Planning a trip to Northern Italy and want to combine Venice, Lake Garda and Verona in one easy, no-stress route?
This 7-night, 8-day Northern Italy itinerary shows you exactly how to visit Venice (including Murano & Burano), Lake Garda and Verona without a car, using affordable and easy public transport throughout.
Perfect for first-timers, couples or families, this itinerary covers everything you need to plan your trip with confidence:
🏨 Where to stay in each destination, with tried-and-tested hotel recommendations
🚆 Exact transport routes and costs, including trains, ferries and airport transfers
🍝 Budget-friendly places to eat, from casual lunches to romantic dinners
✈️ A smart fly-into-one-city-and-out-of-another route, arriving in Venice and departing from Verona to save time and money
This guide is based on our own recent trip, includes realistic travel times, hotel recommendations for different budgets, and shows you exactly how to move between each destination step by step.
Route summary: Venice → Murano → Burano → Venice → Desenzano del Garda → Sirmione → Verona
Total nights: Venice (3), Lake Garda (2), Verona (2)
Transport: Trains, ferries & taxis only
Best for: First-time visitors, couples, families
📍 Day 1 – Venice (Murano Island)
Arrive in Venice, travel by water bus from Marco Polo Airport and settle into Murano to ease into the trip.
📍 Day 2 – Burano & Venice
Visit colourful Burano in the morning, then continue on to Venice for your first night in the historic centre.
📍 Day 3 – Venice
Spend a full day exploring Venice on foot, including St Mark’s Square, Rialto Bridge and quieter neighbourhoods.
📍 Day 4 – Venice → Lake Garda (Sirmione)
Travel by train from Venice to Desenzano del Garda, then continue by taxi to Sirmione on Lake Garda.
📍 Day 5 – Lake Garda (Sirmione)
Explore Sirmione, visit the castle and Roman ruins, relax by the lake or enjoy the thermal spa.
📍 Day 6 – Lake Garda → Verona
Leave Lake Garda and take a short train journey to Verona, arriving in time to explore the historic centre.
📍 Day 7 – Verona
Discover Verona’s highlights including Juliet’s Balcony, Piazza delle Erbe and the Roman Arena.
📍 Day 8 – Depart from Verona
Travel from Verona city centre to the airport and fly home.
Land at Marco Polo Airport and follow the blue signs for water transport right through the airport (very easy- see the 2nd photo for the signs you need to follow).
At the water’s edge, you’ll find a kiosk – purchase your Alilaguna Line 12 ticket to Murano (€10) by card or cash. The boats run every 30 minutes.
Tip: You can’t buy your ticket in the arrivals hall for Murano – it must be purchased at the kiosk by the dock.
Board the boat, grab a window seat, and take in the lagoon views.
USB charging ports are available onboard – perfect for topping up your phone during the 30-minute ride.
Murano is the first stop on the water bus and the staff will shout out the stop, so you can't miss it.
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Murano is the perfect place to start your trip and find your feet, after a busy travel day. The island is relatively small, and is located in the Ventian Lagoon off Venice.
Our recommendation is to stay at NH Collection Venezia Murano Villa. They have modern rooms, canal views, and great access to ferry terminals.
If you can stretch your budget a bit for this one night, then the Murano Suites offer an idyllic location with a touch of luxury.
For other options in Murano, click here
Murano is famous for it's glass making, you'll find artisan workshops, where skilled craftsmen still blow glass by hand, so it's only right that you include this on your Murano itinerary.
You could chose to visit the Museo del Vetro (Glass Museum) our pre-book one of the local glass-blowing workshops which are very reasonable in price.
For dinner we recommend dining at the canal side, Trattoria Valmarana which offers authentic Venetian seafood.
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and head to Murano Faro ferry terminal (just a 5 minute walk from the ferry terminal you arrived at the day before).
Purchase a single 90 minute ticket from the machine for €9.50, then take a ferry to Burano- an island very similar to Murano, but rainbow coloured houses everywhere. An island where homeowners must get permission from the local council to change the colour of their house, so that the current aesthetic is maintained!
The ferry takes around 40 minutes. Aim to leave early to beat the day-trippers from Venice.
Snap photos of the rainbow-coloured houses.
Visit the Lace Museum or browse local boutiques.
Climb the leaning tower of San Martino Church.
The most well know (and desirable) restaurant in Burano is Trattoria Al Gatto Nero, a Michelin-listed seafood spot with canal side seating.
If you're looking for something more budget-friendly there are counters serving fresh fish and other produce right by the ferry port. There are countless other restaurants along the water offering pizza and pasta for around €15pp- you'll be spoilt for choice!
As the Island starts to gets busier, its time to depart Burano. 3-4 hours is more than enough to explore this small island and have a meal.
Return to the ferry terminal and again, purchase a 90 min ticket for €9.50- this time you need to look for ferries to Venice, these should depart around every 15-30 minutes.
The journey from Burano to Venice Fondementa Nove takes around 30-40 mins.
For a budget stay in great location, we recommend Hotel Antico Doge. Located near to Fondementa Nove and a short walk from Rialto Bridge, this hotel is in a great location.
Breakfast is also included, and the rooms on offer are all traditional Venetian-style right, next to the canal.
After checking in to your hotel, you could enjoy a relaxed evening gondola ride. The cost of this is €90 for a 30 minute ride for up to 4 people- a cost set by the city.
Follow this with an aperitivo at Taverna Al Remer - a hidden gem with canal views and live music.
For us, the sights are best explored by foot- let's face it you've done enough boats by this point!
Here’s a walking itinerary that features many of Venice's best sights:
Piazza San Marco – See the Basilica di San Marco & Doge’s Palace (book skip-the-line tickets in advance).
Walk across Rialto Bridge and browse the market.
Visit the Bridge of Sighs.
Wander the Cannaregio district for fewer crowds and great cicchetti bars.
Climb Scala Contarini del Bovolo for panoramic city views.
Consider booking a walking tour to get the most out of your time in Venice.
For dinner visit Ristorante Al Giardinetto da Severino - romantic vibes and classic Venetian dishes.
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before catching a train around lunch from Venice Santa Lucia station to Desenzano del Garda.
The journey time is around 1hr 45mins and tickets typically cost €14 for the one way journey. Some routes require a quick change in Verona, which is very easy.
For checking timetables and purchasing train tickets we always use Trip.com or the Trainline rather than Italian rail sites, as we find it easier to see what we're booking without the language barrier.
If travelling from Venice, the easiest places around Lake Garda to stay are either Peschiera Del Garda, Desenzano Del Garda or Sirmione.
For this trip we chose Sirmione.
Outside Desenzano Del Garda train station you may find taxis waiting. If there's none there, you can phone a local firm to book one. There is a sign at the taxi stand with the details of a local firm.
We used the number from the sign and our taxi arrived in under 5 minutes. The taxi took us to our hotel in Sirmione, the journey being 20 mins and costing €25. The telephone number for anyone wishing to call ahead is +39 030 914 1527
We recommend a 2 night stay at Hotel Alevic which is located just a 5 minute walk from Sirmione old town and castle.
Breakfast is included in the room rate, and if the weather is warm and dry, it is served in their beautiful garden. There were so many breakfast choices, including a section set aside for people with dietary requirements such as gluten free.
Most rooms have a balcony, and the hotel also has a rooftop pool and bar with incredible views over Lake Garda.
After arriving in Sirmione, check in to your hotel, later heading out for dinner at Il Girasole, a romantic, lakefront restaurant which receives consistently good reviews.
Before bed enjoy a nightcap at the hotels rooftop pool bar.
Morning to Afternoon:
Explore Scaligero Castle (amazing photo ops!).
Walk to the Grottoes of Catullus, ancient Roman ruins on the lake’s edge.
Stroll the quaint streets or relax in Jamaica Beach.
Optional spa visit to Terme di Sirmione.
Return for a dip in the rooftop pool and soak in those Lake Garda views.
There are lots of places around the town where you can grab a gelato and other sweet treats, along with sandwiches for lunch.
For dinner, we recommend Caruso restaurant which is very reasonably priced, despite its fantastic location, right next to the lake.
After breakfast at Hotel Alevic, relax around the pool or grab one last gelato in Sirmione.
Today, we suggest moving on to Verona. To get there, you're going to get a taxi back to Desenzano del Garda station, then take a train to Verona Porta Nuova station, just a 28 min ride away, and costing just €5. Trains run around 3 times an hour, so there's no need to pre-book.
In Verona we recommend staying at Hotel Milano & SPA which is just steps from the Arena, with a dreamy rooftop bar and amazing views.
Leave your bags in the hotels luggage storage and take a guided tour of the arena, later checking in and enjoying a meal at the hotels rooftop restaurant, overlooking where you've just explored.
Your final full day in Italy is best spent exploring this romantic city. After breakfast at the hotel, it's time to wander the streets of Verona, firstly stopping at Juliet’s Balcony and Casa di Giulietta. Then moving on to explore Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Signori.
In the afternoon climb Torre dei Lamberti for sweeping views and cross the Ponte Pietra and visit the Roman Theatre.
For dinner try Antica Bottega del Vino- an iconic wine bar with an atmospheric setting.
After lunch it's time to head home.
From Verona Porta Nuova station, take the Airlink to Verona Airport costing just €7. It's fast, affordable, and frequent. The journey takes around 20 minutes.
Tickets can be purchased at the bus stop from the machine.
We loved how well this route flowed, with each destination feeling different while still being easy to reach by train or ferry. Starting in Venice and ending in Verona meant less backtracking and more time enjoying each place, especially around Lake Garda where slowing down really paid off.
If you’re looking for a stress-free way to see Northern Italy using public transport, this itinerary strikes a great balance between sightseeing and downtime.
This itinerary offers a stress-free way to explore Northern Italy by train and ferry. Perfect for first-timers, couples, or families, it balances sightseeing, relaxation, and local experiences.
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