Italian Lakes Self-Guided Hike
7 nights — from USD1780
Overview
Imagine hiking past lakeside villas, elegant towns and glacial lakes nestled among the alpine peaks of northern Italy. Along the way, you enjoy grand cable-car rides, walks through mountain meadows and boat cruises among island gardens. Discover a region long favored by European poets and artists, and with the luxury of not having to haul your luggage between towns. You can opt to do the entire hike or just a portion. Whatever you choose, we provide all the tools you need to help you put your spirit of adventure into action.
Highlights
- Explore the lake-side towns of Stresa, Lugano and Bellagio
- Take daily walks among pristine glacial lakes
- Relish the stupendous vistas of the Italian Alps
- Enjoy the fine local cuisine and wines of Piemonte and Lombardia
Depart From: Milan
Finish In: Milan
Starting Dates: Any day, March through October
Fitness Rating: 4 (Ratings Explained)
Itinerary Outline
Here is an outline of a suggested daily itinerary. You can shorten or lengthen this tour to fit your travel dates. For further information, please request a detailed itinerary.
- Day one: After a private transfer from Milan to Stresa, you enjoy a loop walk starting from the village of Levo with wonderful views of the Golfo Borromeo. You pass this night and the next in Stresa. (Walk distance – two options: 6.3 miles/10 km or 8.35 miles/13.5 km)
- Day two: Starting from Stresa you walk to the small town of Belgirate, famous for the 11th century Romanesque church of St. Mary, with wonderful views over Lago Maggiore along the way. (Walk distance – two options: 12.5 miles/20 km or 7.5 miles/12 km)
- Day three: Following a transfer from Stresa to Mottarone, you walk to the enchanting village of Orta San Giulio, with its lakeside piazza overlooking the Lago d’Orta. You spend this night and the next in Orta. (Walk distance – three options: 10.5 miles/16.8 km, 9.5 miles/15.5 km, or 8.3 miles/13.4 km)
- Day four: A ferry takes you to the small village of Pella, from which you take a ring hike in the forested hills above. You return again to Orta by ferry. (Walk distance: 6 miles/9 km)
- Day five: After a private transfer to Bellagio, arguably Italy’s most beautiful lakeside village, you take a ferry to the hamlet of Cadenabbia. From here you walk through alpine pastures to the commune of Tremezzo. You return via ferry to Bellagio, where you pass your next three nights. (Walk distance: 5.8 miles/9.4 km)
- Day six: Starting across the Lago di Como in the town of Varenna, you walk to Lierna along a portion of the Viandante Path, an ancient passage from Milan to Switzerland. (Walk distance: 7 miles / 11 km or 5.6 miles/9 km)
- Day seven: Today’s walk takes you along quaint country lanes above Bellagio to arrive at an astounding vista of the Lago di Como. (Walk distance – two options: 6.2 miles / 10 km or 4 miles/6.4 km)
- Day eight: Your driver helps you on your way to your next destination with a transfer to Milan.
What’s Included
We suggest the following inclusions based on the proposed itinerary (above) and prices (below). Keep in mind that you can modify these as per your own preferences.
- 7 nights accommodation with en-suite facilities
- 7 days of hiking
- breakfast each day
- GPS app with walk coordinates and emergency contact
- detailed maps and route descriptions
- a descriptive guide of the various sites to see
- a Tour Rep to oversee your tour and move your luggage each day
- 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. You can keep your tour private to your own group or you can open your tour for other travelers to join. Single Supplements (sing. supp.) are charged on single occupancy rooms only. All prices are quoted per person in USD.
accomm. level |
2+ p |
sing. supp. |
comfort |
1780 |
620 |
select |
2260 |
730 |
select/first class |
2850 |
850 |
first class |
3540 |
1040 |
deluxe |
4190 |
1360 |
You can schedule this tour to start on any day of the week, March through October. 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 (full explanation).