NORTHERN ITALIAN LAKES & COUNTRYSIDE

• Welcome to Turin, the starting point for a journey through Italy’s northern countryside and lakes.
• Meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers and get to know one another over dinner at a local restaurant, sharing your first taste of regional flavours.

Arrival Transfer Depart Malpensa airport at 10:00, 14:30

Welcome Meet your Travel Director at 17:00

• Get your bearings on a city tour of Turin with a Local Specialist, taking in piazzas, wide boulevards and baroque architecture.
• The afternoon is yours to enjoy at your own pace.
• Stroll the arcaded streets, sip a rich bicerin at a cafe or join an Optional Experience to the UNESCO-listed La Venaria Reale, once a royal hunting lodge and today one of Italy’s most impressive palace complexes.

Included Experience: Turin City Tour

• Start your day lakeside at Lago d’Orta. There’s time to enjoy a coffee by the water and take in views of the island and the Alps beyond.
• Later, follow the shoreline of Lake Maggiore by road, enjoying scenes of pastel villas and wooded hills.
• In the town of Stresa, you can enjoy more time at leisure or join an Optional Experience to explore the Borromean Islands, a group of private isles once home to aristocratic families.
• You’ll end the day in Erba, a gateway to the Lombardy countryside.

Included Experience: Visit Lake Orta

Optional Experience: Discover The Borromean Islands

• Spend the day in Como, with plenty of time to explore at your own pace.
• You might take the funicular up to Brunate for panoramic views, browse local boutiques or relax by the lake with a gelato.
• For a different perspective, you can join an Optional Experience cruise with a Local Specialist to learn about the history, culture and villas of Lake Como from the water.

Included Experience: Explore Como

Optional Experience: Discover Lake Como

• Explore the upper town of Bergamo, where medieval streets lead to Piazza Vecchia, once the heart of civic life.
• See the Contarini Fountain and Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, built in the 12th century as a tribute to the Virgin Mary.
• Walk past Renaissance facades before travelling into the Lake Garda area.
• Enjoy a Be My Guest experience with the Serenelli family at their farm where you’ll dine on Lombardy favourites.
• Settle in for a three-night stay surrounded by the Italian countryside and tree-covered hills.

Included Experience: Dine with the Serenelli Family at their Organic Farm

• Your day starts with an introduction to the gastronomic hub of Modena, home of sparkling Lambrusco, salty prosciutto and the aromas of parmigiano, for an exploration with a Local Specialist.
• Wander past pastel-hued facades in the heart of the city that was the birthplace of Ferrari, Pavarotti and tortellini.
• Modena’s Old Town and the Piazza Grande with its 12th-century cathedral and Torre Civica, has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• As the day continues, visit the Enzo Ferrari Museum where you’ll Dive into Culture and explore the history of this Italian icon.
• Enjoy a gourmet interlude at a historic, traditional Acetaia on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience to taste the delicious flavours of some of the world’s best organic and biodynamic balsamic vinegar.
• Settle in for a leisurely dinner with your travelling companions and Travel Director.

Included Experience: Discover an unforgettable experience at the Enzo Ferrari Museum, Modena City Tour, MTM Modena Balsamic Vinegar

• Romance is in the air today as you journey to Verona, the home of Shakespeare’s tragic star-crossed lovers.
• A walking tour with a Local Specialist will take you to Juliet’s Balcony, as well as the Roman arena, still in use today.
• There is also plenty of time to explore the city at leisure – see the seven medieval towers of Castelvecchio, relax under the shady trees in Verona’s Piazza Bra or clamber up Lamberti’s Tower for city views.

Included Experience: Verona City Tour

Optional Experience: Lake Garda Discovery

• In search of spires that reach the sky, leave the tranquil lakes behind for the chic northern capital of Milan.
• Admire the Gothic Duomo, La Scala Opera House and 19th-century Galleria with its glass and iron-domed roof.
• Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure to jostle with the Milanese for your spot in the shopping district of Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga and Via Sant’Andrea.
• This evening, join your fellow travellers for dinner to celebrate the end of your holiday together.

Included Experience: Milan Orientation

Optional Experience: Treasures of Milan

• Your jaunt through the lakes and countryside of northern Italy has come to an end.
• Say arrivederci to Italy and your newfound friends.

Departure Transfer Arrive at the airport at 07:30, 10:30