Italy help and hostels in Milan and Venice?

[Haley]

I'll be staying a few days in each place around Christmas time and thought it best to be booking soon, just in case places fill up. Where were some of your favorite places to stay (relatively cheaply) in Milan and Venice?
Another potential problem is that I'll be in Italy during Epiphany, a national holiday. Will any public transportation be working? Or will I be "stuck" wherever I end up?
Also, is Pisa doable as a day trip en route without staying over?

[Patrick]

Milan is not a recommended place to visit on these boards at all. Most people disliked it. Pisa can definitely be done in a day trip en route somewhere.

[Kim]

Patrick took the words out of my mouth - avoid Milan.

Where would you be doing Pisa from, as a day trip?

And are you going to Rome?

Kim

[Haley]

I'd be going to Pisa from Florence after having dropped down from Vienna (study abroad) through Venice and Bologna. I'm doing Pisa en route northwards towards Germany. For this trip I'm not going to go to Rome since I want to spend time in Germany and then hit Spain/Portugal before visiting relatives in London. I'm hoping all of this isn't too intense a schedule for the month of January (leaving Vienna Dec 28th).
Would it be wise to stay in south Germany since I'm going to Spain afterwards? The major cities are more in the north, but where would be good places to visit in the south? Since I'm travelling by myself I'm going to focus more on art/architecture rather than plan my trips around nightlife. Thanks for your help!

[me]

Major German cities more in North? What about Munich? Or Frankfurt/Mainz? Even Konstanz, it's a major student town.

there are other places in Southern Germany worthy of a visit. It isn't all about Berlin & Hamburg. (though, those are interesting cities)

Berlin & Hamburg are bigger, but Munich is a major German city, imo.

- d

Guest-Haley said:

Would it be wise to stay in south Germany since I'm going to Spain afterwards? The major cities are more in the north, but where would be good places to visit in the south? Since I'm travelling by myself I'm going to focus more on art/architecture rather than plan my trips around nightlife. Thanks for your help!

[me]

Munich has several good museums. the castles near Fussen are nice. Mainz has an interesting museum about Gutenburg printing press. there's also an architecturally interesting cathedral in Mainz.

i'm sure others can be even more insightful.

- d

Guest-Haley said:

Since I'm travelling by myself I'm going to focus more on art/architecture rather than plan my trips around nightlife. Thanks for your help!