Our wedding can be your good excuse for you, your partner and your kids to come and travel around Italy! The area is full of things to see and to do, all accompanied by delicious food. The awesome thing about Italy is that you don’t need to travel too far around to see wonderful places as well as you don’t need to spend too much to eat unforgettable food!
Bergamo (see more on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergamo) it’s only 15 minutes away by car/taxi. The majestic 16th-century walls divide the city into two parts: Bergamo Alta (high), which dominates the valley, and Bergamo Bassa (low), which sit below the walls. A funicular connects the two part of the cities, very exciting for kids of every age (for more info, visit https://www.atb.bergamo.it/en). For the more adventurous, Bergamo Alta could be reached by foot, through a picturesque path starting next to the funicular. The view from the walls and from the San Giacomo door is spectacular! On a clear day, even Milan is visible! Once in Bergamo Alta, you can walk around the old town and visit Cappella Colleoni, a stunning church in the centre of Bergamo. You could also enjoy some typical dishes such as polenta (which originate from this area) and a dessert called “polenta e osei” (polenta and birds). Don’t get disgusted by the name! It’s a nice sponge cake with hazelnut cream and rum and covered by crystals of yellow sugar with chocolate little birds on top.
Milan (see more on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan) is the capital of Lombardy region and the financial capital of Italy. Trains from Bergamo and Treviglio stations run every 30 minutes and take approximately 35 min to Milano Centrale or Milano Garibaldi, which are the main stations in Milan (see http://www.trenitalia.com/ or http://www.trenord.it/en/home.aspx for more info and tickets). Trains in Italy are cheap and a return ticket cost around 8 euro. In Milan, there is a nice underground system (tickets are 1.50 euro one way, but a daily ticket cost only 4.5 euro, more info at https://www.atm.it/en/Pages/default.aspx) that brings you to Duomo, where the magnificent Duomo Cathedral appears to you as soon as you walk outside the underground steps. This church is a unique example of gothic style marble cathedral in Italy. Next to the Duomo Cathedral, the stunning Galleria Vittorio Emanuele leads to the most famous opera theatre in the world: Teatro alla Scala. In the Galleria, there is one of the few 7 stars hotel in the world. In addition, if you have time, stop by the Aperol Terrace for a tasty Spritz with a fantastic view over piazza Duomo and the cathedral (one of our favourite spots in Milan! http://www.terrazzaaperol.it/en/home/).
Castello Sforzesco (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sforza_Castle) is also a short walk away from piazza Duomo. This old castle was built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan and it was in the 16th and 17th centuries one of the largest citadels in Europe.
If you love museums as we do, Milan is full of them. You can visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_in_Milan to find out more. We suggest you visit the Museum of Novecento (http://www.museodelnovecento.org/en/), the Pinacoteca di Brera (http://pinacotecabrera.org/) and the Natural History Museum (https://www.comune.milano.it/dseserver/webcity/Documenti.nsf/webHomePage?OpenForm&settore=MCOI-6C5J9V_HP) which is just next to the Planetarium. Not as big and amazing as the one in London, it’s still nice for a day out with kids. Be aware that museums are generally not free in Italy, but they are free on the first Sunday of each month.
If you want to relax in Milan, we recommend you visit the splendid QC thermae spa (https://www.qcterme.com/en/milano/qc-termemilano). Tickets need to be booked in advance, but with your ticket you can stay in the spa for the whole day!
Where to eat in Milan? Our favourite and most famous place in Milan is right next to the Duomo Cathedral and it’s called “Luini Panzerotti”. Panzerotti are small “calzone” pizza filled with ham, salami or anything you like. Cheap and so nice with a nice day, you can buy them and sit in Piazza Duomo for a lovely street food lunch.
If you want to try a Michelin starred restaurant, the “Da Cracco” restaurant (https://www.ristorantecracco.it/) opened last year in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.
Two dishes are typical of Milan: risotto alla Milanese (risotto with saffron) and cotoletta alla Milanese (fried cutlet similar to Wiener Schnitzel, but cooked “bone-in”).
Lake Garda (see more on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Garda) is the largest lake in Italy. Famous cities are Sirmione with its castle and a spa, Bardolino with its wonderful red wine, Peschiera del Garda and Desenzano. In Peschiera, there is the most famous Italian adventure park (“Gardaland”) which, if you are in the area, really deserves a visit. I haven’t brought Thomas yet, but I have been there so many time as a child and adolescent… I just love it!
Verona (see more on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verona) is one of the most romantic cities in the world and this is where Romeo and Juliet’s Shakespeare’s tragedy was set. Two days in this little gem are enough if you are running short of time but it really deserves a visit. It can be reached by train from Milan in 2 hours or by car, pretty much in the same time and it is located not too far from Lake Garda.
The Arena di Verona (second only to the Colosseum in Rome) it is a stunning roman remain and a must visit. Juliet’s house, in addition, with the famous balcony, attract every year thousands of visitors. A must for true love believers!
Venice (see more on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice) is situated across a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by bridges, of which there are 400. The whole area is called “Venetian Lagoon”. It can be reached by train (or plane) from Milan, in around 2.5-3 hours. Be aware that Venice can reach up to 60,000 tourists per day especially in the summer, where the area is generally hot and humid. Nevertheless, if you have time, Venice is a little gem in the Mediterranean and September is usually a good month to visit it.
Some of the highlights are Piazza San Marco, Rialto Bridge and the Bridge of Sighs. Be aware that Venice is the most expensive city in Italy and they can charge up to 10 euro or more for an espresso coffee is some bars!
In addition, less than 3 hours driving or in 2 hours by train, there are Florence, Pisa, Siena and the whole of Tuscany, which are just awesome (we will spend some time there for our honeymoon too!)
To finish, Rome is not too far. Five hours by train and you are in the Eternal City. We think this might require a separate trip (we stayed in Rome last year for five days and there was still lots to see!), but if you have time, it really deserves a visit!