Your second included excursion takes you south on a panoramic tour of Langhe, where the UNESCO-protected hillsides are covered in cascading vineyards and hazelnut groves. Take a tour of Alba to see the historic centre and 100 towers of the town, which is best known for being the gastronomic home of white truffles and dark chocolate (and the headquarters of Ferrero Rocher). After a fascinating few hours, you'll head further south to the vineyards of Barolo, which produce the "king of Italian wines". No visit to this region is complete without enjoying a glass of wine at Castello di Barolo, an enoteca housed inside the turreted walls of Barolo's ancient castle. It's the final highlight of a really enjoyable day.

Today you're free to enjoy the delights of Stresa. Wander past the elegant villas that line the shore, or take in the view from above the lake. Alternatively, board another lake steamer to travel further afield and enjoy a leisurely lunch in the sunshine or a delicious ice cream on the water’s edge. You'll also have the opportunity to head into Lombardy on an optional excursion to Lake Como. Discover another of Italy’s most picturesque places, and enjoy visits to exquisite Bellagio and elegant Como Town before returning to your hotel for the evening.

Today is another on which you can enjoy your hotel and its surroundings. In Stresa you'll find piazzas filled with the bustle of the cafés and – this being Italy – any number of gelataria. Why not take the cable car from Stresa up modest-by-Alpine-standards Monte Mottarone, from atop which the views of the distant 'proper' Alps are simply stunning?

Saving the best till last, today’s included excursion takes you to the world-famous Swiss resort of Zermatt, beneath the craggy pyramid of the Matterhorn. Travel via the Simplon Pass into Switzerland, climbing high into the Alps, hoping for clear skies so you can catch your first sight of the mighty mountain peaks as you go. Once in Zermatt, why not join an optional journey on the famous Gornergrat Railway, and head through alpine meadows to the summit station? From here, on a clear day, some 29 peaks – including the Matterhorn – and great glaciers offer visitors an unforgettable view. Head out on a mountain trail, or simply take in the view before enjoying lunch in the mountain restaurant. Return to Stresa this evening.

You have one final full day to soak up the atmosphere of this idyllic corner of the world. Why not take a last cruise on the water, enjoy a long leisurely lunch, or join our optional excursion to the stately capital of Piedmont, Turin? This ancient city nestles at the foot of the Alps, and boasts a delightful Baroque heart that seems somehow at odds with its modern reputation for industry. Wander down Via Roma past ultra-chic stores, and cross grand Piazza San Carlo with its elegant facades. Stop for coffee or bicerin – a Torinese speciality that combines espresso, high-quality drinking chocolate and milk – in one of the many ornate, traditional cafés. Petrol-heads can head to the city’s predictably fine motor museum - Fiat once employed over 120,000 of its inhabitants - while the curious might visit the cathedral, where the Turin Shroud is kept under lock and key.

Leave Maggiore’s beautiful shores behind, and return to the airport to board your flight back to the UK.