Isola Bella- Italy's northern lakes
- Lake Orta and the Island of San Guilio
- The gardens of Villa Taranto
Immersive Tour Standard
Majesty of the Italian Lakes
Italy
2 passengers
Tour Lakes Garda, Orta, Molveno and Maggiore
For astounding scenery, northern Italy’s lake district is hard to beat. This tour contrasts some of the famous with the lesser-known lakes, where landscapes are painted in a variety of vibrant hues, and diverse cultures have shaped the region.
Including...
13 nights in hotels
26 meals: 13 breakfasts (B) and 13 dinners (D)
Saga tour manager
Plus...
- Return flights and transfers
- Welcome drink reception
- Porterage at all hotels
Included excursions and visits
- Tour of Lakes Tenno, Ledro and Toblino
- Visit the island of San Guilio, Lake Orta
- Explore the gardens of Villa Taranto
- Visit the lakeside towns of Malcesine and Riva
- Discover the heart of Trento – a medieval city
- Visit to Locarno in Switzerland and a scenic train ride on the Centovalli Railway
Use of audio headsets on guided tours
View Full Itinerary
- Day 1 UK-Milan-Lake Orta
- Day 2 Lake Orta
- Day 3 Lake Orta
- Day 4 Lake Orta-Lake Maggiore
- Day 5 Locarno
- Day 6 Lake Maggiore
- Day 7 Lake Maggiore to Lake Garda
- Day 8 Malcesine and Riva del Garde
- Day 9 Lake Garda
- Day 10 Lake Garda-Molveno
- Day 11 Molveno
- Day 12 Molveno
- Day 13 Three lake tour
- Day 14 Molveno-Milan-UK
Hotel L’Approdo
Hotel Simplon
Palace Hotel Cittá
Hotel Ariston
Day 1 UK-Milan-Lake Orta
Fly to Milan and transfer to Lake Orta (53 miles, 90 minutes).
Stay three nights at the 4-star Hotel L’Approdo (4Q), which has a peaceful setting on the lake shore. D
Day 2 Lake Orta
Today you explore this delightful lake by public boat, visiting the charming town of Orta and the island of San Giulio.
Spend this afternoon at leisure. B, D
Day 3 Lake Orta
Spend the day at leisure, or enjoy an optional relaxing day in the lake town of Arona where you’ll have the opportunity to visit the quaint Umbrella Museum for a glimpse of a bygone era. B, D
Day 4 Lake Orta-Lake Maggiore
Travel to Baveno (13 miles, 30 minutes), a typically Italian town on the shores of Lake Maggiore, where you'll spend the next three nights at the 4-star Hotel Simplon (4Q) or similar. In the afternoon take a short drive to the market town of Omegna and explore the small shops and pretty lakeside promenade.
Later you'll stop to explore elegant Stresa, one of Italy's oldest tourist hotspots with a beautiful setting overlooking the historic Borromean Islands. An optional excursion visits the stunning garden island of Isola Bella, that rises from the lake. B, D
Day 5 Locarno
Cross the border into Switzerland on an included full-day excursion to the resort town of Locarno.
From here you'll enjoy an included trip on the Centovalli Scenic Railway, stopping at Domodossola. B, D
Day 6 Lake Maggiore
This morning you head to Villa Taranto to stroll through its immaculate botanical gardens.
Scotsman Neil McEacharn established the gardens in 1931 with a view to having a little sliver of Britain on the Italian coast. Nowadays thousands of plant, flower and tree specimens from all corners of the globe flourish in the beautiful surroundings, nestled between the mountains and the sea.
After returning to your hotel, this afternoon is at leisure. B, D
Day 7 Lake Maggiore to Lake Garda
This morning transfer to Lake Garda (139 miles, two hours and 30 minutes) where you spend the next three nights at the 4-star Palace Hotel Cittá (4Q) in Arco, one mile from the lake.
En route, you'll stop to explore the town of Como, whose history of silk production goes back over 4000 years, with fashion houses in Milan and New York being supplied with Como silk still today. B, D
Day 8 Malcesine and Riva del Garde
A scenic drive takes you to the pretty towns of Riva del Garda, at the northern tip of the lake, and the town of Malcesine. If weather permits, you can travel up Monte Baldo by cable car for more heavenly panoramic views (extra charge). B, D
Day 9 Lake Garda
Today an optional excursion visits the pretty, lakeside town of Bardolino. Take time to explore independently before taking a scenic boat trip to the historic peninsula town of Sirmione. B, D
Day 10 Lake Garda-Molveno
Travel to Molveno (50 miles, 90 minutes), pausing en route in the town of Trento. Continue for a four-night stay at the 3-star Hotel Ariston (3Q) or 4-star Hotel Du Lac (4Q), depending on departure date. This is a seasonal resort and may be quieter during early spring and late autumn. B, D
Day 11 Molveno
Soak up the culture of medieval Bolzano on an optional full-day excursion that includes entrance to the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, home to Ötzi the Iceman. B, D
Day 12 Molveno
Join an optional full-day excursion to the mountain village of Ortisei. B, D
Day 13 Three lake tour
Enjoy an included excursion to the smaller mountain lakes of Tenno, Ledro and Toblino where there will be time to stroll around each and take in the stupendous views. B, D
Day 14 Molveno-Milan-UK
Transfer to Milan for your flight to the UK. B
Bardolino and Sirmione
Visit the popular, lakeside town of Bardolino, renowned for the wine of the same name produced from the grapes grown here. The town also owes its prosperity to the production of olive oil and abundance of fish in Lake Garda. Take time to explore independently and purchase some lunch before relaxing on a scenic boat trip to the historic peninsula town of Sirmione. The most impressive landmark here is probably the 12-century Scaliger Castle which is completely surrounded by water.
Full day
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Optional on 13 nights itinerary
Bolzano
Visit the fascinating town of Bolzano, situated between the Italian-speaking Trentino region, and the German-speaking Alto Adige. This meeting of two cultures has given the town a unique identity. Known as Bozen in German, the town has a strong German character and is also the capital of a mainly German-speaking province, yet three quarters of its inhabitants speak Italian! There will be time to explore the town and see some of its sights, including the 15th-century Gothic cathedral which features an intricate spire.
Full day
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Optional on 13 nights itinerary
Isola Bella
Sail to Isola Bella – literally translated as the beautiful island. Not much more than a rocky crag and uninhabited until 1630, Carlo Borromeo III recognised its potential. He commissioned the construction of a palace and gardens and named the island after his wife, Isabella. The design took 40 years to complete, even the soil had to be shipped in, but work continued for centuries as the family continued to fine-tune their design. The end result is a truly spectacular stepped garden, positively awash with statuary – a suitably grand backdrop for the white peacocks to strut their stuff. The palace is ornate but also contains six shell and pebble-lined grottos – cool places to retire when temperatures soared too high. It was a compulsory stop for aristocrats on grand tours in the 19th-century – and Edith Wharton devotes an entire chapter to it in her book Italian Villas and their Gardens, published in 1904.
Half day
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Optional on 13 nights itinerary
Ortisei and Val Gardena
Journey through the picturesque Val Gardena to the mountain village of Ortisei. Known for its woodcarvings, Ortisei has some interesting shops and cafes to explore.
Full day
-
Optional on 13 nights itinerary
Italy
2 passengers
