One Week in Northern Italy's Finest Regions: Lake Como, Italian Riviera and Florence

Arrival in Milan/travel to Lake Como

If traveling from the United States, you'll likely be arriving at Malpensa Airport. The airport has a convenient train called the Malpensa Express that takes you right into Milano Centrale to connect to the train to take you north to Lake Como. In total, the train rides take about three to three and a half hours. The train from Milan to Tirano is very scenic once outside the city, so try to get a window seat on the left side of the train traveling north.

Where to stay:

• Colico: My in-laws live here, so I'm most familiar with this town, which is on the northeastern coast of Lake Como. This is a beautiful village with a picturesque lakeside business district. Ferries stop multiple times a day to take you to across the lake for day trips. Colico is also a beautiful gateway city to stay close to the Italian Alps.

• Varenna: This is a more touristy option right on the train line and very accessible to ferries. It is also closest ferry ride from this side of the lake to Bellagio.

• Bellagio: While not an island, it feels like it with water on three sides of the town. This area can be very busy with tourists in the high season. It is one of the most commercial towns on the lake, with the most hotel and restaurant options. If you aren't staying here, it is worth at least a stop on a day trip around the lake.

• Morbegno: If you prefer the mountains over the water, Morbegno is a small town in a valley on the train line and has crystal clear rivers running through it.

Visit any or all of the towns I mentioned above! They are all easily accessible via the regional train system and the lake ferries and planning your day is flexible with return trips available every couple of hours. Here are a few places I would recommend:

Bellagio

• For lunch: Antico Pozzo is right in the city center and has delicious food and tremendous service. I had an amazing saffron risotto with mushrooms that hit the spot.

• For sightseeing: Parchetto della Punta is at the very tip of Bellagio in what feels like the middle of the lake. Beware, it can get very windy here.

• Lungolago Europa: This is a gorgeous walkway near the city center, filled with park benches, colorful flowers and beautiful trees. Near the end of the walkway, there is a memorial to former President John F. Kennedy, as he visited Bellagio months before he was killed in 1963.

• For a sweet treat: Gelateria del Borgo, I got the pineapple gelato and it was delicious!

Varenna

• For beauty: On the banks of the lake, check out Villa Monastero. The botanical gardens mixed with the serene lake and pristine mountains will have you taking photograph after photograph.

Colico

• This is a less touristy town, especially compared to Bellagio. A similar lakeside promenade will take you past small restaurants with outdoor seating and a couple of gelaterias. If you want peace and quiet from some of the other busy cities on the lake, come here for an afternoon via the ferry or train.

• Per Bacco: This is not on the lake but does have outdoor seating and features great pizzas and pastas.

• Ristorante El Logasc: Also, not on the lake but has gorgeous views of the mountains. We ate outside on the rooftop in May and the sun didn't fully set until almost 9 pm. It was stunning. If you are hungry, be sure to try the Pizzoccheri Valtellinesi, but beware it is filling.

Morbegno

• This is a very quiet, scenic village in a valley with amazing mountain views. There isn't a whole lot happening here, which is a nice break from the touristy areas around the lake. Hop on the train and come here for a peek into the authentic Northern Italian lifestyle.

• For lunch: Osteria del Zep had a very interesting atmosphere. A large, old black telephone still rang very loudly when someone called. For an appetizer, I recommend sciat, which are fried cheese balls.

After a leisurely morning, it's time to say Ciao to Lake Como and head toward the coast, also known as the Italian Riviera. We chose to stay in Santa Margherita Ligure for a couple of reasons. It was easier to get to by train than Portofino and it is a larger, with more hotel and restaurant options. To get here, you take the train back to Milano Centrale and get off at the Santa Margherita Ligure/Portofino train station. It is located at the top of a hill. Depending on your lodging's location, you can walk downhill with your bags or take a taxi or city bus.

For this stay, we stayed at the Hotel Laurin and upgraded to a marina view room. It was lovely, with a large balcony overlooking the water and promenade and with sweet smelling honeysuckle filling the air and giving us privacy from the next balcony. The rooftop pool was a little cold, but the sundeck provided another beautiful spot to watch the ships sail in.

Here are a few of the places we explored:

• Seghezzo: A very unique grocery store with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Would be a good spot for some souvenir purchases.

• Il Patio: Had a wonderful outdoor lunch. My husband raved about his seafood skewer, and I had a purple gnocchi Letti in an amazing parmesan truffle sauce.

• Villa Durazzo: We continued to wander through town and checked out the gardens here and views of the town.

• Gelateria Gepi Mare: This is across from the marina and had so many delicious flavor combinations. Try a mix of pistachio and orange!

This quintessential Italian fishing village is a must-visit for the photos of the vibrant buildings surrounding the marina. You can easily hire a car or rent a car for the day to get to Portofino, but we opted for the city bus and it was very clean and easy to navigate, with pick up and drop off spots right in the center of both towns. The drive along the sea was spectacular. There are several high-end shops here which makes window shopping (or splurging) fun. Cafes along the water are great for a leisurely afternoon sipping cappuccino or Aperol spritzes.

Hopping back on a short train ride to Florence for the final stop of our visit. This leg had two stops, one in Chivari and another in Pisa, but the journey only took a couple of hours. Once arriving at the Santa Maria Novella train station, it is easy to get around Florence. The tram stop is right out front and will take you around the city to your hotel. Ours, the MH Florence Spa and Hotel, was very close to the train station and right in front of a tram stop. We chose it because of these factors and that it was newly renovated. It was very modern, with large rooms and balconies, and a nice quiet outdoor pool.

In the evening, we took a nice stroll through town and took photos of the Ponte Vecchio as we crossed the Ponte Santa Trinita. For dinner, we went to Osteria del Cinghale Blanco, which was lovely. I had an amazing truffle tagitelli that I'd highly recommend.

There's a lot to see and do in Florence depending on your interests. We opted to not fight the crowds at the art museums and instead explored outdoor gardens and fashion-related exhibits. Here are some of our favorites:

• Museo Ferragamo: If you love shoes, this is the museum for you. You get a history lesson as you see the detail and design of the works and learn about Salvatore Ferragamo's life in Italy and California. Where else can you see shoes made of 18-karat gold?

• Bardini Gardens: Fantastic views of the Florence skyline and lovely green space to take a break from the city.

• La Buchetta Restaurant: Very fun vibe with signed corks placed all over the walls. I had a very interesting and tasty dish of ricotta and spinach ravioli topped with caramelized shallots, fried sage and a blue cheese sauce.

• Giotto Pizzeria: An upscale pizzeria with some unique toppings combinations and high-end ambiance.

• Mercado Centrale: Cool food hall with plenty of dietary options if you are seeking a break from Italian food. We went for breakfast and it was busy, so I'm sure the vibe in the evening is electric.

• Gucci Gardens: I would suggest only going to this exhibit if you are really into fashion. It was a little underwhelming, but photos in the mirrored purse room may be worth the price of admission.