Day 1 MILAN AIRPORT-LAKE ORTA
Arrival Milan airport where you will meet your guide and transfered to Lake Orta on watefront Hotel San Rocco 4* or similar for three nights. Later enjoy a welcome drink and a welcome dinner in a local restaurant overlooking the lake. (D)
Day 2 LAKE ORTA-LAKE MAGGIORE-LAKE ORTA
We start our day with a boat ride to visit San Gulio island. The island is famous for The Basilica of San Giulio and charming picturesque streets and narrow cobbled lanes. The rest of the morning is free to explore Lake Orta area.
After the lunch break you’ll be transfered to nearby Lake Maggiore for an included private visit of Boromeo Palace on Isola Bella and its remarkable terraced gardens. You’ll end the day with an evening boat ride and a dinner on Isola dei Pescatori, a picturesque fishing village of an earlier era. (B,D)
Day 3 LAKE ORTA-CENTOVALLI TRAIN RIDE-LOCARNO-LAKE ORTA
Pack your passports today and enjoy one of the highlight of the tour Centovalli train ride and reach Switzerland.
Day 4 LAKE ORTA-TORINO
After breakfast you departure Lake Orta and reach elegant Turin, region’s capital city. Your home for the next two nights is the centrally located Hotel Majestic 4* or similar.
In the afternoon enjoy a company of an expert local guide to explore Turin and its surrundings. Local guide tour includes also panoramic drive to Superga church, Turin’s viewpoint.
Tonight you’ll dine in an elegant Slow food Turin local resturant. (B,D)
Day 5 TORINO-SACRA SAN MICHELE-TORINO
After breakfast start a half day tour to explore Sacra di San Michele – Umberto Eco’s inspiration for Name of the Rose novel!
Sacra di San Michele is a religious complex on Mount Pirchiriano, overlooking alpine valley Susa. The abbey, which for much of its history came under Benedictine rule, is the “Symbolic monument of the Piedmont region”. This monumental abbey served as one of the inspirations for the book The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. Learn more about the abbey on an included tour.
Afterwards you’ll be taken back to Turin. Free afternoon and evening(B)
Day 6 TORINO-LANGHE-BAROLO-NEIVE
Leaving Turin this morning we’re going to explore the most famous of Piemonte wine region’s – Lange and Barolo today. It’s rolling hills and endless vineyards and hazelnuts groves, it’s pleasent villages and little towns are going to be our scenery for the day. We’ll stop here and there for wine tasting and snacks, and we’ll say, yes, this is a good life.
After some free time and lunch in Alba, famous for truffles we continue via scenic route to hill-top town of Neive. Your accomodation is charming Borgese Suites 4* or similar for one night. Dinner in a local restaurant. (B,D)
Day 7 NEIVE-GENOVA-MONTEROSSO AL MARE
Departure Piemonte and head to Genoa on Ligurian coast this morning.
Genoa was for many centuries one of the grand powers of Italy. Its historical legacy was to leave behind a beautiful and intriguing city like none other on this marvelous peninsula as our expert local guide will illuminate this morning. Guided visit includes also a Galata Museo del Mare (Museum of the Sea) – a multi-media masterpiece where you can board sailing vessels in one century and emigrate to the Americas in another.
Afterwards leave Genoa and reach Monterosso al Marre on of the five villages on Cinque Terre.
Your hotel rooms in Hotel Porta Rocca 4* or similar for 3 nights feature spectacular views of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Free evening(B)
Day 8 CINQUE TERRE
You’ll explore Cinque terre today!
We’ll first ride the train back to the first village, Riomaggiore, and do an easy walk along a cliff-side footpath. We’ll pass through Manarola and terminate our walk in Corniglia where we’ll stop for a lunch. Before returning to Monterosso al Mare you’ll visit via boat/train picturesque Vernazza. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore on your own.
Free evening. (B)
Day 9 MONTEROSO AL MARE-ST.MARGERITA IN LIGURE-PORTOFINO-MONTEROSO AL MARE
Our exploration of the Ligurian coastline will continue with a morning in Santa Margherita Ligure, a lovely seaside resort with garden villas and grand hotels and Portofino an italian jet-set resort.
Afternoon arrival back to hotel. Included dinner on the hotel terrace with dazzling sea views! (B,D)
Day 10 MONTEROSO AL MARE-AIRPORT
After breakfast departure to the airport. (B)
