There are a few universal truths among the JFC Flight Finding team, things that they can (almost) always know for sure without checking. Like the fact that when you’re booking with Lufthansa or SWISS, it’s cheaper to upgrade to Economy Basic than adding a checked bag later. Or that when you’re looking at flights on Skyscanner, etc., you can likely save a few quid by changing your regional settings.

Image from skyscanner.com

And then there’s Milan. Over the many years of hunting down cheap flights, Italy’s fashion capital has given itself a reputation for showing up with a great fare, even when nowhere else is willing to. So much so that it’s rarely even news at this point, and you’re not alone if you find it hard to get excited about the Duomo and shopping…again!

The city does have lots more to offer, but this time we’re not here to talk about Milan itself, rather the beautiful towns and countryside on its proverbial doorstep. Native Milanese Flight Finder Fran has shared her favourite escapes outside the city, so you can plan the dreamy lakeside break you’ve always wanted. Vineyards optional, but recommended.

Here are a few to get you started:

Lake Maggiore

Everyone knows Lake Como (which is also just a 1-hour train ride from Malpensa) but Lake Maggiore is a strong rival, sitting just around the corner from Bellagio— THAT village in Lake Como—and its pricey surroundings.

The little town of Stresa is the jewel of the lake, with a lively cultural scene and boat connections from its tiny port. My favourite is a day trip to the Borromean Archipelago, a group of three tiny islands off the coast of Stresa.

Named after the Borromeo family, you can find several fabulous villas and palaces, as well as enchanting gardens filled with exotic plants (there’s no doubt as to why locals like to call them the ‘Garden of Eden’).

How to get there:

• By train: From Malpensa train station, hop on a train to Busto Arsizio. From there, change to the train heading to Domossola, and it’ll stop in Stresa. In total, it’ll take you 1hr 15-min to get there from the airport.
• 1hr by car from Malpensa Airport.

Franciacorta

Some people like to call it the ‘ Tuscany of the North’ because of the endless vineyards in the region.

Basically, if you’re coming to Franciacorta, you’re coming for wine. Just take a look at this map that demonstrates the sheer number of wineries in such a tiny area. The sparkling wines are the worldwide speciality, and they’re specifically made with only three types of grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Nero.

What’s so special about Franciacorta is that its wines are still mostly made in family wineries run by craftsmen, meaning wine tastings are very intimate and unique. You can expect plenty of family owned agriturismi (farm stays) offering activities such as horseback riding and mountain biking. One of my favourite is Cascina Solive, which is immersed in vineyards and olive trees, without the inflated prices of other touristy areas.

Best time to be here: Every year, the Franciacorta in Cantina festival celebrates the best wineries and local delicacies. It's usually sometime in mid-September (16th-17th in 2023) but keep an eye on their website for up-to-date information.

How to get there:

Just like in Tuscany, you’ll get the most out of Franciacorta if you can drive around the fields and vineyards in a car. You can easily rent one at Orio al Serio Airport, and it will take you only 30 minutes to drive to Borgonato/Torbiato, where I recommend you base yourself.

Cinque Terre

Since cheap flights to Genova aren’t that common, Milan also has the best airports to access Liguria: the Cinque Terre region. This rugged coastline of the Ligurian Riviera is made up of five incredible hillside villages: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Even if you don’t know them by name, you’ve definitely seen them all over your Instagram feed.

The five villages are connected by hiking trails open all year round, with hikes taking anywhere from 40 mins to 3.5 hours. Taking the ferry is also an option to admire the colourful houses from a different perspective, and you can hop on and off whenever you like.

However, the most common (and cheapest) way to get around in the Cinque Terre is by train. The Cinque Terre Express trains run from Sestri Levante every 15 minutes and stops at each one of the Cinque Terre villages.

If you decide to spend a weekend there, I’d recommend finding an Airbnb/Hotel in Sestri Levante. Less touristy and bigger than the Cinque Terre villages, it has everything you need to enjoy Liguria without feeling cramped inside a tiny town.

On the way to the Cinque Terre, you’ll be passing by Genova. It’s one of my favourite places to visit in Northern Italy, so I’d suggest making a stop for a few hours.

Here in Genova, you can take a stroll in the caruggi and maybe check out the aquarium on the port. When aperitivo hour comes, try to find your way to Bagni Santa Chiara. It’s a hidden tiny lido with a restaurant/bar on a dock. Head there before sunset and spoil yourself with some Aperol Spritz and handmade focaccia.

For dinner, walk for ten minutes to Boccadasse, the prettiest borgo in the city. There are some cute restaurants in front of the sea, but if you want to blend in with the locals, grab a stramburger and eat it on the beach.

BTW, pesto was created in this region and locals argue that there’s no better place in the world to have a pesto pasta with green beans and potatoes. Trust them and give it a try yourself at Pestobene!

How to get there:

From both Bergamo and Malpensa Airports, you can get a train to Milan Centrale and then a connection to Genova and Sestri Levante. The train trip takes about 3.5 hrs.

Read more…

No doubt that’s offered up plenty of inspiration, and hopefully we won’t all be so quick to write off those cheap trips to Milan next time they pop up. Just remember to send us your postcards from Italy when the time comes!

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We’re coming at you (very politely) with a serving of Southern charm this week!

The state’s undeniable strength lies in its picturesque coastal towns. Myrtle Beach, aka the Grand Strand, is a major draw for the classic boardwalk and amusements experience. It’s also the place to be if you’re partial to a round of golf, with more than 90 courses, and the green space continues to the state parks and their stunning ocean front trails.

Hilton Head Island is known for having some of the best beaches on the Atlantic, although it’s the miles of tidal salt marshes that create a truly unique landscape. Kayaking and boat trips are a great way to gain insight into the island’s ecosystem, and dolphin spottings are pretty much guaranteed!

Taking a tour on the Gullah Heritage Trail is another must when you’re in the area. Away from the touristy downtown, on the islands between Charleston and Savannah, live communities of descendants of enslaved people from West Africa, known as the Gullah people. Their relative remoteness has helped to preserve their language and culture, which you can learn about by visiting their villages or attending the annual Gullah Celebration in February.

Over in historic Charleston, you can learn more about the city’s roots and its tragic role in the country’s slave trade. You’ll still be close to the seaside, though, with proper Castaway beach vibes just a stone’s throw from town. We’d vote for a trip to undeveloped Caper’s Island, which can only be reached by charter boat from Sullivan’s Island—or kayak, or canoe, if you’re feeling adventurous!

You’ll find a great variety of South Carolina road trip itineraries over on Lonely Planet (all hail!), but as always, we’ve got a couple of specific recommendations you don’t want to miss.

If your name is James, this one is for you— Gaffney’s giant Peachoid, as featured in House of Cards. And then there’s one for the sci-fi fans—the UFO Welcome Center in Bowman, which has been ready and waiting for extraterrestrial visitors since 1994. That’s what we call patience!

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across the web this week.

• Richard Branson has been feeling the heat this week, when Virgin Galactic received a roasting for promoting their suborbital space tours just a week after the Titan submersible tragedy. The company’s first commercial tour successfully took place on Thursday, with tickets for future trips selling for $450,000 each.
• Whether you like it or not, the Barbie movie is on its way, along with utter Barbie-mania. Even AirBnB is in on the act, with a new listing for Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse. We’re still not clear if this is real or not…
• Got a regional British accent and fancy a free flight? KLM are running a competition to find the voice of their next radio campaign, and their favourite entries will win a pair of return flights to a European destination of their choosing.
• Last week we saw Concorde 2.0 crossing the Atlantic in 3.5 hours, this week we’ve got designs for a hydrogen jet that can fly from Paris to New York in just 1.5 hours. The aircraft should be able to travel at five-times the speed of sound and an altitude of over 100,000ft.
• And finally, sometimes flight delays really can pay off—okay, rarely. But after his flight from Oklahoma City to Charlotte was delayed by 18 hours, one passenger discovered he was the only person who hadn’t rebooked his flight, resulting in a whole plane and crew to himself.

  As you’d hope, given the situation, he got to sit wherever he liked (First Class, obviously), and the crew served him all the food and drink he desired. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for some sweet delays in future!