Northern Italy for a week in July with a 6 year old

[r7950]

I’m reaching out to the collective LR Brain Trust to get some ideas on how to fill in our trip. We (2 adults and a 6 year old boy) are going to northern Italy (flying into Milan) for a “week” towards the end of July. Flights are already booked, now we just have to fill in the days.

Logistics / Background:

• We fly in on a Sunday (land early afternoon) and depart the next Saturday morning. There are other logistical issues for the summer that we had to work around, so this was the best we could do, considering the circumstances.
• We are expecting to rent a car as time / flexibility are more important (I’ve driven in northern Italy before, not a problem)
• This will be the first trip abroad for the young one, our main goal is that he has fun and will want to go again.
• Kid is a seasoned traveler (airline status 2 years in a row – I realize it’s ridiculous, but whatever), and has adjusted very well to time zone changes (so far only up to 3 hours)
• We all hate long car rides, so we don’t want to go too far (Dolomites sound amazing as well, but that will be a future trip)
• Arrival day (Sunday) is not expected to be productive.

Preliminary Ideas (in no certain order):

• Visit a castle (kid thinks they’re cool, maybe we get two hours out of it)
• Cheese tasting / making in Parma (go-to snack for the kid is parmesan)
• Gardaland (they have Peppa the Pig and Legos, and hopefully alcohol for the adults)
• Visit the lakes (Lake Garda and / or Lake Maggiore are the front runners)
• Ferrari museum is a maybe
• Eat gelato every single day (we plan to tell him about the trip over gelato)

Any other must-do’s or definitely avoid from the smart people here?

[malte_II]

You’ve already listed a couple of nice options. If you’re flying into Milan, Lago di Como is very close and definitely worth a visit. Lots of castles there, too, so you can hit two birds with one stone. Lago di Garda definitely also worth a visit, but be prepared for lots of traffic there in July. Personally, I’m partial to the city of Verona. Much smaller than Milan, but amazing old city center. They regularly play operas and concerts in the roman Arena, but you can also tour the arena itself during the daytime. Also, there’s of course the balcony where Romeo wooed Juliet.
If you ask me about things to avoid: Venice. Long trip from where you are, extremely crowded during peak summer months, and feels more like a Disney World experience than a genuine historic city now. Lots of souvenir shops trying to sell cheap China-made glass thingies, and mostly low quality and/or overpriced food.

[marcoviappiani]

I’m an Italian from Milan .
What’s too long a car drive?

• There’s plenty of castles in northern Italy but Milan already has a beautiful castle, Castello Sforzesco. It’s in a park so you can walk around and through it for free. Inside there’s some paid exhibitions but they might be boring for a child, depending on taste.
• A museum that children usually love in Milan is the Leonardo da Vinci Technology Museum. Among many things, it’s got models of Da Vinci’s projects but also lots of old trains, planes, ships, a submarine.
• A fun thing in Milan is also the elevator or stairs to the Duomo rooftop.
• For seeing the Last Supper make sure to book months in advance

Any tourist destination in Italy - especially seaside and lakes - at the end of July will be packed with people - just be aware of it. The more famous, the more overtourism it gets.

Garda
You mentioned lake Garda and Gardaland, every major town there has a castle. A particularly spectacular and well preserved one is the one in Sirmione which is right on the lake.
The area near Peschiera del Garda has several amusement parks. Near Gardaland there’s also Caneva World (which has a waterpark and a few other parks, including a medieval one with a medieval dinner).
Every town is pretty on Garda. Peschiera, Sirmione, Salò, Lazise, Garda, Bardolino.
Riva del Garda, Torbole, Malcesine, Limone are very pretty but a farther drive out.
From Malcesine there’s a cable car to Monte Baldo for a taste of mountains.

Lake Maggiore.
The nicest towns are Stresa, Baveno, Cannobio. Arona also deserves a stop. Boat trips to isolee Borromeo are worth it. For a castle Rocca di Angera. Mottarone (the local mountain) has nice views, easy hikes, you can drive to the top (it’s also a great cycling climb). Nearby Lago d’Orta is beautiful too (Orta San Giulio and Pella, boat trip to isola di San Giulio).
The swiss side of lake Maggiore is also really nice (Locarno and Ascona).

Lake Como
Lake Como isn’t overrated but it’s not more beautiful than the other lakes and traffic to/from can get terrible. Because of its shape, you also end up spending a lot of time driving or on a boat.
If in Como you can take the funicolare di Brunate (go early or the line gets crazy) and there’s a couple of hikes at the top.
If you end up driving to Bellagio, do stop at Madonna del Ghisallo. Beautiful view, famous climb of Giro di Lombardia. The church (and also the museum in front of it) is full of bicycles and cycling memorabilia.

Iseo
Another lake, lago di Iseo is also very nice. Less famous, more compact, just as pretty. Wine region.

Liguria
Cinque terre is a truly outstanding and worthwhile destination but over tourism might make it uncomfortable.
For a taste of Liguria with a shorter drive you could consider Camogli, Santa Margherita and Portofino. Try to avoid the typical weekend flow (Friday afternoon going to the sea, Sunday afternoon going to Milan) although with your schedule it might not be an issue.

Parma is a pretty city so worth a stop if going for Parmesan cheese making visits near it.

Bormio Is a beautiful mountain destination that is a bit closer than dolomites. Still 2.5h driving from Milan. Nice hikes and cycling, can easily rent, too. Could also add trips to Livigno and/or swiss mountains from there (st Moritz).

Other ideas:

• Monza (15 min from Milan). Duomo, old center, royal park and palace. Formula 1 track.
• Bergamo alta (40min). Beautiful hilltop old town.
• Pavia (40min). Castle, old town.
• Verona (1h 45)
• Mantova (2h). Easy to add if going to Verona and Garda.
• Lucca and Pisa (3h). Pisa a bit overcrowded. Lucca is a gem.

I would avoid Venice in summer. I think it’s 1000% worth it, just not in summer.
Some destinations are easily reached by train also.

[spockman]

[quote=“marcoviappiani, post:4, topic:1286947”]
Sforzesc
Great post. The Castle has MIchelangalo’s last sculpture a partially completed pieta.