Milan is the ideal starting-point for brief or lengthy excursions into the surrounding Lombard area, with landscapes varying from watery rice paddies to the south-east to soaring mountainous regions to the north. There are good train links to cities including Bergamo (30 miles east of Milan), Monza (9 miles north-west) and Pavia (22 miles south) and to the Northern Italian lakes (Como – 97 miles - and Lecco –195 miles - as well as the lakeside towns of Menaggio – 120 miles - and Varenna – 150 miles). Details of train services at www.trenitalia.it. These areas are also very accessible by car.
Another family trip that’s well worthwhile is to Gardaland, one of the largest theme parks in Italy. It has about 40 different attractions for all ages, including rollercoasters, a dolphin pool, dinosaur island, rapids ride and a fantasy kingdom. It’s about 94 miles east of Milan, close to the largest Italian Lake, Garda. www.gardaland.it/it/home
