October week in Northern Italy - suggestions?

[MarkGArgyle]

20th wedding anniversary and we love Italy - food drink and sightseeing. Having discounted going back to amalfi and looking all over including Sardinia, lakes (Maggiore) and other have settled in the Reggio Emilia area.

Fly into and out of linate, want to hit Bologna, Reggio, Parma, Modena (and the factory for me).

Was going to hire a car but have read that trains are good and saves me hiring a 500 suv…

Max 3 hotels in a week, one of which will be the radisson in Milan when we arrive. Astoria in Reggio I have also used for work and is an option.

Hotel restaurant and route suggestions welcome. I don’t think a diversion to Venice or lakes can be fit in but happy to hear otherwise. Cheers!

[StoutBench]

If you are headed to Modena I know you said factory tour but just in case the Pagani one isn't on your radar it's well worth the trip. The little museum is lovely and the factory is exquisite. If you are lucky they may be testing when you go, we were lucky.

[IanA2]

Trains are brilliant in Italy, several classes, rapido, locale etc. All very good, cheap and often with air con.

If you're going to Venice, I recommend you stay in Padova, a beautiful ancient city twenty minutes by train from Venice and much much cheaper.

Have fun.

[MarkGArgyle]

StoutBench said:

If you are headed to Modena I know you said factory tour but just in case the Pagani one isn't on your radar it's well worth the trip. The little museum is lovely and the factory is exquisite. If you are lucky they may be testing when you go, we were lucky.

Hadn’t thought about Pagani will look that one up as well. Thanks!

[MarkGArgyle]

IanA2 said:

Trains are brilliant in Italy, several classes, rapido, locale etc. All very good, cheap and often with air con.

If you're going to Venice, I recommend you stay in Padova, a beautiful ancient city twenty minutes by train from Venice and much much cheaper.

Have fun.

I think Venice may be too much of a stretch in a week, possible the 4 places I mentioned may be too much already…but not sure. Venice for a day trip could sit well with MrsG

[IanA2]

MarkGArgyle said:

IanA2 said:

Trains are brilliant in Italy, several classes, rapido, locale etc. All very good, cheap and often with air con.

If you're going to Venice, I recommend you stay in Padova, a beautiful ancient city twenty minutes by train from Venice and much much cheaper.

Have fun.

I think Venice may be too much of a stretch in a week, possible the 4 places I mentioned may be too much already but not sure. Venice for a day trip could sit well with MrsG

If she's not seen Venice before.....

[MarkGArgyle]

Bump for this one, now booked to fly into Bologna and 8 days later out of Milan Linate. Only definite plan in my head is the Ferrari and Pagani factory tours (although it is a 20yr anniversary trip so Mrs G may disagree with doing both)...

So, looking for hotel and food recommendations in

Bologna
Modena
Parma
Reggio Emilia (have stayed there a bit for work)
Milan (will use the Radisson as I have status with them via work, so will be a nice end to this holiday)
Day trip from Milan to Como

Minimum 2 days per hotel, no real budget for hotels, would be ideally be good to keep below €200/night so we have more to spend on eating and sightseeing. Stayed at the Hassler Roma at the top of the Spanish steps for her 40th birthday at a ridiculous cost and during breakfast she remarked that she preferred a premier inn breakfast

Plan to use trains as if I wanted to drive I would have taken the car but time is limited.

Of course Parma ham, Balsamico and Parmesan will feature heavily

Thanks to PH for some help in the planning minefield!

[DBA086]

I Portici in Bologna is excellent - we’ve been a few times.

[MarkGArgyle]

DBA086 said:

I Portici in Bologna is excellent - we ve been a few times.

Thanks, I would stay there in a heartbeat but at €400/night it is a bit toppy given Mrs G preference for Premier Inn standard

[Michael_B]

Mrs B and I spent three full days last September in Ferrara, gorgeous smaller scale Renaissance city. It is 45 minutes car/train ride north of Bologna.

We went there by motorbike, overnighting in the Montferrato and Asti regions each way. Over the years we’ve spent time in many parts of northern Italy: our son has an Italian passport, being married to a Florentine, I am chairman of our Milan group company, office is 5km from Monza, and we live ~100km from the FR/IT border.

Ferrara (along with Mantova and Cremona) is a hidden gem in terms of great Italian architecture, wine, food, and culture without having to fight your way through thousands of tourists to experience it.

[bennno]

MarkGArgyle said:

Thanks, I would stay there in a heartbeat but at 400/night it is a bit toppy given Mrs G preference for Premier Inn standard

We stayed in Social Hub Bologna, modern, pretty cool place, good position, not expensive.

I’d go to LakeGarda from there - Sirmione is magic.

For Ferrari choose between Modena and Maranello - I’d go with the latter and try to book a table for lunch at La Montana.

Edited by bennno on Friday 25th July 17:51

[Screenwash]

Bergamo is worth a look. The old city on the hilltop is stunning. Barely a mile’s walk from the railway station. And a train to/from Milan hourly.