Northern Italy

Northern Italy, between the Alps and the Po Plain, combines great cities such as Milan, Venice and Bologna with Lake Como, the Dolomites and Cinque Terre.

By the definition of Italy's national statistics office (ISTAT), Northern Italy comprises eight regions: Piedmont, Aosta Valley, Liguria and Lombardy in the northwest, and Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Emilia-Romagna in the northeast. It borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia to the north, and to the south the northern Apennines mark the boundary with central regions such as Tuscany and Marche. Milan is the center of business and fashion; its cathedral and The Last Supper are must-sees. Among the lakes, Lake Como is the most famous, while Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore are also very popular. Beyond watery Venice, Verona's Roman Arena stages opera in summer, and Padua has Giotto's frescoes. In the northeast, the Dolomites are a UNESCO World Heritage Site; South Tyrol, where Bolzano lies, speaks German and has an Austrian flavor; Trieste, at the eastern end, has a Central European character. The Ligurian coast has the old port city of Genoa and Cinque Terre. Emilia-Romagna is a food heartland, famous for Bolognese ragù, Parma ham and Parmigiano Reggiano, with Ravenna's mosaics and Rimini's beaches adding their own appeal. Turin in the northwest has the Egyptian Museum, and the Langhe wine region produces Barolo. A first trip could run Milan–Lake Como–Verona–Venice in about 7 days, extended to 10–14 days by adding Bologna or the Dolomites. High-speed trains connect the cities conveniently: Milan to Venice takes about 2.5 hours and Milan to Bologna about 1 hour. Cinque Terre has a regional train, while the Dolomites and lakeside towns are best reached by car or bus. Venice charges an entry fee on certain dates, and in summer the Cinque Terre trails are crowded, with some sections possibly closed for maintenance.

Destinations

Itineraries