Walking in the Italian Lakes District
Personalize this tour to your travel dates and activity level
Talk about romantic! The lakeside villas, elegant towns, and glacial lakes set among the magnificent alpine peaks of northern Italy are sure to take your breath away. This is a tour full of variety, from grand cable-car rides to walks on mountain meadows to boat cruises among islands brooded over by sumptuous mansions and palaces. And each town has its particular charm: Stresa's flower-filled squares, Orta San Giulio's narrow, cobblestone streets, Lugano's cosmopolitan good looks, and Bellagio's restful quays – a region long favored by European poets and artists.
Highlights
- Explore the lake-side towns of Stresa, Lugano and Bellagio
- Walk among pristine glacial lakes
- Relish the stupendous vistas of the Italian Alps
- Enjoy the fine local cuisine and wines
Itinerary Outline
Here is an outline of a suggested daily itinerary. You can shorten or lengthen this tour to fit your travel dates. Request a detailed itinerary using the contact form below:
- Day one: Your guide meets you in the morning in Milan for a transfer to the town of Orta San Giulio on the Lago d'Orta. After a walk through this charming village, you continue to Stresa, where you spend the next two nights.
- Day two: Today you walk to the top of Monte Mottorone, above Lago Maggiore, with excellent views of the Italian alps and the lakes below. In the afternoon, you visit the islands of Lago Maggiore, with their palaces, gardens and picturesque fishing villages.
- Day three: You transfer to the Swiss city of Lugano, for a tour of this cosmopolitan Swiss city. Later you hike to the top of nearby Monte Bre and walk along the bluffs overlooking Lugano. Afterwards, you continue to Lago di Como and the lakeside village of Bellagio, where you spend the next three nights.
- Day four: In the morning, you walk along ancient country lanes above Bellagio to find an astounding vista of the Lago di Como and its ring of high mountains. Energy permitting, you can enjoy a hike to Monte San Primo for a view as far as the Swiss Alps on a clear day.
- Day five: You start the day with a visit across the lake to Varenna and a walk to the Fiumelatte, a waterfall remarkable for its milk-white waters. Upon your return to Bellagio in the afternoon, you have time free for shopping and further exploration of Bellagio.
- Day six: We help you on your way to your next destination with a transfer to Milan.
What's Included
- 5 nights accommodation with en-suite facilities
- breakfast each day
- 2 dinners
- full-time, professional Tour Leader
- guided walks each day
- wine and specialty foods tastings
- paid entrance to all included activities
- all land transfers to and from tour area, and during tour
- all taxes and service charges at hotels and restaurants
- travel guidance for pre/post-tour activities
(Not included are airfare, wine and other beverages with alcohol, personal purchases such as laundry, phone calls, frigobar items etc., and anything not specifically included above.)
Pricing
We price this tour for the following categories of accommodation. We also tier-price based on the tour's final group size. You can keep your tour private to your own group or you can open your tour for other travelers to join, thereby taking advantage of our tier discounts. All prices are quoted per person in USD.
| accomm. level | 2-3 p | 4-5 p | 6+ p | sing. supp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| comfort | 2390 | 2190 | 1930 | 340 |
| select | 2850 | 2590 | 2290 | 590 |
| first class | 3840 | 3340 | 3150 | 690 |
| deluxe | 4990 | 4850 | 4560 | 960 |
Scheduling
You can schedule this tour to start on any day of the week, all year long. As with all our tours, you tell us the dates you would like to start your tour, allowing you the maximum in flexibility and convenience.
Check for open departures of this tour already scheduled by other travelers. Or schedule your own departure and open it for others travelers to join.
What's next?
Proceed to our booking area to book this tour now.
Or write to us, and we'll send you the detailed itinerary for this tour and other relevant information.
