Malpensa & Milan help

[chiaro di Luna]

I need some first hand recommendations for:

* airport hotel near Malpensa (departing on Air Canada international flight)
* airport car rental at Malpensa (picking up last 5 days prior to departure to explore Lake Como area)
* other means of transport Malpensa airport on arrival to Milan center,
ie: shuttle bus, train (not getting car on arrival)
* hotel Milan centre (200 euro or less)
* transport from Milan center to Savona, Italy(pier)
* transport Savona pier to Malpensa airport ( picking up car)

I appreciate all the help I can get, as it has been a while since Ive been to this airport/region.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

Now looking for:
Driver/shuttle to Varenna hotel from Malpensa.
Train info.-Varenna to Milan to Savona hotel.
Milan hotel.
Savona hotel.
Anyone?

 

[ncp]

Now looking for:
Driver/shuttle to Varenna hotel from Malpensa.
Train info.-Varenna to Milan to Savona hotel.
Milan hotel.
Savona hotel.
Anyone?

We've stayed at Hotel Windsor Milan twice and liked it. Good location and within your budget.

 

[Marcia]

We like The First Hotel near Malpensa.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT Malpensa to Varenna:

Arriving by plane from the airports of Milan Linate or Malpensa there is a shuttle service to Milano Centrale train station. At LinateAirport, you can buy the train ticket at the ticket Trenitalia on the ground floor of the arrivals area.


Bus from Malpensa: depart every 20 minutes, the service is active 24 hours.The journey takes about an hour and tickets can be purchased on board at Euro 7,00 per person

By train: The train station in Varenna-Esino is located on the railway line Milan - Sondrio - Tirano. From Milan it takes about 50 minutes. The ticket office at the station of Milano Centrale is located on the ground floor, while the platforms are upstairs. The train station in Varenna-Esino has no ticket office: in the village there are a travel agency and a bar that sale tickets.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

Thanks for suggestions.
It looks like we will consider bus from Malpensa to Varenna, rather then car. We'll use the ferries on the lake for the first 3 days.
has anyone taken this bus mentioned in post above from Malpensa to Varenna?
Or have a suggestion for a shuttle service, for same route?

and more expensive:
http://www.flytolake.com/index.php/en/2013-02-19-15-37-51/shuttle-varenna-lecco-malpensa

 

[chiaro di Luna]

We like The First Hotel near Malpensa.

I've stayed there. We had a car then. This time I will arrive by train in the evening. They emailed me and said their shuttle will pick me up. Rate is less then 1/3 of the Sheridan.
Thanks for reminding me about this one.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

We've stayed at Hotel Windsor Milan twice and liked it. Good location and within your budget.

I checked my dates, but no twin room available with 2 beds on my dates. I'm hoping for one within 5 min. walk to Duomo.
Thanks.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

Now, I'm ready to consider a base in northern Italy or Switzerland for 1-2 weeks, that I can reach by train from Varenna. Any ideas? (not Turin-been there)

 

[Pauline]

Have you stayed on Lake Como? Menaggio, Bellagio or Ravenna would be good bases.

We spent two weeks in Locarno on the Swiss side years ago and liked it. Friends of mine love Ascona, beside Locarno. But Switzerland is very expensive these days and it is probably better to stay on either Lake Como or Maggiore (Italian part).

 

[chiaro di Luna]

Thanks Pauline.
Yes, I've spent a week in Bellagio. Had a car to get there and don't want to drive there this time.
Used ferry to do day trips.
This time the plans so far are:
Arrive MXP- driver to Varenna-3 nights.
Train to Milan - 1 night hotel there.
Train to Venice - 7 nights there.
Train or car rental to ? for ? nights (undecided for base and time)
Train to Milan or return car, with last night at MXP hotel.

I have considered Switzerland, Austria, Prague and am finding train fares
and hotels are expensive, as you say.
So a base closer to Milan (1-2) hours drive would probably be best.


In my original post I mentioned Savona-this is probably not happening.

 

[Pauline]

Liguria west of Genoa? San Remo? I know the other part of Liguria but this part looks interesting.

 

[Pauline]

What time of year are you going? Since you are in Venice you could consider Trieste, or is that too far? Or somewhere in Emiliga Romana.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

Spent a few days in Trieste.
Probably not going near Genoa/Savona--that part of the trip was to get on a ship.
Now, I'm only planning a land trip from MXP (3 weeks)
San Remo is lovely, however we prefer not to drive uch and have been along the coast several times based in Nice, and cruise stops too. It is summer.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

What about Verona? Train from Venice, stay 4 days, train to--------? Any experience with Verona as a base?

 

[Pauline]

My friend that we traveled with in Italy recently spent two nights in Verona. She liked it but did not feel she needed more time there. A lot of people visit because of some movie that was filmed there.

If you are going in summer, how about up into the mountains?

 

[chiaro di Luna]

Yes, I like the idea of Switzerland/ Austria by train. It's been over 30 years since I've been there. Suggestions from Milan and Varrena by train, to use as a base?

 

[Pauline]

Lucerne? Public transportation in Switzerland is excellent. From Lucerne there are trains and I think ferries take you around the lake.

Or back to the idea of Lake Como and stay in Como where you have trains and the ferries take you around the lake.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

I will have to do some research on Lucerne. I don't remember where I went last time.
Re:Como--I have chosen Varenna as a four night stay after flight to MXP, but I'd have to backtrack to Milan to get train to Lucerne, wouldn't I?

 

[Pauline]

Oops, I missed the nights in Varenna. No need for Como.

www.raileurope.com should give you an idea of train routes. I know you can train from Verona north to Bolzano and to Innsbruck in Austria. Austria would be less expensive than Switzerland, but I do love Switzerland.

Have you thought about one of the Emilia Romagna towns instead of going north? Or even down to Umbria - we just spent a week in Spoleto and loved it.