Lombardy and Veneto - Masterpieces and hidden gems
Duration: 13 Days | 12 Nights
Dates: April to October
Countries to be visited: Italy
Departure & Return Locations: Malpensa International Airport, Milan
Explore Northern Italy in style and luxury! Private transfers, English-speaking guides/drivers, local experiences, carefully selected accommodation options, plenty of time for leisure and support from local agents in Italy throughout your stay. The itinerary can be customized to suit your needs (and budget). Suitable for a couple, family or small groups.
Day 1 - Welcome to Italy
Upon arrival at Malpensa airport private transfer to the Hotel in Milan and check in. Rest of the day and meals at leisure.
Day 2 - Milan's gems
In the morning meet your private driver and English-speaking guide for a full day tour. You will start discovering Milan's beating heart, its marvelous Cathedral: you will climb to the rooftops to admire the stunning 360° panorama of the city and then descend into the church with its suggestive stained-glass windows and its vertiginous columns with their majestic capitals. Your next stop is the impressive Sforza Castle, built by the Dukes of Milan. As well as its towers, battlements, vast halls and courtyards, the castle is also home to 18 different museums, among them the Museum of the Pietà Rondanini – Michelangelo, the Sala delle Asse – Leonardo da Vinci. At the end, private transfer back to the hotel. Rest of the day and meals at leisure.
Day 3 - Brera and Food Tour
In the morning meet your private driver and English speaking guide and head to the artistic district of Brera where you can visit the Pinacoteca (Picture Gallery) and admire masterpieces as the Lamentation of Christ by Mantegna, Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio, the Marriage of the Virgin by Raphael, the Kiss by Hayez and many other works by important artists: Bramante, Giovanni Bellini, Tintoretto, Canaletto, Lorenzo Lotto, Piero della Francesca. After the visit you can continue strolling around the neighborhood and tasting a few snacks before moving to another very characteristic district in the city, the Navigli. Here you will enjoy a visit to the first winery in the city where you will create your own wine under the guidance of a professional cellarman: you will open the bottles of three different wines and then after having tested and learn their features you will start blending them to create your own etiquette. At the end, private transfer back to the hotel.
Day 4 - Welcome to Venice & Galleon Dinner
In the morning, private transfer from the hotel to Milan railway station where you will board the high-speed train to Venice. Upon arrival in Venice, private transfer to the hotel and check in. Rest of the day and meals at leisure.
Day 5 - Discover Venice & cicchetti experience
After breakfast, meet your English speaking guide for a half day tour of the city. You will start with the renowned Piazza San Marco whereyou can visit the Doge’s Palace, the ancient and fascinating palace where many masterpieces of Italian artists are preserved and then you will enter the charming and iconic St. Mark’s Basilica, the jewel of the city. In the afternoon meet your guide for an amazing “cicchetti” tour: live Venice like a Venetian and explore the most authentic areas of the city stopping at different bacaros, the typical Venetian wine bars where you will taste the cicchetti, the Venetian style tapas, accompanied by Venetian wines. At the end, return to the hotel. Meals at leisure.
Day 6 - The Venetian lagoon
In the morning get ready to enjoy a fantastic semi private half day boat tour of Murano and Burano. Your first stop will be Burano - a fishermen's island famous for its lace-making industry (merletti), as well as its blue, red, pink, yellow and green houses. After enjoying a short stroll you will then reach Murano, the most famous of the Venetian Islands. Its glass-producing history dates back to 1291 when the local Venetian council decided that the furnaces were causing too many fires in wooden Venice and the glassmakers were forced to relocate. Here you'll visit a selected glass-factory to see a demonstration of glass-blowing as well as visit the factory's showroom to admire the high quality of glass produced on the Island. At the end back to the hotel. Rest of the day and meals at leisure.
Day 7 - Welcome to Verona
In the morning private transfer to Piazzale Roma where you will meet your private driver for the transfer to Verona. Upon arrival in Verona, check in at Hotel Accademia (or similar). Time at leisure to relax. In the afternoon, meet your private English speaking guide for a 2-hour tour of the city to admire its many landmarks: from the medieval Castelvecchio to the iconic Piazza Bra and the Arena amphitheater, one of the symbols of the city. Enjoy a stroll to reach the Piazza delle Erbe, the ancient Roman forum. Here you'll admire the frescoes of the elegant palaces, the local market, the beautiful Torre dei Lamberti, and the Piazza dei Signori, where you'll see the famous statue of Dante Alighieri, world-famous Italian poet. Finally you'll listen to legends and tales about Romeo and Juliet and see the romantic balcony. At the end, return to the hotel. Meals at leisure.
Day 8 - Cooking & Wine Experience
In the morning, reach the location of your hands-on cooking class with a Veronese chef that will share with you the best techniques to prepare an authentic Italian meal. You will prepare some tasty dishes including Hand-made fresh Pasta from scratch, Risotto (with locally produced rice) and the original Tiramisu. After the cooking class you will enjoy your home- cooked meal while tasting a glass of local wine. After lunch, meet your wine expert and head to the Soave valleys to taste the famous Soave Classico and Superiore wines in two traditional wineries of the region. During the journey your local expert will tell you about the local wines and the Soave territory and the characteristics of the soil, made of volcanic stones of a prehistoric volcano situated in this area. You will visit a fascinating and family-run winery located in the heart of Soave. Here, the winemaker will show you the wine cellar, tell you the secrets of the production and you'll see where the wine is kept. Then, you will enjoy a wine tasting paired with some local products. At the end, private transfer back to the hotel.
Day 9 - Lake Garda
In the morning meet your local expert and start this amazing experience in the charming and world-famous Lake Garda. Leave Verona behind, pass by the beautiful wine landscapes of Valpolicella, and reach Punta San Vigilio, a charming paradise located near Garda and then the village of Bardolino for a relaxing stroll. Bardolino is a fascinating hamlet with colored boats along the shore and nice fashion shops. After a walk you’ll enjoy a typical lunch by the lake. After lunch, you will continue your tour reaching Peschiera del Garda, a charming little village in the south of the lake. Get on board on a private motorboat and with a local boatman head to Sirmione, a tiny Medieval village with a unique Castle. Stroll in the tiny and picturesque streets of this wonderful village, see Maria Callas’ house and explore the medieval center. At the end, private transferback to the hotel. Dinner at leisure.
Day 10 - From Franciacorta to Lake Como
In the morning check out from the hotel and meet your private driver for the transfer to Lake Como. En route, you will stop in Franciacorta district to visit a winery and discover the amazing wine of this territory. Next up enjoy a quick stop in Bergamo to admire the Città Alta with its impressive walls (declared a Unesco WorldHeritage Site). At the end you will continue your transfer to Como. Upon arrival check in at the hotel. Meals at leisure.
Day 11 - Como and the lake
In the morning meet your private English speaking guide and start exploring Como. You will first enjoy breakfast at a historical café with a slice of "Pazientina", a local soft cake with walnuts, sponge cake and vanilla cream together with a cappuccino or an expresso. You will then walk through the historical centre to discover the jewels of the city. Founded by the Romans, it is surrounded by medieval walls on its three sides. The Cathedral is its best-known monument, thanks to its Gothic and Renaissance features. Then you will enjoy a truffle-based creams and condiments tasting. At the end of the tour, you will have a special Italian wine tasting at a cute winery in the city centre. In the late afternoon, enjoy a pleasant evening cruise by a private motorboat on Lake Lario, to enjoy the sunset and the first night lights on board of the well-known “Queen”, a Venetian elegant boat. During the cruise, sip a glass of Italian Prosecco and admire the enchanting sceneries and a glimpse of the amazing villas. At the end return to the hotel.
Day 12 - Enchanting Villas
In the morning meet your private driver and English speaking guide for a full day tour of the most beautiful villas of Lake Como. You will start with the delightful Villa Balbianello, perched on a breathtaking sheer promontory: it is a late-baroque mansion, surrounded by a beautiful park, which was chosen to shoot films such as Star Wars: Episode II - attack of the Clones (2002), Agent 007 – Casino Royale (2006). You will then continue to Villa Carlotta, an 18th- century mansion commissioned by Marquis Clericis, famous for its collection of neoclassical works of art (Antonio Canova, Bertel Thorvaldsen and Francesco Hayez) and furniture as well as for its wide botanical garden, where you can admire species of trees from all over the world. You will then cross the lake with the public ferry to reach "the pearl of the lake", Bellagio, an enchanting village located on the promontory where the lake forks. At the end, private transfer back to the hotel.
Day 13 - Arrivederci! Private transfer to Milan airport. Back home, with Italy in your heart!
Tour Price
• Price shown is for a person based on twin share accommodation, for the travel period indicated.
• All prices displayed are subject to availability and can be withdrawn or varied without notice.
• Prices are guaranteed once booking is confirmed by us and paid in full by the due date.
• Depending on your needs and group size (individual, couple, family, group, etc.) we will provide the final pricing for your tour.
• Flexible booking terms and conditions are available for tours in 2022. Contact us for enquiries
Inclusions:
• Private transfer as indicated in the program (with Mercedes car)
• 3 nights in Milan - Double Superior Room with breakfast
• 3 nights in Venice - Double Room with breakfast
• 3 nights in Verona - Double Classic Room with breakfast
• 3 nights in Como - Double Classic Room with breakfast
• Half day (approx 4 hrs) vehicle at disposal for Milan tour
• Half day (approx 4 hrs) private English-speaking guide for Milan tour
• Entrance tickets for Duomo (including lift to terraces, archaeological area, Duomo museum and San Gottardo Church)
• Entrance tickets for Sforza Castle
• Full day (approx 8 hrs) vehicle at disposal for Milan tour
• Full day (approx 8 hrs) private English-speaking guide for Milan tour Entrance tickets for Brera
• 3 tastings in Brera/Navigli area
• Wine experience in Milan
• High speed train from Milan to Venice (Premium class tickets)
• Full day (approx 7 hrs) private English-speaking guide for walking tour in Venice
• Entrance tickets for Doge's Palace, St. Mark Basilica and Bell tower
• 3 cicchetti tastings
• Half day (approx 4 hrs) semi-private boat excursion to Murano & Burano (glass-blowing demonstration in Murano included). Please note that tour operates with min 4 - max 8 people per boat.
• 3-hour private English-speaking guide for walking tour in Verona
• Half day (approx 4 hrs) private cooking class in Verona with lunch
• Half day (approx 4 hrs) private Soave tour with visit and tasting at a winery
• Full day (approx 8 hrs) private excursion to Lake Garda (private transport, tour guide, boat tour and lunch included)
• Visit and tasting at a winery in Franciacorta
• 2-hour private English-speaking guide for Bergamo tour
• Half day (approx 4 hrs) private Como tour (private English-speaking guide, entrance ticket for cathedral, tastings as indicated in the program included)
• 1, 5-hour Private evening cruise on Lake Como (drinks and snacks included)
• Full day (approx 8 hrs) vehicle at disposal for Villas tour in Como
• Full day (approx 8 hrs) private English-speaking guide for Villas tour in Como
• Entrance tickets for Villa Balbianello and Villa Carlotta
• Ferry tickets to Bellagio
Exclusions:
• International airfare to and from Italy
• Travel Insurance
• Airport taxes and charges
• Local city taxes (to be paid directly at the hotels upon check out)
• All optional additional tours or activities during free time
• Any Private Expenses
• Meals not mentioned
• Personal Incidentals such as Telephone calls, Room Service, Laundry
• Tip to Guide/Driver, Porterage Fee and others which are personal in nature
• Anything else not specifically mentioned in the inclusions above
Notes:
• Program is subject to changes depending on opening times and days of museums and monuments (if needed we will provide alternative options to replace what is not available)
• Some of the activities are not available on certain days of the week or months of the year (if needed we will provide alternative options to replace what is not available)
• If stated accommodation option is not available for the dates selected, we will provide an equivalent alternative
• This itinerary is a luxury tour for two people with sight-seeing, light activities and experiencing local culture included. Accommodation options are based on 4-star ratings and all transfers are private unless indicated. It can be customized based on clients’ needs, interests and budget. It is also possible to organize small group tours with the same itinerary.
Payment terms for this tour:
Deposit of 25% of the total amount to be paid upon confirmation. Balance to be paid 45 days before arrival. If Covid pandemic is still ongoing, cancellation will be without penalties up to 10 days before the first scheduled service (with the exception of entrance tickets to monuments, which are non-refundable) If the pandemic is over, the standard policy on cancellations will apply as follows:
• from the day of confirmation to 45 days before arrival, will be charged 10% of the full cost
• from 44 to 20 days before arrival, will be charged 30% of the full cost
• from 19 to 10 days before arrival, will be charged 50% of the full cost
• from 9 to 4 days before arrival, will be charged 75% of the full cost
• from 3 days before arrival, will be charged 100% of the full cost
For groups of more than 8 people terms & conditions may vary (especially in relation to hotels) and we can discuss this case-by-case.
Please refer to our Standard Booking Conditions for booking terms and conditions.