TOUR PROGRAM


1. day
Villas day - Maggiore Lake, Stresa (accomodation 2 nights)
Your hotel is located in Stresa on Maggiore Lake . After individual arrival and lunch, you will have the entire afternoon to discover some of the best villas and Verbania area. the famous Botanical Gardens of Villa Taranto, created in 1931. Thousands of plants, from the far corners from all over the world, and rare collections, some of them, unique in Europe and acclimatized after long laborious efforts, have been arranged with art in this beautiful setting, between the mountains and the lake. Then, you will visit the Villa Pallavicino, built in 1855 as holiday house for Queen Margherita and King Umberto I. The villa is surrounded by a zoological garden, open lawns and classical gardens. The zoological attraction of the park include 50 species of mammals and birds. You will come back to the hotel for dinner.

2. day
Borromeo Islands half day-trip and Locarno
You will take a boat to a full day excursion to the Borromeo Islands. First visit will be Isola Bella, with the Borromeo Palace from 1600 and the beautiful gardens, this is the triumph of the Italian garden, redrawing the environment. Transfer to the picturesque Isola dei Pescatori. In the afternoon cruise by boat to enchanting Locarno, Switzerland.

3. day
Silk Day – Como Lake (accommodation for 1 night)
You will move to Como. This city has always been linked to silk production, arrival and guided visit to the historical silk museum. Then you will visit a still active factory of silk for a full immersion on the production of this precious and elegant tissue. In the afternoon you will have time for enjoying a ferry cruise in the lower arm of Lake Como. During the cruise the guide will show you the most interesting spots and the most important buildings along the shore, with beautiful 19th C. villas. Villa Pliniana, Villa Erba, Villa D’Este, and Villa Pizzo with its vast park. Villa Fontanelle (property of Versace Family), Villa Rosa that hosted Sir W. Churchill, Villa Passalacqua and Villa Hocevar where the musician V. Bellini lived, the ancient church of St. Martin at Careno, the waterfall at Nesso, the typical borough of Brienno and Argegno surrounded by Valle Intelvi. Then there is the legendary Villa Cassinella with its well pruned cypresses and the historic Villa Balbianello on the woody Lavedo.


4. day
Bellagio half day-trip and Milano (accomodation 1 night)
Trip to Bellagio to visit this pleasant village and the Botanical gardens of Villa Melzi, beautiful neoclassic residence, surrounded by an enchanted garden in English style, which slopes down in the lake water. The garden offers: the kiosk, a chapel, two Egyptian statues from the 14th and 13th C. B.C., a little pond with water lilies, a tub with the statue of Cupid and another chapel with Renaissance portal by Bramante. Then we will take the ferry to reach Villa Carlotta, the most famous in the lake. It is characterized by a staircase and by a lush garden in Italian style. Transfer to Milano for a night city tour an for enjoing the “happy hour”, typical milanese tradition for aperitif.


5. day
Bergamo and Sirmione (accommodation for 2 nights)
You will move to Bergamo. In the morning, visiting the beautiful “citta' alta”. Stop on the way in Franciacorta, the main area for wine production in Lombardy. Guided visit to one of the ancient wine cellars, enjoy tasting. Continue on to Sirmione ). In the afternoon free time or guided visit to this Pearl of the Lake, as Plinio il Vecchio used to call it, it stretches as a tiny peninsula inside the lake. Visit will include the archaeological site of Roman Bath of Catullo one of the most famous archaeological sites in northern Italy going back to the Roman times, it was an important Spa resort. Garda area is renowned for its food & wine richness, and we will enjoy a visit to olive oil mill, where you can walk in the olive oil fields and see all the production steps to get a delicious olive oil, tasting will include local cheese and ham. Visit to a Spa to have a bit of relax.


6. day
Cruise on the Lake day-trip
In the morning we will transfer to the docks and board the ferry for an unforgettable cruise crossing the whole Garda Lake from south to north up to Riva del Garda. We will stop in Torri del Benaco readily identifiable for its towers and pinnacles of the castle reflecting in the lake, Malcesine small fascinating medieval village at the foot of Monte Baldo. Arrival in Riva del Garda. In the afternoon you will take your motor coach that meanwhile has reached you in the upper lake. Reach Arco, visit to the “Arboretum”, an important botanical garden composed of shrub and arboreal species. The main trees go back to the second half of the 19th C. and include: the Californian Cypresses, Ciders, the monumental evergreen Sequoia, the Cypress of Lawson, the Mammut tree, the colossal Holm oaks. After a walk in the arboretum go on to the Castle of Arco, built on the top of a rocky hill, it goes back to the Medieval time. We will return to our cruise and will reach Limone, the first village on the western lakeshore that belongs to the Lombardy, famous for its widespread citrus culture, Gardone Riviera, a picturesque village on the side of Brescia, is famous because after the First World War, the poet Gabriele d'Annunzio took up his residence there, giving birth to what he called the "Vittoriale degli Italiani" and Salo', where from 1943 to 1945, the Duce Benito Mussolini, after the failure of Italian Fascism, established the Republic.

7. day
Venice Day trip (optional)
In the morning departure to Venice for visiting one of the most famous cities of the world. If you wish, you can have a free day for relaxing r strolling around the Garda Lake.

8. day
Departure day
After breakfast and check-out, individual departure.