Northern Italy has a means of pulling you in with its appeal, and actually,
exploring it was one of many best journey experiences I’ve ever had.
Not like different nations the place day journeys might be difficult, northern italy is straightforward to navigate From Milan utilizing public transportation
and attain unbelievable locations in simply an hour or two. Whether or not you’re after scenic lakes, historic cities, or quaint villages, Milan serves as your strategic place to begin.
I keep in mind at some point particularly—I began my morning in Bergamo, having fun with the beautiful views from the higher city of citta alta By mid-afternoon, I discovered myself on a practice to Verona, exploring town
Two fully completely different vibes in at some point, and I didn’t even really feel rushed! That’s the fantastic thing about basing your self in Milan
On this weblog, I’m going to share a few of the best day journeys from Milan, all primarily based by myself experiences.
Let’s speak about learn how to discover Northern Italy’s gems with out ever needing to pack and unpack your suitcase.
Straightforward Day Journeys from Milan: Uncover Northern Italy’s Hidden Treasures
By Prepare: The Best and Most Scenic Choice
In the case of touring from Milan for day journeys, my absolute favourite option to get round is by practice.
Milano Centrale Station is the hub for many routes, and belief me, it’s tremendous well-connected. For nearly each well-liked day journey vacation spot—whether or not it’s Lake Como, Bergamo, and even Venice—you’ll discover direct trains that normally take lower than an hour or two. For shorter journeys, you’ll even discover some journeys which can be as fast as half-hour!
The native app Trenitalia is a lifesaver on the subject of planning practice journey in Italy.
It’s truly designed for Italians, however you possibly can simply change the language to English
Tip: Whereas you should buy your tickets on-line by means of the app, it’s simply as straightforward to seize them on the station kiosks or counters. The costs are the identical whether or not you e-book upfront or purchase them on the day of journey for regional routes—no sneaky value hikes! This makes last-minute planning completely stress-free.
By bus:
In the event you’re touring on a brilliant tight finances, buses could be a good various to trains, however they’re not at all times the most suitable choice for each journey.
Often, I like to recommend taking the regional trains as a result of they’re quicker, extra snug, and nonetheless fairly inexpensive. Nevertheless, when you’re decided to avoid wasting each euro, there are just a few bus choices price contemplating.
The most affordable bus choice I’ve discovered is Itabus, which generally provides fares which can be half the worth of a practice ticket
However there’s normally just one bus per day for many routes, so that you’ll have to plan your schedule fastidiously.
For shorter distances, you may not save sufficient time or cash to make it definitely worth the trouble.
As for different well-liked bus providers like FlixBus, you would possibly assume they’re cheaper than trains, however that’s not at all times the case for shorter, native routes.
They have a tendency to focus extra on longer-distance journey, like journeys to Rome or Southern Italy, the place they are often extra economical.
In the event you’re touring inside Northern Italy, although, FlixBus tickets can truly find yourself costing greater than a practice, so it’s price evaluating costs earlier than reserving.
By Organized Tour:
In the event you’re somebody who doesn’t wish to spend time determining practice schedules or navigating with GPS, an organized tour could be the proper answer.
Most excursions embrace transportation out of your resort, visits to iconic landmarks, and generally even extras like guided museum visits or lunch.
One well-liked platform for reserving excursions is GetYourGuide. It’s filled with choices for day journeys from Milan to locations like Lake Como, Verona, and Bergamo.
The draw back, in fact, is the worth.
For instance, a one-way practice ticket fro milan to Bergamo prices simply €6.
however becoming a member of an organized tour to the identical vacation spot can set you again €50-€60 or extra.
Locations to see close to Milan
A visit to Lake Garda looks like stepping right into a picture-perfect postcard.
As Italy’s largest lake, it provides a mixture of beautiful landscapes, charming cities, and outside adventures. Getting there from Milan is straightforward—simply hop on a practice to Desenzano del Garda, which serves as an excellent place to begin for exploring your entire lake.
A one-way ticket prices round €10, and the journey takes about an hour and a half.
From Desenzano, you possibly can simply discover the realm by ferry or bus, relying on how a lot of the lake you wish to see in a day. The fantastic thing about Lake Garda is that every city has its personal character, so whether or not you’re into historical past, nature, or simply enjoyable by the water, there’s one thing for everybody.
Locations to See Round Lake Garda
• Sirmione: This is without doubt one of the lake’s most well-known cities, and for good cause. Its slim streets are stuffed with gelato outlets and boutiques, and the centerpiece is the Scaligero Fortress, a medieval fortress surrounded by the lake.
• Desenzano del Garda: Since that is the place you’ll arrive by practice, it’s price taking a while to take pleasure in this energetic lakeside city.
• Riva del Garda: Positioned on the northern tip of the lake and surrounded by mountains, this city is good for outside fans.
You possibly can take a scenic hike or hire a ship to discover the lake from the water. It’s a bit farther from Desenzano, so plan forward if you wish to embrace this in your day journey.
• Peschiera del Garda: go to one among Italy’s most well-known theme parks “. In the event you’re into thrilling rides and curler coasters, that is the place to be. It’s additionally a enjoyable choice when you’re touring with children (or simply feeling adventurous).
Professional Tip: Ferries join most cities alongside the lake, so you possibly can simply go to two or three in a single day. Simply verify the ferry schedules forward of time to be sure to don’t miss the final one again!
In your subsequent day, head to Bergamo.
You would possibly already comprehend it as the house of the Ryanair airport, however belief me—this metropolis is a lot greater than a finances airways stopover. Actually, Bergamo is like getting two cities for the worth of 1: the historic Città Alta (Higher City) and the fashionable Città Bassa (Decrease City).
Attending to Bergamo is simple. Take a regional practice from Milan, which prices simply €6 every means and takes about an hour. When you arrive, you possibly can stroll or take the funicular to discover the completely different components of town.
Locations to See in Bergamo
• Città Alta (Higher City): This medieval hilltop city is the crown jewel of Bergamo. It’s stuffed with cobblestone streets, historic structure, and breathtaking views of the encompassing countryside.
Tip: Don’t miss the well-known funicular that takes you as much as Città Alta in only a few minutes. The journey prices €2, and it’s not simply handy—it’s an expertise in itself, providing lovely views as you ascend. Be sure that to go early within the morning as a result of it tends to get crowded later within the day.
• Città Bassa (Decrease City): Whereas the Higher City will get many of the consideration, the Decrease City shouldn’t be ignored. It’s a vibrant space stuffed with trendy outlets, lush parks, and energetic cafes. If you wish to see how locals reside and hang around, that is the spot to do it.
• Piazza Vecchia: This historic sq. is the guts of Città Alta and a must-see. Surrounded by Renaissance-era buildings, it feels such as you’ve stepped again in time.
• Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore: This beautiful church is a spotlight of Bergamo. The inside is roofed in intricate frescoes and art work that can depart you speechless.
In the event you’re on the lookout for a vacation spot that’s much less touristy however simply as charming as Lake Garda or Lake Como, let me introduce you to Brescia and Lake Iseo.
Brescia is a real hidden gem,
normally individuals select garda lake or comp lake however Brescia have good various which is iseo lake is calmer and delightful and have rhe largest island in europe inside lake
Getting there may be tremendous straightforward. Take a practice from Milan to Brescia, which takes nearly an hour and prices €8 a technique.
Brescia is compact and filled with historical past, so you possibly can discover its major highlights in just a few hours. When you’ve soaked up the tradition, hop on one other practice to Iseo, a captivating lakeside city simply half-hour away. That ticket will set you again a mere €3, making this an extremely inexpensive day journey.
Highlights in Brescia
• Piazza della Loggia: This picturesque sq. is the guts of Brescia, surrounded by beautiful Renaissance structure. It’s the proper place to seize a espresso, sit again, and soak within the ambiance.
• Brescia Fortress: Perched on a hill, this historic fortress provides panoramic views of town. Inside, you’ll discover museums and gardens, the citadel look litle bit like citta alta in bergamo as a result of is on the highest of town so it is advisable to stroll litle bit to get there
• Capitolium and Roman Discussion board: Brescia is house to a few of the best-preserved Roman ruins in Northern Italy, they usually’re even listed as a UNESCO World Heritage website. Strolling by means of the traditional discussion board looks like stepping again in time.
• locations to see in Lake Iseo
After exploring Brescia, head to Lake Iseo, one among Northern Italy’s best-kept secrets and techniques. It’s smaller and extra peaceable than Garda or Como, however no much less lovely.
• Monte Isola: That is the star of Lake Iseo—an enormous island proper in the midst of the lake, and the most important lake island in Europe. Take a ferry from Iseo city (it prices about €4 a technique and takes quarter-hour). When you’re there, begin your journey with a hike to the highest of the island, which solely takes about half-hour. The path is simple and rewards you with beautiful views over the lake.
• Iseo City: Don’t skip the city of Iseo itself. Its colourful streets, cozy cafes, and lakeside promenade are good for a calming stroll. It’s the sort of place the place you possibly can decelerate, take pleasure in a gelato, and simply take within the surroundings.
Now let’s speak about Verona, a metropolis that has romance written throughout it.
Veroma one among my private favorites for a day journey as a result of there’s a lot to see and do, but it’s compact sufficient to discover in at some point.
To get there, take a practice from Milan to Verona Porta Nuova station. The journey takes about two hours and prices round €12 a technique.
When you arrive, you possibly can stroll or take a brief bus journey to town middle, the place all of the magic occurs.
Locations to See in Verona
• Juliet’s Home: Certain, it’s a bit touristy, however you possibly can’t go to Verona with out stopping by Juliet’s well-known balcony.
• Verona Enviornment: This Roman amphitheater is without doubt one of the best-preserved on the earth .
The doorway price is simply €1, making it a budget-friendly option to discover Verona’s historic historical past.
• Piazza delle Erbe: This energetic sq. is ideal for people-watching, procuring, or grabbing a chew to eat. Surrounded by colourful buildings and historic landmarks.
• Castelvecchio: Stroll throughout its fortified bridge for unbelievable views of the river, and don’t overlook to take a look at the museum inside, which is filled with fascinating artifacts.
Professional Tip: When you have time, climb the Torre dei Lamberti for panoramic views of town. It’s a little bit of a exercise, however the surroundings from the highest is price each step.
Northern Italy is a treasure trove of historical past, tradition, and pure magnificence,
and Milan is the proper place to begin to discover all of it.
Because of its well-connected practice system, visiting locations like Lake Garda, Bergamo, Lake Iseo, Brescia, and Verona is straightforward, inexpensive, and stress-free.
So, pack your baggage, seize a practice ticket, and begin exploring. With a little bit of planning and an open thoughts, you’ll uncover why this area is one among Italy’s most beloved locations.
Hello, I’m Hamadi, a passionate traveler and the creator of travresources.com.
Writer bio
My mission is to assist fellow wanderers discover the world on finances. By my very own experiences—each the great and difficult—I share sensible ideas, detailed itineraries, and guides to make your travels smoother and extra memorable
