City Breaking in Italy - Holiday Review

By Adam Hunter, Jill Dando News Correspondent

Italy only became a country as such in 1861 so it is a fairly new country (politically), but it has a long history and is one of my favourite places to visit.

There is so much to see, lots of culture, great food, great coffee and a people who are hospitable and welcoming. It is a place that can be visited on a budget large or small. It is a country served by multiple airlines, both budget and regular to many local and national airports.

This year I did a 3 City break tour at the beginning of July. It was hot! It never really fell below the mid 30 degrees Celsius and was often higher but not generally humid.

I flew into Bergamo and then took the coach transfer into Milan which took about an hour. It is the second largest city in Italy, the economical capital of Italy and is the regional capital of Lombardy. It is the world capital of fashion and design. It is a mix of modern and old. It has an excellent public transport system with trams and subway which are very good value. Buy the day ticket if there for a day or a multiple trip ticket to get around. Another way to sightsee is the hop on hop off bus but that is not cheap but a good quick way to see the sights without walking.

For me the highlight of Milan was the Duomo (the cathedral) and the old part of Milan which is the area for high-end shopping. The bargain shopping is not that far away. The shopping arcade is spectacular.

The last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece is located in the refectory of the convent adjoining the Santa Maria delle Grazie church. Other places to visit include the Teatro alla Scala (the famous opera house), The San Siro stadium and Sforza castle. 

Two days is probably enough in Milan if just sightseeing. Maybe it is much more a city to visit for a purpose such as the opera or art or for high end fashion shopping or just shopping. I can think of many mor cities better for just sightseeing. 

After one night and 2 days in Milan, it was off to Verona by coach. I suggest if going by train to book in advance to reserve a seat. Trains are good value in Italy as are the coaches. The coach station was well out of Milan centre but on the subway so easy to get to. Not an impressive place it has to be said but functional. The toilets are not free. It took about 2 hours or so to get to Verona along the A4 by coach. 

Verona is on the River Adige and is a medium sized city with a long history. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is based in Verona although scholars do not believe he ever visited Verona (but I am not sure scholars really know much about Shakespear’s life at all!).

It is a stunning city and well worth walking around.

The highlight when there is the Verona arena, built over 2000 years ago in Roman times for the gladiatorial games. It now has a season of opera under the stars. It is a place to visit, and the opera is well worth seeing. Seats can be expensive. The best sound probably comes for those sat in the expensive seats in front of the stage but to see the spectacle, perhaps the better view is from the cheaper seats around the arena. You still hear well from those seats. I went to see Aida and enjoyed it so much went the following night to see the Barber of Seville. Both spectacular in their own way. No amplified sound. Just the orchestra and the singers but loud enough to enjoy and feel the drama.

A good cushion is essential. The seats are hard, and the opera lasts the best part of 3 hours!

Othe places to visit include Juliet’s balcony (said to to be the inspiration but unlikely in truth). It is a city to walk and discover with plenty of culture, great sights and good shopping. A beautiful city. 2 days is probably enough to do it properly. It is a clean safe and friendly city. It is a City like Milan within easy travelling distance of the lakes. 

Next it was onto Venice on the coach which took about 90 minutes. You get off at the train station at Venice Mestre, which is not really Venice. Venetians it seems are fairly annoyed it is called Venice at all. To get to Venice you need to get on the train to Venice Santa Lucia. The journey time is short, and the trains frequent and inexpensive. The train station itself is on the Grand Canal and as this is a city without roads, the buses are boats but it is all walkable with lots of bridges to cross the canals. So bear this in mind if not travelling light or travelling with a pushchair. Also bear in mind that there might be a fee to enter the Venice at certain times to control the number of tourists, but it is not that much, and it is well worth the money. 

This was my third Visit to Venice, and it is magical, and I would not hesitate to go again.

I have seen in February when it is cold but the skies blue. I have been there during the summer twice and whilst busy, not too busy to enjoy it. It is a place to walk and discover. Getting ‘lost’ means you discover new places. You cannot be ‘lost’ for long.

The must visits include the Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal, The Piazzo San Marco, The Basilica San Marco, The Doge’s Palace, The Gand Canal and so much more. Just sitting on the side of the Grand canal watching the gondolas and the boats costs nothing but is a highlight. Gondolas are expensive and cost about 95 Euros for 30 minutes, but you can experience gondola ferry crossings for a lot less. The other islands in the lagoon are just a short boat trip away. There is so much art to see. It is a city of romance and character and beauty. Great restaurants and it is well worth sampling their speciality which is sea food. It is one of the World’s most unique cities and one can well understand why so many tourists flock there.

Italy is great for a visit at most times of the year. It can be very hot during the summer and if not restricted by school holidays, my favourite time to visit would probably be May or September. I would suggest pack a good pair of walking shoes and walking is the best way to see the sights and experience the cities. Do keep hydrated. Italy takes most credit cards, and the currency is Euro’s. However, do have coins on you. If you want to go to the toilet, it can be expensive. It is no longer spending a penny! In some locations it was 1.50 Euros, and it must be coins. A way around that is to have a coffee and a cake in a café as most establishments have a toilet for customers. 

Italian food is excellent and there is a good choice of pasta, pizza, meat dishes and like most places, it can be expensive but whilst not cheap, good food can be had reasonably priced.

You cannot go to Italy without eating Italian food or having a pizza! On a hot day, what can be better than Italian gelato!

There is a good choice of flavours of very nice ice cream. Coffee and pasties are a must as well. Do not expect the big cups you get in your local coffee chains here in the UK or in the USA but do expect a good coffee in a coffee cup. Try with a cannoli or a tiramisu or a panini or a calzone. 

The local airport to Venice is Marco Polo and that can be reached by coach or taxi from the bus station which is easy to get to or by boat. I recommend the boat. It does take longer but you stop at Piazza San Marco and various islands and getting to the airport by boat is an experience. It lets you see things from a different viewing position. 

Milan, Verona and Venice – 3 great Cities well worth a visit. Italy is a wonderful place to visit with so much to see.

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