A TRAVEL expert has revealed how holidaymakers can visit five holiday hotspots in Italy in just one day for less than a meal out at Pizza Express.
Travelling 480 miles from Milan to Naples in one day is no easy task, especially with three stops en route.
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But research from online travel booking company, Omio has explained how Brit holidaymakers can visit Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples in just over 10 hours for as little as £19.
The travel expert recommends using inter-city bus routes to visit all five Italian cities in just one day.
In total, the bus journey will take 10 hours and 20 minutes, with holidaymakers able to squeeze in a site or two in some cities.
The travel giant recommends starting in Milan in the north, with holidaymakers working their way south towards Naples.
This is their proposed bus route:
- Milan to Bologna with a journey time of 2 hours and 55 minutes, tickets start from £3
- Bologna to Florence, with a journey time of 1 hour and 20 minutes, tickets start from £6
- Florence to Rome, with a journey time of 3 hours and 15 minutes, tickets start from £6
- Rome to Naples, with a journey time of 2 hours and 50 minutes, tickets from £4.
The epic journey from Milan to Naples will cost just £16, working out as £36 cheaper than the cheapest train service between the two cities.
While it can be done in one day, it doesn’t mean it should.
This is because we don’t recommend skipping through these Italian hotspots as they’re each deserving of a trip in their own right.
Holidaymakers who have more time should stay overnight in each city, exploring bucket list attractions.
There are plenty of reasons to visit Milan, including its famous cathedral, called the Duomo, and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – the city’s well-known shopping arcade.
From Milan, take the Itabus from Milan Lampugnano to Bologna Autostazione, which takes 2 hours and 55 minutes.
Bologna is Italy’s self-proclaimed capital of food, with plenty of Bolognese meat on the cards.
The Due Torri (the two towers) is the city’s most well-known tourist attraction, although legend has it holidaymakers should only attempt to climb the winding wooden staircases if they’ve graduated from university.
Flixbus operates a direct bus service between Bologna and Florence, with journeys taking just over an hour.
Known for its picturesque piazzas and perfect pizzas, with beautiful statues, fountains and frescoes everywhere.
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The city’s Uffizi and Accademia galleries have the world’s greatest collection of Renaissance Italian art, with the Accademia housing Michelangelo’s 17ft-tall David, carved from one piece of marble.
From Florence take the three-hour Flixbus (costing £6) to Rome, the Italian capital.
Holidaymakers could spend a week in Rome and not even scratch its surface, so attempting it in a few hours, or even a night, is more than ambitious.
If you are attempting a whistle-stop tour through Rome make sure to have attractions like the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, the Vatican City and the Spanish Steps on your list.
Buses from Rome to Naples take just under three hours, with tickets costing as little as £5.
Take the bus from Rome Tiburtina Bus station to Naples Metropark Central Parking.
Naples is home to the “world’s best pizza” and it’s also close to other huge tourist attractions like Pompeii and Herculaneum.
OTHER ITALIAN TRAIN ROUTES
While we don’t recommend visiting these five Italian cities in just one day, there is one stretch of the Italian coast where seeing a handful of cities in eight hours is actually doable.
Located along the Italian coastline in northern Italy, the Cinque Terre is a string of five villages, including Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.
Most holidaymakers to the Cinque Terre are daytrippers from nearby Genoa and La Spezia, which means attempting to pack all five villages into just one day.
The route can start in either direction, but most holidaymakers begin their journey in Riomaggiore, with the Italian train stopping at each of the stations, before arriving in Monterosso.
It takes roughly five minutes to travel between each of the stations in the Cinque Terre.
Holidaymakers who’ve managed to nab a window seat can expect seaside views overlooking crystal-clear waters and ragged cliffs.
Other views include glimpses of the Cinque Terre’s colourful buildings and green fields where farmers grow olives, grapes, and basil.
The short Italian train route has been dubbed one of Europe’s most scenic by Interrail, who included the route in a round-up of the continent’s best scenic train journeys.
Everything you need to know about visiting Italy
- Brits must have at least three months left on their passport from the day they plan to leave the country.
- Tourists do not need a visa if visiting for up to 90 days in 180 days.
- Make sure your passport is stamped on entry and exit.
- Travellers may be asked to show hotel booking confirmations and that they have enough money for their stay at the border.
- Holidaymakers may also need to show proof of insurance.
- Italy is one hour ahead of the UK.
- The country uses the euro with around €10 working out to £8.55.
- Flights to Italy from the UK take between 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on the destination.
Meanwhile, officials in Rome are considering limiting access to the Trevi Fountain, one of its busiest monuments, with a big year for tourism expected.
And anyone caught jumping into the fountain is likely to receive a hefty fine, with two Australian visitors fined €450 (£380) for taking a dip last year.
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