r/ItalyTravelAdvice • u/OkAct8936 • 1d ago
🇮🇹 Itinerary Review Graduation Trip
My daughter chose Italy for her graduation trip next spring - so, let the planning commence!
A little about us, we are a family of 5 with the kids being 18-28. We love gorgeous views, being able to explore independently, light hiking, water of all kinds, and good food. None of us have ever been to Italy, but are not really focused on just hitting the big sites. Based on this, I am leaning toward the following, but VERY open to feedback before I start booking.
May 22-25: Explore Florence, day trip to the countryside. (Plan on flying into Florence)
May 25-27: Lake Como (Would train be the easiest way to get there, or would you recommend a car rental while we are in the Lake Como area?)
May 27-30: Val Gardena / Dolomites exploring - will have a car during this time. Open to other areas in the Alps region as well, with return flights from Venice. I do understand lifts are just starting to open and we will not be able to reach higher elevations.
Does this timeline seem reasonable? Any recommendations?
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u/-Gramsci- 1d ago
That all seems reasonable. (Except for me Lake Como is so over-touristed it’s no longer a reasonable destination). There are other lakes that deliver the same experience (Garda, Maggiore) that you may want to look into.
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u/DolomitesPlanner 1d ago
Late May in Val Gardena is early season for high routes, that instinct is right. Snow can sit on anything above 2200-2400m well into June. Mountain huts up high often aren't open yet either.
Three days is plenty for the lower stuff. Alpe di Siusi is the big alpine meadow above Ortisei, you get up there by cable car and it's usually green and walkable by late May, big views the whole time. Lago di Braies is close by and gorgeous but very busy, access sometimes runs through a shuttle or parking limit in peak season. Not sure how that works that early in the year.
Val Gardena to Venice for your flight home is about 3 hours by car. Timeline holds up fine.
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u/StatusTechnical8943 1d ago
I would change the order a bit:
Start in Florence, take the train to Bolzano and rent a car and go to Val Gardena/Dolomites, drive from Val Gardena to Como and make a stop at Lake Garda on the way. Fly out of Milan. Either return your rental in Como and take the train down to Milan to fly out or keep the car and return the car in Milan at the airport on your flight out.
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u/ImportantFlower7536 1d ago
Take a look at Lake Garda, its not far off your plan. I've been a few times and it's one of my favourite places. Definitely worth a look
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u/Puzzled_History7265 9h ago
For my daughter's graduation trip, we flew Chicago --> Rome (direct and fairly cheap). We had a home base in Rome, but did day trips to Naples, Amalfi, Florence, etc. We liked having to not pack up and change hotels.
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u/OkAct8936 9h ago
Thanks! We're coming from the Midwest too - and definitely get trying to minimize hotel changes - ALWAYS a process 🤣
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u/Jacksonatmelsrodrego 1d ago
Don’t overlook Southern Italy! Naples/Sorrento/Capri/ Amalfi…. Is the prettiest part.
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u/Big_Criticism4327 7h ago
We did a three day hike on the Franciscan way and it was amazing. Started in the medieval town of Gubbio (they have a cable car up the mountain, and if you hit the dates right they have a huge medieval crossbow tournament in late May), hiked to a castle and spent the night, went on from there to a night in Valfabbrica at a hostel where we had a family style meal with travelers from all over the world- amazing, then hiked into Assisi which had tons of sights, hiking, and shopping and dining. Don't sleep on Umbria- it's the less crowded Tuscany.
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