Buongiorno! Welcome to Italy, the land of world-class gastronomy, ancient architecture and some of the world’s greatest works of art.
Begin your tour at your Milan hotel, with a guided walking tour of the city. Descend into the streets of Milan’s historical centre to admire the famed La Scala theatre, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Sforzesco Castle and the Duomo di Milano.
Together with your group, conclude your tour with an exquisite Italian aperitif. The evening is yours to explore at your own pace.
Today, your travels take you to Switzerland as you transfer by coach to Saint Moritz. Here, you’ll have time to stroll the streets of this luxury resort town before boarding the Bernina Express railway. Regarded as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world, your route takes you through the Engadin Valley and up to the Bernina Pass.
Your journey today will finish in Tirano, where you’ll board your return coach to Milan for an evening at leisure.
Travel time: Driving – approx. 5.5 hours / Railway – approx. 2.5 hours
Continue your tour with another train journey to Stresa, on the shores of Lake Maggiore. After checking into your hotel, explore the town’s belle epoque architecture and scenic waterfront.
Travel time: Railway – approx. two hours
Today, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the Borromean Islands. Following breakfast, take a ferry to the islands of Isola Bella and Isola Madre, famous for their baroque palaces and verdant gardens.
Continue on to discover Lake Como via the Centovalli (‘A Hundred Valleys’) Railway, widely considered one of the most spectacular lines in the world. Travel from Domodossola to Locarno, where you will stop to enjoy the Swiss lakeside town.
Enjoy the evening at leisure.
Travel time: Driving – approx. 2.5 hours / Railway – approx. 90 minutes
Today you will enjoy a full-day tour of Lake Como and Bellagio. Your morning will start with a walking tour of Como’s city centre before you set off on a boat cruise across the lake. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure in Bellagio, the so-called “Pearl of the Lake”, before returning to Como.
Bid farewell to Como after breakfast, then venture onward to Bergamo by coach. Here, you’ll enjoy lunch and the chance to explore the city. Ascend the Citta Alta, guarded by 16th-century Venetian Walls, and marvel at its narrow streets and generational cafes.
Later, continue to your lakeside hotel at Lake Garda.
Travel time: Driving – approx. three hours
Today is yours at leisure in Bardolino. Familiarise yourself with the local olive oil production, sample the town’s wines or stroll the lakeshore to take in the beauty of Italy’s largest lake.
This morning, head to Romeo and Juliet’s home city and see its main attractions like the Verona Arena, Piazza delle Erbe and the houses of Shakespeare’s young lovers.
Later, venture into the Valpolicella region, renowned for its rolling landscapes and vineyards. Taste famed Amarone wines in the countryside before returning to Lake Garda for an evening spent freely.
Travel time: Driving – approx. 90 minutes
Today, you will head to Venice by coach, followed by a 30-minute gondola ride (shared) through the city’s canals to reach your hotel in Murano, one of a series of small islands linked by lagoon-spanning bridges.
After check-in, discover the ancient art of glass-blowing in a traditional furnace. While originally settled by the Romans and cherished for its salt production, Murano quickly developed a reputation for mirror-making and masterpiece glass beads, and is still famous for the craft today.
Over the next 48 hours, you’ll be able to travel across the streets and bridges of Venice using your included Vaporetto pass.
Travel time: Driving – approx. two hours
Spend the day exploring the floating city of Venice. On a guided walking tour, you’ll be led through the narrow alleys and across small bridges to discover the city’s main attractions, including the Rialto Bridge, Piazza San Marco with its basilica, Doge’s Palace and Bridge of Sighs.
Later, you’re free to further explore at leisure.
After breakfast, it’s time to bid farewell and make your own way to your onward journey.