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Milan + Turin or Just Lisbon for 2 full days

Milan + Turin or Just Lisbon for 2 full days

Old Aug 3, 2018, 3:03 pm
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Question Milan + Turin or Just Lisbon for 2 full days

Would like to escape to Europe from New York for a long weekend in late October. Can only spend 2 full days there. So flying out on Thursday night. Back to New York on Sunday morning.

Narrowed down my choices to Milan (because of the convenient and well priced direct flights from New York, including on Emirates) and Lisbon.

I am aware that there is not that much to see in Milan itself (and I don't care at all about shopping). So plan to spend 1 full day in Turin during my 2nd day there (a fast train from Milan to Turin takes just 1 hour). Because of this I would only be in the city centers (Milan and Turin) - no time for the side trips to the lakes.

Another option is Lisbon. The downside is that the flights (surprising) are much more expensive, even though on a whole Lisbon is known as a cheaper destination. Maybe because it's popular now, all the convenient flights are close to a $1000 round trip in economy.

But because the food and everything else is cheaper perhaps it will be the same total cost in the end.

What I am looking for is just the European charm, coffee shops, walking streets, old, beautiful buildings, squares with people and cafes, etc. (love good coffee). Not much into museums and shopping. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
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Old Aug 3, 2018, 3:22 pm
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Neither is a terrible choice, but I'd choose Lisbon. Great walking city, beautiful views from the higher neighborhoods, good restaurants, especially seafood. If you see everything you want to see on Friday, it's a quick train ride to Sintra for the day on Saturday.

I don't know that I'd call Lisbon "cheap", but compared to NYC, it definitely is!

Of course, you'll get wonderful food and coffee in Milan too, but Lisbon is still a bit of a hidden gem, as least for American tourists.
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Old Aug 3, 2018, 4:56 pm
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If coffee's your thing....your not going to do better than Lisbon. Remember, Brazil was a colony of Portugal, and they have a long and well-developed coffee culture.

Walking around Lisbon is great. Lisbon has a "San Francisco" feel with narrow streets, old canary-yellow trams rattling along steep hills that overlooking the ocean. And, Lisbon has a reputation as having hot culinary scene.

The weather in late October will be warmer and sunnier in Lisbon.
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Old Aug 4, 2018, 7:46 am
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I'm reminded of the person who asked about what there was to do in NYC after the first day. There's not much to see there if you aren't into shopping or museums either. It's not as if there are hundreds of years of history, architecture, or culture to explore.
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Old Aug 4, 2018, 8:53 am
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Lisbon will do that better for you. Coffee isn't so much a big emphasis but coffee shops with pasteis (aka pastel de nata) is. Lots of "hip" modern businesses for cocktails or experimental cooking, too.
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Old Aug 4, 2018, 8:37 pm
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Let me also add my vote for Lisbon (lovely city). The extra money you'll spend for the Milano-Torino train plus the higher North Italian prices for restaurants and hotels will most probably be more than the higher cost of the flight to/from Lisbon.
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Old Aug 7, 2018, 5:23 pm
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Originally Posted by dulciusexasperis
I'm reminded of the person who asked about what there was to do in NYC after the first day. There's not much to see there if you aren't into shopping or museums either. It's not as if there are hundreds of years of history, architecture, or culture to explore.
I spent four days in Milan earlier this year, and I'd go back because I missed seeing some things.
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Old Aug 7, 2018, 6:05 pm
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I think that Lisbon, the OP's choice, is a wonderful city. I spent about 10 days there 12 years ago and never got bored (but, then, I am into museums), and it seems to have become much trendier since then. But in the interests of fairness on the coffee issue, I'd add that Turin, the home of Lavazza, is certainly no slouch. It has a number of famed and beautiful grand caffs (which are also good places for hot chocolate), high quality overall, and its own coffee-and-chocolate drink, the bicerin. As for history, what is now Italy introduced coffee to Europe from North Africa and the Middle East.
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Old Aug 8, 2018, 3:04 am
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Originally Posted by Giggleswick
As for history, what is now Italy introduced coffee to Europe from North Africa and the Middle East.
That's a fast and loose summary of the coffee trade. Most country's lore has coffee introduced without an intermediary. In Austria it was a direct contact with the Ottomans during the Holy Roman Empire's war vs the Ottomans.
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Old Aug 8, 2018, 9:03 am
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Originally Posted by deniah
That's a fast and loose summary of the coffee trade. Most country's lore has coffee introduced without an intermediary. In Austria it was a direct contact with the Ottomans during the Holy Roman Empire's war vs the Ottomans.
Go to Greece and ask for a Turkish coffee... always fun
And if they insist that 'Turkish coffee' is actually a Greek invention, just explain to them in a patronising voice that Greeks got coffee from Italians in any case
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Old Aug 8, 2018, 11:48 am
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Originally Posted by deniah
That's a fast and loose summary of the coffee trade. Most country's lore has coffee introduced without an intermediary. In Austria it was a direct contact with the Ottomans during the Holy Roman Empire's war vs the Ottomans.
Sorry, you're right, I could have worded it better. It's not that Italy served as the intermediary to other European countries, it's just that it is generally accepted as being the first place on the European mainland to have had coffee.
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Old Aug 9, 2018, 3:54 am
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LIS is much cheaper than MIL but everyone and their grandmother are coming to visit now, so flights will be expensive
Also, if you're looking at nonstops - you'll pay a premium as most traffic here is *A and TP has a hub in LIS.

In my non-objective view, LIS is much more interesting for a weekend than MIL+Turin. If you're into skiing, look into doing Milan and Turin in the winter, where you can get a good day or two of skiing in Via Lattea.
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Old Aug 11, 2018, 12:14 am
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I was just in LIS a few weeks ago, and I definitely think it ticks every single one of your boxes. And it's the kind of place that can be as cheap or expensive as you wish to make it. There are plenty of mid- to high-end bars and restaurants (still very modestly priced in comparison to the US though), but just as many dirt cheap, hole-in-the-wall local gems.

Since it sounds like you're into cafes with old world charm - don't miss Confeitaria Nacional when you're there.
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