Milan
There are many great sights in Milan. The symbol of the city is the Milan Cathedral with the Madonnina, which you should definitely visit. The Scala, the Castello Sforzesco, the monumental cemetery, and various museums like the Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci and the Museum Bagatti Valsecchi are also well worth seeing. The latter is a historical building from the 19th century, located in the noble district of Montenapoleone, which is in the center. In this museum, you can admire artistic, decorative art collections.
While you are in Milan you should definitely take a day trip to Lake Como, Lake Garda, Lake Iseo, or another lake nearby.
If you want to do some shopping, Milan is the perfect city for you. If you want designer fashion at reasonable prices, you can look around in some of the outlets in the city.
There is also a wide range of bars, restaurants, and discos or nightclubs in Milan. The busiest areas to go out are Brera for restaurants and bars and Corso Garibaldi and Corso Como for many different discos and nightclubs. There is also always a lot going on in Naviglio Grando and Naviglio Pavese.
So, what are you waiting for? Let's go to Milan!
Meet new people at one of Milan’s hostels, where you can get a bed in a 15-person dorm for €31 a night.
Lake Garda
After you have enjoyed your time in Milan to the fullest, the journey continues for you. Take the train to the next stop of your journey: Peschiera. The train ride costs a total of €8.
Peschiera del Garda is a municipality with only about 10,500 inhabitants and belongs to the province of Verona. Peschiera lies directly on Lake Garda. Next to Lake Garda there is a fortress in Peschiera del Garda, which you should definitely visit. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and dates from the period between the 15th and 17th centuries.
Peschiera is located on the south-eastern shore of Lake Garda. There is also a place where the only river leaving Lake Garda, called Mincio, is located.
Lake Garda is an absolute highlight! It has an area of 368 square kilometers and is, therefore, the largest lake in the country. In the south, Lake Garda is located in the Po Valley area, while in the north it is situated between high mountains. A wonderful panorama!
You can do a lot here, like surfing or sailing on the lake. In the surrounding mountains, you can also go hiking, climbing or mountain biking.
The Mediterranean climate is predominant in Peschiera del Garda. Thanks to the lake and the huge amount of water that balances the temperature, the summers here are warm and the winters are mild. Peschiera is very pleasant in every season.
There are tourists here on a relatively regular basis, so you can get along very well with English.
You can stay at one of the local hostels and get a bed in an 8-person dorm for €19 a night.
Venice
After some sporting activity or relaxation at Lake Garda, head straight to the next highlight of your backpacking trip. You’ll take the train to Venice, which only costs €9.
First things first: When you are in Venice you should of course take a gondola. If you like it a bit more unusual, you can also go by canoe or dragon boat, but a gondola ride is really the best thing.
Apart from that, the city has great buildings, museums, and squares, so you won’t get bored here.
A visit to the Piazzas and Piazzetta San Marco is highly recommended. The Piazza is the place between the old and new procurations and St. Mark's Cathedral, while the Piazzetta is the place between the Campanile and St. Mark's Library and the Doge's Palace. It is a simply beautiful place, so you can take a walk and spend time here.
Also, worth seeing are the Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge, and Il Gheta, the original Jewish quarter. There are some very famous churches in Venice that you can visit for free. So, let's go! You can go to St. Mark's Cathedral and visit the churches of Santa Maria Della Salute and San Giorgio Maggiore.
You should also not miss the Doge's Palace, the Gran Teatro la Fenice, and the Teatro. These buildings are a palace with various council chambers, the most important being the opera house in the city and the theater.
Relax and tank some energy for your next adventure at one of Venice’s hostels, where you can get a bed in a 9-person dorm for €23 a night.
Cinque Terre
After having visited he impressive Venice, take the train and bus to get to Cinque Terre. The trip costs a total of €30.
Cinque Terre is located in Liguria. It is a coastal strip consisting of a total of 5 places that have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO and are therefore protected.
In Cinque Terre, the land and the sea seem to merge, which is impressive and incredibly beautiful. The rocky coast has many bays and beaches and is 18 kilometers long. You can also see many beautiful mountain ranges in the background.
The 5 villages are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso. Each place is a sight for itself, as they are located in the rocks and at the same time on the coast: it’s picture-perfect.
With such a view you should also try the Ligurian cuisine. It is characterized by fish and pasta dishes, so as traditional as it gets; what could be better?
Stay in a hostel in Cinque Terre and get a bed in a 4-person dorm for €23 a night.
Pisa
From Cinque Terre, you’re headed next to Pisa. The trip by bus and by train costs €10 per person.
Pisa is located in the province of the same name, near the mouth of the river Arno, which flows into Lake Liguria. The city is famous for the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which you should definitely visit.
Pisa is 185 square kilometers large and has about 88,000 inhabitants. The city was founded in Roman times, and there is also a university. By the way, Galileo Galilei came from Pisa, which is another reason to discover the city in more detail.
Not only can you admire the Leaning Tower here at the Piazza dei Miracoli, which means Square of Miracles, but you can also marvel at the cathedral of the city. It was consecrated in 1118 and has a cruciform shape. By the way, did you know that the bell tower of the cathedral is the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
The Leaning Tower was completed in 1372 and began to lean during the construction works. It is 55 meters high, 12 meters wide, and weighs 14,200 tons. A maximum of 40 visitors can climb the tower at the same time.
Besides the Leaning Tower, there are other great buildings in Pisa. You should visit the Baptistery, the Baptistery of the Cathedral, and the Camposanto Monumentale, which is the city's cemetery dating back to 1358.
During your stay in Pisa, you can sleep at one of the city’s hostels and get a bed in a 4-person dorm for €20 a night.
Rome
After having admired the Leaning Tower of Pisa and taken some great photos, you will take the train to Rome, the capital of Italy. The trip costs €20.
Rome is not only the capital, but also the biggest city of the country. The Vatican is also located within the city limits.
There are a lot of sights that you can discover, such as the famous Colosseum. It is the largest amphitheater that still exists today and is considered the model for all modern stadiums.
You should visit Palatin, the Roman palace complex, which is situated on a long hill and offers great views. You can visit the Caracalla thermal baths as well, which are huge ruins of the thermal baths of the emperor Caracalla.
There are countless other great buildings in Rome and many museums that you shouldn’t miss out on while you are here.
Other great sights are the viewpoints in Rome, such as the Puncio, which is located on the edge of the Villa Borghese park. There is also a wonderful view of the city from Piazzale Giuseppe Garibaldi.
You will love Rome, as there are endless amount of attractions to discover here!
You can get a good night sleep in a 6-person dorm for €23 a night at one of the local hostels.
Naples
Your backpacking adventure through Italy is not over yet! For your next destination, take the train from Rome to Naples for €20.
Naples has about one million inhabitants and is the third largest city in Italy. It is the economic and cultural center of southern Italy.
In the historical old town, called Centro storico, there is one highlight after the next. Apart from the Cathedral of Naples, there are many other great buildings and churches to visit.
Naples also has two great museums: the archaeological Museo Archeologica Nazionale di Napoli and the Piazza Museo. There are also some great castles to admire, like Castello St.Elmo or Castell Nuovo.
You can also visit the Vesuvio volcano and the archaeological sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum while you are in Naples.
In Naples, you can stay the night at one of the local hostels and get a bed in a 6-person dorm for €23 a night.
Taormina
After a great time in Naples, you’ll set off on your next and last stop of the journey by taking the train to Taormina. The trip should cost €20.
Taormina is a city with a little more than 10,000 inhabitants, located on the east coast of Sicily. This means that at the end of your trip you will have another real highlight waiting for you.
It has a mild climate, the landscape is picturesque and there are many historical sights. The ancient theater with a view of Etna and the Gulf of Giardini-Naxos are especially great.
The main street of Taormina is called Corso Umberto I and it is worth to walk here, because you can discover many sights.
There are many different restaurants in Taormina, so you can enjoy the original Italian cuisine one last time before going back home.
You can get a bed in an 8-person dorm for €23 a night in one of the local hostels.
After you unforgettable trip in Italy, where you made new memories and met great people, you’ll finally return back home.
