ITALY: fantasia North Lakes, Milan with bernia express experience 6 DAYS
Milan - Bernina Express - Como - Bellagio - Bergamo - Sirmione - Riva Del Garda - Verona -Wine tasting Franciacorta - Milan

Local guide in Milan and Verona, Bernina Express, Happy Hour in Milan, Food & Wine tasting, Scenic boat transfers, Unique Bernina Express ride, Happy hour experience, Light lunch in Franciacorta region, Lake Como & Lake Garda.

itinerary & prices

DAY 1 HAPPY HOUR Milan
Welcome to Milan! Meet our driver at Milan Malpensa Airport and enjoy a private transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon, meet your professional local guide at the hotel and set off on a three hour walking tour through the heart of Milan. Going down via Spallanzani, you will reach Porta Venezia (literally Venice Gate), one of the historical gates to the city. It has medieval and maybe even Roman origins, and it gives the name to the city district all around it. An urban legend has it that the other name it is known as - “Porta Renza” - stems from Renzo Tramaglino, co-protagonist of he novel The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni, who enters Milan exactly from this access. You will proceed toward Corso Venezia and take a shortcut inside Giardini Indro Montanelli, a public garden. Opposite the gardens, you will go past GAM, the Galleria d’Arte Moderna (modern art museum). Proceeding along Viale Manzoni, you will head for La Scala opera house (Teatro alla Scala), inaugurated on 3 August 1778. The theater underwent major renovations from early 2002 to late 2004. Then, get ready to take in the stunning Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano). Your tour guide will illustrate its main features. The last stop will be the majestic Castello Sforzesco, a medieval fortress built in the 15th century by the Duke of Milan, Francesco Sforza. In its vicinity, we have chosen a refined bakery for you to be able to relax and taste a typical aperitivo (happy hour). At the end of the aperitivo, the tour is over and you will have some free time before returning to the hotel on your own. Overnight stay is in Milan. ANTARES HOTEL CONCORDE BW SIGNATURE COLLECTION. 

DAY 2 Milan - Bernina Express - Milan (B)
This is the day of your Bernina Express tour, on board “the train that snakes its way up to the mountain peaks". Just like sitting in a theater, you will admire unique views from your seat on board the Bernina Train, a piece of history (it is 100 years old) and a World Heritage train. After breakfast at the hotel, meet our driver and reach Tirano. You will get on board there and start this ride along one of the most beautiful railway routes in the world, with its unsurpassed alpine views. The journey will need two hours to complete. As the train winds its way over the Alps, occasionally passing through mountain tunnels, and puffing its way past a myriad of towns and villages, a number of highlights will catch your attention. Look out at the Swiss Alps as you ride along the Bernina pass to St. Moritz, and then enjoy free time to explore it. Meet your driver to return to Milan (meeting point in St. Moritz). Overnight stay in Milan.

DAY 3 Milan - Como - Bellagio - Bergamo (BD)
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and then prepare for a short visit to Como, a tourist destination for its vicinity to Lake Como and the Alps. Amazing views over the lake and the alpine valleys are guaranteed! The lake itself, sometimes called Lario, has long been famous for its y-shape and for Bellagio, that you will reach by boat. This little gem town lies at the intersection of the lake’s two southern arms, with the Alps dominating the horizon to the north, and is home to some of the most charming landscapes in Italy. Spend some time exploring this picturesque village and its small streets, luxury hotels, villas, and gardens, and have lunch at your leisure in one of the many restaurants or cafés. Back on board, you will make your way to Tremezzo/ Villa Carlotta where you will meet the driver and begin your journey to Bergamo, a truly historic and artistic jewel characterized by its urban structure: the città bassa (or lower town) is modern and dynamic, while the famous città alta (or upper town) houses the city’s medieval heart. Check in at your Bergamo hotel, dinner & overnight.

DAY 4 Bergamo - Sirmione - Riva del Garda - Bergamo (BD)
Lake Garda, the largest lake in Italy, is the next destination. After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll embark on a panoramic tour of the lake’s west coast, immersing yourselves in the breathtaking natural landscape. This includes the Brenta Dolomites (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the gentle slopes of the Moraine Hills of Lower Garda. You'll be surrounded by lush vegetation, from lemon trees to oleanders, magnolias, and bougainvillea. Upon reaching Sirmione, where Lake Garda and its surroundings are at their finest, you'll see the sun reverberating on the lake’s blue waters, the tree-lined shores, Sirmione Castle, as well as the ruins of Catullus’s villa or Grottoes of Catullus (the 1st-century BC poet owned a villa here) during a boat tour. Once you’re through, you will have some free time for lunch before departing for Riva del Garda. Located on the north side of the lake, you will see its quaint Venetian-style historical center. Dinner and overnight stay in Bergamo. CAPPELLO D’ORO.

DAY 5 Bergamo Verona - Franciacorta (light lunch and wine tasting) - Milan (BL)
After breakfast, reach “fair Verona”, a museum en plain air. A local professional will be waiting for you and take you on a guided tour. The fascinating mix of historical periods and cultures (both classical and Germanic) is a blend of Nordic as well as Mediterranean influences that is both ancient and modern. A walk through its narrow streets will allow you to get in touch with Verona’s varied and fascinating past: traces of its splendid Roman origins, its medieval structures, its magnificent renaissance palaces, as well as the impressive fortifications protecting it. The combination of art and history will amaze you. Two of William Shakespeare's plays are set in Verona: “Romeo and Juliet” is by far the most famous one. We suggest taking a look at the so-called Juliet’s home (and its balcony, said to have been the legendary balcony of the famous “Oh Romeo, Rome” tragedy’s scene). It is a medieval building located in via Cappello. Capello is the name of a family who resided in the edifice in the 14th century. After the Verona tour, you will drive toward the territory of Franciacorta, whose soil consisting of gravel and sand over limestone is ideal for the cultivation of grapes and for winemaking. This is why we chose this place for your next stop. This is where you will enjoy a light lunch and taste some local food as well as the renowned local wine. After this experience, you will head for Milan, where you will have the last overnight in Milan. ANTARES HOTEL CONCORDE BW SIGNATURE COLLECTION. 

DAY 6 Milan (B)
After breakfast, transfer to the airport. Arrivederci!

Single room supplement is extra. Please contact us for Single travel alone and Single room supplement.

INCLUSIONS

• Transportation by deluxe motorcoach

• Monolingual Tour-escort in English

• Accommodation in 4 stars hotels

• Meals as per itinerary (please inform us at the moment of the booking, in case of any food allergy or alimentary restriction)

• Visits with expert local guide as per itinerary.

• Prosecco sparkling wine tasting

Note- The pick-up / drop-of times will be subject to confirmation by the local assistant

EXCLUSIONS
• Airport transfers
• Entrance fees to monuments or museums when not mentioned
• City tax for overnight stays (according to each city council rules)
• Personal expenses, international airfare, Visa fees
• Customary gratitude to your guide and driver

City Tax - Please note that rates do not includes city taxes when needed. City tax will be paid directly at the reception hotel desk upon arrival or at the check-out according to the local city board procedure. The city tax will change according to hotel category.