There are vacations, and then there are VACATIONS in a traveler’s experience, and Italy, because of its geographical significance as a peninsula and its cultural inclination, always offers to those who visit it, the best solution to quench their thirst for wonder. An itinerary in the major cities of northern Italy is just what you need if you are a curious explorer hunting for hidden corners of the urban landscape.
Today we will take you on a virtual journey to four of the best places to visit in northern Italy to show you how fascinating your day can be as an urban explorer.
When to book a tour in the northern cities
First of all, you need to think about the period in which to plan a trip to northern Italy: if you love the sea, well, summer is the best time to visit the many kilometers of outstandingly beautiful coastline, but if you’re not a fan of the tan the cities in this season are busy with events and are crowded with tourists. Spring and autumn, low seasons for tourism, are an excellent solution for your vacation in the north. A mild climate, but not as cold as in winter, and a slight decrease in the flow of tourists let you better enjoy your itinerary. So here is our proposal on what to see in northern Italy: from Venice to Como, from Verona to Milan.
Venice and Como: The Pearls on the Water
Venice and Como are two jewels in the Italian crown that share one important common denominator, water: the Lagoon in the Venetian capital and the Lake in the Lombardy town.
Even just mentioning Venice brings to mind the romantic and iconic gondola rides, and walks on the city’s oldest bridges. It is precisely in Rialto, where we find the first bridge built in Venice, that we bring you with our walking tour through the canals of Venice from Rialto to the Frari. The 42 meter long bridge is one of only three connections between the banks of the Grand Canal. It was an avant-garde work for its time as its structure was a single block of stone, an architectural challenge for its creator, Antonio da Ponte, which still today does not cease to amaze.
Rialto, in the district of San Polo, stands as the commercial heart of the city, home of the market and today a tourist attraction with its shops and boutiques. From there, on the characteristic Venetian vaporetti, you will travel to the magnificent Basilica dei Frari to visit one of the most beautiful Venetian open-air works. It is the largest Basilica in the city, and it holds unparalleled pictorial and sculptural creations, as well as veritable monuments dedicated to the influential personalities of the city’s past. And if the Basilica dei Frari isn’t enough for you, you can go to the symbolic square of the city, to visit the Basilica of San Marco. To remain unmoved by the approximately 8000 square meters of mosaics is impossible, with its spectacular architecture that recalls the splendor of ancient Byzantium. The Basilica of San Marco is a small treasure chest that contains such precious objects as the Pala d’Oro, the Basilica’s high altar, the most prized creationthat the Venetian artists of that century were able to realize.
Given its rare and incontestable magnificence, we at Dragonfly have decided to let you admire this little gem in an exclusive private tour, far from the queues and chaos, to fully enjoy this monument, a hymn to the city’s history. Everything you can experience in Venice cannot be contained in these few lines. Not only a center of historical art: Venice is also the major Italian center for international contemporary art: just think of the Peggy Guggheneim Collection, which alone is worth your stay. Are you ready to immerse yourself in a timeless city? Book your personalized tour with Dragonfly now and we will try to fulfill all of your wishes.
From the Lagoon of Venice to Lake Como, where an exclusive private boat tour awaits you: the lake panorama is a feast for the eyes, with its colors and mountains that disappear and merge into the fresh waters: a triumph of nature that man has ably adorned with beautiful villas that preserve diverse and exotic flora. It is in an exclusive resort made up of seven villas that we have organized for you to spend a few days: the Castadiva, a few kilometers from Como, is the five star hideaway that we choose for customers who rely on our services. You will not want to leave! Take the opportunity to discover the beauties of the Lake in our 20-day luxury tour of Milan, Como, Rome and the Amalfi Coast.
Milan and Verona: Itinerary amid Avant-garde and History
In our Northern Italy travel guide you cannot miss visiting two other cities that seem like complete opposites but are both absolutely engaging.
Milan, in Lombardy, is the economic heart of the country but it is not only a center of international business. What it offers its visitors is a mix of art and culture that runs at the speed of this avant-garde city. First and foremost, there is the internationally recognized symbol of the city, the Duomo. The gothic-style cathedral is a magnificent monument, both in terms of its size and its detail: in its 157 meters in length and 92 in width, there are 3,500 statues, in an environment where the play of soft lights that fill the interior spaces are a silent oasis in the hectic city. From its terraces, on a clear day, you can see the Alps in the distance.
And then there is the Milan of paintings, with the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, and the Pinacoteca di Brera, the home of collections by great artists such as Caravaggio, Hayez, De Chirico and Modigliani. Castello Sforzesco is a return to the past in a city projected into the future and undoubtedly deserves a visit, because here too, visitors can see art with a capital A. After your afternoon of shopping in the streets of the big fashion brands, end the day in the Milan of glamor with a drink at the Navigli. It’s an all-round visit to a city that offers a truly vast range of experiences to its visitors.
Verona is the city of love par excellence: in fact, the connection between Verona and Romeo & Juliet lives eternally in our collective imaginations, and you cannot be excused from going to visit the home of the young Capuleti as Shakespeare described to us. But with our travel itineraries we also want to show you the lesser-known corners of the city.
On the one-day tour of the hidden Verona the Church of San Fermo awaits you, an unusual glimpse into the city’s architecture with references to both Gothic and Romanesque styles, and interior frescoes by important artists such as Pisanello. And to discover what lies beneath the surface of the city, there are the Scaligeri excavations: underground spaces that, in addition to telling the story of Verona at the time of the Roman and medieval settlements, are suggestive sites for exhibitions and collections of great international photographers. In fact, right now the city has been nominated as a candidate to be chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2021. Be one step ahead of the crowd and book now with Dragonfly, we will give you the right advice on where to go in northern Italy, and you won’t be disappointed by any of our proposals!