Switzerland, Tuscany and Lake Como
August 26 to September 5, 2021
Pre Planning
Ever since our trip to Switzerland and Italy in 2021, my wife and I had been dreaming of two things: the feel of Italy and the dramatic rise of the Alps. So this time, it made perfect sense to fly back into Milan, the same airport we left from on that last trip, and pick up where we left off.
The plan was to head east to Lake Garda and Verona, then into the Dolomites, hiking and eating our way from west to east. From there, we’d cross into Slovenia, base ourselves somewhere under Triglav, and explore the Julian Alps. After that, we’d make our way to the coast, stopping in Ljubljana before reaching the old Venetian port of Piran. From there, we’d day trip into Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula, visit hill towns, caves, and coastal cities, then fly out of Venice.
One theme that ran quietly through the trip was World War I. Much of our route followed what had once been the front line between Italy and Austria. When you’re standing in those mountains, it's wild to imagine artillery booming from ridge to ridge, and soldiers camped out in what are now hiking trails.
Day 2: Verona + Thermal Spa in Sirmione
We shook off the jet lag and got a solid start on the day. The plan was to spend it in Verona and make it back to Sirmione for an evening at the thermal spa. We drove an hour and parked near Piazza Bra, then set out on foot into the fair city of Verona.
We passed the Arena, walked down Via Giuseppe Mazzini, and landed in Piazza delle Erbe. We had Verona Cards, which gave us access to a bunch of the sites, so we kicked things off by climbing the Torre dei Lamberti. The views were incredible, and the breeze up top felt great. Afterward, we wandered through the Galleria d'Arte Moderna. The art was beautiful, but honestly, the air conditioning after that climb might’ve been the real highlight.
We wound our way through the city, stopping for gelato, Piazza dei Signori, and a quick look at Juliet’s House. We didn’t linger, just long enough to snap a photo of a stranger on the balcony and promise we’d say it was Juliet.
The Basilica di Santa Anastasia looked impressive from the outside, but we decided to go inside the Duomo instead. It’s a modest but elegant cathedral with a great archaeological section where you can see Roman ruins beneath the floors. From there, we crossed the river and took the funicular up to Castel San Pietro. At the top, we had one of those “can you believe we’re here?” moments.
We walked back through town, checked out the Arena one last time, and drove back to Sirmione. After a shower and quick reset, we headed to Aquaria Thermal Spa. We had massage reservations, which came with access to the lakeside thermal pools. It was amazing. Exactly what we needed after the last couple of days. We stayed through the sunset with wine and a charcuterie board, floating in warm water as the lake turned gold.
8/30/24: Departure
We checked out of our hotel and made the quiet drive to the Venice airport. The car was filled with that familiar post-trip feeling: tired but content. Replaying moments in our heads and trying to hold onto the last bits of adventure. As we crossed the border back into Italy and neared the airport, it felt like we were slowly waking up from a vivid dream. It had been two and a half weeks of mountains and ruins, rivers and ridgelines, sunsets and storybook towns. And now it was time to go home. Grateful, changed, and already planning the next one.