Planning a trip to northern Italy

[Bryaxis Hecatee]

Hi everyone,

 

I've been using some time in the hospital to begin planning a trip to northern Italy, about 2 weeks of travel using public transports (I've no driving licence) to see some interesting cities in northern Italy :

- Bergamo (arrival)

- Brescia

- Verona

- Vincenza (?)

- Padova

- Venezia

- Ferrara (?)

- Bologna

- Ravena

-- Verucchio

- Parma

- Piacenzia

- Milano

- Bergamo (departure)

 

Do you know of any roman remains in those areas which could be interesting to see (or do you want me to take pictures of some places ?)

[Ludovicus]

Verona!!

Don't miss the Arena. The ruins and museum of the Roman theater

on the heights across the Adige River are well worth an afternoon. The views of the old city

from there are stunning.

 

Ravenna!! Brush up on your Late Roman Empire.

San Vitale is not to be missed. You can visit many of the

ancient churches easily since they are all in walking distance of each other.

The only exception is San Apollinaris. The monument to Theodoric, too, is outside the small but incredibly rich carfree center.

[Bryaxis Hecatee]

Thanks. Indeed those monuments were already on my list (and my plans call for two days in Ravena since the city is so rich and I want to visit a small place some 17km from there where a museum is full of Villanovian artefacts). Any other suggestions ?

[Ludovicus]

Oops! There are two San Apollinaris. San Apollinaris in Classis is outside the city center.

[caesar novus]

I should thank you for your Pozzuoli report. I was taking a rest day on Ischia, then realized I was a short ferry hop from Pozzuoli. I didn't have maps or anything more than memories of your photo journal, but managed to savor the arena and seripede roman remains just fine.

 

- Brescia

- Verona

You are going to only pass by the sprawling Roman ruins at Sirmione on stunning Lake Garda? Well, maybe you have already been there. But I wouldn't miss an opportunity of stopping off the B. to V. train at Desenzano and ferry or bus to Sirmione. Or even savor the lake a bit more with the express bus from Brescia to Salo or Gardone Riviera, then ferry to Garda, then you can walk the shoreline thru Bardolino and Lazise, then ferry hop to Sirmone (can bus to Verona from most of these last places). All doable even with your luggage in a backpack.

Edited June 12, 2010 by caesar novus

[Viggen]

if you are around venice, maybe consider Aquileia, its about 100 km to the east close to Trieste...

 

cheers

viggen

[Bryaxis Hecatee]

@Caesar Novus : happy that my repport allowed you to enjoy the wonderfull views of Pouzzoli and the Baies area ! I had thought about half a day in Desenzano but not about going to Sirmione, but your suggestion is excellent ! I'll do it and post a lot of pictures of the area to thank you !

@ Viggen : hum that would probably be a full day in my planning since it's so far east, but it's tempting... I could also use that day to visit a place like Concordia Sagitaria (if there is much to see, which I'll have to check) or Cividade del Frioul. But it would probably mean skipping Parma, Piacenzia and Milano and taking the plane back from Bologna instead of from Bergamo (which, I must say, is possible for me too since I do have a direct flight from there to Brussels Charleroi)

[Maladict]

Don't miss Aquileia. You can get there relatively easily by taking a train to Cervignano, then the bus in the direction of Grado.

The museum at Brescia is not to be missed, either.

If you take an interest in post-Roman Italy, the old Longobard capital of Cividale del Friuli (east of Udine) should be on the list. A beautiful museum and the Tempietto is quite unique.

For pre-Roman Italy, head for the museum in Este (inbetween Padova and Ferrara). Padova itself has a good collection, as well.

Trieste has a few Roman remains, I wouldn't go there just to see them, but it's a really nice city, and a stunning train ride getting there from Venice.

Edited June 12, 2010 by Maladict

[Bryaxis Hecatee]

Once again Maladict you are full of good advices. I see no one has particularily recommended Parma, Piacenzia and Milano, and many advices have been given to the effect of going toward the Frioul, so that might well be the way I'll go. Also since they are smaller towns I might find myself pay less for my nights than in the larger cities...

[Viggen]

Once again Maladict you are full of good advices. I see no one has particularily recommended Parma, Piacenzia and Milano, and many advices have been given to the effect of going toward the Frioul, so that might well be the way I'll go. Also since they are smaller towns I might find myself pay less for my nights than in the larger cities...

 

...oh, and i live on the border to Friuli or Friaul as we austrians say, so maybe we could meet there even somewhere...

[Bryaxis Hecatee]

That would be my pleasure, Viggen. I'll of course have to brush up my german to at least greet you properly then I see on the web that they are roman remains at Zuglio, but it would mean for me to go in the higher parts of the Friuli around Tolmezzo, whereas I had not planned going higher than Cividade del Friuli... (I don't have a driving licence so I can only use public transportations)

[Maladict]

Once again Maladict you are full of good advices. I see no one has particularily recommended Parma, Piacenzia and Milano, and many advices have been given to the effect of going toward the Frioul, so that might well be the way I'll go. Also since they are smaller towns I might find myself pay less for my nights than in the larger cities...

 

They are all excellent cities, I particularly like Parma. Not so much in the way of things Roman, though.

Also, I'd say it is rather a lot for just two weeks. If I were you I'd settle for the Veneto/Friuli/Romagna region and leave the rest for another trip.

 

Anyway, to make matters more difficult for you:

Rimini has its famous Roman monuments, a nice town that shouldn't yet be overrun by horrendous tourist crowds.

When in Ravenna, make sure to visit Classe as well. It has its own train station a short distance from the basilica. If you walk back to the city (a long walk), you'll pass by the excavations of the old port. I believe a bus may also take you there, not sure though.

Bologna has an excellent Egyptian museum.

In Venice, take a boat ride to Torcello to see the city's roots.

Edited June 12, 2010 by Maladict

[Bryaxis Hecatee]

Hum going down to Rimini ? Hadn't thought about going there, had heard it was mainly a "basic sun and sand tourist place" with only modern cement buildings. I'll look into it. I also take good note of your other advices (for Bologna a friend who studied there for a year had indeed told me about the museum).

[Maladict]

Hum going down to Rimini ? Hadn't thought about going there, had heard it was mainly a "basic sun and sand tourist place" with only modern cement buildings. I'll look into it. I also take good note of your other advices (for Bologna a friend who studied there for a year had indeed told me about the museum).

 

Not at all, Rimini just gets a bad rep because of the beach crowd, but if you go there out of season it's a really nice place, less sleepy than Ravenna.

The Malatesta temple is quite a sight, as are the Roman bridge and arch. If you visit the amphitheatre, you can ring the bell at the school nextdoor and someone will give you the key to the gate.

Edited June 12, 2010 by Maladict

[caesar novus]

In Venice, take a boat ride to Torcello to see the city's roots.

Also see supercute Burano, a sort of colorful toy Venice, on the same vaporetti route (don't use the expensive excursion boats near St. Marks, but the regular vaporetti from the backside of Castello). Maybe do this on a day pass, and do other scenic routes the same day around the imain island and main canal. The price of vaporetti has gone up so much I might just walk on other days, which is easy if you avoid the crunch between train station - rialto - San Marco (use the academia bridge and pleasant connecting backstreets instead).

 

Visit fishtail beyond St Marco (has spacious parks and a wide boulevard where Napoleon filled in a canal). The gateway to this has the must-see NAVAL MUSEUM which documents the Roman pleasure barges of Lake Nemi and their excavation and demise. You should get in at 9am opening time, because you may not get thru it's 5 stories by the mid day closing time otherwise. Fascinating displays, such as the Viking incursions of Italy (sacked the wrong city they thought was Rome), ancient cannons, WW2 almost-suicide boats (had ejection seats for just before collision), ship artillery computers as big as a room, the surprising secrets of asymmetrical gondola design, seashells etc etc.

 

Skip Milano.

Edited June 12, 2010 by caesar novus