- My boyfriend and I went on a trip in December. northern italy.
- With fewer crowds and cheaper prices, I was able to make more sense out of each day.
- The holiday decorations and festive atmosphere also added something special to the trip.
In December, I flew with my boyfriend to meet his family in Germany.
It was our first time traveling abroad together, and we decided to spend five days in Italy, just a few hours from his parents’ home in southern Germany.
Italy is crowded with tourists in the summer and early fall, so I was looking forward to traveling in the winter when it’s less crowded and prices are lower.
It took just over 3 hours by train from Innsbruck, Austria to Verona.
The train was quite crowded, but we found a seat together without making a reservation in advance.
We traveled through snowy mountains, tunnels, the Dolomites and the picturesque Italian countryside. We arrived at Verona Station around 5:30 pm and headed out into the dark city.
We walked for about 20 minutes from the station to the hotel, passing a large Christmas tree and a lively Christmas market.
Our accommodation was centrally located in the city and much cheaper than expected.
Although we only booked about a week in advance, we found a small hotel company offering apartments in the city center for just a few hundred dollars a week.
We stayed in a studio apartment with a small balcony for 4 nights and it cost just under $400. September, one of the most expensive months to visit Verona, costs about $850 for the same stay.
We were within walking distance of everything we wanted to see in the city, and within two blocks of the city’s famous arena.
We then took a stroll through Piazza delle Erbe, a beautiful old square just a few minutes walk from the hotel.
The cobbled streets of Piazza delle Erbe were lit up with festive lights and we spent nearly an hour wandering through the winding Christmas Market.
Each archway seemed to lead to a new cluster of stalls selling cheese, meat, wooden crafts, and ornaments.
The air was crisp but not unpleasant, and temperatures hovered in the low 40s Fahrenheit.
We didn’t have any definite plans for dinner that night, but we easily found a place without a wait.
We had an early dinner since we had skipped lunch, but it was easy to find the restaurant.
When we arrived, there was only one other group in the restaurant, and the tables gradually filled up later in the evening.
The chef was cooking just a few feet from our table and checked on us several times. We ordered two pasta dishes and rabbit with polenta, all washed down with local red wine.
At the end of the meal, the chef even sent us a complimentary shot of grappa (a grape-based spirit). They are all delicious.
The next day we explored Verona in the sunshine.
Verona is a medium-sized Italian city, perhaps best known as the setting for William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
We visited Juliet’s house. There were a lot of artifacts and artefacts from the history of the play there. We went outside and also onto Juliet’s famous balcony.
There was no waiting to enter the house. Another perk of not visiting during peak season.
We toured all four of the city’s major famous churches.
We paid a few euros for all-day admission to all the churches and cathedrals in the city. All within walking distance.
There were hardly any other tourists around. Again, we didn’t wait in line.
There were no crowds so it was easy to move quickly between all the places we wanted to see.
We spent the whole day walking and exploring the city and didn’t encounter too many crowds.
Verona also has a beautiful river, which we crossed and enjoyed many times a day.
We could also see the city from above.
We paid a few euros to ride the cable car and reached the top of the mountain with stunning views of the city and surrounding Italian countryside.
The car was small and could only fit a few people, but the wait to get down the mountain was about 5 minutes.
We quickly headed back to the hotel to change and head out for dinner.
We ate at a restaurant called Trattoria de Camillo. The owner here was also our server. Again, there was no wait for a table.
He welcomed us warmly and pulled a chair to our table to explain the menu written in Italian on the blackboard.
We took many of his suggestions and chose seasonal local specialties such as sardines with polenta and giant pumpkin risotto as appetizers.
The next day we set off on a rainy, foggy morning to catch the train to Milan.
It was drizzling as I walked from the station through the Indro Montanelli Gardens.
Eventually, we arrived at Milan’s famous fashion district, Quadrilatero della Moda. We slowly walked up and down the streets lined with designer shops.
Next, we saw the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a large semi-open-air shopping mall with beautiful high ceilings next to the Duomo.
We also saw the Duomo. And once again, we didn’t have to wait that long.
We bought our tickets at the Duomo entrance, where the line was short and quick.
My favorite part was the stained glass window in the back. Each panel illuminated by the morning sun depicted a scene from the Bible.
After filling our bellies at the Duomo, we headed back outside to the busy streets of Milan and strolled through the winter market surrounding the famous cathedral. Finally, we headed out for lunch.
Lunch was traditional Roman cuisine.
We enjoyed large mozzarella balls, fried artichokes, and a platter of saucy al dente pasta.
After lunch, we took the subway to Fondazione Prada (Museum of Contemporary Art). There was no line to get in, and in an hour and a half he finished looking at four large galleries.
The next day we woke up around 8:30am for the train to Venice.
The train from Verona to Venice took about an hour and a half, and suddenly we were crossing a long bridge surrounded on both sides by the glistening Adriatic Sea.
Our first stop in Venice was on the city’s famous water bus, Vaporetto. We explored the city with other tourists and local Venetians.
Enough people got off at the first few stops that we were able to sit near the front of the boat.
Vaporetto hasn’t been crowded for a long time. After vacating a few seats, we moved upstairs to get an even better seat.
We traveled down Venice’s main artery, the Grand Canal, passing under bridges and admiring the ornate buildings and busy lanes on either side.
We spent the next few hours wandering around Venice’s small streets, canals, and sunny squares.
Although there were other tourists around, Venice never felt crowded. The most overwhelming moment for us was when we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by a crowd of school children heading home for lunch on a small street.
As we continued walking, we saw a procession of boats wearing Santa hats.
Around 4pm, we stopped at a small cafe by the water for an Aperol spritz and an afternoon cappuccino.
Suddenly, I noticed that a fog had rolled in and covered the city. Within minutes, it became noticeably quieter, colder, and the smell of the ocean stronger.
I wasn’t expecting fog, but I was glad to see it.
I had never heard of fog in Venice. The experience felt more special and unique than just seeing the famous canals I had heard so much about.
Accurately or not, I also felt that the fog and darkness gave me a better understanding of what the early canal towns were like centuries ago.
Overall, I felt like Venice wasn’t as touristy as I expected.
Later that evening we returned to Verona.
On our final morning in Verona, we woke up bright and early for a quick visit to the ancient arena, just a block from our hotel.
We were some of the first visitors indoors and enjoyed the sunlight streaming into the arena. We then got back on the train and left Italy to continue the rest of our journey.
All in all, it was fun to explore the big and small cities of cold but warm Italy.
Unlike when I traveled to Europe in the summer, I hardly ever had to wait in line and I barely dealt with the crowds.
I also did a lot of walking, but without the humid summer heat, I felt more prepared and comfortable.
I also really liked the atmosphere of a winter holiday in Verona. It felt like a warm and inviting place, full of magic and adventure.
It was great to visit Italy during a less busy season. I plan to spend more winters in Europe.