After a warm welcome at Milan’s Malpensa Airport, transfers depart for your hotel at 09:30 and 12:30. Meet your Travel Director at 15:30 and join a local historian to naviguate through Milan's history and the life of Leonardo da Vinci. See the impressive facade of Milan Cathedral and the world famous La Scala Opera House. Linking the two is the elegant glass vaulted shopping arcade of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, lined with luxury boutiques. Mingle and get to know your fellow travellers during your Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant.
Cross the fertile plains of Lombardy to fair Verona, the home of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers. Explore its maze of elegant squares and visit the well-preserved Roman Arena, still used for opera performances.Explore Verona with Insight Choice. Choose a walking tour through the grand piazzas, see the statue of Dante and admire the Gothic tombs of the Scala family. Alternatively, embark on a Shakespeare-themed walk to recount famous moments from the story of Romeo and Juliet, stopping at Juliet's famed balcony. Continue on to Trento, regarded as one of Italy's most appealing cities to live in.
Follow the Adige River north into the magnificent mountains and the distinctive limestone peaks of the Dolomites. Arrive at the town of Bolzano, where Italy and Austria culturally collide and you are at leisure to explore the arcaded streets and squares. Continue along the zig-zagging scenic route to Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy’s most exclusive ski resort and a beautiful alpine haven during summer.
Enjoy a day at your leisure in this fashionable playground of the rich and famous, surrounded by towering cathedrals of rock. Take in the fresh mountain air as you stroll the pedestrianised Corso Italia, lined with designer stores and backed by the impressive green and white bell tower of the parish church. Why not ascend to the summit of one of the nearby peaks for magnificent panoramic views of the Dolomites?
Travel down through more majestic Dolomite scenery to one of the world’s most breathtaking wine regions. Protected by the Alps to the north, and caressed by the warm breezes from the Adriatic, the vineyards around Conegliano Veneto produce Italy’s most prized sparkling wine. Stop at Carmina where great care is taken to ensure these hand-picked grapes produce the world's finest prosecco. See how production differs from its more famous French counterpart, champagne. Be tempted with a taste of the crisp and aromatic flavours and learn how to make the perfect bellini. Continue on to the unique and remarkable island city of Venice, Queen of the Adriatic and check into your hotel.
Wake up ready to embrace this romantic city. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a visit to a traditional arts centre, where you can see how beautiful handcrafted glass is made by expert glassblowers, safeguarding traditional skills.What better way to see Venice than from a private boat, cruising past palazzos and churches to St. Mark’s Square? See the gilded basilica, the Doge's Palace and Lord Byron’s Bridge of Sighs. No visit to Venice would be complete without a gondola serenade through the myriad of beautiful canals. Relax and enjoy traditional local songs, as you drift along in romantic awe. Spend the afternoon as you wish. As night falls, why not savour the magic of St. Mark’s Square with its orchestras and al-fresco cafes?
Bid farewell to this enchanting city and continue past the university town of Padua to the peaceful shores of Lake Garda, the largest of Italy's lakes. Visit the charming resort of Sirmione clustered around the 13th century Scaligero Castle and jutting out into the lake, near the tip of a narrow peninsula.Follow the southern fringes of the Alps to reach the spectacular Italian Lake District and your hotel on the shores of Lake Como, where you will enjoy views on the lake from your room. Later, you have a choice of cuisine and ambience from a hand-picked selection of local restaurants for your Dine-Around Evening.
Enjoy a morning at leisure in Como. Nestled in the foothills of the Alps, this is a prime people watching spot with Europe’s rich and famous. Journey onwards to Lake Maggiore's Baveno, renowned for its charming 16th century square and narrow cobbled streets.
Relish a full day to relax and enjoy this popular resort and beautiful lake. Napoleon came here to plan his Italian Campaign, and Mussolini and Chamberlain met here before World War II to sign the Treaty of Stresa. Perhaps take a cruise out to the lovely Borromean Islands? Isola Bella is where Carlo Borromeo built his charming Palace. Savour delicious Farm-to-Table cuisine during your Celebration Dinner, accompanied by some exquisite Italian wines. Raise a glass to your travels and newfound friends.
Your journey draws to a close in the morning and transfers arrive at Milan's Malpensa Airport at 07:30 and 10:30.
Prices shown are per person based on two people sharing a twin room. To request a personalized travel quote, click "Request Quote" and a Travel Specialist will send your custom quote including airfare if requested.
Optional Experiences are subject to change. Your Travel Director will supply you with a final list of Optional Experiences available on your trip. Optional Experiences cannot be booked online; they can be purchased during your trip through your Travel Director.
Available on Day 3
With our Local Expert, we'll discover some of the spectacular highlights of Bolzano, including the Archaeologic sensation, media star, research topic and museum object: Ötzi in the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology. Ötzi is a glacier mummy from the Copper Age, who, thanks to extraordinary circumstances, has been preserved to the present day.
Adult Price: € 40
Available on Day 4
This evening we'll drive through the countryside to the foot of the Tofane Mountain in the heart of the Dolomite Ranges, where we'll enjoy fantastic cuisine in a superb setting. We'll soak in the atmosphere of a popular local restaurant while enjoying traditional Northern Italian hospitality and sampling delicious regional specialties and local wine.
Adult Price: € 64
Explore the colorful peaks and sheer valleys of the Dolomites – one of the most impressive mountain ranges in the Alps. Your full day of discovery includes a thrilling cable car ride to the summit of one of the peaks for breathtaking 360-degree views. In a unique combination of nature and history, learn about the incredible war waged in the mountains with a visit to a WWI museum. Complimentary coffee and strudel is included.
Adult Price: € 63
Available on Day 5
Leave the hustle of St Mark's Square behind on a delightful private cruise around the islands of the Venetian lagoon. Alight at the island of Burano, a photographer's paradise, famous for its candy-colored houses, artisan lace makers and leaning bell tower that would give Pisa a good run for its money. Enjoy a superb meal sampling the local specialties with wine included. An excursion not to be missed!
Adult Price: € 72
Available on Day 6
Venice is one of the most unique cities in the world and, after the crowds have left, it's at its most beautiful and suggestive! We board our private water taxis and are whisked down the most famous canal in Venice - the Grand Canal! We witness the beautiful and spectacular palazzi adorning the most famous ‘street’ in Venice then travel under the remarkable Rialto Bridge to arrive in the center of it all, Piazza San Marco! There we have seats reserved outside a famous Venetian cafe, in front of a live orchestra! We enjoy a drink and gaze out at illuminated St Mark's sights while being serenaded. This is Venice at its most unique and magical: an evening not to be missed, with images and sensations you'll never forget!
Adult Price: € 59
To only experience Venice's big set pieces - St Mark's Square; the Rialto; the Grand Canal - is to miss out on a hidden world full of surprises! Join a Local Expert for a fascinating walk through some of the lesser-known quarters of Venice. The back lanes and ‘campi,’ small squares, where tourists seldom tread are full of history and great places to sample local life.
Adult Price: € 34
Available on Day 8
Lake Como is the most picturesque of all the great Italian lakes, deeply treasured in the hearts of all the Italians. To enjoy its beauty, a private boat is the best way! You'll cruise past the magnificent villas of the rich and famous, stopping in Bellagio where there will be time to relax and enjoy this charming “pearl of the Lake” that sits spectacularly at the center of the three branches of Lake Como.
Adult Price: € 44
With our Local Expert, we'll experience the historical and spiritual heart of Lake Orta, one of the hidden gems of the Italian Lake District. From the comfort of our private launch, we'll enjoy the natural beauty of the lake, its backdrop of wooded hills and the mystical sacred island of San Giulio.
Adult Price: € 43
Available on Day 9
The premier attraction of Lake Maggiore is the Borromean Islands. We'll take a private boat over to Isola Bella, the largest and most famous island, renowned for its incredible palace and stunning Botanical Gardens. Our Local Expert will take us on a guided tour of this privately-owned palace, with free time to admire the gardens. A must!
Adult Price: € 49