Discover the Italian Lakes

8 day journey – Lake Maggiore and Lake Como

07-14 June 2020 – 2 places remaining
13-20 September 2020

4, 490 AUD per person (twin share)
5, 240 AUD per person (solo traveller)

This eight day itinerary of the lakes district of northern Italy allows you to see the best of the Italian Lakes in style and comfort, with lake-front rooms in Intra and Bellagio, transport by private mini-coach, private boat trips and a full-time tour leader to look after you through-out the tour! You will be travelling in a small group of just 12 guests.

Your tour begins on Lake Maggiore, staying at the pretty town of Intra-Verbania and exploring the famous Borromean Islands, nearby Lake Orta and Lake Lugano in Switzerland. Your second base is Bellagio, the “pearl” of Lake Como, where you stay in a charming lake-front hotel in the centre of town. On Lake Como, you visit the famous villas, pretty towns and the city of Como. Like all our tours, there is plenty of free-time to relax, no really early starts and all meals are in restaurants chosen for their authenticity and quality.

Highlights

• Visit the stunning Borromean Islands on Lake Maggiore by private boat 
• Pretty Lake Orta, a quiet, smaller lake off the usual tourist track 
• Private boat trip around central Lake Como 
• Guided visits to the most important villas on Lake Como and to the town of Como
• 3 nights in a lake-view room in the quaint town of Intra on Lake Maggiore
• 4 nights in a lake-front room in the town of Bellagio – known as the “pearl” of Lake Como
• Authentic meals in carefully selected restaurants (2 dinners, 3 lunches) with wine included
• Traveling in a small group (max 12 guests) for a personalised and flexible trip

Itinerary 

Day 1 – Arrival
Private transfer from Milan’s Malpensa airport or Milan Centrale station to your accommodation on the lakefront at Intra – Verbania.
Check-in to your lake view room and start experiencing the magic of Lake Maggiore!
Meet your guide for welcome drinks and dinner
Overnight: Lake Maggiore  (D) 

Day 2 – The Islands of Lake Maggiore
The Borromean Islands, still owned today by the Borromeo family, were the original project of Cardinal Carlo Borromeo, a 17th Century Archbishop of Milan who set out to create a floating cornucopia of style and beauty. You will take a private boat to first visit the lovely gardens of Isola Madre, before visiting the stunning Villa and gardens on Isola Bella in the afternoon.  Return to Intra in the late afternoon and there is free time for the rest of the day.
Overnight: Lake Maggiore (B)

Day 3 – Lago d’Orta
Your mini-coach and driver will pick you up at the hotel this morning for the short drive to Lago d’Orta, one of the smaller, lesser known, and most pretty of the Italian Lakes. You will start the visit in the main town of Orta San Giulio, where there is time for a coffee before you take a private boat across to the island of San Giulio, to visit the impressive Romanesque Basilica from the 9th Century.

Lunch looking out over the lake back in Orta San Giulio before  an afternoon visiting the Sacro Monte, a shrine to San Francisco set above Lago d’Orta with wonderful views.
Overnight: Lake Maggiore (B,L) 

Day 4 – Northern Lake Maggiore, Lugano and Bellagio
You check out of the hotel in Intra this morning and travel north along the shores of Lake Maggiore. You will slip over the border into Switzerland, and stop for lunch in Lugano, the  pretty Swiss town on Lake Lugano.
Drive on to Bellagio, the pearl of Lake Como and check-in to your lovely lake-front hotel.
Overnight: Bellagio (B,L) 

Day 5 – The Central Lake
You begin the day in style with a private 2 hour boat tour of the central lake, seeing many of the towns and villas from the best vantage point, the water. The boat tour will finish in the town of Varenna, on the east-shore of the lake. Lunch in a lake-side restaurant. The afternoon is free time to wander around Varenna or head back to Bellagio. Ferry ticket from Varenna to Bellagio provided so you can make your own plans for the afternoon.
Overnight: Bellagio (B,L) 

Day 6 – Como
You have a slightly early start this morning to take the fast ferry service down to Como, the aristocratic city from which the lake takes its name. You will get to see the principal architectural sites in Como, including the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore on its beautiful medieval piazza, the elegant streets, Roman gate tower and more. The afternoon is free-time, so stay in Como for an afternoon of shopping and wandering, or head back to Bellagio. Fast ferry ticket back to Bellagio provided.
Overnight: Bellagio (B) 

Day 7 – Lake Como villas
Today you will ride the ferry, heading across the lake to visit a couple of the most charming of the aristocratic ville that sprung up along Como’s shores across the centuries. Your day will include a visit to Villa Carlotta, with its spectacular gardens and Villa Balbaniello, recently immortalised as the location of Darth Vader’s marriage in the more recent Star Wars trilogy, but with a longer and very illustrious heritage. From Lenno you head back to Bellagio for a well-earned dinner the hotel’s terrace overlooking the lake (weather permitting).
Overnight: Bellagio (B,D)

Day 8 – Departures
This morning it’s time to pack your bags and leave the Italian Lakes, hopefully with plans to return! Your transfer arrives at  Milan’s Malpensa airport by 12pm and as Milano Centrale by 1pm for your onward travel.
(B) 

“We have visited Italy previously, once with a large group and twice independently, but Italian Tours was definitely the most enjoyable. The carefully chosen hotels, cultural visits and local food and wine experiences, combined with a small friendly group, were decidedly a bonus”
Paul (2013)