Itinerary
- Day 1
Milan
You'll arrive in Milan and have the afternoon to yourself, wandering through the city at your own pace. That evening, you'll meet your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a light supper, followed by an orientation drive through the city so you can get familiar with Milan and the group.
- Meals
- Dinner (Light supper)
Included Activities
- Light supper with Travel Director and fellow travellers
- Evening orientation drive through Milan
Optional Activities
- Explore Milan's fashion district and designer boutiques
- Day 2
Milan
This morning your Local Specialist takes you through Milan's highlights, including the Gothic Cathedral, the glass-domed Galleria, and La Scala Opera House. Your Travel Director shares personal favorites as you walk the sophisticated streets. You'll have free time later in the day to explore Milan on your own terms.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Milan with Local Specialist
- See Milan Cathedral (Gothic Cathedral)
- Visit Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (glass-domed shopping arcade)
- See La Scala Opera House
Optional Activities
- Treasures Of Milan - Visit La Scala and experience Milan's highlights with Local Specialist (€45.00)
- Discover Lake Como - Cruise along Lake Como viewing elegant villas and gardens (€46.00)
Landmarks/POIs Milan Cathedral Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II La Scala Opera House - Day 3
Milan to Parma
You'll leave Milan and head to Parma, stopping along the way to visit a prosciutto factory near Langhirano and Torrechiara Fortress for photos. After that, a family-run cheese factory shows you how Parmigiano Reggiano has been made since the 1600s. Once in Parma, dinner features local specialties if you choose to join.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit prosciutto (ham) factory near Langhirano
- Photo stop at Torrechiara Fortress
- Visit family-run Parmigiano Reggiano cheese caseificio (cheese factory)
Optional Activities
- Dinner And Drive - Enjoy dinner of local Parma specialities paired with Italian wine (€68.00)
Landmarks/POIs Torrechiara Fortress - Day 4
Parma
Your Local Specialist leads a morning tour of Parma's history, covering its days as a Roman settlement and medieval trading hub. You'll see Piazza Garibaldi, where a Roman Forum stood 2,000 years ago. The afternoon and evening are yours to wander around the city however you like.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided walking tour of Parma with Local Specialist
- Visit Piazza Garibaldi (site of Roman Forum)
- See Palazzo del Governatore baroque tower
- Taste artisanal gelato from historic shop
Optional Activities
- Winery Visit and Sarzana - Visit a winery to learn about and taste vermentino grapes, tour 18th-century farmhouse, visit Roman village of Sarzana (€49.00)
Landmarks/POIs Piazza Garibaldi Palazzo del Governatore - Day 5
Parma to Cinque Terre
You'll spend the full day in the UNESCO-listed Cinque Terre region. A boat takes you along the Ligurian Sea with your Local Specialist, who shares stories about how the isolated villages protected themselves from pirates. After wandering Monterosso's streets, you'll head to your hotel on the Italian Riviera and have dinner with other travelers, swapping stories about the cliffside villages.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner with fellow travellers)
Included Activities
- Full-day excursion to Cinque Terre UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Scenic boat cruise along Cinque Terre coast
- Guided commentary from Local Specialist on Cinque Terre history
- Sightseeing, shopping and wandering in Monterosso
- Dinner with fellow travellers
Landmarks/POIs Cinque Terre Monterosso - Day 6
Cinque Terre to Lake Maggiore
Today brings a walking tour of Genoa, birthplace of Columbus, showing off Renaissance and Baroque architecture. You'll see Via Garibaldi lined with ancient palaces in the historic center. Lunch in the city includes local focaccia if you want to try it. From there, you'll continue to Lake Maggiore, backed by the Southern Alps, your home for the next two nights. An optional experience to explore Lake Orta happens this evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in Genoa city centre, perhaps sampling local focaccia)
Included Activities
- Guided walking tour of Genoa with Local Specialist
- Visit Via Garibaldi historic centre
- See Renaissance and Baroque architecture in Genoa
- Lunch in Genoa city centre
Optional Activities
- Visit Lake Orta And San Giulio Island - Explore Pettenasco and cruise to San Giulio Island, stroll in Orta town with Local Specialist (€38.00)
Landmarks/POIs Via Garibaldi - Day 7
Lake Maggiore
You have the full day free on Lake Maggiore's shores with the Southern Alps as your backdrop. Relax by the water or take an alpine train for panoramic views. Optional visits to the Borromean Islands let you see Isola Bella's aristocratic palace and gardens. This evening, you'll cross to Isola dei Pescatori for a Be My Guest dinner with the Cinque family at Villa Toscanini, hearing stories about conductor Arturo Toscanini.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner at Villa Toscanini with the Cinque family)
Included Activities
- Be My Guest experience - Dinner at Villa Toscanini on Isola dei Pescatori with Cinque family
Optional Activities
- Discover The Borromean Islands - Private launch to Isola Madre, Isola dei Pescatori, and Isola Bella with visit to Borromean Palace and gardens with Local Specialist (€49.00, operated mid-March to end October)
- Alpine Train Discovery - Centovalli Panoramic Train journey across viaducts, past ravines and forests with stop at typical Italian Alpine village (€53.00)
Landmarks/POIs Isola Bella Isola dei Pescatori Villa Toscanini - Day 8
Lake Maggiore to Milan
Your tour ends today. You'll say goodbye to your Travel Director and then transfer from your Baveno hotel to Milan Malpensa airport for your trip home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Transfer from hotel to Milan Malpensa airport
