In Two Weeks

Start with the first 6 days, and then, if you have another week to spend, rent a car in Venice and return westward, dropping it off in Milan. (It will be cheaper than renting it at the beginning and paying an extra week.) With the car you can check out all the harder-to-reach spots along the way. These include remote roads in the Dolomites and the vineyards near Turin.

Day 1: Arrive in Milan

Most of this large city's major sites are confined to the area around the Duomo, in the epicenter, a good place to start any tour. The two top attractions, however, seeing a performance at La Scala opera house and viewing Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, will require advance reservations. This is one of the few cities in the entire country with a reputation for nightlife, so if you are looking for chic bars and active nights past 11pm, best to get it done here. Also, if you're here during Fashion Week or during another major trade fair, be sure to reserve your hotel in advance.

Day 2: Lake Como

With a daylong boat pass, spend the day crisscrossing the lake, from Como and nearby Cernobbio, home of the famed Villa d'Este, up and over to Bellagio, one of the most captivating lake towns in the country. Skip over to the western shore to hike up in the scenic hills above Menaggio. On the opposite shore is Varenna, an excellent place to have lunch or dinner, especially at the Vecchia Varenna. This is also the side of the lake that has train tracks leading to Milan, and -- even better -- straight to Bergamo via Lecco.

Day 3: Bergamo, Brescia & Verona

Spend the morning exploring Bergamo's Old City, around the stunning Piazza Vecchia and Piazza del Duomo. After a polenta lunch, make a quick stop to see the Loggia in Brescia and the city's excellent collection of paintings in the Pinacoteca Tosio-Matinengo before heading to Verona for the rest of the afternoon. (Bergamo to Brescia, and Brescia to Verona, are each only 45-min. train rides.) In Verona, don't miss the slightly hokey but nevertheless magical House of Juliet, and, if you're there at the right time, an opera inside the city's Roman Arena. (You'll need to reserve ahead for tickets and bring some very nice clothes.) The performance will be one you'll remember for a lifetime.

Day 4: Vicenza & Padua

Here are two gems shamefully overlooked by Venice-bound travelers, separated by a 30-minute train ride. After a coffee in Verona's Piazza delle Erbe, head for Vicenza. Just walking around the city is inspiring enough, as it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but take time to see the Teatro Olimpico and, if it is open, the Basilica Palladiana. Two great side trips would be to see the massive outdoor chessboard in Marostica, accessible by a 40-minute bus ride, or, if you are driving, by all means check out the Villa Rotonda, on the outskirts of the city. The highlight of the day, however, will probably be the Scrovegni Chapel, in Padua, and its frescoes by Giotto. Note: Padua is so close to Venice that budget travelers might plan to book a hotel here, as it will cost a fraction of a night on the lagoon.

Days 5 & 6: Venice

You'll need at least 2 nights in Venice and will wish you had the time and money for 10 more, especially if you come in the off season when the atmosphere is so much more pleasant. (In fact, if you come in July or early Aug, the crowds can really be suffocating. Booking a hotel in advance will be essential.) By all means, try to time your visit with one of the city's many festivals, especially the Regata Storica. Be sure to spend some daytime hours in lesser-visited quarters, such as Cannaregio and the Jewish Ghetto. But don't snub the gondola ride as too touristy; grab a bottle of prosecco and float through the canals at night.

Day 7: Treviso, Bassano del Grappa & Cortina d'Ampezzo

This is a day of driving, with some spectacular scenery as the trip progresses. Stop in Treviso to see its lively fish market in the morning and work up an appetite for lunch at an inimitable Toni del Spin. Continue northeast through the region that produces prosecco, Italy's answer to champagne, toward Asolo and Bassano del Grappa for a great mixture of country life and impressive architecture. Approach Cortina d'Ampezzo in the evening, as the last rays of sun hit off the Dolomites and Cortina's fashionable restaurants and cafes come to life.

Day 8: Bolzano & Trento

Take a morning drive through one of the most beautiful roads in Italy, the Great Dolomite Road, which leads through the snowcapped peaks to Bolzano. At the city's archaeological museum, meet Ötzi, the 5,300-year-old "Ice Man" found frozen in these mountains in the 1990s. After lunch, take a side trip to Merano to stretch your legs on a nice walk along its river, and then continue south to Trento for the night. See where the Council of Trent congregated at the Castello di Buonconsiglio and have an unforgettable meal at the Scrigno del Duomo.

Day 9: Lake Garda & Cremona

In the morning, drive down the lake's more interesting western shore and join the windsurfers at Riva del Garda, see Mussolini's old haunts in Salo, and enjoy the captivating old city of Sirmione. Then, hop on the A4 highway to Brescia and turn south on the A7 to Cremona. See where Stradivarius violins were crafted and be sure to try some of the pumpkin-filled tortellini, one of the best pasta dishes in northern Italy.

Days 10 & 11: Cinque Terre & Portofino

The best way to approach the Cinque Terre from Cremona is to curve onto the A1 to Parma, and from there the A15 to La Spezia. After a morning on the highway, you'll be eager to leave your car behind in either Riomaggiore or Manarola and take a walk along the spectacular Via dell'Amore from village to village. (Again, book a hotel ahead of time in high season, as this place has become very popular among American tourists.) Although the extremely windy road between towns is scenic, it is time-consuming and can be downright nauseating. Instead, the next day, hop on the A12 highway for the much shorter route to Portofino, and enjoy a peaceful sunset on the port and perhaps a boat trip along the inlets. Budget travelers might wish to spend the second night in nearby Genoa, as Portofino and even Santa Margherita are very expensive.

Day 12: Genoa & Piedmont Wine Country

Younger audiences especially will enjoy Genoa's aquarium, Europe's largest, while art lovers might prefer to see the city's collections at the recently restored White Palace. After some of Genoa's legendary seafood and pesto, make your way into Piedmont's wine country, by taking the A26 and A21 to Asti. Taste the famous spumante made from the local Moscato grapes, and finish the day in Alba, home to the precious white truffle.

Day 13: Piedmont Wine Country & Turin

South of Alba are the revered vineyards of Barolo and Barbaresco, while just to the east of Alba is the town of Brà, rapidly becoming Italy's culinary capital. After lunch, take a quick drive up to Turin to see all that the city has to offer, especially after it was spruced up for the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Day 14: Lake Maggiore & Milan

Spend a leisurely day strolling the lakeside promenade in lovely Stresa and on ferries to the Borromean Islands. Fortunately the lake is not far from Turin and extremely close to Malpensa airport, where you can drop off your car.