if you're thinking of going to northern italy this summer, I've got the perfect itinerary! I've explored all the places with my backpack and on the italian railways, with light lunches like cheese and tuna sandwiches, but delicious italian dinners. if you're looking for a budget trip, I'll give you all the tips!
MILANO
we arrived in milan on the italian railways. italy has some very fast and accessible railways. milano central railway station is a very characteristic place in the city centre. it has some famous shops and an incredible grandeur. in milan, we visited most of the free attractions that the city has to offer. there are a lot of attractions, but many of them are a bit far away, so I recommend a metro pass to get around better.
the duomo di milano and the galleria vittorio emanuele II were the next attractions. as they are very close to each other, we were able to visit them more easily. the exterior of the duomo, is very beautiful and grand. after admiring the exterior of the duomo, we realized we had missed out on the wonders inside due to not buying tickets in advance.
next we went to the galleria vittorio emanuele II. this monument is a breathtaking gallery, designed down to the smallest detail. on the inside, you can get an idea of what life was like back then. beyond that, is an authentic and unique shopping center with many shops that celebrate italian fashion.
GENOVA
at the end of the second day, we went to genoa. a completely different city from the previous one. the first thing we did was, go swimming at a small beach. but make no mistake, along this coast, we only found beaches with lots of rocks. not very comfortable, but beautiful in any perspective. to visit the city we took the bus, which was completely free. the city is like a giant canvas, with buildings adorned in paint instead of marble ornaments. there's also a lot of monuments worth seeing. these include the monumento a garibaldi, the arco della vittoria and piazza corvetto.
— PORTOFINO
the next day we went to portofino, passing through santa margherita. a village characterized by the way the buildings and houses were decorated. the buildings were decorated with paintings that simulated the ornaments around the windows. through very narrow streets we reached portofino. portofino looks like a film set. this province is known for being a marina where the most famous celebrities stop. 
but it is a province full of secrets. we set out to discover them and after a while we found some hidden beaches. like little hideaways.
on the fourth day of our trip we decided to carry the house around and visit the cinque terre. the cinque terre are five provinces (monterosso, manarola, vernazza, corniglia and riomaggioro) that are very different from each other but form a whole and can be visited in different ways, both on foot and by train. if you want to walk, you can take the via dell'amore, which takes about 5 hours. besides that, all the villages have a train station and it takes about 5-10 minutes between each one.
all these lands have access to sea water, but all in very common and different ways. you can stop in each village and take a minute to dive into this magical places. all the lands also have places to eat, a pharmacy, and (of course) places to buy souvenirs. the landscapes are very different from one to another.
from monterosso, which looks like a beach with loads of people, to riomaggiori, which looks like something out of a film, with colorful houses and a hill leading up to a castle.
FLORENCIA
florence was the city we saw and enjoyed the most. it has many magnificent and grandiose monuments. in addiction, the people were lovely and very welcoming. the first night we were there, we came across people singing and dancing in the middle of the street, they were really enjoying themselves. 
we were lucky to visit this city at the right time (important tip: all museums in florence are free on the first sunday of every month). so we visited many museums such as the uffizi, the accademia, the bargello and the pitti palace. incredible museums with extraordinary masterpieces by great painters and sculptors from the history of art, which showed us a bit of the history of the city.
— MERCATO CENTRALE
to eat, I recommend the mercato centrale, a place full of italian smells and flavors. there are plenty of options, both for snacks or to have a full meal and taste many different flavors.
— ALL'ANTICO VINAIO
another recommendation is the restaurant all'antico vinaio. it was recommended to us, but we didn't know it was such a popular place. this is a takeaway restaurant and you can get the best sandwiches you've ever tasted. despite the huge queue, I guarantee it's worth it.
— PIAZZA DI MICHELANGELO
to end the day, we went for a really huge walk to the piazza di michelangelo. there we watched the sunset and even witnessed an incredible marriage proposal.
VENEZIA
we spent the next night on the train (important tip: in italy, there are several overnight trains) on our way to venice. we arrived in venice in the morning. so, we took the opportunity to visit the city. venice is like a mini maze, with lots of long, narrow streets. 
we managed to visit everything in one morning, as all the shops were still closed and there wasn't much going on. although this city is one of the most famous, yet a little disappointing. besides that, it's a very beautiful and romantic city, there are lots of things to do, including a gondola ride and a walk across the multiple bridges.
— PIAZZA SAN MARCO
we decided to walk, although there were boat bus options, as we still had plenty of time. we ended up unintentionally in piazza san marco. it shows enormous architectural grandeur.
VERONA
with the time saved on the night trip, we were able to add another city to our itinerary. verona, the city of romeo and juliet. we started by visiting the museo degli affreschi, where in addition to an incredible art collection, there was also juliet's tomb.
— VERONA ARENA
we then passed the verona arena, which is followed by several streets and squares lined with italian designer stores. we couldn't miss a visit to verona's attraction, juliet's house.
there you'll find a number of padlocks showing the romanticism passed down by this couple. despite the traffic at this attraction, we were able to immerse ourselves and try to understand what it would have been like at the time when juliet lived.
at the end of the week, we had a crazy trip back, with lots of mishaps on the way to the airport and back to portugal.
marta barroso is the most recent member of CINCO team. born and raised in a small town from north of portugal. despite her age, she can put the ideas into reality. her educational background includes a bachelor in communication and multimedia design at the esec.
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