Day 3
Spend a day relaxing in the hotel and its surroundings. Take in the wonderful views from the terrace, wander down to the lakeshore or perhaps even head up to the 10th-century castle above the village.
Moniga is surrounded by vineyards famous for their rosé and olive groves, and boasts a medieval heart of narrow streets and alleyways. The major towns of Desenzano and Sirmione are a short distance away by bus, taxi or lake steamer, should you wish to head elsewhere for a lunch in the sunshine.
Day 4
Today you'll travel to Venice, for a walking tour of this breathtakingly beautiful city. Discover its famous bridges, and see gondolas and water taxis plying their trades on the Grand Canal. Vast St Mark's Square - with its cathedral, clock tower and Doge's Palace - is one of the world’s great sights. And, close by, joining the palace to the prisons, stands the Bridge of Sighs - which allegedly afforded condemned men a last view of the beauty of Venice.
Take a seat in a St Mark's café to watch the world go by, or perhaps simply wander through the narrow streets that radiate away from the heart of this endlessly fascinating city.
Day 5
Bidding farewell to Garda's shores, today you'll travel south to Florence, to see for yourself the magnificent Florentine skyline, dominated by the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, and to experience the splendour of Santa Croce and the beautiful Ponte Vecchio bridge. Florence is home to the Accademia, which houses Michelangelo's astonishing sculpture of David, and to the Uffizi, where Botticelli's famous Birth of Venus can be seen. (Gallery entries payable locally.)
From Florence, you'll continue to Chianciano Terme, your second holiday base, arriving in time to enjoy dinner in the hotel.
Day 6
Head through the Tuscan hills to Siena, one of Europe’s most perfectly preserved medieval cities, where the shell-shaped piazza il Campo is still home each year to the traditional Palio horse race. After the opportunity for lunch, you'll journey to San Gimignano, a glorious hill town of beautiful towers, medieval walls and a cathedral filled with fabulous frescoes, before returning to Chianciano for dinner.
Day 7
The delights of Chianciano and your hotel are yours to savour today. This pretty spa town has wonderful climate and thermal springs that have drawn visitors from far and wide for centuries. Book a spa treatment, explore the old hill town or relax in one of the resort's many small bars, cafés and restaurants.
Day 8
Your last excursion sees you spend a day in glorious Rome, one of the most fascinating cities on Earth. Upon arrival, a guided tour will reveal the Colosseum and the Forum (the centre of Ancient Rome), the great basilicas of the early Christian Church, and the Baroque fountains into which many a coin has been thrown. In the Vatican City, across the Tiber, great St Peter’s looks over the vast Square, while the nearby Sistine Chapel houses Michelangelo's fabled frescoes.
Wander through elegant piazzas, delightful gardens and sophisticated shopping streets like the Via Condotti, relax in a pavement café and watch the world go by, and soak up the atmosphere of the city that some say invented La Dolce Vita, before returning to Chianciano.
Day 9
Make the most of a last, restful day in Chianciano, and later look back over the past wonderful few days with your fellow travellers over a final dinner.
Day 10
Bid "Arrivederci" to your Tuscan hosts, and transfer to the airport to catch your flight home.