Italy - Venice and Lake Garda

phinix
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p.1 #1 · Italy - Venice and Lake Garda

I'm planning a trip to Lake Garda in August/September. Will start from Venice for 2 days, then around 7 days to Lake Garda and 3 days Toscany.
So far I have and will take with me Nikon Zf and 17-28/2.8.
Need to buy one more lens, but wondring which one would be more used - 24-120mm or 24-200mm?

Also, Which of those beautiful towns around Garda are worth to see? I will have around 7 days for it, can spend like 1-2 days in each town.
After that - what should I see in Toscany? Should have around 3 days for it. Would like to see Florence, Piza and do some wine tasting, visit some famous winery.

Mar 12, 2026 at 09:30 PM

LeoPizzo
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p.1 #2 · Italy - Venice and Lake Garda

Ciao,

Personally, I would rebalance the time spent between Lake Garda and Tuscany.
If not exactly reversing it, then at least splitting the days evenly.
Lake Garda is very beautiful, especially the Brescia side: Sal�, Limone, Gardone, and down to Desenzano, and even better, Sirmione.
Tuscany, for its part, has many areas worth seeing.
Let�s say that within an hour and a half of Florence, you have Pisa and Siena.
Those alone require a day; add two days for Florence, especially if you�ve never been there.
Also about an hour away are San Gimignano and Volterra.
Another half-hour from Siena is the Val d�Orcia, with Montalcino and Montepulciano nearby.

If possible, consider coming in September: it�s usually cooler, less crowded, and the weather is stable.
It must be said that, with the changes currently underway, the weather could also be very different, unfortunately.

Mar 16, 2026 at 01:45 AM

taildraggin
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p.1 #3 · Italy - Venice and Lake Garda

LeoPizzo wrote:
Ciao,

Personally, I would rebalance the time spent between Lake Garda and Tuscany.
If not exactly reversing it, then at least splitting the days evenly.
Lake Garda is very beautiful, especially the Brescia side: Sal�, Limone, Gardone, and down to Desenzano, and even better, Sirmione.
Tuscany, for its part, has many areas worth seeing.
Let�s say that within an hour and a half of Florence, you have Pisa and Siena.
Those alone require a day; add two days for Florence, especially if you�ve never been there.
Also about an hour away are San Gimignano and Volterra.
Another half-hour from Siena is the Val d�Orcia, with Montalcino and Montepulciano...Show more →

100%.

Venice, Rome and Florence are the bucket list cities. Most Americans don't know that each major city is pretty much a distinctly different city-state, with independent histories, government origins, food and culture.

No one can understand what a Neapolitan says and Venetians only sell pizza because American tourists (and the seagulls) expect it.

My general recommendation is to run the line from Rome to Venice and stop in Tuscany along the way (Florence/ Siena/ & the day trip towns Leo lists) along the way. Most US tourists don't stop in Bologna, which is along the line as it doesn't have the overwhelming attractions of the others, but I love its lifestyle.). The train takes that route, which makes it easy. You can also rent a car and drive it, which is fun, too, but it's not necessary.)

Hopefully, you can treat this as a scouting trip for next time. Don't do too much - it's all good. Just "take in" the place and accept that you will need to return.

Flying out of Venice is a beautiful, sad, water taxi ride to the airport. Best flights are to/from Rome.

Mar 16, 2026 at 07:19 AM

LeoPizzo
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p.1 #4 · Italy - Venice and Lake Garda

I forgot to mention the lenses!

I don�t know your photography style or your preferred focal lengths, but I�m guessing you�re not really into intimate landscapes or wildlife�

A 28mm lens is probably too wide-angle for this trip.
A 24-120mm lens is usually sufficient for the cities and places you�ll be visiting.
The 24-200 is lighter, a bit darker, and chromatically less "beautiful" than the 24-120.
The difference in focal length isn�t that great, and above all, it isn�t significant in those areas.
Only if you planned to go to Val d�Orcia and wanted to shoot some small trees on the hilltops would I take a longer lens, and in that case, I�d jump straight to a 28-400.
Even though it�s dark, you�d be shooting in broad daylight, so it shouldn�t be a problem.

Getting back to the trip, I don�t know your age or preferences, but considering that traveling to Italy from the UK isn�t a huge journey, I�d focus on 3 or 4 places and save Rome and the rest of the country for another trip - actually, at least two more!

Mar 19, 2026 at 01:26 AM

taildraggin
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p.1 #5 · Italy - Venice and Lake Garda

phinix, I didn't see that you are a Scot. I'm uncertain, but I may need to apologize.

Knowledge of whisky could be useful with the bleery late night alchemy of coffee and ammazzacaff� rollercoaster that I have yet to fully master.

Mar 19, 2026 at 04:53 AM

Mujabad123
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p.1 #6 · Italy - Venice and Lake Garda

IF you go to Venice�there's the Venice Biennale (La Biennale di Venezia). Until November 22nd. Highly recommended if you like to see art. Prices for hotels can be a bit steep though (but still very much recommended). Try to stay in Venice itself.

Mar 31, 2026 at 09:45 AM

Craig Gillette
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p.1 #7 · Italy - Venice and Lake Garda

As to the 24-120 vs 24-200, I find that I do take some longer "travel" shots, out to 200mm. If I were to sort them out by focal length, it wouldn't be a huge number. I'd planned on a 24-105 (or 120), over time, thinking of going to ff from aps-c, in dslrs then in mirrorless. A Sony user, I did decide to go with a Tamron 28-200 instead, the "superzooms" getting better over the years, I'd used an 18-140 or 18-135 in aps-c so liked the range.

These two, the price and sizes are very similar, so no big driver either way. I don't know the image quality differences except at a distance by reputation/forum discussions. Use wise, I'd prefer the 200mm to be available unless there's a distinct quality concern. End use might suggest more or less concern over the image, viewing on screen mostly, social media sharing, or going for prints? I use an A7Riv now so have more "crop space" than the ZF so that might be a nudge towards the 24-200 if you see using the longer focal lengths more vs being able to crop.

Location wise I'm of no help. Our daughter was in school in Florence for a year and got all kinds of travel in including the Biennale mentioned. It's one of those not enough time and too many places.

Apr 01, 2026 at 04:43 PM

phinix
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p.1 #8 · Italy - Venice and Lake Garda

Thank you for your suggestions.
I know weather might be a mixed bag next week, but unfortunately I had to choice (work comitments).
So, we are going there next week, starting Wednesday from Venice 1.5 day, Garda 5 days, then Florence 3.5 days.

Venice is just to be and see it, not planning much, one full day, will go on that Bell Tower and that's it, rest will be simply walking around, absorbing the atmosphere of the city, plus maybe few cannolli and about 100 litres of crema di caffe

I tried it in Rome 2 years ago for the first time in my life and it became one of the best things I tried

Garda will be busy, I planned whole 5 days around, lots of ferry travelling, eating lake fish, some nice pizza etc
Monte Baldo, Garda, Bardolino, Sirmione, Desenzano, Limone, Malcesine, Salo, Riva.

Florence - here I have nothing. I mean I'm not a fan of churches, but will go and see Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore of course. second thing I have on the list is Ponte Vecchio and that is it.
I'm planning rest of the time to do excursions, first one to Pisa, taking train, see the tower. Next wine tasting half day orginised trip to few Chianti vineyards.

Now, I would love to see all those fantastic places you mentioned, Val d�Orcia especially. However, I dont know if its doable without a car.
What would you suggest?

Aug 11, 2026 at 05:52 PM

Craig Gillette
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p.1 #9 · Italy - Venice and Lake Garda

Florence, pretty walkable, even if not a big fan or churches,the Basilica di Santa Croce is one of the larger churches, and is also the resting place for ta number of notable Italians, including those from the Italian Renaissance such as Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli, as well as the poet Foscolo, political philosopher Gentile and the composer Rossini, and as recent as Enrico Fermi, so has more than a little tourist type interest. Several museums, Academia (David),Uffizi Gallery, Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens. Piazzale Michelangelo for the sunset view. With some planning Cinque Terre and Pisa can be a day trip by train.

Aug 12, 2026 at 02:11 AM


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