Bellissima Northern Italy

Benvenuti a Milano! Location Information Description

Milan, Italy

The tour begins at 6:30 PM at the Grand Hotel et de Milan. A transfer is included from Milan's Malpensa Airport or Linate Airport to Grand Hotel et de Milan, close to the La Scala Opera House and the city's celebrated fashion district.

Please join the group and meet your Tauck Director and your fellow travelers at a welcome reception followed by dinner this evening.

Dinner

Grand Hotel et de Milan

Art and Architecture of Milan Location Information Description

Milan, Italy

Milan's wealth of art and architecture awaits on your first day of sightseeing in this remarkable city. Join a local guide for a panoramic tour of Milan by coach and on foot, including views of Castello Sforzesco; the Duomo, the great Cathedral of Milan and a striking example of Gothic architecture; the famous La Scala opera house; and the impressive Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.

The rest of the day is free to explore what interests you most, perhaps visiting the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie to take in Leonardo da Vinci's mural The Last Supper, which he painted on the refectory wall at the request of his patron, Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan.

Breakfast, Lunch

Grand Hotel et de Milan

Lake Como Villas and a Cruise to Bellagio Location Information Description

Lake Como, Italy

It's said to be Italy's most beautiful lake, and you'll understand why it entrances celebrities, aristocrats and jetsetters when you see Lake Como for yourself today. In Tremezzo, discover Villa Carlotta, known for its lovely setting and splendid 17th-century gardens decorated with sculptures, stairways and fountains. A private boat ride across the lake to Bellagio reveals the grand villas of the rich and famous.

Location Information Description

Stresa, Italy

After lunch on your own, board another private boat for a cruise to Como en route to your Belle Époque hotel in Stresa on Lake Maggiore.

Breakfast, Dinner

Grand Hotel des Iles Barromees

Lake Maggiore and Baroque Isola Bella Location Information Description

Lake Maggiore, Italy

Your vacation continues as you travel by boat to Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore and the exquisite Villa Borromeo on the tiny, private island. Count Vitaliano Borromeo began the construction of this opulent Baroque palace and its splendid gardens in 1632. A guided tour of the ornate family home showcases priceless works of art, tapestries and furniture in an elegant and sumptuous setting.

Location Information Description

Stresa, Italy

Have lunch on Isola Pescatori, then return to lovely Stresa, where the afternoon and evening are free to enjoy as you please.

Breakfast, Lunch

Grand Hotel des Iles Barromees

Bergamo, a Wine Tasting & on to Verona Location Information Description

Bergamo, Italy

Today's travels take you across lush rural landscapes to ancient Bergamo, where you'll explore its walled medieval center – straight out of a storybook illustration – with a local guide; visit the Piazza Vecchia, the 12th-century Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, and the Cappella Colleoni.

Location Information Description

Verona, Italy

After a wine tasting and tasty lunch at an agriturismo in the Franciacorta region, your northern Italy vacation continues to Verona, land of Romeo and Juliet, where your accommodations at the Due Torri Hotel are not far from the famous balcony that recalls Shakespeare's timeless tragedy.

Breakfast, Lunch

Due Torri Hotel

Verona, the home of Romeo & Juliet Location Information Description

Verona, Italy

Verona is probably best known as the home of Shakespeare's tragic lovers, Romeo and Juliet… and of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Valentine and Proteus. But, Verona is so much more. In honor of its many historical buildings, Verona has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is famous for its Roman amphitheatre, the third largest after the Colosseum in Rome and still used for operas and other cultural entertainment, and other buildings that have survived since Roman times as well as for its outstanding wine and cuisine. A walking tour this morning reveals the many charms of the city.

The afternoon is free to continue your explorations on your own. Enjoy dinner with wine at a local ristorante tonight.

Breakfast, Dinner

Due Torri Hotel

Ferraris, Parmigiano & Balsamic in Modena Location Information Description

Modena, Italy

Travel to Modena, where you'll visit a Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factory to experience first-hand the process of cheesemaking; from the milk delivery to the finished wheels, follow each detail of the production – and end with a tasting! You'll then hear the story of Enzo Ferrari, driver and creator of Scuderia Ferrari in the 1930s, at the Enzo Ferrari Museum.

Later, a guided visit reveals the art of balsamic vinegar making – an elaborate process of rendering grapes and decanting must into wooden barrels. Your visit is memorable, as is the sampling of this aromatic staple of gourmet cooking aged from 18 to 25+ years!

Location Information Description

Bologna, Italy

Journey on to the celebrated university town of Bologna, where food, fashion and culture reign supreme. Dine this evening at a local restaurant.

Breakfast, Dinner

Grand Hotel Majestic - gia Baglioni

Bologna & a Cooking Class with a Chef Location Information Description

Bologna, Italy

Surrounded by hills, the dusky red buildings, marble-floored ancient porticoes and wide piazzas contribute to the distinctly Renaissance feel in the center of Bologna, a bastion of food, fashion and culture. Home of the world's oldest university, the Alma Mater Studiorum, founded in 1088, notable scholars such as Dante, Boccaccio and Petrarca once walked its streets. A walking tour this morning reveals sights that they may well have seen centuries ago – including the university's magnificent Archiginnasio, the Church of San Domenico, Piazza Santo Stefano and the city's iconic Two Towers.

After time to explore on your own, learn the secrets of Bologna's cuisine in a cooking demonstration by a chef.

Breakfast

Grand Hotel Majestic - gia Baglioni

The Venetian Islands & St. Mark's after hours Location Information Description

Venice, Italy

Take a high-speed train to Venice today, one of the world's most enchanting cities. Venturing as far as possible by coach, you'll board a private boat to begin an exploration of the islands of the Venetian Lagoon, starting with Torcello, where you'll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Afterwards, you'll have a chance to tour its 11th-century basilica. Then continue on to nearby Burano, known for its exquisite lacemaking and picturesque colored homes.

Back on dry land (or at least the Venetian version thereof), check into your home for the next two nights in the City of Canals – The Gritti Palace, Venice, originally the 15th-century private home of a doge of Venice overlooking the Grand Canal, recently reemerging and reopening after a painstaking, handcrafted restoration.

Tonight a Tauck Exclusive awaits – an after-hours guided visit to celebrated St. Mark's Basilica in the heart of Venice (subject to availability and day of the tour may vary), during which you can explore the iconic basilica without the usual crowds!

Breakfast, Lunch

The Gritti Palace

More Venetian Delights as You Please Location Information Description

Venice, Italy

Awaken in intriguing Venice, one of the world's most beloved cities, today and indulge in all things Venetian just as you choose. You might begin your day enjoying a coffee in Piazza San Marco, referred to by Alfred de Musset as "the drawing room of Europe." Here in the city where streets are paved with water, the sound of human voices replaces the traffic noise so common in the other great cities of Europe as pedestrians (and pigeons) flock to this central gathering place for Venetians. Perhaps you'll choose to see the magnificent view of the city from the top of St. Mark's bell tower, stroll over to the Rialto Bridge, take in some of the city's excellent museums or shop for distinctive Venetian souvenirs such as the traditional Carnival masks and colorful Venetian glass. Or, just follow your nose and see where the tiny streets might take you.

This evening, join the group and celebrate the end of a splendid trip with a farewell cocktail reception and dinner at the hotel.

Breakfast, Dinner

The Gritti Palace

Journey Home Location Information Description

Venice, Italy

The tour ends in Venice after breakfast. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from The Gritti Palace to Venice's Marco Polo International Airport and / or Santa Lucia train station. Please allow 3 hours for airport check-in formalities.

Breakfast

• 60 days or more before departure: $600.00 per person
• 59-8 days before departure: $900.00 per person
• 7-1 days before departure: $1500.00 per person
• On departure day and later: 100% of total price
• Any changes or cancellations to airline reservations made through Tauck either before or after departure are subject to the cancellation / change policies of the individual airlines. In n some instances these cancellation / change fees may be up to 100% of the ticket price.
• Cancellation fees may also apply to any additional services, including extra night accommodations, independently supplied services, and optional excursions reserved prior to, during, and after the tour. If flight changes, including, but not limited to, flight cancellations or name changes, are requested after full land and air deposits are received, revision fees, change fees, or airline cancellation fees will apply.
• All cancellations must be received in writing prior to tour departure. The cancellation policy will apply according to the date that the cancellation notification is received. The MINIMUM cancellation penalty is the deposit amount.
• The purchase to trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended.

• Land only “from price” is per person based on two people sharing a room together and does not include airfare unless expressly stated.
• All prices are in US Dollars.
• A $600 non-refundable, non-transferable, per-person, per-vacation deposit is required to reserve space for you. Payment of the deposit indicates you have read and accepted all Terms & Conditions. Your booking is not confirmed until the deposit payment is processed and you receive a confirmation invoice.
• Final payment is due 75 days prior to departure. Within the final payment date, payment in full is required at time of booking to reserve space. Reservations (land, cruise, and air) are canceled if final payment is not received by the due date.
• Additional deposits or payments are required for international air added to the start and/or end of your vacation.