During my 2-week trip to Europe, I had five days to explore Northern Italy. I stayed for five nights in Padua and took day trips from here. I visited five cities in Northern Italy: Trieste, Venice, Vicenza, Verona, and of course, Padua itself. After that, I took a train to Milan and stayed there for a night before flying back to Australia.

I highly recommend using Omio, a search engine that helps to find the best routes across Europe which is very helpful in my trip.

 

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Trieste

Trieste is often called “Venice’s Little Sister” due to its beautiful canals and similar architecture with Venice. It is known for its rich history and literary heritage with landmarks such as Piazza Unità d’Italia.

I only spent a few hours in Trieste en route from Ljubljana to Padua. Though there was a direct bus option, I took a bus to Trieste followed by a train to Padua. This is because Italy’s train network is excellent and also I get to explore one new city. There is a luggage storage facility at the Trieste train station so it was convenient.

Overall, I enjoyed my short trip to Trieste. Though I think Venice is more visually stunning, Trieste offered a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere – an ideal choice for those seeking a less touristy vibe.

 

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Venice

The train ride from Padua to Venice takes only 30 minutes – perfect for a day trip. Since I have visited Venice before and its main attractions, I decided to wander and get lost this time. Once I got off at Venice Santa Lucia train station, I set out to find St Mark’s Square without using GPS.

Though, navigating Venice proved to be quite challenging. I ended up heading to the wrong direction again and again, but the detours led me down quieter path which was quite enjoyable. When I finally reached St Mark’s Square, I could not stay long as it was too crowded and chaotic. Not long after that, I took a water bus back to the train station after a day of extensive walking.

It was good that I did not have to pay tourist tax since I visited in March. Starting from April 2024, Venice launched its tourist tax for day-trippers, with visitors required to pay 5 euro for the privilege of visiting the city without staying overnight (in testing phase).

 

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Vicenza

On the train from Padua to Verona, I passed by Vicenza on the way. I decided to spend some time in Vicenza to visit its market, which opens every Tuesday and Thursday morning at Piazza dei Signori and Piazza delle Erbe squares.

I feel like it is a nice place to get some bargains, but it is not for me as it was too chaotic for me. I only spent about an hour here as I would rather spend more time in Verona.

 

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Verona

Verona is a romantic place! The main reason for me to come is to visit Juliet’s house. It deserves a standalone blog post >>> Verona: Italy’s City of Romance

 

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Padua

I stayed for 5 nights at Le Camp Suite & Spa Hotel. It offered a private 1-hour spa (with a big jacuzzi) every day though I only went once – which was an unique experience.

One of the beautiful attractions in Padua is Prato della Valle, a square with a canal bordered by two rings of statues – however, I couldn’t stay long due to the scorching heat and lack of shade. I also stopped by the highly rated Botanical Garden, but perhaps I didn’t fully appreciate it, as my visit was brief. I enjoyed having Aperol Spritz and prosciutto at Piazza delle Erbe.

 

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Milan

I spent a day in Milan before catching a flight to Melbourne. Little did I know it would be the worst day to be in Milan!

This is because a train strike across Italy, a metro strike in Milan, and a major running event in Milan all coincided… Thankfully, I overheard a lady at the hotel about the difficulty of getting to the airport, so I left the hotel earlier than planned and avoided the potential stress. In addition, I lucked out with my flight departing from Linate airport – much closer to the city centre.

It was a shame that I did not have much time to explore Milan, but I did make sure to visit the Milan Cathedral, also known as the Duomo. It was stunningly beautiful and exquisite, though it was very crowded despite in the off-peak season.

It is worth mentioning that I had the most expensive meal in Milan! The cheese and ham platter, yellow risotto and Aperol Spritz cost 67 euros. Luckily, it was exceptionally delicious and I enjoyed the meal very much.

Overall, I like Verona the most for its beauty and romantic vibe. Venice and Milan are also beautiful but were too crowded at its main attractions. I visited in the off-peak season and could not imagine how crowded it would be in the peak season!