THE LAKE DISTRICT & MILAN

The arrival is scheduled in the morning at the Milan airport. You will be welcomed our representative who will be in charge of the group for the entire three day trip. For lunch, you will be transferred by coach to Milan where you will start a guided tour of the city.

In terms of population, Milan is the second largest city of Italy and the home of the Italian stock market. Together with New York and Paris, it is one of the most important capitals of fashion, where its runways rule the global market of trends and styles.

A local guide will accompany you through the main sights of the city such as: il Castello Sforzesco (the Sforza Castle), ancient residence of the Duchy of Milan and now museum and gallery of many art expositions, il Duomo (the Milan Cathedral) the fourth largest cathedral in the world after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, upscale shopping center that has from haute couture and luxury goods shops to art galleries, book shops and sophisticated restaurants, cafés and bars, and La Scala opera house, recognized as one of the leading opera and ballet theatres in the world. You will arrive at your preferred hotel in the evening where check-in for overnight stay.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred by coach to Lago Maggiore (Lake Maggiore) where onboard on boat for a lovely trip to Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori, two of the most charming islands of the small Borromean archipelago.

Isola Bella is a beautiful small rocky island where the stunning Villa Borromeo (The Borromeo Villa) is located. Our representative will accompany you visiting this fascinating palace, famous for its complex system of ten terraces and exotic gardens, its baroque ornaments and paintings by Lombard and Flemish artists.

Isola dei Pescatori, also known as Isola Superiore, is the only island that has a population of 32 people who live there all year round. It was originally a fisherman’s village that now has been converted into a charming destination where tourists can walk along its panoramic promenade, shop in its boutiques where crafty products are sold or have tasteful meals in some of the cozy local restaurants around the island. You will have lunch during the excursion.

In the afternoon, on the way back to the hotel, the coach will stop in Pallanza, a quaint and romantic small town along the Lake Maggiore coastline. The place is renowned for its outstanding Villa Taranto whose beautiful gardens have many kinds of rare and exotic plants coming from all over the world. You will spend your afternoon visiting the charming gardens of Villa Taranto and then return to the hotel for overnight stay.

After breakfast, you will be accompanied to Lake Como, whose breathtaking landscapes are located in the heart of the Alps mountain range. The lake is well known for its exclusive villas whose origins can be dated back to the Roman times. You will stop in the small village of Tremezzo where you will visit Villa Carlotta, whose clean and refined look gave an anticipation of the artistic movement that followed.

The palace was built at the end of the 17th century for the Milanese marquis Giorgio Clerici and has a spectacular view of the Bellagio peninsula and the Grigna Massif, a small mountain range whose eastern part ends up in the lake coastline. The villa is now famous for its art collections and its nicely decorated gardens. Then, you will have lunch in Como, where they will have the chance to take a quick walk around the city. After visiting Como, you will be transferred to the Milan airport for your scheduled departure.