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Almaty to northern Italy: Milan, Lake Como and the Dolomites

Almaty → Milan → Lake Como → Dolomites

Milan
"Milan_Cathedral_from_Piazza_del_Duomo.jpg" by Jiuguang Wang, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
Milan Cathedral from Piazza del Duomo (Milan)
Photo: Jiuguang Wang, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Lakes & peaks Best season (general guide): Mid-Jun–Sep

Northern Italy offers a fashionable city, a lake framed by mountains and some of the most dramatic peaks in the Alps, all within a few hours of each other. From Almaty you'll connect via Istanbul or another hub to Milan. Trains reach Lake Como, and a car or bus takes you on into the Dolomites. The itinerary spends two nights in Milan, two nights in Lake Como and four nights in Dolomites.

How to pace it: Spend days one and two in Milan: day one, Duomo rooftop; day two, Last Supper (booked). Then spend days three and four at Lake Como: day three, train to Varenna; day four, ferry to Bellagio. Then spend days five to eight in the Dolomites: day five, travel to Val Gardena; day six, Seceda; day seven, Tre Cime di Lavaredo; day eight, spare hiking day.

Milan's Gothic cathedral, its rooftop and the elegant Galleria are close together, and Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper can be seen with an advance booking. A short train ride takes you to Lake Como, where ferries hop between Varenna, Bellagio and Menaggio, past villas with gardens on the shore. The Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are the highlight for walkers. Valleys such as Val Gardena and Val di Funes, and the area around Cortina, have cable cars to high meadows, trails around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Seceda, and mountain huts serving lunch with a view.

Late June can still bring snow on high passes, while early September is often quieter. Lake Como is pleasant through the same period.

Afternoon thunderstorms are common in the Alps in summer, so start hikes early.

For walkers, the Dolomites stop is the one to stretch. Val Gardena suits those who want lifts and gentle balcony paths, while Cortina is better placed for the Tre Cime loop and longer days. If you only hike one route, the circuit around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo shows the range's sheer limestone towers at close quarters.

Practical notes: The main hiking season in the Dolomites runs from about mid-June to late September, when lifts and huts are open. Book the Last Supper weeks ahead, and reserve popular huts if you plan to stay overnight.

Suggested outline

  1. Almaty

    Start

  2. Milan

    By air · 2 nights suggested

    The Duomo and its rooftop terraces, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Leonardo's Last Supper (booking essential).

  3. Lake Como

    Overland · 2 nights suggested

    Reached by train from Milan. Villages such as Bellagio and Varenna are linked by ferries; villa gardens line the shore.

  4. Dolomites

    Overland · 4 nights suggested

    Jagged limestone peaks in the Italian Alps. Bases such as Ortisei or Cortina d'Ampezzo give access to cable cars and hut-to-hut trails.

    Tre Cime di Lavaredo
    "2019_Tre_Cime.jpg" by Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Milan — Arrive; Duomo rooftop· Almaty → Milan (by air)
  2. Day 2 · Milan — Last Supper (booked)
  3. Day 3 · Lake Como — Train to Varenna· Milan → Lake Como (overland)
  4. Day 4 · Lake Como — Ferry to Bellagio
  5. Day 5 · Dolomites — To Val Gardena· Lake Como → Dolomites (overland)
  6. Day 6 · Dolomites — Seceda
  7. Day 7 · Dolomites — Tre Cime di Lavaredo
  8. Day 8 · Dolomites — Spare hiking day
  9. Day 9 · Dolomites — Travel home from Dolomites· Dolomites → Milan (overland), then Milan → Almaty (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

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Lake Como

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