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

Tokyo → 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

This route links Milan with Lake Como and the Dolomites in summer. It spends eight nights in northern Italy. From Tokyo you'll fly to Milan, usually with a connection. Milan's Duomo has a rooftop walk. Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper must be booked in advance. Take the train to Varenna, on Lake Como. A ferry crosses to Bellagio.

Then head to Val Gardena in the Dolomites. Lifts climb to Seceda, and the circuit around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo is a classic hike. Keep a spare day for the weather. Mid-June to September is the hiking season, when the lifts and huts are open.

Pacing: book Last Supper tickets as early as possible, as they sell out weeks ahead. Milan's metro and trams make it easy to get around, and trains to Varenna leave from Milano Centrale.

On Lake Como, the ferries link the villages, and ferry passes make it easy to hop between them. In summer, the lake gets busy, so start early. For the Dolomites, a hire car is the easiest way to reach the trailheads, though buses also run in summer. Lifts open from mid-June, and the mountain huts serve food and drink along the trails. Weather in the mountains changes quickly, with afternoon storms common in summer, so start hikes early and carry waterproofs.

The Tre Cime circuit starts from a toll road, and the car park fills up early. The walk is mostly easy, but the altitude can make it tiring. Northern Italian food changes from risotto and cotoletta in Milan to dumplings and speck in the Dolomites. Milan also rewards an evening aperitivo in the Navigli canal district before you head north to the lakes and mountains.

Suggested outline

  1. Tokyo

    Start

  2. Milan

    By air · 2 nights suggested

    The Duomo rooftop and the Last Supper.

  3. Lake Como

    Overland · 2 nights suggested

    Varenna and a ferry to Bellagio.

  4. Dolomites

    Overland · 4 nights suggested

    Seceda and the Tre Cime circuit.

    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· Tokyo → Milan (by air) — long-haul; may arrive the next calendar day
  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 → Tokyo (by air)

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

Flights, leg by leg

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Milan

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Lake Como

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