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Freephone: 0800 747 737
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The Italian Grande Tour

18 fascinating days

Discover the fairytale ‘town of towers’ San Gimignano!

Explore Italy’s evocative regions as you travel from Milan to Rome discovering regional delights and stunning scenery along the way. Cruise on Lake Como, stay in a dreamy Italian castle, stroll the romantic canals of Venice and explore the idyllic villages of the Cinque Terre. Indulge in
local Tuscan delights, walk beautifully preserved medieval towns and of course stay on the Amal Coast.

Your tour highlights

  • Lake Como
  • Amalfi Coast
  • Rome
  • Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii
  • Venice
  • Lake Maggiore
  • Capri
  • Cinque Terre
  • Tuscany
  • Milan
  • Spoleto

Tour itinerary

Day
1
Stresa welcome

Commencing in central Milan at 2pm we will transfer you to Stresa on wonderful Lake Maggiore, where you will stay the next four nights. Join us tonight for a welcome drink before dinner. This is an ideal chance to meet, and get to know, your Tour Manager and fellow travellers.

Day
2
Villa Carlotta and Lake Como

This morning we drive to the town of Como and follow the shore of the lake to Tremezzo, where we board our private boat and enjoy a cruise on Lake Como, past a number of striking lakeside villas, to delightful Bellagio. This beautiful town is situated at the tip of the
peninsula separating the lake’s two southern arms, with the Alps visible across the lake to the north. It’s time to relax in this delightful town which boasts peaceful villas and gardens nestled by the lakeside, elegant shops and walkways plus stylish al fresco dining at its very
best.

Returning to Tremezzo, we visit the world famous Villa Carlotta. This wonderful Villa is set in 70,000 square metres of romantic Italianate Gardens and faces across Lake Como to the Bellagio peninsula. The classic gardens boast fountains and pergolas and in spring time is famous for its rhododendrons and azaleas. Later we return to Stresa. Dinner tonight is included in a local restaurant.

Day
3
Macugnaga and lakeside Orta San Giulio

There is nothing like a day in the mountains – especially amongst some of the highest and most dramatic in the Alps! Following a deep valley we soon reach the mountain village of Macugnaga, close to the Swiss border. Used as a location in many films, the village is famous for its beautifully preserved wooden huts and chalets, and the stunning backdrop of the Monte Rosa (Pink) Massif and the 4638 metres high Dufourspitze – Europe’s second highest mountain. Your time is at leisure to explore the village and surroundings, and perhaps take a mountain cable car ride (subject to operating) to enjoy lunch and the extraordinary views. Later today we also visit the delightful town of Orta San Giulio beside the beautiful, and some say most romantic of all the lakes – Lake Orta. Your evening is at leisure in Stresa.

Day
4
Islands of Lake Maggiore

Boarding our private boat we visit the famous islands of Lake Maggiore. First stop will be Isola Bella where we have included entrance and a guided tour of the palatial Borromeo villa and gardens, which dominate the island. The villa boasts Murano glass chandeliers, gobelin covered chairs, intricate tapestries and paintings. The spectacular formal gardens rise behind the ornate villa, with patterned ower beds falling in terraces, with statues and ornamental stonework completing the Italianate style. Next we visit Isola Pescatori (the Fisherman’s
island).

Lunchtime is at leisure on this small, picturesque island with its quaint cafés and restaurants set amongst the old houses with wooden balconies, tiny boats and shing nets. The afternoon and evening are at leisure in delightful, lakeside Stresa.

Day
5
Lake Garda and CastelBrando

Bidding farewell to Lake Maggiore we drive east and arrive at Lake Garda late morning. This is the largest of the Italian lakes, with a
circumference of approximately 100 kilometres; it is surrounded by lemon and citrus groves and is the meeting point of three Italian regions. There will be time at leisure for lunch in one of the colourful and diverse lakeside towns. You stay in the foothills of the Dolomites, in the superb CastelBrando for the next two evocative nights.

Day
6
Venice

After a leisurely start we visit nearby ‘Venezia’ (Venice) – arguably one of the most romantic cities in the world. At Tronchetto we board a
private boat to take us to St Mark’s Square, where we join our expert local guide for a walking tour. The rest of the day is free to meander through the myriad of narrow, water lined streets and alleys spanned by humped back bridges.

Day
7
Montecatini Terme in Tuscany

A leisurely start today as we travel south to Tuscany. We arrive in the charming spa town of Montecatini Terme mid afternoon. This was once a favourite ‘cure resort’ of the crowned heads of state from all over Europe. We stay here for the next five nights, in a traditional family run, 4-star hotel, close to the major sights. As a highlight, this evening we drive into the picturesque Tuscan countryside, where we
have arranged dinner at a local olive oil farmhouse estate.

Day
8
Florence

Today is dedicated to nearby ‘Firenze’ (Florence). We are joined by a local guide who will bring to life this truly beautiful city, which is otherwise known as the ‘Cradle of the Renaissance’. We see the Duomo and take in the magnificent statues in the Piazza della Signoria. At the conclusion of your walking tour, we have included a guided visit to the famous Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo’s ‘David’
and numerous other extraordinary Italian, Florentine and Renaissance works of art. Your afternoon is entirely free to enjoy Florence at your own pace. Espresso coee on Piazza Santa Croce where Michelangelo is buried? A gelato whilst strolling across the Ponte Vecchio? Don’t forget the excellent shopping.

Day
9
Lucca, Pisa and Olive Oil tasting in a local farmhouse

Our first stop today is in one of the most typically ‘Tuscan’ towns in the area, Lucca – a medieval walled city, filled with palaces, churches, ancient houses and the former home of Puccini, where he wrote Turandot. Walk on top of the city walls for the very best city views, or visit Piazza San Michele and stroll along the shops of Borgo Giannotti. Afterwards we visit Pisa with its famous Leaning Tower, Cathedral and Baptistery in the magnicent Piazza dei Miracoli. This afternoon we visit a local farmhouse to enjoy an olive oil tasting accompanied by Tuscan wines and a light dinner to sample the farms own produce.

Day
10
Cinque Terre

A delightful day is planned as we explore the famous Cinque Terre. The name means ‘five lands’ and comes from the five unspoilt fishing villages that cling to the cliffs, overlooking the sea. We have arranged a coastal boat ride for you to admire the spectacular scenery and almost inaccessible shing villages, and to visit Portovenere and Monterosso. Our return journey to Levanto, to meet our coach, is by
train.

Day
11
Tuscany

The whole of today has been purposely left entirely at leisure. This is a perfect opportunity for you to do as little, or as much as you want! Maybe take the local train back to the museums and shops of Florence. Alternatively explore Montecatini’s old centre and parklands, or pamper yourself in one of the spas. Perhaps just relax in your hotel or sip wine in a café and watch the world go by!

Day
12
San Gimignano, Siena and Spoleto

We make the short drive across Tuscany to the fairytale ‘town of towers’ San Gimignano, famous for its 13th and 14th century Tuscan towers. Exploring the pedestrian walkways of this hilltop town is an absolute delight. Lunchtime will be at leisure in the beautifully
preserved streets of medieval Siena amongst the great sights such as the gothic town hall and the Piazza del Campo, scene of the famous Palio horse race. Next we wind up to the hills of Umbria and the wonderful walled town of Spoleto where we stay the next two nights.
Medieval Spoleto is easily explored on foot. There are numerous romanesque churches and cobblestoned alleyways lined with shops,
bars and trattorias.

Day
13
Assisi and Spoleto

We spend this morning in the nearby beautiful Umbrian city of Assisi. Badly damaged by earthquakes in 1997 the city, dominated by two medieval castles, undertook a remarkable programme of restoration which soon brought it back to all its glory. On arrival in Assisi we are joined by a local guide for a tour of the Basilica of St Francis with its magnificent frescoes. Afterwards there is time for you to explore Assisi at your own pace. Returning to Spoleto, the rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Perhaps take a leisurely walk along the path around
the castle and across the medieval viaduct in to the Umbrian countryside. This is the real Italy!

Day
14
Ancient Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast

Driving south past Vesuvius we visit the ancient ruins of Pompeii, where a local guide takes us through the city that was buried under volcanic ash in AD 79. Paintings, furniture, mosaics, sculptures, graffiti and even loaves in ovens are wonderfully preserved. From here it’s only a short drive to the Amal coast and the port towns of Minori and Maiori, where we stay for the next three nights. A perfect base for visiting all the local sights and soaking up the unique atmosphere of the Amalfi Coast

Day
15
Amalfi Coast - Capri

Enjoy your day as we take you on the ferry along the Amal coast, and across to Marina Grande on the island of Capri, which the Roman emperor Tiberius made his capital. On arrival we meet our local guide and board a bus which takes us up to the top of the island to explore the charming village of Anacapri. In the main town, Capri, we visit the Giardino d’Augusto overlooking the Faraglioni, before ‘My Time’ amongst the boutiques and galleries.

Day
16
Amalfi Coast - Amalfi and Ravello

The Amal coast is famous for its twisting, winding scenic drive with picturesque villages and towns hugging the cliffs and craggy coves. This morning we cruise from Minori along the dramatic coastline and spend time exploring Amal. Your afternoon is at leisure in Minori.
In the late afternoon, we will drive up to perhaps one of the most scenic towns along the Amal Coast, Ravello. Perched on the mountain, commanding panoramic views across the coast, Ravello is evocatively described as being “nearer to the sky than it is to the sea”, and has been a favourite haunt of artists and composers for centuries. You will have free time to savour the breath-taking views, enjoy an apertivo overlooking the piazza, and explore the medieval streets of this enchanting village. Your evening is at leisure in Minori.

Day
17
Hadrian's Villa and Rome

Arriving in Tivoli, on the outskirts of the the ‘Eternal City’ of Rome, we enjoy a visit to the imposing Hadrians Villa (Villa Adriana) – a
UNESCO World Heritage Site that epitomises the grandeur of the Roman Empire. Later we check into our central Rome hotel. Our finale will be a special farewell dinner in a local restaurant.

Day
18
Rome

Your tour ends today after breakfast.

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Tour pricing:

from $12,086

per person twin/double share*

solo traveller pricing from $13,956

To secure your place now:

Phone: 03 364 3400 or 0800 747 737
Email: [email protected]

Contact Us for details

Tour Inclusions:

  • Travel in a first-class air-conditioned touring coach
  • Welcome drink on Day 1
  • 29 meals including breakfast daily (B) and 12 evening meals (D)
  • A complimentary glass of wine, beer or soft drink with all included dinners
  • Hotel porterage of 1 bag per person (where available)
  • 17 nights specially selected hotel accommodation
  • Free WiFi at most hotels (where available)
  • Personal audio system whilst on tour (where available)
  • ALL tips for your Tour Manager, Driver and Local Guides
  • Local guides as described in the itinerary
  • Fully escorted by our experienced Tour Manager
  • Hand Selected Albatross Experiences including private boat rides on Lake Maggiore, Lake Como and Venice, cruises in Cinque
    Terre and Capri, plus olive oil tasting in a Tuscan farmhouse
  • ALL excursions, scenic drives, sightseeing and entrances as described

Not included:

Conditions:

Our tours require a moderate level of fitness due to the unique places we visit and stay. This tour is not suited to anyone who has mobility issues. In mid-summer, the heat may be energy sapping. Being in Italy there are a number of beautiful hilltop towns we visit. There are a number of beautiful towns and sites we visit which require exploring on foot and often have cobbled-stone streets and uneven walkways. In Siena the coach drop of point is between a 10-15 minute walk on cobbled stone streets, from the central square. In the Cinque Terre you will need to coastal ferry board the boat via a steel gangplank.
We had a fabulous trip away. Insight and Avalon were just wonderful, couldn’t fault them at all. Thank you so much for all your input and help.
Europe in Winter, Nikki & Steve
Everything you organised worked really well. The timings and explanations on arrival at places was brilliant. The hotels were all handily located to centre of old towns. The 2 Intrepid Trips provided extra understanding of the areas as did the 3 day Hurtigruten cruise.
Scandinavia, Bronwyn & Gordon
The "Sea Cloud" experience was above expectation and more! All your plans worked perfectly and we enjoyed the Somewhere Boutique Hotel at Voulagemeni. Absolutely no problem with the flights. Our accommodation was more than adequate, food excellent and the service 5+ star. We would strongly recommend this 'once in a lifetime' experience.
Adriatic, Paul & Ann
Overall its was an absolutely amazing experience, thank you for all clear information you had given us, really helpful to figure out where is our hotel and how to move from one place to another. Thank you so much for organizing this trip and doing such a good job.
Europe, Ai Ngo and Adrian
We really enjoyed the cruise and this was certainly one of the highlights of the trip. The Azamara cruise was ideal being a smaller boat (and numbers of people) but still provided great service and entertainment. The cruise we did from Athens to Venice was perfect with a destination each day to visit and a great variety of places. I would certainly recommend this cruise company and this particular voyage option.
Europe, Rob & Nikki
We’ve had a fabulous time in Portugal, outstanding guide, great food and wine and the National Geographic tour was superb. What a wonderful country, lovely people and great sights.
Portugal, David & Jill
We had a fantastic day at Plitvice today - very wet and overcast but absolutely stunning and loved every minute of our 12kms walking and photographing!! Loving our hotel here too ... another perfect one thank you!
Croatia, David & Joss
Sandra and I are back at home now after a couple of great months away.  The whole trip was great, so thanks for your help with the bookings etc. No issues at all. We very much enjoyed the Rhine cruise with Viking. We couldn’t fault their service and effort, and are happy to recommend them to others.  
Europe, Murray & Sandra
The trip was fantastic thanks very much for all your input.  Everything worked seamlessly with the flights, accommodation, and car rentals that you booked for us.  The places you booked for us were all in a good location.   The cycle trip through Burgundy was also definitely a highlight. It was truly a trip of a lifetime with everything that we managed to squeeze in, and having a lot of it organised for us was a real treat.
Europe, Mike & Nicky
Our trip went very well. We loved Ireland with Back Roads, excellent guide and good group. We think of three things, its green, narrow roads and old stone fences! Very interesting history. Hurtigruten had ungraded us to Cabin 601, right at the front with three windows, nice and spacious so very enjoyable. We had rougher seas around the Hebredies and Orkneys but all good.
UK & Ireland, Barbara
Back safe and sound after a wonderful cruise and Greek Island stay. Barcelona amazing and our little hotel was perfect. So handy to everything. The Viking cruise was pure luxury . Food, cabin décor entertainment , just perfect. My favourite places visited were Sicily, all the Croatian coast, towns and villages. Our Greek island stay very good with nice family hotel. Not so keen on the ferry. Like being in a plane. Very quick! Business was great and it would be hard to fly any other way now. Anyway Ian thank you so much for organising a great holiday for us. Very much appreciated. I haven’t completely ruled out travelling again!!
Mediterranean, Lois
Thank you Peter for once again, your meticulous planning for us. The trains worked admirably and we had plenty of time for connections. It is sometime since we have travelled in Europe but we have had a fabulous time despite only three sunny days in UK and Europe. Free use of public transport in Basel and Geneva great. Oyster card worked well in London. Lauterbrunnen was Swiss fairytale. A three day pass meant we did heaps and the weather cleared on our last day so we enjoyed Jungfrau plus views of The Eiger. Lots of Indian tourists/ has featured in a Bollywood movie. Weather didn’t clear in Zermatt/ so didn’t see Matterhorn. Left 42 degrees in Dubai. Sunday breakfast up the Burj. Thanks Peter you are an excellent travel agent.
Holland & Switzerland, Alison
A big thank you for organising bookings for us. Everything went according to plan. Managed to catch everything, nothing delayed , except Easyjet which you kind of expect.
Europe, Lesley
We had an absolutely fabulous holiday.  I adored Switzerland, the people, the scenery, just everything.  Every day was better than the day before, couldn't fault anything. The hotels and transport were spot on.  Simon skied 5 days and I found plenty to do.  It was easy meeting people and exploring by myself. Thank you so much for all your organising.  This trip has given me so much confidence to explore other European countries and winter climates.
Switzerland, Lynne