I'd like to hear suggestions on how to spend 5 weeks in Northern Italy?

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conley39

I live in northern Italy about an hour south of Verona and go out eploring most weekends including through the winter. Unfortunately, you'll miss the Carnevale period in February, but there are still a lot of things to see and do. Winter in the Dolomites can be interesting - the Christmas markets are open and are worth visiting. I was in Bolzano and Trento over the weekend - both towns are interesting and have good views of the surrounding mountains. There are some good castles around Bolzano and an excellent one in Trento itself. Bolzano also has an interesting museum where you can see the Ice Man. There was quite a bit of snow on the ground. Depending on the weather, there are several funvias that you can take up the mountains and do some walking from Bolzano. Saturday, there was quite a lot of snow on the ground, but it was a pretty nice day. http://www.mercatinodinatale.tn.it/en/home/home.php

Verona is a good destination during the Christmas period. There's a huge exhibit of presepi (nativity scenes) from around the world in the old Roman Colosseum in Piazza Bra.

There are a lot of historic smaller towns with Ducal Palaces, castles, old towns, art, and great food throughout northern Italy - Mantova, Bergamo, Ferrara, Padova, Parma and Pavia are all particularly nice. If you have access to a sar, there are a number of good castles in the area around Parma. Every town/area has it's own specialty - if you go to Mantova, be sure to try their's - stracotto d'asino with polenta is excellent. Tortelli di zucca is very good throughout the area - I prefer it with burro Ã¨ salvia rather than al ragu but you can find it either way. Tortellini in Brodo will hit the spot in the winter season too. Ribollita and Cinghiale goes well at this time of year in Florence (and of course, cantucci & vin santo for dessert).

Of course, Venice and Florence are always worth visiting. The 6th of January is a holiday here - there's an interesting regatta in Venice then. If you're lucky , you might be able to get a picture of a gondola floating in Piazza San Marco at that time of year - the flooding is rarely that severe though.

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You wrote:
"-hikes/hilltops/lookouts, and amazing, breathtaking views?"

Absolutely! Definitely do mountain walks.

You could go up with cable cars, and walk down to the valleys. It's great. If you have good condition and health, you could ofcourse climb peaks. Views from the peaks are fantastic. And reaching peaks is very satisfying.

Apart from the mountains, i wouldn't know what to do in Northern Italy. Drive around maybe and make photographs.
I've been there, but nothing beats the mountains.

loves2read

You can do a couple of things. You can pick up a travel book at a bookstore for that area. Quite often the best way to find some of these places, go out and talk to the locals when you get there. They'll know things that the books won't. Take the roads less traveled, literally. Find a visitors kiosk there and check out the travel websites now. Just roam around. We've found great places by doing just that.

big city

I love Lucca, but it is in Tuscany. Sounds like you want to be more north. We rented a villa near there and ate and drank at some fabulous vineyards along La Strada del Vino.

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