Hello everyone! I am happy to say that we just booked our flights from Virginia to Malpensa!! We found 2 weeks in September to escape and at the moment….we have no idea where we are going haha!! The plan will certainly come together at some point, but we’re just so happy to be returning to Italy. I’ll keep reading through all the posts here for inspiration, this site has been so informative and fun to us, thank you!
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Returning!
- Thread starter BEERMAN
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Ian Sutton
1000+ Posts
Excellent!
I'll throw in an early suggestion, as a potential stopover at start or end of your trip. Cascina Cavenago in Ghemme. It's just over 30 mins drive from Malpensa, going west into Piemonte.
We've stayed there twice. Ideally it's perfect for a stay on Saturday or Sunday, as those are the most likely days they'll serve the wonderful little banquets, of a selection of Antipasti, followed by a typically utterly brilliant risotto, then a hearty main course and finally desserts. The usually have sample menus on their website. Accommodation is in spacious olde-worlde high ceiling / stout wooden beamed rooms, but with modern bathrooms. On top of that there's a lovely inner courtyard, ideal for resting /relaxing, but also with the joy of bats flying around at dusk.
and not too far away in Biella, is Birra Menabrea, a historic brewery and one whose beers are lovely on tap.
I'll throw in an early suggestion, as a potential stopover at start or end of your trip. Cascina Cavenago in Ghemme. It's just over 30 mins drive from Malpensa, going west into Piemonte.
We've stayed there twice. Ideally it's perfect for a stay on Saturday or Sunday, as those are the most likely days they'll serve the wonderful little banquets, of a selection of Antipasti, followed by a typically utterly brilliant risotto, then a hearty main course and finally desserts. The usually have sample menus on their website. Accommodation is in spacious olde-worlde high ceiling / stout wooden beamed rooms, but with modern bathrooms. On top of that there's a lovely inner courtyard, ideal for resting /relaxing, but also with the joy of bats flying around at dusk.
and not too far away in Biella, is Birra Menabrea, a historic brewery and one whose beers are lovely on tap.
We have been very busy this year and finally finding the time to get away is really priceless! The limited itinerary conversations my wife and I have had has us considering staying to the north, but everywhere is up for debate. Ian I'll show my wife the early suggestion you provided, looks nice, thank you! Our last trip included my birthday celebration in Montalcino for lunch and Pienza for dinner ....we will be celebrating her birthday this trip and I want her to also have a memorable day!! She fell in love with Lake Como a couple years ago, so maybe a stop there? I said maybe Turin and Aosta Valley? then our daughter, who was just here today says maybe head back into Switzerland for a few days? ... and then my wife says "what...no coastal stops?? so... as you can see we will need time to figure this out! ;-)
Ian Sutton
1000+ Posts
Turin is a super city, certainly my favourite big city in Italy, and it feels pretty familiar after maybe a dozen separate stays there. Finishing there might make sense, as it's easy to get back to Milano, and IIRC there's an airport bus from Torino Stazione Porta Nova to Milano Malpensa.
Aosta Valley is interesting and September should be an ideal time to go. We just stayed in the city itself, and whilst enjoyable and pleasingly quirky, I'd probably go rural on a future visit. Coastal might see a Milano, Liguria, Piemonte triangle, but as you mentioned, the lakes can be a good proxy for the coast.
So many options, all of them good ones!
Aosta Valley is interesting and September should be an ideal time to go. We just stayed in the city itself, and whilst enjoyable and pleasingly quirky, I'd probably go rural on a future visit. Coastal might see a Milano, Liguria, Piemonte triangle, but as you mentioned, the lakes can be a good proxy for the coast.
So many options, all of them good ones!
Ian Sutton
1000+ Posts
Brilliant walking in the Langhe, but also some great walking around Castino (and elsewhere)
However if she put the Dolomites on the radar, your idea of Valle d'Aosta is a superb alternative, especially if you dodge Aosta itself for somewhere like Cogne. The national park may well be of strong appeal.
However if she put the Dolomites on the radar, your idea of Valle d'Aosta is a superb alternative, especially if you dodge Aosta itself for somewhere like Cogne. The national park may well be of strong appeal.
Pauline
Forums Admin
We spent a week hiking in the Dolomites a few years ago, based in Castelrotto. I used Terry’s trip report to help me plan.
www.sloweurope.com
I loved the place we stayed near Castelrotto and we talk about returning. The hikes were very nice. Here is my trip report.
www.sloweurope.com
The place we stayed:
www.aura-chalets.com
Northern Italy - Munich and the Dolomites
By teaberry from USA, Summer 2013 Four days in Munich, Germany and a week in Castelrotto, Italy, in the Dolomites, in July, hiking and enjoying the local ambiance. Heaven. This trip report was originally posted on SlowTrav. The Trip that Almost Didn't Happen This is the trip that almost...
www.sloweurope.com
I loved the place we stayed near Castelrotto and we talk about returning. The hikes were very nice. Here is my trip report.
Northern Italy - Hiking in the Dolomites, Italy in 2020
Hello! We just finished 3 weeks hiking in a small mountain town, Lenk, in the Berner Oberland region of Switzerland. We drove there from the UK where we live. We love Switzerland and travel there every year usually at this time. Read my trip report here. We live in the UK and they have...
www.sloweurope.com
The place we stayed:
Aura Chalets
Aura Chalets in Südtirol - Ihr Hideaway in Kastelruth - St. Michael ✓Bett mit Sky-Glasdach ✓Freistehende Panoramabadewanne ✓Privatgarten ➨ Jetzt anfragen!
www.aura-chalets.com
Hello! That’s so exciting, congratulations on booking your flights to Malpensa! Two weeks in Italy sounds amazing, and I’m sure you’ll have an incredible time.
Don’t worry too much about the planning; sometimes the best trips come together last minute. There’s so much to see and do in Italy, from the lakes near Milan to the beautiful countryside in Tuscany.
Keep exploring the posts here for ideas, and feel free to ask if you need any suggestions. Have a fantastic trip!
Don’t worry too much about the planning; sometimes the best trips come together last minute. There’s so much to see and do in Italy, from the lakes near Milan to the beautiful countryside in Tuscany.
Keep exploring the posts here for ideas, and feel free to ask if you need any suggestions. Have a fantastic trip!
Thanks for replying! please read my previous trip reports, we are no strangers to last minute haha!! We are often last minute planners and adjust on the fly, seems to work well wherever we travel, cheers!