The Italian Lakes
Close to Milan, explore the dramatic lake region, most famous for Maggiore and Garda, backed by the snow-capped Alps.
Combine the pretty towns, palaces and gardens of the stunning Italian Lakes with historic Italian cities of Verona and cosmopolitan Milan.
Close to Milan, explore the dramatic lake region, most famous for Maggiore and Garda, backed by the snow-capped Alps.
Lake Maggiore, in the west, is home to the most romantic of the three Borromean Islands, famous for their palazzi and gardens.
Enjoy the contrast of the historical town of Verona, visiting the main city squares and monuments and cosmopolitan Milan, ideal for a shopping trip before returning home.
Visit a wine cellar in Soave for a tasting of the famous Soave Classico and Veronese Mount seasons cheese.
This lovely holiday to Italy combines the culture of Verona with the bustle of Madrid, plus time amidst the spectacular scenery of Italy’s Northern Lakes. Take to the roads to drive some of the countries most scenic routes, circumnavigating vast inland lakes backed by soaring snow-capped mountains. Stay at Grand Hotel Tremezzo, one of our favourite properties on the shores of Lake Como and spend time exploring pretty lakeside villages or head into the hills to explore on foot. A sense of romance weaves throughout this holiday, from the exotic gardens and aristocratic villas of the lakes to the Shakespearean scenes of Romeo and Juliette in Verona.
Day 1
Milan - Stresa
Day 2
Stresa
Day 3
Stresa - Tremezzo
Day 4
Tremezzo - Verona
Day 5
Verona
Day 6
Verona - Milan
Day 7
Milan
Day 1
Milan - Stresa
Day 2
Stresa
Lake Maggiore is home to the most romantic of the three Borromean Islands, famous for their palazzi and gardens.
Day 3
Stresa - Tremezzo
Visit the medieval town of Tremezzo on the shores of Lake Como.
Day 4
Tremezzo - Verona
Day 5
Verona
Visit the main squares and monuments of historical Verona.
Day 6
Verona - Milan
Visit a wine cellar in Soave for a tasting of the famous Soave Classico and Veronese Mount seasons cheese.
Day 7
Milan
Go shopping in cosmopolitan Milan.
In the northern border region of Lombardy, lie dramatic lakes, embraced by green wooded escarpments and backed by the snow-capped Alps. Using the beautiful town of Stresa as your base, explore The Borromean Islands with their stunning palaces and ornamental gardens, an unmissable destination for aesthetes. A boat trip on Lake Maggiore includes Isola Bella, crowned by Palazzo Borromeo, full of spendid terraces, fountains and statues, Isola dei Pescatori, a place with restaurants and local markets to visit, and finally Isola Madre, the biggest of the Borromean Islands.
Tremezzo, a medieval town on the shores Lake Como is home to Villa Carlotta, a 17th-century neo-classical style villa that looks out over the breathtaking Bellagio setting. It has a magnificent botanical garden and inside the residence, there are art galleries with master artworks. Check out the seasonal exhibitions happening each year, with late openings during the summer until 7.30pm. Take time here to relax and enjoy the tranquillity of the area.
Verona, home to a 14th-century house said to have ‘Juliet’s balcony’. However, Verona is also famed for its Grand Arena, a 1st-century Roman amphitheatre still hosting concerts and an annual opera festival. One afternoon during the stay here, be sure to visit Soave, a small medieval village with many wine cellars. Enjoy a small tasting of the famous Soave Classico and the Monte Veronese cheese.
Milan is a place for people who love cosmopolitan cities, from the fashion runways to the frescoes inside the churches. In Milan, you find Da Vinci’s Last Supper, San Siro/Guiseppe Meazza Stadium, Duomo’s statues, Alla Scala Theatre, Sforza Castle and the famous Vittorio Emanuele’s arcades in Piazza Duomo, the worlds’ oldest shopping centre. Milan is also home to lovely parks, great ice-cream shops and a renowned nightlife.
Extend your trip and let us organise a train to, and fantastic hotel in Venice or south to the sunshine of Italy’s coastal towns and islands. Let us make it ‘your own’ with personalized private touring with expert guides and drivers, a restaurant and spa reservation service, performance and sporting event ticket arrangements and around-the-clock support in each destination during your trip.
Prices will vary depending on the time of year you are travelling. Prices do not include international flights. Please ask one of our Travel Experts for an accurate quote. Flights purchased through Steppes Travel departing from the UK are ATOL protected.
Italy’s cities are wonderful to visit at any time of the year. Coastal regions are best between June and September. Mountainous regions such as the Dolomites are wonderful for winter sports between December and March and extremely pretty for summer stays from June through to October.
These may be uncertain times but they are, without a doubt, still full of opportunity to discover the extraordinary safely. Through knowledge and expertise, we can connect you to those destinations embracing travellers with the added confidence of flexible booking and decades of insight.
Are you ready to discover extraordinary once again?