Extending your Trip
in Italy
TUSCANY
Driving through Tuscany together for the first time
we could not stop talking about how beautiful the landscape was. If you’re able to hire a car from mainland Venice, you could be right in the heart of this beautiful region in around 3-4 hours.
We visited in November 2023 and while it is definitely low season, we still had an amazing time. You can visit the many vineyards and thermal pools for which the area is famous. Our top recommendation would be the Castello di Velona resort, a close runner up for our Italian Wedding Spectacular!
FLORENCE & PISA
Also located in Tuscany, we loved having Florence
as a base to explore the region. As Billy’s favorite city in Italy, it is an endless menagerie of beautiful Cathedrals, galleries, and museums.
A clear favourite for us both is the Galleria dell’Accademia for the Statue of David. From Florence it’s a very easy trip out to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower & Cattedrale di Pisa. We highly recommend going inside the tower and not just taking the quintessential photo holding it.
ROMA
Of course if you really want to experience Italian history, art, and culture, Rome is your destination.
From Venice, there are trains that take you directly to Rome in just 4 hours. If you do choose to add Rome to your itinerary, make sure to book tickets in advance to tour popular sites such as the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.
The Trevi Fountain is also a must-see for this location. There is a nearby hotel called Hotel Fontana which has a ‘Trevi Rooftop Bar’ where you can look out over the fountain, cocktail in hand! For those traveling to Italy from overseas (particularly the US), you do have the option of flying to and/or from Rome as there are more direct overseas flights to this city.
THE DOLOMITES
One of the best things about living in Northern Italy
is being so close to the beauty of the Dolomites mountain range. Unfortunately, available hiking paths in November will depend on the weather.
Many will be open and safe to traverse but if you’re a big hiker (which Billy can’t imagine), it is worth your time to check local forecasts and trail info websites to see which treks are open.
One of the most famous is the hike out to Lago di Sorapis, a gorgeous glacial lake that is even more beautiful when frozen. Friends of ours visited in November a few years ago and recommended it as being a great option to avoid the crowds of high season in the summer & fall. The trailhead is around
a 2.5 hour drive from Venice so be sure to bring your hiking boots!
LAKE GARDA
November is low season for the lake so definitely worth checking what’s open as it will be much cooler with a fair chance of rain. However, it would be a great opportunity to see the lake and the lovely waterfront towns with fewer tourists.
Our top spots to see are Sirmione, Malcesine, or Limone sul Garda. Hiring a car would be the easiest way to get around, but trains also run from Venice to the larger towns such as Desenzano and Garda, taking around two hours each way.