 for 24 hours.

Internal Italian immigrants have injected the cuisine of virtually every region into the lifeblood of the city, where youll also find Lombard classics alongside a rich international selection of anything from Ethiopian to sushi. Milans clutch of Michelin-starred chefs cook up some of Italys most sophisticated food.

The tourist office distributes Milano Hotels, a free annual listings guide to Milans 350 plus hotels. Good value is difficult to come by in most budget ranges, and downright impossible during large fairs. That said, booking ahead and comparison-shopping online for special rates can result in unexpected deals.

Cenacolo Vinciano (www.cenacolovinciano.org) Booking for The Last Supper.

Milano da Bere (www.milanodabere.it) Events, dining and drinking.

Milan Is Tourism (www.turismo.milano.it) Milans city website.

Road Trip through Milan:

A magnificent, unforgettable spectacle, Venice (Venezia) is a hauntingly beautiful city. For 1000 years it was one of Europes great sea powers and its unique cityscape reflects this, with golden Byzantine domes and great Gothic churches, noble palazzi and busy waterways.

Traditional gondola on a Venetian canal
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Venice is off-limits to cars, leaving you to walk or take a boat. Youll inevitably get lost at some point but directions to Piazza San Marco, the Rialto and Accademia are posted on yellow signs. Vaporetti (small ferries) ply the citys waterways; a one-way ticket costs 7.

Once youve crossed the Ponte della Libert bridge from Mestre, youll have to park at Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto car parks; bank on up to 26 for 24 hours.

Venices version of tapas, bar snacks called cicheti are served in osterie across town at lunch and between 6pm and 8pm.

Many Venetians open their historical homes as B&Bs check the Turismo Venezia website for lists. Dorsoduro and San Polo are charming areas to stay in, near major museums and with plenty of bar action. Cannaregio is another good option, relatively untouristy and in parts very picturesque.