There might not be a better destination than Italy in summer. The beautiful landscapes, magnificent cities, and out-of-the-world food make it one of the best tourist destinations worldwide. But there is a downside. There will always be masses surrounding you unless you do it right! For that reason we made this budget trip through Northern Italy, touching the main hubs, but always doing ‘just’ something that most people miss out on.
Turin, Italy – 1 night
Although relatively unknown, Turin is one of Italy’s biggest cities, with more to offer than most people realize. Western tourists will most likely skip this city on their road trip, but for Italians, it is one of the most popular city trips – for good reason! The elegant squares, big lanes, and Alpine views are very impressive.
Our top attractions in this elegant city were Monte dei Cappuccini, where you have the best view of the city, the film museum Mole Antonelliana (where you can also go up for a crazy view), and having an aperitive at Largo IV Marzo, where the city comes to life after 6. If you are a sports fan, we recommend you go to a Juventus or Torino game on the weekend.
Genoa, Italy
In this itinerary, we skip Genoa because in summer it is very hard to find affordable accommodation. It is still, however, one of Italy’s most untouched, raw port cities that we still recommend visiting if possible (or at another time of the year).
Cinque Terre (Corniglia), Italy – 2/3 nights
Arriving in Cinque Terre truly feels like walking into a fairytale. The colorful houses and shops stacked on top of each other make for a picture perfect moment wherever you turn. You can easily spend 3 nights here, hopping around to the five towns and eating as much gelato as humanly possible.
We recommend doing at least one of the hikes between towns during your stay. We walked from Riomaggiore to Manarola, and although it definitely wasn’t easy, the views along the way made it worth the climb.
While there is plenty to do (and eat) in Cinque Terre, it can be easy to get caught up in the tourist traps or swindled into eating at a restaurant that wouldn’t normally be your first choice. Here are some of the best places to grab a panini, sit down with a plate of pasta, or simply sip an aperol spritz and enjoy the view:
Osteria A Cantina da Mananan – Corniglia
The perfect place to splurge on a sit-down dinner after a busy day. Meals are served at 6pm or 8pm, so be sure to make a reservation as it fills up pretty fast.
Ittiturismo – Corniglia
Many people stumble upon this cliffside restaurant on accident, when hiking between Corniglia and Vernazza. The food is delicious, and during sunset the vies of Corniglia and the sea are breathtaking. It is easiest to visit if you are staying in the town of Corniglia, as it is about a 20 minute walk from the town.
Condi Italian Food & Store – Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore was a bit more touristy than other towns in terms of food, and we struggled to find a place with good reviews that wasn’t absolutely packed. We ended up ducking into Condi Food Store to grab a panini for lunch, and it ended up being one of the best panini’s I’ve had in Italy so far. We grabbed our sandwich to-go and sat on the rocks by the water to enjoy the view of town.
L’Osteria – Monterosso
L’Osteria is the perfect place to sit down for lunch and escape the crowds of Monterosso. We recommend the pesto pasta and mussels, but you can’t go wrong with this menu. The perfect meal after a morning at the beach!
Lucca, Italy – 1 night
This romantic city will capture everyone’s hearts, just like it did with ours. If you are interested in how Florence would look without hordes of tourists, this is the place to be. The most special attraction of this city is the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro. This square, built on the ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheater, now hosts many bars and restaurants, where you can eat, drink and dance in the most beautiful atmosphere.
Next to this, Lucca offers all you would expect of a Tuscan beauty: stunning medieval city walls, incredibly old churches, vibrating squares, and multiple medieval towers enriching the skyline. We recommend staying in one of the many B&Bs this town hosts, and for an amazing dinner, go to ‘La Bottega di Anna e Leo’, where you will find traditional Tuscan meals and wines, for a local price.
Florence, Italy – 2 nights
You cannot go to Tuscany without visiting Florence. Although
When crossing through Tuscany, you cannot miss out on Florence. This beautiful medieval city takes up everyones heart when done well, and if not, you will never want to go back here. Throughout the summer, the city is full of tourists, and affordable accomodation is impossible to find. The best advise we can give you when visiting Florence, is to stay in Ostello del Bigallo.
This amazing hostel is a bus ride away from the city center, and offers the best sunset view on the city one could ever wish for. Moreover, an amazing pasta dinner is served every night, where you can socialise and make friends.
Pick an early morning to explore the city, when it’s not that hot yet. If you don’t want to wait for the bus, you can easily find a ride from a friendly Italian (we had the best experiences). Make your way through the city, and when you get the chance to go up into (and on top of) the dome of the Cathedral. It is worth it.
When you are done with all the tourists and the busy city, the best advice we can give you is: rent a Vespa! (or any other moped of course). At ‘Alinari Rental Bike’, you can already rent a moped for €55 for 24 hours (fitting two people). We drove through the amazing Chianti landscape all the way to Panzano, a small walled city on top of a Tuscan hill. Walk around, get some lunch, and buy your authentic Chianti wine for a good price.
A good Gelato stop on the way is Gelateria Mordicrema, in Greve.
Bologna, Italy – 2 nights
Bologna is one of the most vibrant cities in Italy, and my personal favorite. Spend your day visiting the beautiful landmarks the city hosts, and have a drink on one of the stunning squares. When the night falls, make your way to one of the many bars. All the locals will be out drinking an aperetivo, with some free snacks that always come with it.
For a true local experience, go to Osteria del Sole. This small wine bar is hidden in a busy street, and is one of the oldest of the city. Bring your own mortadella and other snacks and choose a bottle of wine with some friends at the bar. Cheap, cosy and authentic, what else would anyone need?
Verona – 1 night
If you expect to be transported right into the fairytale story of Romeo and Juliet upon arriving in Verona, you will not be disappointed. There were fewer tourists here than in our previous destinations, and it was nice to wander the streets and see the city center without the crowds. There are plenty of historic buildings and plazas to see, and don’t forget to visit Juliette’s house before leaving!
Also check out this view point for the best sunset, it is at Castel san Pietro.
Brescia – Day trip
This unknown city located right in between Verona and Milan has a long history, and is worth a visit as walking through Brescia is like traveling through time!
Start in the Roman quarter (Brescia has the biggest Roman heritage of all Northern Italy), and wander through ruins and many still intact buildings that were built over 2000 years ago. Then make your way to Piazza della Loggia, which shows the Italian riches of the Renaissance in 15th-century Brescia. After this, we advise you to get an aperitive at Piazza Paolo IV where you can have a look at the impressive new Duomo built between 1604 and 1825. Finally, make your way to Piazza della Vittoria. Although not the nicest, the history behind this square is fascinating, as it was built during the fascist period in Italy.
We only went here for the day, but do not hesitate to sleep the night as Brescia has a lot more to offer, like Brescia’s castle, which is a must-see on the feet of the Alps.
Bergamo
Between Milan and Brescia lies Bergamo, another hidden gem on the footsteps of the Alps. Read more about this beautiful city in this blog post!
Milan – 1 night
Milan is likely to be on everyone’s bucket list, and for us it happened to be the perfect spot to spend a night before ending our trip. After crossing the stunning Duomo of your bucket list, there is 2 neighborhoods you have to see during your stay here.
Navigli
The former inland port of Milan is now a vibrant, cosy neighborhood full of restaurants and bars. Enjoy your aperetivo on a canal in the sun, and pretend you are in Venice!
Brera
This artsy quarter, full of small, windy streets and colored houses will give you the cosy feeling that the rest of Milan just does not have. There are cute boutique shops, little bars and stylish restaurants, so stroll around and have fun.
Bonus – Lago Maggiore
Ever heard of Lake Como? We thought so. Lake Maggiore is the less touristy (but no less beautiful) version of the more popular and well-known vacation spot. While there are countless towns to choose from, Cannobio, Luino, and Intra are some of our favorites.
Fill your days with trips to the beach and ferry rides across the water to other towns, or try out wind-surfing if the weather conditions are right.
Continuing your euro summer after Italy? Check out our articles about Spain or The Netherlands to find the best hidden places and our favorite restaurants!