While we could’ve easily stayed another week in every single one of these places, our one-week road trip allowed us to spend a day or two in each location and enjoy the great mix of stunning nature and architecture. Endless lake views contrasting beautiful buildings and squares. Hiking up hills versus sipping Negroni in a courtyard of one of the many Aperitivo bars that can be found around every corner. Watching the sunset on an island of the Lago Maggiore or from a rooftop in Milan. Road tripping the north of Italy most definitely has it all.
PESCHIERA DEL GARDA & SIRMIONE
Peschiera del Garda with its small town vibes is the perfect base for your stay at Lago di Garda. During the day it’s nice to take a walk along the lake, while at night you can stroll the little illuminated streets in search for a restaurant or bar to enjoy your nightly Aperol. From Peschiera we drove up to Bardolino, which is around 20 minutes away by car. However, be aware of the lake road being really busy during the day so that it might actually take you 45 minutes to an hour to arrive. The Museo dell’olio might be a nice stop to escape the traffic and is located directly on the route from Peschiera to Bardolino. The streets of Bardolino are once again nice to wander and nip into little shops and boutiques. Or if you feel like having a break from all the on-foot exploration, treat yourself to a coffee or drink at one of the restaurants by the water. To save some time on your way back, you might want to take the highway to avoid the clogged roads.
Sirmione is another day trip option for your time at Lago di Garda. After driving for 20 minutes, you’ll find lots of parking lots at the side of the road. But when we arrived around midday, all of them were packed already and so we parked our car in one of the restaurant’s parking lots, ordered a cappuccino and thereby ensured our right to a parking spot. As the small alleys of the old town were full of tourists, we decided to go on a 25-minute boat tour (10€ per person) to first explore the fortress and grotto from the lake side. We then continued our exploration of the old town with the most delicious vegan coconut ice cream in hand before sitting down for – you guessed it – our daily Aperol.
MILAN
The city of Milan would definitely deserve its own article and I’m sure this wasn’t the last time we visited. Some of our highlights obviously included the stunning Duomo and the adjacent Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (don’t forget to – excuse my language – kick the bull in the nuts for some extra luck), countless Aperitivos with Aperol and Negroni, delicious pizza and pasta, and fancy cocktails on the Radio Rooftop Bar. If you’re looking for a cheap way to explore Milan, check out one of the many online scavenger hunt apps that allow you to tour the city at your own pace and off the beaten path of the classic tourist tours. If you ever get hungry for a little snack, grab a typical Italian fast-food ‘Piadina’ at La Piadineria, which can be found all over the city, and for the best home made create-your-own pasta, don’t miss out on dinner at Pasta d’Autore (make sure to reserve though).
DAYTRIP TO LAGO MAGGIORE FROM MILAN
Lago Maggiore is only a one-hour car ride away from Milan and its stunning blue water in front of green hills stretching into the horizon will leave you breathless. As the lake does its name justice, we decided to only focus on the lower left shore for this trip. Our first stop: the viewpoint of the Parco della Rocca Borromea. After a quick hike up the hill you’re being rewarded with the most gorgeous view over the lake and if you’re in need of a little break, you might want to join the people taking a nap in the shade of the trees on top of the hill.
Another 25 minutes later we arrived in Stresa, the town from which you can take a boat to one of the three islands just off the shore. We opted for Isola Bella and really enjoyed the picturesque alleys and houses on the island. Its highlight is the ‘Giardino dell’isola Bella’ for which you have to buy a ticket.
PARMA, MODENA & BOLOGNA
Stretching over an almost straight line of 200km southeast of Milan lay the cities of Parma, Modena and Bologna. From an architectural viewpoint, the three cities look quite similar, with countless old buildings, archways, and narrow streets opening up to expansive squares with fountains in the middle. Due to this similarity, you don’t need a full day in the rather smaller cities of Parma and Modena, but if you’re into cars, the ‘Museo Enzo Ferrari’ in Modena is probably worth the visit. In Bologna – also known as the red city, due to its red Spanish tiled rooftops -, the free walking tour is a good way to get around and admire the countless arched colonnades the city is known for. Underneath one of them you’ll find the Trattoria della Santa, the perfect spot to end your sightseeing tour with some good Italian cuisine.
MY TIPS & RECOMMENDATIONS
- We did our road trip in mid August, so temperatures were around 25-30 degrees Celsius.
- L’Osteria seems to be one of the nicest and most popular restaurants in the centre of Peschiera del Garda – nice atmosphere, charming waiters, great food & refreshing Aperols.
- Park in the parking lot of the Ristorante Pizzeria Erica to avoid queuing for the overflowing official parking lots of Sirmione.
- Treat yourself to some vegan coconut milk chocolate ice cream at Cremeria Bulian in Sirmione – beware the Italien ice cream scoop size though: 1 Italian scoop = 2-3 scoops as you might know them.
- For drinks at night in Milan, Navigli is the place to go. Countless bars and restaurants lined up next to the water, illuminated by fairy lights and candles, a young crowd chatting and laughing over their cocktails and beers.
- L’Archivo is a vibrant bar/restaurant in the center of Modena. With its great atmosphere and many tables outside, it’s the perfect spot to treat yourself to an Aperitivo.
lenacatherine 