Ryanair are at it again!!! Their so-called Milan slot is closer to Bergamo some distance to the east of Milan, but they may offer transport to Milan or you will have to get a train. Try their website under DESTINATIONS for details of the airport link and the best train site I can suggest is http://www.db.de (German railways) which covers Europe and can be accessed in English.

However, for Rome Ciampino, you've done ok. Ciampino is the regular airport to the south of Rome that handles all charter traffic and minor league airlines. It has direct train connections with Roma Termini, the main Rome railway station, but WATCH YOUR BELONGINGS as it is not situated in the most salubrious area of Rome! Either use the Deutschebahn site above for train times or see if Ryanair has any information, failing that there must be a website for the airport itself - try entering Ciampino airport in Google.

Given the shaky state of Alitalia and possible disruption to their services, you're better off at Ciampino by far ... as if there's hassle ahead it'll be Fiumincino (the major Roman airport) that'll suffer.

Aaagh: you said 'resorts' .... well from Bergamo you will need to either hire a car or take a train to ... Lake Garda, the Italian Tyrol, Venice and via Milan for Florence, Pisa or Bologna.

From Rome train station, you can get to Naples, the Amalfi coast, Sorrento, Pompeii, Florence, Pisa, Venice ...

Have you investigated the Kilometrico ticket which allows for up to 6 of you to travel up to 2000 km for a set fee? Contact the Italian Tourist Board in London, or FS - Ferrovie dello Stato ... Italian State Railways.

For cheap hotels, there really aren't many, especially in the resorts above, but places to start include the local tourist offices (usually accessible on the web) or site such as Opodo, Expedia, Alpharooms or chains such as Ibis or Campanile. Good luck e buon viaggi!

We recently stayed at:-

Milan - Hotel Terminal. Nice rooms but not the best location, near central station, which I found a bit seedy. I wasn't impressed by Milan at all!

Rome - Holiday Inn Express San Giovanni - nice hotel and in a nice suburb with an underground. There is also a mainline train station which is easily reached from Fiumicino airport. Ciampino is on the underground anyway, we're going back in December to Rome (we loved it). We're staying at Mercure Delta Colosseo, it's a freebie 2 nights offered by hotel chain where we had an unpleasant room (their hotel in Rimini).

Don't know if Ryanair fly here from Liverpool, but you might want to consider Florence (from Pisa airport). We stayed at Holiday Inn Florence, good deals at
http://www.hiexpress.com
the hotel was lovely, 15 minute bus ride, in a nice suburb with some shops, cafes etc around the corner and Florence is just one of the loveliest places I've been. We may even go back next year.

I have just returned from Bergamo having flown with Ryanair from Newcastle. Bergamo is very close to the airport and it is only one euro on the very frequent bus right into the centre of Bergamo. Buses also run frequently to Milan and (from memory) the cost is seven euros. Tickets for both are bought from a well signposted kiosk in the airport itself and tickets must be stamped on the bus.

Bergamo is a very beautiful place and well worth a visit........plenty of churches and history. It is an upmarket place with very few bars but loads of restaurants. A decent meal with wine and coffee could be had for about £10 but all restaurants had a full menu of the day for about £12 with four courses, wine, water and coffee.

I stayed at the Hotel Mercure in the centre of town next to the railway station. A really excellent 4 star hotel where I paid 85 euros a night with superb breakfast for a double room. This was a special deal booked on the internet as it is off-season. A far better hotel than I usually end up with! Purely by chance I endeds up with a room with a large balcony overlooking the main street and had a superb view of a very well organised local procession. The procession lasted for about three hours and everyone had put an immense amount of effort into the costumes and floats

All in all, Bergamo is well worth a visit rather than continuing on to Milan.