Even if you’ve been to Italy before, you’ve never experienced an Italian vacation like our new 11-day Bellissima Northern Italy journey! Indulge yourself with another side of Italy during this unique Italian vacation. Begin in fashionable Milan and discover the legacy that Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo left behind. Take in the beauty of the Italian lakes and imagine the privileged lifestyle of those who live on their shores as you visit Isola Bella and Bellagio and see the most popular Italian vacation getaway of Verona’s rich folks in the 1st century BC on the banks of Lake Garda. You’ll think of Romeo and Juliet as you tour Verona, a UNESCO World Heritage Site also famous for its many relics of the Roman Empire. Attend a Balsamic vinegar tasting as well as a wine tasting and savor authentic flavors of Italy. Walk on streets that Dante once trod in Bologna and be inspired by some of Giotto’s best work in Padua. Cap off the perfect Italian vacation in Venice, truly a city of dreams.

2008 Itinerary

Day 1: Benvenuti a Milano!
Your Northern Italian vacation begins at 6:00 PM at Grand Hotel et de Milan. Tauck’s Northern Italian vacation begins with an included transfer from Milan’s Malpensa Airport to the Grand Hotel et de Milan. Please join us to meet your Tauck Director and your fellow travelers at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner this evening.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Grand Hotel et de Milan, Milan

Day 2: Artful inspirations
This morning will be a special treat for aficionados of religious art masterpieces… or The Da Vinci Code. Visit 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. With dimensions of 15 by 29 feet, this beloved mural covers the entire large wall. Continue on to magnificent Castello Sforzesco which houses Michelangelo’s last unfinished masterwork, the Rondanini Pieta. Later, admire the great Cathedral of Milan, a striking example of Gothic architecture, and the impressive Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. After a walking tour of the city center, the rest of the day is free to explore what interests you most on your own.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Grand Hotel et de Milan, Milan

Day 3: Baroque Isola Bella
Your Italian vacation continues as you travel to Stresa and Lake Maggiore to explore the exquisite Borromeo Palace on tiny, private Isola Bella. Count Vataliano Borromeo began the construction of this opulent Baroque palace and its splendid gardens in 1632. The ornate family home showcases priceless works of art, tapestries and furniture in an elegant and sumptuous setting. Take a ferry across Lake Maggiore,with a stop in stylish Lugano, before driving along Lake Lugano to the Grand Hotel Cadenabbia on the shores of famous Lake Como for a two-night stay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Grand Hotel Cadenabbia, Lake Como

Day 4: Bountiful Bellagio
Travel to Tremezzo for a visit to Villa Carlotta, known for its splendid 17th-century gardens, before taking a ferry ride across Lake Como to Bellagio. As you explore this beautiful place at your leisure, you’ll discover why it is such a sought-after destination by travelers. Later, board a boat to cruise past exquisite lakeside villas en route to an intriguing dinner venue – a restaurant, set partially in a cave, that offers beautiful views of the lake.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging: Grand Hotel Cadenabbia, Lake Como

Day 5: Lake Garda grandeur
Today’s journey explores one of the loveliest places in northern Italy. Seemingly straight out of a storybook illustration with its battlements and towers, the Rocca Scaligera castle stands guard over the scene. See the sights in the ancient town of Sirmione on Lake Garda, which was already a favorite resort area for the wealthy families of Verona in the 1st century BC. Continue on to romantic Verona for a two-night stay.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging: Due Torri Hotel Baglioni, Verona

Day 6: Verona variety
Verona is probably best known as the home of Shakespeare’s tragic lovers, Romeo and Juliet… and of his 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. A walking tour this morning reveals the many charms of the city. After lunch on your own, travel to a well-known winery for a tasting of Amarone, a world-famous wine for which the winery is known. The evening is yours to explore more of Verona as you please.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Due Torri Hotel Baglioni, Verona

Day 7: A different taste of Italy
Journey this morning to Mantua, birthplace of the poet, Virgil, and once the site of one of the greatest Renaissance courts in Europe. Tour the impressive Ducal Palace, the former stronghold of the powerful Gonzaga family, and admire grand rooms and stunning frescoes dating from the 13th through the 18th centuries. Visit the 14th-century fortress of Castello San Georgio to view its impressive art collection. A call at a local museum reveals how authentic Balsamic vinegar is produced, complete with a tasting that will be an interesting memory of your Italian vacation.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Grand Hotel Bologna, Bologna

Day 8: Bountiful Bologna
Surrounded by hills, the dusky red buildings, marbled-floored ancient porticoes and wide piazzas contribute to the distinctly Renaissance feel in the center of Bologna. Home of the world’s oldest university, the Alma Mater Studiorum, founded in 1088, notable scholars such as Dante, Boccaccio and Petraca once walked its streets. A walking tour this morning reveals sights that they may well have seen centuries ago. After time to explore on your own, indulge in a cooking class prior to dinner before savoring the delicious results of what you’ve learned.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Grand Hotel Bologna, Bologna

Day 9: Inspiration for the senses and the soul
This morning, a walking tour of Ferrara, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its success in retaining its Renaissance-era city center intact, showcases its many architectural and artistic treasures. Dine in a local restaurant before continuing on to Padua, home to one of Europe’s oldest universities, Universita degli Studi di Padova, founded in 1222. Visit the Basilica de Sant Antonio de Padua, where the saint rests in a tomb made of marble in a richly decorated chapel. Then, it’s off to Venice for a two-night stay in the fabled city of canals.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice

Day 10: Venetian delights
Awaken in intriguing Venice, one of the world’s most beloved cities, today and indulge in all things Venetian. Begin the day in famous 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. St. Mark’s Basilica, St. Mark’s Clocktower and the Doges’ Palace will compete with other imposing buildings and charming outdoor cafés for your attention. Learn more about St. Mark’s Basilica during a guided tour and cross the famous “Bridge of Sighs� as you explore the Doges’ Palace. Then, get ready to hum along as you’re serenaded during a gondola ride through the romantic canals. The afternoon is yours to wander through this delightful city as you please. Please join us this evening for our farewell reception and dinner as your Italian vacation comes to a close.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice

Day 11: Homeward bound
Tour ends: Venice. Your Italian vacation comes to an end with a transfer from the Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice to Venice’s Marco Polo International Airport. Please allow 2 1/2 hours for airport check-in formalities. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey home.
Meals: Breakfast

Choose this comprehensive Italy tour for the ultimate Italy tour experience – book today!

Departure Dates

May 2, 16, 30
Jun 13, 27
Jul 25
Aug 22
Sep 26
Oct 3, 17

Prices

11 Days from $4,960

20 meals included.

International Airfare is additional – Call Tauck for special rates on international air for travel originating in the U.S. (subject to availability).

Please ask at time of booking about additional hotel nights before your tour begins and about our comprehensive Guest Protection Plan

All prices are per person in U.S. dollars.