Our Road Trip Through Northern Italy
Italy holds a special place in my heart. I love everything about it—the food, the culture, the landscapes. Up until this year, I’d only visited twice, but from the very first trip, I felt like I belonged there. Maybe it’s my partly Greek background, but there’s something about the slower pace of life, the family-focused culture, and those long al fresco dinners that spill into the night with plenty of wine and lively conversation. It just feels like home.
One part of Italy I’d always dreamed of visiting was the Dolomites. I’d seen the classic Instagram shots of glassy lakes and jagged peaks, and I couldn’t stop thinking, I have to take my camera there someday. So when Josh and I spotted £50 flights to Milan, it felt like this was the moment. This was our chance to explore Northern Italy and tick off a few more places from our travel bucket list.
Josh and I love traveling, but we like to keep it cheap and cheerful so we can save up for bigger adventures—Asia is high on our list! With this in mind, I started planning a whirlwind road trip through Northern Italy. The plan? Three main stops: Lake Garda, Venice, and The Dolomites. I knew we didn’t have a ton of time, but I was determined to make the most of it, even if that meant doing a lot of driving.
PLANNING ON A BUDGET
We kept our expenses simple:
- Flights
- Three Airbnbs
- Car rental
To make it even more affordable, we invited some good friends to join us so we could split the costs. Traveling with friends not only makes it cheaper, but it also adds so much fun to the trip (and makes long car rides much more entertaining).
Weather Woes and Last-Minute Changes
A week before we left, I had the perfect itinerary laid out: Verona, Venice, The Dolomites, and finally Lake Garda. But Mother Nature had other ideas. A massive storm decided to follow almost the exact route we’d planned—typical, right?
Thankfully, we couldn’t change our Airbnbs, but we could shuffle our itinerary around to avoid the worst of the rain. It meant a little extra driving, but when you’re surrounded by Italy’s beauty, who’s complaining?
Driving in Italy: An Experience in Itself
Driving in Italy is… let’s just say, an adventure. For Italians, speed limits seem more like polite suggestions, and they definitely don’t appreciate tourists sticking to them. Picture this: narrow, winding mountain roads, us nervously hugging the speed limit, and older Italian gentlemen tailgating us like fearless rally drivers. It was stressful but, honestly, kind of impressive.
Quick tip: Be prepared for toll roads. They’re unavoidable on long drives in Italy, and while they’re not ridiculously expensive, they do add up. We spent around €100 on tolls between all of us, but to be fair, we covered a lot of ground.
Stop 1: Pasta Stop in Verona
We kicked off our trip with dinner in Verona, and let me tell you, this city is so much more than the home of Romeo and Juliet. The amphitheater in the city center is stunning—it was hosting an opera that night, and the square was alive with music and people. Even though we only had a couple of hours here, I could see how you could easily spend a few days soaking it all in.
Our Route - lots of long drives!
Evening vibes in Verona
Stop 2: Into the Dolomites
Our first night was in an Airbnb just outside Venice. But like I said we’d moved things around to accommodate the weather! So The next morning, we set off for a long day of driving through the Dolomites. We took the SS48, also known as the Great Dolomites Road, and the internet wasn’t lying—it was breathtaking. Every turn revealed another postcard-perfect view. We made plenty of stops along the way to take it all in, but the highlight of the day was Lago di Braies.
This was the stop I’d been dreaming of. The lake is picture-perfect, surrounded by dramatic mountain peaks, and even though the weather was a bit drizzly and cold, it was magical. When we arrived, we discovered the boat rentals were closed due to the weather. I couldn’t accept that, so I asked the girl at the front desk, “Is it closed because of the weather or the time of day?” She laughed and said, “The weather—it’s freezing and wet!” I smiled and said, “That’s fine, we’re English!”
To my delight, she let us take a boat out. Was it freezing? Absolutely. Was it worth it? 100%. Being out on the lake, surrounded by misty mountains, was everything I’d hoped for and more.
Gorgeous views of Lago Di Braies
All in all, that day we did about 9 hours of driving, plus stops! It was a lot, but honestly, it was so worth it. On the way back to our Airbnb, we stumbled across this tiny town where almost everything was closed—classic small-town vibes. But, tucked away, we found the loveliest little pizzeria. It was so cosy and warm, and exactly what we needed after a long, cold day on the road.
Pizza in our cosy restaurant find
That evening, however, things got a bit more...interesting. Our Airbnb for the night was a bit tricky to find. By the time we arrived, it was pitch black, and the rain was absolutely hammering down. We’d driven through the tail end of a terrifying storm to get there, with rain so heavy we could barely see the road ahead—it was intense!
When we finally made it, the place was fine for our needs, but let’s just say it wasn’t the most luxurious. The shower, for instance, was tiny. And by tiny, I mean the lads could barely fit without flooding the bathroom floor, which meant puddles everywhere. Inevitably, some of our limited clothes got soaked—definitely not ideal. But hey, we made it work!
Thankfully, the next morning was a complete turnaround. The storm had cleared, and the sun was shining—blue skies as far as the eye could see. We kicked off the day with a trip to Aldi for some baked treats (because Aldi in mainland Europe is next level—the bakery is amazing, and it’s so cheap). Stocked up and ready to go, we hit the road for Venice.
Venice: Surprisingly Magical
I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Venice. Usually, I’m not drawn to super touristy places, but honestly? Venice blew me away. Seeing it in person was so much more fascinating than I expected. Of course, we went for the cliché gondola ride—and we loved it. The gondoliers are incredible. They all seem to know each other and spent most of the ride shouting, laughing, and singing in Italian as they effortlessly steered their boats through the skinny canals. Their energy was infectious, and I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time.
Naturally, the next item on the agenda was food. The boys were craving lasagne, so we found a restaurant to satisfy their carb-filled dreams. And wow—this wasn’t just any pasta. The tomato sauce was something else entirely. It was so fresh, so rich, and so full of flavour, nothing like the watery ones we’re used to back home.
Sitting outside in the warm Italian sun made it even better. For us English folk, dining al frescoalways feels like such a treat. Good food, good company, and the charm of Venice—it was one of those moments where you feel like yeaaahh, this was worth the trip. *sits back and swishes a glass of wine*
After walking back to the car, we decided to indulge in some gelato. I was feeling pretty pogged (aka stuffed) from the endless pasta we’d just devoured, so I went for something lighter—a refreshing mix of mango and lemon sorbet. Absolute perfection.
Next up, we were ready to slow things down a bit.
Enter: Lake Garda. We stayed in the most beautiful little Airbnb, run by a German lady who’d fallen in love with Italy and decided to make it her home. It had a sweet balcony where we could sit out in the evenings and soak in the peaceful surroundings. With 7 nights there, I was so glad we’d decided to splurge on accommodation for this part of the trip—it was well worth it.
Our first day in Garda was all about relaxation. We wandered around the charming town of Salo, basking in the sunshine, skipping stones by the lake, and just soaking up the laid-back atmosphere. To our surprise, we ran into a couple of friends who just happened to be in Garda at the same time! It felt like a weird mix of worlds, but it was so nice to catch up with them in such a beautiful setting.
For dinner, we stumbled into a restaurant that was way out of our price range. It had a fancy set menu, so we all opted for a small plate and made a quick exit. The food was stunning, but we were all craving something a bit more substantial. So, we ended the night with the classic—pizza delivered straight to our Airbnb. Just what we needed to wrap up the day!
A beautiful restaurant that was out of our budget! Whoops.
Villa Di Cedri
To extend the relaxation vibes, my friend and I decided to look up some spas around Lake Garda, and we hit the jackpotwhen we found the Villa de Cedri. This thermal bath was an absolute dream—surrounded by beautiful gardens, it was the perfect place to unwind, soak in the autumn sun, and let the peaceful atmosphere wash over us. Meanwhile, the lads were desperate to visit the Ferrari museum, so we had a little girls’ and boys’ day. But, as soon as the boys heard about how amazing the thermal bath was, they couldn’t resist, and we ended up returning later in the week. If you're in the Garda/Verona area, I can’t recommend this place enough. It's super affordable, and you can easily spend the whole day there. Plus, there’s a cafeteria for snacks and even a gelato counter. (Trust me—the peach gelato is incredible!)
One of my absolute favourite days during this part of the trip was spent in Sirmione. This little town is absolutely bursting with charm and character. It’s the perfect place for a leisurely stroll through picturesque Italian streets. Sure, it’s a bit touristy, but it’s so endearing that you hardly notice.
We hopped on a boat tour around the town’s coastline with Get Your Guide, and our boat had the best tunes playing while we sailed. The captain clearly knew how to cater to British tastes—and we, of course, lapped it all up, completely embracing the cliché.
Now, let me tell you about the one place we ended up visiting not once, but three times—because it was just that good. CTS is this hidden gem of a restaurant attached to a small-town sports club. Honestly, I can’t even remember how we stumbled upon it, but it quickly became one of our favourite spots. Everything they serve is absolutely top-notch, like proper Italian cooking at its finest. I had lasagne one night, pasta al pomodoro the next, and I couldn’t get enough of their tiramisu—currently my dessert obsession. If you’re ever nearby, I highly recommend finding this place and sampling as much of the menu as you can. They don’t seem to make a bad dish, and the staff are super friendly too.
As our Italy adventure wrapped up, we couldn’t help but feel thankful for the mix of chill moments and exciting discoveries. From soaking in the thermal baths to finding that one restaurant we just couldn’t resist, it was the perfect balance of taking it slow and exploring. If you’re planning a trip to the area, I hope this post gave you a few ideas for your own travels. Of course, I’ve linked all our favourite spots and airbnbs below!
