Day 3: Lake Maggiore – Locarno
Today we offer an included coach excursion visiting Lake Maggiore. Our visit will incorporate three scenic stops. The first of these will be at Stresa on the lake’s western shore, a town full of villas and gardens, with an attractive lakeside promenade. Moving on, we visit the Botanical Gardens of Villa Taranto where there’s free time to explore before we continue to the Swiss canton of Ticino to stop at Locarno on the northern tip of the lake. Locarno is laced with Latin charm, and all the cobbled alleys of the old town lead to the colonnaded Piazza Grande which is renowned for its annual film festival.
Day 4: Lake Como – Lake Lugano
Today’s coach excursion destinations are Lake Como in Lombardy and Lake Lugano across the border in Switzerland. Lake Como is striking for both its mountain landscape and shores dotted with picturesque villages, luxurious villas and parks. Our first visit is the town of Como at the foot of the Como branch. There are many artistic sites to see including the 11th-century Church of Sant’Abbondio and the Basilica of San Fedele. The heart of the old town is the Piazza del Duomo with its Renaissance cathedral, one of the most beautiful churches in Lombardy. Our next visit is the popular town of Tremezzo where you can enjoy some of the most spectacular views on the lake. One of the most visited destinations in the town is the Villa Carlotta, the only historic villa on the lake which offers public access. The other villas are private, but you can still admire their beautiful structures and architecture. Our next stop is across the border in Switzerland at the popular resort of Lugano, on the northern shoreline of the lake with the same name. Set within a bay surrounded by mountains, its town centre is full of Mediterranean-style squares and arcades with numerous parks and public gardens adorned with subtropical plants.
Day 5: Lake Orta
Today is free for you to spend in our resort of Lake Orta. You can either relax or you may choose to visit some of the wonderful sights on the island of San Giulio (not included).
Day 6: Milan
Milan is internationally famous for fashion and design. It is also home to several historic and artistic attractions and is a fascinating city to explore.
Day 7: Lake Orta
Enjoy a further free day in resort and relax amid the spectacular scenery or explore the surrounding area.
Day 8: Lake Orta – London
We depart in the morning, travelling back to Paris where our Eurostar connection returns us to London.