Northern Italy - Adriatic or Mediterranean?

[[62]]

So, we're off on an InterRail holiday this summer, ultimate destination northern Italy. We're travelling through from Zürich via the Gottard and basically have a choice of trains to Genoa or Venice as coastal destinations.

Now, we know enough to know that Venice itself will be tourist hell and too expensive anyway, but wondered if there's anywhere around there worth staying. Alternative is Genoa or somewhere close by.

I'm already swinging towards Genoa myself, not least because it's an hour less travel and the train reservations are slightly cheaper. However, big factor is that we're travelling with our 16-year-old daughter and her mate. It's them that want to go somewhere with a beach in the first place. Mrs [62] and myself are pretty easygoing but less interested in spending days on the beach.

Any suggestions?

(Don't need train or InterRail tips, thanks)

 

[Plumdaff]

Lakes? We went to Lake Garda by train last year, loads of places to stay - plenty of places to swim and you can go more traditional touristy or more outdoorsy depending on where you stay. Of course that's only one of the Lakes!

 

[danny la rouge]

I love Italy. I’ve never been to Liguria, the region Genoa is in, but by all accounts Varigotti is amazing.

Varigotti - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Pickman's model]

Lakes? We went to Lake Garda by train last year, loads of places to stay - plenty of places to swim and you can go more traditional touristy or more outdoorsy depending on where you stay. Of course that's only one of the Lakes!

And D'Annunzio's very interesting house with a warship sticking out of the hill

 

[Flavour]

Don't go to the Lakes, or to the Adriatic, unless you are happy to travel significantly further south than Venice -- the Adriatic seafront is not amazing around that area. Venice is exceptionally beautiful, so beautiful that the face it is a tourist trap does not matter -- I'm not kidding, if you've never been, it's really worth, it's truly magical, and there are large parts of town that are not too touristy.

But if beaches are a priority, as danny la rouge says, Varigotti is pretty good, and in general the quality of the beaches in Liguria is much nicer than around the Venice area. Here are some other towns to consider that are not far from Genoa:

East side:
Camogli
San Fruttuoso
Zoagli
Sestri Levante

West side:
Varazze
Spotorno
Noli
Bergeggi
Finale Ligure
Albenga
Alassio

 

[Flavour]

I love Italy. I’ve never been to Liguria, the region Genoa is in, but by all accounts Varigotti is amazing.

Varigotti - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

let us know if you ever make it over here

 

[Flavour]

Genoa is pretty grimey and dilapidated btw: which may or not be your thing. It's not dangerous, but it's definitely the city in northern Italy which feels most like Naples. But not dangerous. Just a bit falling apart. it doesn't have any amazing museums or anything but the historic center is worth a day of your time easy.

 

[Artaxerxes]

We spent a week in Monterosso and the Cinque Terre about 10 years ago, gorgeous place.

Italy in general is a great place but it is very much a tourist destination so be prepared to encounter a lot of people. For the most part it handles them well though we encountered the worst toilets in existence at one train station


We took a train up to Genoa and got lost walking around the boring bits for most of the time, got off at wrong station I think - make sure you hit the historical centre because the rest is just not that great, a few parks but it’s just a working slightly scuffed town.

 

[danny la rouge]

let us know if you ever make it over here

Will do. You’re in Liguria? Not really a beach person as such, but the most Northerly beach we’ve been to is Viareggio, which we hit from Luca.

 

[Riklet]

Have you been to Venice? Id def go if not and do a daytrip maybe a night and then stay elsewhere. I think even the 16 year olds would be impressed. Plenty of onwards connections from there too to head south.

Is this July or August? I think that makes a difference.. August more things will be closed and more people on the beach.

 

[contadino]

Lakes? We went to Lake Garda by train last year, loads of places to stay - plenty of places to swim and you can go more traditional touristy or more outdoorsy depending on where you stay. Of course that's only one of the Lakes!

This. Take the lakes anyday over the coast. Como's really nice too, as is Lugano.

 

[[62]]

Genoa is pretty grimey and dilapidated btw: which may or not be your thing. It's not dangerous, but it's definitely the city in northern Italy which feels most like Naples. But not dangerous. Just a bit falling apart. it doesn't have any amazing museums or anything but the historic center is worth a day of your time easy.

Thanks for the tips.

All three of us love Marseille (can't speak for Miss [62]'s mate), so we do have a high tolerance for grimy and a bit mental.

 

[[62]]

Is this July or August? I think that makes a difference.. August more things will be closed and more people on the beach.

July. We did family InterRails when Miss [62] was younger (and still free), but this year we're trying to take advantage of the fact that she'll have finished her GCSEs, so we can get away before the school holidays start for the first time in ages.

 

[Spymaster]

So, we're off on an InterRail holiday this summer, ultimate destination northern Italy. We're travelling through from Zürich via the Gottard and basically have a choice of trains to Genoa or Venice as coastal destinations.

Now, we know enough to know that Venice itself will be tourist hell and too expensive anyway, but wondered if there's anywhere around there worth staying. Alternative is Genoa or somewhere close by.

I'm already swinging towards Genoa myself, not least because it's an hour less travel and the train reservations are slightly cheaper. However, big factor is that we're travelling with our 16-year-old daughter and her mate. It's them that want to go somewhere with a beach in the first place. Mrs [62] and myself are pretty easygoing but less interested in spending days on the beach.

Any suggestions?

(Don't need train or InterRail tips, thanks)

I'd be more inclined to do Tuscany (Pisa/Lucca/Florence) than the other side.

 

[Riklet]

July. We did family InterRails when Miss [62] was younger (and still free), but this year we're trying to take advantage of the fact that she'll have finished her GCSEs, so we can get away before the school holidays start for the first time in ages.

Well you have rail passes so you can go anywhere right? For sure id go down to Venice first though from Zurich (edit Geneva) and the Swiss route. Great views through the mountains I bet. And you arrive somewhere amazing....

You could then go across to Western coastal Italy quite easily. Check out Verona and a few other places on the way maybe. If you have time. early July will be a good time.... busy but not the busiest.

 

[2hats]

For Genoa, maybe try mixing with the locals in Nervi or Boccadasse.

 

[petee]

I was in Genoa for a day, liked what I saw but I walked right next to the water and didn't go into the town iirc, so I'm not much help with that. I was in Venice in August, it was miserable, but I stayed in Verona the days before and after and that was convenient and a nice town.

 

[2hats]

Venice in summer is my idea of hell on Earth. I go in mid-winter. Much nicer, cheaper, more choice. Head to Arsenale to get away from most tourists, or Murano & Burano.

 

[Riklet]

Venice in summer is my idea of hell on Earth. I go in mid-winter. Much nicer, cheaper, more choice. Head to Arsenale to get away from most tourists, or Murano & Burano.

Im going v late August this year and early September. International film festival is on then too.

What's so bad about it then? The islands are definitely tempting!

 

[Artaxerxes]

Im going v late August this year and early September. International film festival is on then too.

What's so bad about it then? The islands are definitely tempting!

Hot, crowded and the local stuff likely to be shut

 

[Spymaster]

Venice in summer is my idea of hell on Earth.

Yes. As mentioned above there are parts of it that aren't too touristy but pretty much all of what you're going to want to see is in the touristy part. Unless walking (quite literally) shoulder to shoulder with everyone else and ridiculous prices are your thing, totally avoid it in the summer.

 

[cesare]

Yes. As mentioned above there are parts of it that aren't too touristy but pretty much all of what you're going to want to see is in the touristy part. Unless walking (quite literally) shoulder to shoulder with everyone else and ridiculous prices are your thing, totally avoid it in the summer.

It smells a bit strong in the summer too. October's a nice month for Venice.

 

[Flavour]

danny la rouge I'm in torino, a couple of hours away from Genoa, but know quite a few bits of the coast well enough as I've been here for 10 years now and the Ligurian coast is "where you go" for seaside action, particularly in summer.

Anyway [62] if you liked Marseilles good, Genoa won't feel too crazy. But yeah not as interesting as Venice. as others have said August is a nightmare anywhere that isn't the beach, so glad you're going in July.

Spymaster in terms of towns to visit yeah the Pisa/Livorno/Lucca area is definitely much more interesting than the towns in Liguria, but beaches aren't generally as nice around there in my admittedly limited experience

2hats is right about Boccadasse, lovely spot in Genoa.

 

[2hats]

What's so bad about it then? The islands are definitely tempting!

Heat, humidity, crowds, queueing, prices and the festival of zanzare. It was entertaining in the height of summer when I was a kid, but I pass on that now I'm 50+.

Diversions: Get the train out to Trieste and Ljubljana (I'd suggest via the funicular to Opcina and the chocolate shop but I think it might still be broken?), and Zagreb beyond. Get a boat to (eg) Pula, Croatia.

If the OP wants fabulous (sandy) beaches from Genoa, get the ferry to Olbia
(Otherwise, Monterosso in the Cinque Terre and then Levanto just outside, are the sandy ones that come to mind).

 

[Sue]

Genoa is pretty grimey and dilapidated btw: which may or not be your thing. It's not dangerous, but it's definitely the city in northern Italy which feels most like Naples. But not dangerous. Just a bit falling apart. it doesn't have any amazing museums or anything but the historic center is worth a day of your time easy.

I've always wanted to visit Genoa. Really liked Naples when I went there (a long time ago) and love Marseille so sounds like it might be my kind of place. (Prefer the south of Italy to the north, apart from it getting way too hot.)

 

[petee]

a friend who had done it said to go to venice in the spring as the snows in the mnts start to melt and the water sweeps through the canals. cool, clean, fewer tourists. i did walk the backstreets at night before going back to verona and it was charming.