Ask Lonely Planet: Festival fun for all on Italy jaunt

Foodies should visit Parma, where you can find the Tower of Torrechiara. Photo / Jim Eagles

My group of six friends want to travel to Italy for about three weeks next year. We don't know what season would be best to travel and we are unsure about how easy it will be for us to get accommodation and what form of transport we should get. All of us enjoy food and wine. Should we aim to be there for any particular festival?
- Lynda Reilly

Lonely Planet's Shawn Low writes:

A good time to visit would be from April to June - you don't get the summer tourist crowds. With your varied interests, you're probably best off identifying several destinations you can visit together before splitting up. Make sure that everyone is on the same page with regards to the itinerary and travelling habits - there's no better way to sour a friendship than by disagreeing while on a holiday.

Travelling with a group has advantages - accommodation and transport costs are split between six. You could hire service apartments and also get a larger vehicle (such as Toyota Tarago).

If this is your first trip to Italy, you should do the big-ticket sights together. Three weeks isn't a lot of time but enough for you to do a 'best of Italy'.

A sample itinerary: Start in Rome, push up to Florence with side trips to Siena and Pisa before heading to Bologna. The next stop would be Venice, then Verona en route to finish in Milan. If you want to add more, consider starting in Naples with a side trip to Pompeii, before moving on to Rome. Foodies should visit Parma and Modena.

There are festivals galore in Italy, the most iconic being Carnevale in February. During Good Friday, there are ceremonies in Rome and other towns.

Customs complaint

I recently returned to New Zealand by Emirates from Zurich, via Dubai (in transit) and Sydney (in transit) to Auckland. While in Zurich I bought some body lotion (more than 100ml) at Duty Free. The cashier put the product and the receipt into a sealed plastic bag, which had printed on the bottom, "Do not open until Final Destination". I popped the parcel into my "take on" bag. This bag was scanned in Dubai - no problems there. But when I had the bag checked at Sydney, Customs demanded that my bag be examined. After much debate, they confiscated the body lotion. I was incensed. I am aware of the more-than-100ml rule but felt that as my purchase was in a sealed bag I would be fine. Is there anything I can do?
- Lesley Milne

Lonely Planet's Asia-Pacific Travel Editor Shawn Low writes:

I sympathise about the loss of your purchase. While it's unfortunate, Sydney airport officials carry out their duties to the letter of the law. Transit passengers are also subject to this law. But the duty-free store in Zurich should have checked your next destination and advised accordingly.

I suggest that you write to the Zurich and Sydney airports, as well as the Australian Department of Infrastructure and Transport. Explain your situation and suggest that signage and education be clearer on both ends.