Staying in Milan and Doing Day trips to Venice, Florence and Vienna

[NewCruiserMPC]

I have a friend who is leaving next week and booked a hotel in Milan. She is planning to travel by train to visit Venice, Vienna and Florence on different days. Each day, returning back to Milan in the evening.

 

Does this seem doable? I feel she would spend too much time traveling and not enough time sightseeing. She is going to be in Italy for 4 days only.

 

Any suggestions I can give her?

[CruiserBruce]

I see the run to Vienna is 10+ hours, one way. Don't think that is a day trip.

 

Venice is about 2.5 hours each way. Florence is a little under 2 hours.

Edited April 8, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[CathyCruises]

Wow, that's a very unusual plan!! First of all, IMO Milan is the least interesting of all the Italian cities we have been to, cannot imagine staying there for any length of time. Florence and Venice are SOMEWHAT close but Vienna is out of the question for a day trip. She will be spending her whole vacation in trains. Did she plan it this way for a reason? Free accommodation in Milan? (Even that wouldn't entice me to do this)

[-Lew-]

You're friend's plan is not doable at all IMHO. With only four days in Europe, I strongly suggest she fly into one of the wonderful cities she wants to visit and spend her time there.

 

If she just has to see more than one city, visiting Venice from Florence, or vice versa is doable. Florence from Rome is another option.

 

Lew

[Girr]

Your friend may as well cancel the hotel - she'll never be there! This itinerary reminds me of my friends back in the 70s. With their Euro Rail pass they'd travel to a new city every night, arrive in the morning, do the sights, and then get on the train that night and move on to another city just to avoid paying for a hotel. It wasn't plush, but they saw a lot.

 

First, Vienna has got to go - as already mentioned it's over 10 hours each way. Ideally if she want to visit Venice and Florence she's not going to be able to "home base" out of Milan. If her plane arrives in Milan then she should spend the day seeing the sights there, then catch the train to either Venice or Florence, and check into a hotel there. (Remind her she is going to be exhausted at this stage after a transatlantic flight!). Spend the night, see the sights that day, then once again take an evening train to the next city. Repeat with the final leg taking her back to Milan.

 

If she really want to visit Vienna than she needs to look into 1) changing her transatlantic flight to a multi segment flight where she flys in or out of Vienna or 2) look at one of the economy airlines flor a plane ticket.

[euro cruiser]

Maybe she meant "Verona" rather than "Vienna"? That would make a lot more sense.

 

If that's the case, she might be better served by staying in Verona and making her day trips from there, it's more central and she'd waste less time on trains each day.

[NewCruiserMPC]

Your right... I think she meant verona! Sorry about that.

 

Maybe she meant "Verona" rather than "Vienna"? That would make a lot more sense.

 

If that's the case, she might be better served by staying in Verona and making her day trips from there, it's more central and she'd waste less time on trains each day.

[LondonTowner]

Now, that really is a silly idea. If she is only in Italy for 4 days why doesn't she make proper use of the time and just see one city like Florence, Venice or Rome?

[cruisemom42]

Now, that really is a silly idea. If she is only in Italy for 4 days why doesn't she make proper use of the time and just see one city like Florence, Venice or Rome?

 

 

For some people, the "Been there, done that" mentality seems to trump actually seeing anything. :rolleyes:

[CathyCruises]

What gets me is why Milan!?? I guess maybe there were cheaper flights? Because it's the last place I'd pick for a base.

[softail]

For some people, the "Been there, done that" mentality seems to trump actually seeing anything. :rolleyes:

 

Is there a LIKE BUTTON here:p I couldnt agree more jeez pick one city and enjoy your time there.

Edited April 9, 2015 by softail

[softail]

What gets me is why Milan!?? I guess maybe there were cheaper flights? Because it's the last place I'd pick for a base.

 

I hear ya Cathy there is no way id be staying there.

[NewCruiserMPC]

Thanks guys. I don't think there is anything she can do at this point. She leaves next week. Just hoping she has a good time.

 

I have never been to Europe but am excited to go in June. We will be on a cruise and even then, I know we won't be able to see everything we want so have picked one or two things at each port to explore. At least we get to sleep and relax on the ship while we make our way to the next stop. I had a feeling her itinerary was a bit aggressive to handle.

 

I'll try to pass some of your recommendations along. Hope they help.

[euro cruiser]

Since it's a done deal, at least she can save herself some money by purchasing her train tickets in advance. Even a week before will give her some savings.

 

It will take two and a half hours by train, each way, to Venice. Do suggest to her that she choose a weekday for this trip, because weekends in Venice are unbearably crowded.

 

Verona by high speed train is 90 minutes each way and would be the best choice of the three for a weekend day visit.

 

Florence is one hour, forty minutes by high speed train. The good news is that you walk out of the station and you're in the historic center (this is true in Venice as well).

 

It may not be my idea of an ideal trip, but it's workable.

Edited April 9, 2015 by euro cruiser

[Langoustine]

Since it's a done deal, at least she can save herself some money by purchasing her train tickets in advance.

 

This is really good advice for what seems to those of us who have spent time in Italy to be a really bad itinerary idea. Frankly, I would advise her to cancel the Milan hotel (even if she has to eat the $) and take the advice of some of the previous posters to stay in some place central; Florence (or even Bologna) is good, Milan is not. My wife and I are flying into Milan next week and flying out in May (because it's cheap), but except for the Duomo and the train station, there's really not much of interest for us there, and we've been there a lot. (A Milanese once told me that "The Last Supper" has been "restored" so much it's like the hatchet George Washington used to chop down the cherry tree: since he owned it, it's had three new handles and two new heads.) But it is fairly close to the Cinque Terre, which she should certainly see, and which is much more interesting than Verona.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Langoustine

[cruisemom42]

But it is fairly close to the Cinque Terre, which she should certainly see, and which is much more interesting than Verona.

 

I don't think anyone can categorically decide what is more interesting to someone else. I have just about zero interest in the Cinque Terre (more scenic villages, how lovely :rolleyes:) while Verona has some very nice Roman ruins. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site -- so it's not exactly chopped liver, as my ex-FIL used to say.

 

At any rate, Verona's not a bad choice for a day trip from Milan. Now Vienna, on the other hand.....:D

[maryann ns]

The Last Supper was well worth the effort to get tickets on the first day they became available. We went to Milan as a day trip while staying in Bellagio. We had enough time to thoroughly explore the duomo, the original shopping arcade and to see the Last Supper. Because of the experimental materials Leonardo used it is not in good condition but it is still inspriring.