Beautiful historical cities, gorgeous mountain landscapes, forests and lakes: 1 week is enough for this great road trip from Verona (northern Italy) to the tiny state of Liechtenstein, wedged between Austria and Switzerland. You get to visit 4 European countries in 7 days!
Keep reading to find out the exact itineraries, the highlights and what to do in the cities, and advice about where to stay and what to eat.
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How to plan a road trip from Verona, Italy to Vaduz, Liechtenstein
The main point of this trip for us was to visit Liechtenstein, because Darek had been there many years ago, and Trento, where Darek’s son was studying for a few months.
We knew we would be travelling by car, so we read a few blogs, opened our trusted Google Maps and checked what else was nearby and worthy of a visit. Here’s a star, there’s a star, this many km from there to there… And our itinerary started to take shape!
We would start in the south and go north in a loop: from Verona, along Lake Garda, to Trento, all the way through Austria until Liechtenstein, and back down through Switzerland. (We finished in my hometown Cortina d’Ampezzo, but it’s easy to go back to Verona, or Milan, or Venice…)
I wanted a fulfilling but relaxing trip: I alternated 1 day for visiting a town, and 1 day to travel to the next destination. I didn’t want to spend hours in the car each day, and the towns were all small enough that a few hours would be enough to enjoy them.
As usual, I planned around Alex’s nap after lunch: for each day I planned some sightseeing in the morning, then napping in the hotel or the car while going to the next destination, and a short late afternoon activity.
I find that accommodating his schedule makes him happier and more relaxed, which in turn allows us to enjoy the trip!
Extra tips on how to road trip in Italy with a child
We went on a road trip with young Alex to Iceland and Puglia – and on other trips without a car. Here’s some useful advice and tips:
- Plan according to nap schedules, as mentioned before. A rested child is a happy child, which increases the chances of enjoying the activities and sightseeing.
- Pack in an organized way, so that you can find stuff quickly in the car: keep a bag of snacks on one side, a couple of diapers or spare clothes in your child’s backpack, a bottle of water, a variety of toys (we had cars, books, a magnetic board.)
- Keep the car tidy enough: you might need space quickly to change nappies or clothes.
- Mark playgrounds on your Google Maps (“parco giochi” in Italy): as much as we ran in the streets and showed him interesting details in the cities, he craved some simple playtime on slides and swings.
- Keep fruit and snacks ready. In Italy, it’s super easy to find cafes with croissants and sandwiches, or supermarkets with fruit and biscuits, even in the old towns.
Also, here are apps and services that I always use during our travels:
- I always use Google Maps: I star the places I want to visit, and it’s very accurate about traffic and road conditions.
- I save money on bank fees and exchange rates by using the Wise multi-currency card: I exchanged Euros into Swiss Francs in a split second, and my banks rates would have cost me much more!
- I booked all our hotels/flats on Booking.com: both the website and the app are easy to use, clear, and safe.
Itinerary of road trip from Verona to Liechtenstein
Here’s a summary of our 1-week road trip itinerary from Verona (Italy) to Vaduz (Liechtenstein):
- Day 0: arrival from wherever
- Day 1: visit Verona and Lake Garda (Italy)
- Day 2: visit Sirmione and travel along Lake Garda to Trento (Italy)
- Day 3: visit Trento (Italy)
- Day 4: travel from Trento, through Austria, until Vaduz (Liechtenstein)
- Day 5: visit Malbun and Vaduz (Liechtenstein)
- Day 6: travel from Vaduz, through Switzerland, until Merano (Italy)
- Day 7: visit Merano and/or travel to the final destination (home/airport)
I’m very satisfied with the rhythm of the trip: urban sightseeing, then lake, then town, then mountains and valleys, then town and mountains, then villages and mountain passes and lakes, then again towns… It’s diverse, entertaining, and never boring. And, most of all, everything is beautiful in its own way!
Keep reading to find out what to do each day!
Day 1: What to see in Verona and Lake Garda in a day (Italy)
We spent our day 0 driving from Budapest to Verona. It took forever and we were really tired, but we woke up fresh and excited to explore Verona, one of the most beautiful cities in Northern Italy (even in the whole of Italy).
We had just the morning. We parked our car at the Cittadella underground parking (map here, 15 Eur for 3 hours), and set out on foot.
In 3 hours in Verona, we walked from the famous Arena di Verona, along the elegant Via Mazzini (with a cappuccino+croissant stop), to the stunning Piazza delle Erbe, across to Piazza dei Signori and the Scaliger family historical tombs, until the Adige riverside. We came back through Piazza Indipendenza to the Arena. It was the perfect loop to admire the most beautiful parts of the old town! Of course, there is soooo much more to see in Verona, but we were satisfied with this (and with the lovely cappuccino and croissant pit stop).
We headed back to our accommodation, Sol de Montalto, where we had signed up for a delicious barbecue lunch. What a setting, and the meal was amazing! And it was very convenient for Alex to nap in his bed instead of in the car.
By 5.30 we were on our way to a panoramic spot, to enjoy an Aperol Spritz and celebrate Darek’s birthday. Our host recommended the Locanda di San Vigilio on the Punta San Vigilio: a truly magical place, right on the water of Lake Garda, with a romantic view on the shore. Watching the sunset there was really special! (Spritz was priced at 10 EUR, more than twice the usual, but it was worth it.)
Still full from lunch, we decided to stop for a walk in the old town and riverside of Garda (map here). It was dark already, in late October there were very few visitors, so we enjoyed a peaceful stroll in this pretty town.
Are Verona and Lake Garda good for kids? I’m happy with how the day turned out. We saw beautiful landmarks and panoramas, Alex could run and play, ask questions, and eat tasty food. Verona and Garda are very flat and suitable for strollers as well, while Punta San Vigilio has a bit of a steep road down and a narrow dock.
Tips for visiting Verona and Lake Garda
- They are VERY POPULAR. Verona is crowded with individual tourists as well as organized group. Try to avoid the weekends, and stay zen all the time.
- If you come by car, mark the paid parking lots on your map: the free ones are almost always all taken.
- The churches of Verona are full of remarkable Italian artwork: consider buying the combined ticket if you’re a fan.
- Comfortable shoes are a must.
More to see and do in Verona and nearby
- Visit Castel San Pietro in Verona and enjoy the view
- See an opera or a concert at the Verona Arena
- Spend a fun day at Gardaland amusement park
- Go for a boat sightseeing tour from the town of Garda
Where to stay in Verona and nearby
We stayed at Sol del Montalto, a boutique farm and winery with beautifully renovated small apartments. The owner is an old friend of mine, and I was happy to make my small contribution to his business.
It’s the perfect spot to leave the busy city and traffic behind, to enjoy the beautiful hilly scenery of vineyards and fields, and to feel guests of a hardworking and welcoming family.
At Sol de Montalto they produce wine and olive oil; they grow vegetables and fruit; with their animals, they produce cheese from the milk, as well as meat and cold cuts. Basically, everything you taste is produced right there! We had a delicious platter of cold cuts and cheese for dinner, which convinced us to sign up for the barbecue lunch on Sunday. Everything was excellent, including an epic olive oil ice cream that surprised all my senses.
We left with a bottle of wine, a jar of honey, and a wish to go back there again soon!
Book here directly with them, support their hard work, and tell them I say hi 🙂
Day 2: Sirmione, Lake Garda going north, Trento
On day 2 of this European road trip, it’s time to leave Verona and head to the nearby town of Sirmione, and then up north.
Sirmione’s old town comes straight out of a medieval fairy tale: a castle at the entrance, colorful buildings and narrow alleys, a large park with views of the lake and shores all around. We visited it in 1,5 hours, but I wish we had a bit more time to wander around. (map here)
The old town of Sirmione is located on a tiny peninsula that stretches into Lake Garda, in the south. Once you walk through the Scaliger Castle gates at the entrance, you are greeted by a few alleys of shops, ice-cream parlours, and docks for cruises on Lake Garda. Colorful facades, blooming flowers, palm trees… Seriously, it’s out of this world.
We walked until the Villa of Maria Callas, and then turned right to the Spiaggia delle Bionde Beach. The water was so clear and inviting! Nearby we found some stone circles where we took our shoes and socks off and dipped our feet in Lake Garda. The water was supposed to be warm thermal water, but somehow it was cold. We got back to the castle along the walking path in a few minutes.
Tips for visiting Sirmione and Lake Garda
- Sirmione is just as popular as Verona, but it’s tiny, so it feels even more crowded! Again, try to avoid weekends and aim for the shoulder season (spring or autumn, even winter must be special).
- There are many parking lots but they could be all full anyway. Be patient!
- With kids, of course, try to park as close to the old town of Sirmione as possible.
- Both sides of Lake Garda are beautiful. We chose to drive along the eastern side during Alex’s naptime in the afternoon, but it would have been amazing to drive along the western side and stop in Limone del Garda.
Along Lake Garda, from Sirmione to Trento
I planned this long drive for the early afternoon: by choosing the lake-side road instead of the highway, we would drive 120 km in approximately 2,5 hours, perfect to let Alex nap.
We had a quick easy lunch at La Piadineria with easy and delicious Italian “piadina” sandwiches, and set off.
The Garda lakeside drive was just beautiful. We drove by picturesque villages with pretty churches and centuries-old fortresses, with lush forests and impressive mountains on both sides of the lake.
We stopped for a few minutes at Pai (map here), to soak up some sun and admire the scenery while Alex napped.
We stopped again in the town of Arco, when he woke up (map here). The main street in the old town and the path walk by the stream were perfect for stretching our legs. The old medieval fortress on the hilltop was too high up for us, but very cool to admire from the road.
Tips for your drive along Lake Garda, Italy
- If you’re travelling with sleepy kids, I recommend trying to accommodate them. I would have liked to visit Malcesine, but Alex was still fast asleep, so we skipped it. Or consider taking turns, one adult stays in the car and the other goes out.
- The scenery is amazing! Drive slowly and enjoy it!
- If you didn’t go to Punta San Vigilio like I mentioned yesterday, consider stopping there to stretch your legs. Besides the Locanda restaurant, there’s a beach and a few viewpoints in the area (map here)
- Consider also driving on the Western side of Lake Garda: check out famous Italian author D’Annunzio’s unique villa, Il Vittoriale (map here), and the pretty town of Limone (map here)
Day 3: what to do in Trento in one day
On day 3 of the road trip from Verona to Liechtenstein, I planned to rest and explore the Italian city of Trento.
Trento is the capital of the Trentino-Alto Adige region. Nestled in the Alps, its 2000-year-long history is visible in the buildings of the compact old town, from underground Roman ruins, to its Medieval cathedral and palaces, to the Renaissance Buonconsiglio Castle, to the super-modern MUSE Science Museum.
We had a quick walk around the old town when we arrived on day 2, because the weather forecast showed rain for the following day.
The Old Town of Trento is quite small and easy to walk around in an hour or so. The San Vigilio Cathedral “Duomo” is attached to the castle-looking Palazzo Pretorio, and the main square Piazza del Duomo is very picturesque thanks to the old painted houses and the Neptune Fountain in the center. Explore the streets until the river Adige, watch the cablecars go up to Sardagna, come back through park of Piazza Dante, and check out Castello del Buonconsiglio and its imposing walls and towers from below.
On the morning of day 3, as expected, it was raining a lot. Luckily, there is an awesome place to visit in Trento when it rains: the MUSE Museum of Science.
The MUSE was opened in 2013 in its current location, an impressive and luminous building by Renzo Piano (but its roots date back to the 1960s, and its collections even to the 1800s). It’s the perfect place to discover physics playfully, see cool dinosaur bones and lots of stuffed animals from the Alpine region, and learn about the environment around us.
The ground floor and the basement are the most entertaining for kids: hands-on physics “games” and dinosaur skeletons! The stuffed animals are everywhere, also on the remaining 3 floors. There are also large fish tanks, temporary exhibitions, a panoramic terrace… We spent almost 2 hours there, but older/more patient kids could probably spend the whole day there.
Lunch at the museum cafè was pretty tasty and affordable. They had lots of sandwiches, as well as a daily menu of pasta, main dishes, and salads.
By the time Alex woke up from his nap and we were ready to go, it was already past 5 PM. We had another stroll around the old town, and another delicious dinner.
Where to eat in Trento? Via del Suffragio street has a nice variety of bars and restaurants. We chose Il Gusto and enjoyed a good pizza and limoncello. We also had a great traditional dinner at Ristorante La Cantinota: risotto cooked with local red wine, “wienerschnitzel” breaded pork cutlet, good red wine, chocolate cake… excellent!
More things to do in Trento, Italy
- Visit the Museo Diocesano, and, most of all, climb up the Tower in the main square
- Take the cablecar to the top of Sardagna and enjoy the view from the viewpoint (map here)
- Visit the impressive Roman-age ruins of Area Archeologica di Palazzo Lodron (opening hours a bit confusing)
Where to stay in Trento, Italy
We stayed at Il Torrione Trento, a small hotel located inside a defensive cylindical tower dating back to the 1500s! We love to feel the local atmosphere in our accommodations, and here it felt like travelling back in history.
Our room was spacious, comfortable, clean, and the round wall of the tower made it special. I recommend having breakfast there: the buffet is small but complete, and it’s located on the top floor! Climb a small spiral staircase and you’re on the rooftop, feeling like a medieval guard watching the city. The view is epic.
They also helped us register for the Trentino Guest Card, which granted us a discount at MUSE Museum and has a ton of advantages. And it’s free!
Is Trento good for kids? I think it’s a great place to visit for families: easy to stroll around, with safe streets and lots to do – both in the city and outdoors.
Day 4: from Trento, Italy to Vaduz, Liechtenstein
Time to continue north with our European road trip, from Italy to another country!
We decided to drive north and then west through Austria. It’s 340 km in total, and we broke it into 100 km until Bressanone Brixen (1 hour approx.), then 40 km until the highway resting stop Lanz Brenner for lunch, so that Alex could nap on the remaining 200 km (2,5 hours) until our accommodation near Vaduz, Liechtenstein.
Another possibility would be to skip Bressanone (Italy) and visit Innsbruck (Austria) instead. Bressanone is pretty but quite similar to Trento, while Innsbruck’s old town is very peculiar, an interesting mix of medieval and Imperial architecture.
What to see in Bressanone, Italy (Brixen)
We stopped in the town of Bressanone – Brixen (map here) to meet my parents, who drove from nearby Cortina d’Ampezzo.
We had a snack and a walk around the old town of Bressanone in 1,5 hours. The old town is even smaller and prettier than Trento: colorful painted buildings on cobbled streets, and a large main square with an impressive baroque Cathedral (map here).
We appreciated the architecture, and Alex enjoyed running and jumping around.
The drive through Austria from Bressanone, Italy to Vaduz, Liechtenstein
Such gorgeous scenery! Mountains and valleys and forests and fields, cows here and there, pretty villages with tall bell towers in the distance. With the October foliage turning, it was a really beautiful drive, but it must be pretty all year round.
Important practical information:
- The Italian Brenner highway joins into the Austrian highway.
- While in Italy you pay at toll booths depending on the distance of highway driven, in Austria you’ll need to buy a fixed-price vignette at a gas station.
- Furthermore, on the way to Liechtenstein, you’ll have to pay the toll for the Europe Bridge (toll station Schönberg) and for the Arlberg Expressway tunnel (toll station St. Jakob).
- You’ll exit the Austrian highway at Feldkirch, and drive into Liechtenstein on a normal road. There are no checks at the border crossing, and there isn’t any vignette to buy or toll to pay.
Day 5: what to see in Liechtenstein
If it’s early enough after your drive from Italy, I recommend having a walk around Vaduz already on your day 4, as we did.
We drove to our accommodation at Hotel Kulm (map here), checked in, and got ready to head back to Vaduz in the late afternoon. We arrived together with the after-work traffic jam, which was a bit frustrating but very realistic.
Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein
The city center of Vaduz is extremely small, quick to walk around, but still pretty and picturesque.
We started with the beautiful Kathedrale St. Florin, and then walked along the main street Stadtle (map here): public representative buildings, museums, restaurants and cafés. What struck me was the peculiar mix of elegant and historical buildings, next to modern and edgy ones, while 200 meters above us on top of the hill stood the iconic Castle of the Prince of Liechtenstein, straight out of a fairy tale (map here).
We spent less than 1 hour there, enough to admire the main street and for Alex to run around a bit.
Malbun and Steg, and the gorgeous views in Liechtenstein
On the actual day 4, my plan included visiting Steg and Malbun in the valley nearby, napping, having another walk in the center of Vaduz, and maybe sneaking into a wine tasting. We managed to do it all!
From our hotel, it was a pretty quick drive uphill until the village of Steg, and then Malbun. This had been Darek’s wish for this trip: he remembered coming out of a tunnel into a small valley that felt still and pristine, outside of time. It was still like this! Oossibly because at the end of October we were the only tourists there.
Malbun is a small skiing destination located at the end of a valley, with rounding peaks that protect it, cows between the wooden houses and a couple of large hotels near the chairlifts. Steg instead is composed of picturesque, adorable wooden mountain cottages with green pastures and wonderful mountains all around. We walked around, had a cappuccino at the precious Bergstubli cafè in Steg, breathed in aaallll the fresh air, and took a million pictures (which still don’t serve enough the beauty of this place). This is the perfect place to escape to, out of season, and enjoy some peace and quiet.
On the way back to Vaduz, we stopped to admire the Rhine valley from above: striking peaks rolling down into the flat fields, with the peaceful Rhine river separating Liechtenstein from Switzerland. It’s quite a weird feeling to see two countries in such a small space!
Wine tasting at the Princely Wine Cellars in Vaduz, Liechtenstein
While it was not mentioned on the official website, I read on TripAdvisor that you could have a nice wine tasting at the Princely Wine Cellars of the Prince of Liechtenstein (and quite a cheap one, by the way). We like wine, but we’re not knowledgeable about it: this was the perfect occasion to taste the local products and learn something new.
We decided to have the tasting right before lunch, so my dad could eat something substantial before driving back to the hotel for Alex’s nap.
The wine tasting took place in a cozy but elegant hall and was held by a young and knowledgeable sommelier. He adjusted the choice of wine to our tastes: both white and red, and most importantly some wines unique to Liechtenstein. We enjoyed – and ended up buying – a bottle of Liesecco (the local prosecco, easy and fruity), a bottle of Herrnbaumgarten, a cuvee created by the Princess of Liechtenstein, and a full-bodied Merlot. Alex and my mom spent some time exploring the vineyards outside, before joining in and listening to the explanations.
Where to eat in Liechtenstein
We went with the flow and had very tasty meals and snacks. I’m happy to recommend:
- Balu Backerei Konditorei (map here), a cute cafè with tasty cakes, and a few options for a more substantial meal. And a small play corner!
- Brasserie Burg (map here), a nice restaurant with traditional dishes for curious grown-ups and simple pasta/pizza for kids.
What else to do in Liechtenstein
Check these out, you might like them!
- At the Altes Kino cinema they show a movie/documentary about the Vaduz Castle
- There are plenty of museums on the Stadtle main street of Vaduz
- While the Castle can’t be visited, there’s a nice park nearby
- In Malbun, the Sareis cablecar takes you high up the mountains
- The castle in the town of Balzers looks cool!
- Alex was still too small, but if it was just the two of us, we would have gone hiking somewhere. The views look amazing!
Are Vaduz and Liechtenstein a good place to visit with children? It’s a pretty easy place to visit, especially for kids who like the outdoors.
Where to stay in Liechtenstein
I’m happy to recommend Hotel Kulm in the town of Triesenberg, 15 minutes away by car from the main street in Vaduz.
Usually, I look for the most affordable accommodation, as near to the city center as possible. In Liechtenstein, instead, I’m glad we went outside of Vaduz and up the mountainside because the view was much better than the city center!
Hotel Kulm is a modern mountain hotel: the rooms are neat, clean and welcoming, the restaurant serves homey, traditional dishes, and the view over the valley is absolutely stunning.
I highly recommend booking a room with a view, and also trying the delicious apple fritters with vanilla sauce.
Besides being quite close to the center of Vaduz, it’s also pretty quick to get from there to Malbun and Steg, the real reason why we travelled to Liechtenstein.
Book here directly with them, or here on Booking.com and I’ll receive a small commission. Either way, thank you!
Day 6: From Liechtenstein, through Switzerland, until Merano (Italy)
Day 6 of the road trip meant driving to the next destination. It was going to be a bit tough, because we had to drive more than 300 km through the Alps, from Vaduz in Liechtenstein to Merano in Italy.
I structured it this way: frequent stops in the morning to keep Alex awake, and a longer drive in the afternoon to let him nap.
- Departure from Vaduz, Liechtenstein
- 40 km/30 mins until Chur, Switzerland (because it’s pretty)
- 60 km/1 hour until Davos, Switzerland (because it’s famous, and to have lunch)
- 80 km/2 hours up and down the Fluela Pass (what an amazing surprise – nap for Alex) – Switzerland-Austria-Italy
- 45 minutes in Curon Venosta, Italy (because of the stunning submerged bell tower)
- 20 km/20 mins until Glorenza, Italy (because it’s one of the prettiest villages in Italy)
- 60 km/1 hour until Merano, Italy (because it seemed like the perfect place to stop for a night: pretty, picturesque, and at the right distance between Liechtenstein and our next stop.)
A quick visit to Chur, Switzerland
The capital of the canton of Grisons, in the East of Switzerland, Chur is the oldest settlement in the country. It is famous for its old town, art museums, and beautiful natural surroundings. Both the Bernina Express and the Glacier Express pass through Chur!
We followed our usual routine: park, grab a cappuccino and a slice of cake at a café, and explore the old town. Curated and colorful houses line the narrow streets until the beautiful Martinskirche with its typical pointy roof; we continued until the iconic stairs under the Gate tower, through the walls and up the hill, until the Saint Mary of the Assumption Cathedral.
Chur is a lovely spot to admire a beautiful Swiss town and stretch your legs during a road trip.
If we had been travelling during the summer, I would have loved to do part of this hike/train ride in the Rhine Gorge!
Lunch break in Davos, Switzerland
I’ll go straight to the point: Davos did not impress me. I couldn’t even find an old town like in all the other places we visited on this trip: it seemed like two streets of hotels and ski rental shops (of course empty, off-season).
But, we found an excellent spot for lunch – completely by chance: Falclas, a café/healthy restaurant/playhouse for young kids. It felt like a massive living room with books and cars and kitchen sets and board games, with tasty comfort food, and a few items of local handicrafts for sale. The perfect place to relax as a family on the road.
The gorgeous Fluela Pass, and from Switzerland to Austria to Italy
I didn’t even know this was the road we were going to take, and it was one of the highlights of the trip.
After starting in Davos, Switzerland at 1560 meters above sea level, the Fluela Pass reaches 2384 meters, and then leads down to the town of Susch at 1438 meters. It took us 45 minutes to drive it. That meant that, at the end of October, the rain in the valley turned into fluffy snowy marvels on the way up – and the mountain tops, higher than 3000 meters, were perfectly white!
Normally, I feel motion sickness pretty soon. On this pass, instead, the scenery was so stunning and the curves so comfortable that I felt perfectly fine all along. You can see the peaks in the distance from the bottom of the valley; the road climbs slowly, and every few hundred meters you see the mountains from a different perspective. At the top there is a lake and the rifugio Fluela Hospiz (map here); I almost wanted to get out of the car and play with the snow!
But Alex was napping and we were on a schedule. So down we went on road 27 to the Engiadina Bassa region, towards Nauders (Austria): another set of impressive mountains, both around us and in the distance. I swear, I took SOOOO many pictures with my simple iPhone – I can’t imagine how much time would a photographer with a proper camera spend here!
I wish we had more time to stop at the viewpoints and observation terraces along the pass. The views were absolutely memorable!
WATCH OUT IN THE WINTER! The Fluela pass can be closed. In this case, you’ll have to cross on a train through the Vereina Tunnel, which connects the towns of Klosters and Susch. The train can also transport cars.
The bell tower in Lake Resia at Curon Venosta, Italy
Special thanks to my sister Laura for mentioning this amazing spot to me, or we might have missed it.
According to the posters placed on the site, the village of Graun im Vinschgau was located in this valley since the 12th century, until in 1938 a construction company was awarded the authorization to build a dam nearby to create a reservoir for a power station. The works started in 1940, were suspended during the war, resumed in 1947, and the valley was slowly flooded between 1949 and 1950 – which led to the demolition of large parts of the old village, and the exodus of the inhabitants to the new settlement.
Ever since then, only the bell tower of the old church still stands – and, despite the loss and sad history, what a sight it is! (map here)
As of autumn 2023, a smaller pond has been left around the bell tower. The rest of Lake Resia was emptied, in order to perform necessary maintenance works on the road. I don’t know when they will be over, but I recommend anyway driving by and walking around the sunken bell tower of Curon Venosta.
Practical information about the submerged bell tower in Val Venosta:
- The parking lot costs 2 EUR per hour. 1 hour should be enough for a walk around
- At sunset it’s absolutely amazing
- There are two kiosks, but they were closed on our visit in late October
- The bathrooms cost 50 cents per person, and are well-kept
- Lake cruises were available, hopefully they will start again when the Lake is filled again
- The town of Curon Venosta itself looks very pretty.
Glorenza, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy
The drive down the mountains towards Merano was incredibly beautiful, along forests and fields, cows and railways, with stunning peaks at the horizon.
My father suggested we stop at Glorenza (map here), which he had visited before. Glorenza is a small town enclosed in medieval walls, which means that the old town has barely changed ever since then! It is the only perfectly preserved closed city walls of the Alps.
We walked up the walls, and then around a few streets lined with simple yet picturesque old houses. It really felt like travelling back in time. It must be even better with a festival or a special event!
We spent just 30 minutes in Glorenza. It was nice to stretch our legs and fill our eyes with beauty.
Day 7: what to do in a morning in Merano, Italy
We got stuck in traffic and arrived really late at our last stop, the town of Merano, Italy. After a tasty, typical dinner of meat and potatoes in different shapes and fashions at the Augustiner restaurant, we headed straight to bed.
It was the last day of our European road trip!
In the morning, we spent a couple of hours taking a walk in the old town of Merano. The picturesque Via dei Portici is a row of pretty shops under the iconic portico arches, leading to the square and the Duomo di San Nicoló Church. From there, we continued through Porta Passiria until the riverside, where many market stalls were selling local products. We finished the loop back at Via dei Portici for a cappuccino with croissants: less than 2 hours for a lovely walk in yet another beautiful town in this region.
Where to stay in Merano
We chose the Augustiner Suites and we were very satisfied.
The suites are two-level rooms with a living area and bathroom downstairs, and a comfortable bed upstairs. They are located above the Augustiner restaurant, where we had a delicious dinner of typical South-Tyrol food, right in the heart of Merano – on the popular via Portici street! (map here)
Because the entrance is on a pedestrian street, we parked in a paid parking 500 meters away. It was very convenient to get there, and then we could drop our luggage in the car before going for our walk in the center.
Book the Augustiner Suites here on Booking.com.
More ideas for a road trip in Northern Italy, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland
That was it for our holiday, on the road from Verona (Italy) to Vaduz (Liechtenstein)! From Merano, we drove to Cortina and spent a few days with my parents before coming back to Budapest.
While writing this post, I had many ideas on how to do this road trip differently. Here they are, make use of it!
- Verona: if I had one more day, I would have driven to Mantova, a hidden jewel among many more famous towns. Here is my post about Mantova.
- Lake Garda: on the western side, the exotic mansion of famous Italian poet D’Annunzio deserves a visit (Vittoriale degli Italiani, map here), as well as the beauuutiful town of Limone sul Garda.
- Austria: considering our road trip in Austria itinerary, Innsbruck definitely deserves a few hours. If you have another day, check out dreamy Salzburg too. Or go as far as the legendary Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany! (map here)
- Liechtenstein: given how small it is, it could be cheaper to spend a couple of nights at the Austrian town of Feldkirch at the border, and “commute” to Liechtenstein. Also, it could be fun to cross the Rhine river into Switzerland.
- Switzerland: during the summer season (I guess May to mid-October) the train along the Rhine near Chur looks fantastic
- Merano: consider also Bolzano to spend a night on your way back
- Back to Verona: of course, if you finish your loop in Verona/Venice, drive down the side of Lake Garda that you didn’t see. If your flight leaves from Milan, then choose instead Lago di Como, or Lugano.
Final thoughts on this road trip itinerary from Verona (Italy) to Liechtenstein, 1 week in 4 European countries
In any season of the year, this beautiful itinerary will show you picturesque towns, gorgeous natural landscapes, and memorable mountains. It’s perfect for a family with young kids, and it can be easily filled with more attractions for people who don’t need to nap in the afternoon.
Are you planning to visit these areas? Have you been there and would like to add suggestions? Let me know in the comments!
