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Itinerary, Italy 2012
September 19 to October 1. See the itinerary here.
October 3 to 12, 2012. (Venice option is Oct. 12 to 15.) This trip is full.
October 2. Leave the USA.
October 3. Arrive in Milan. I will meet you at the airport. We take a train to Varenna (one hour) and a ferry across Lake Como to the lakeside town of Bellagio. A classy combination of tidiness and Old World elegance, we spend 6 nights in Bellagio, called the "Pearl of the Lake".
October 4. Explore Bellagio's villas, gardens, medieval towers and take an easy hike in the countryside.
October 5. Walk from Varenna to Bellano through pretty villages with butterscotch colored houses and villas perched on steep hillsides, then on trails through woods of chestnut trees. Visit the Castle of Vezio in Bellano before catching the ferry back to Bellagio.
October 6. Take the train into the Swiss Alps, walkling the trail back down to Lake Como, 6 miles, with a shorter option available.
October 7. Ferry to the bustling town of Como. Walk up, or take the funicular up, to the small hill town of Brunate and walk back down. 4.5 miles round trip. Superb views of the lake and the Alps, passing a series of magnificent villas, then into a nice forest trail. Enjoy Como before returning to Bellagio.
October 8. Spend a day in Varenna. Walk the elegant lakeside promenade, past swanky 19th century villas, up to Piazza San Giogio with its four churches. This tiny town is referred to as the "Diamond of Lake Como".
October 9. Take the train to Stresa, on Lake Maggiore, stopping for the day in Milan to see Leonardo di Vinci's The Last Supper, the fabulous cathedral and historic city center.
October 10. Ferry out to visit the little island of Madre, famous for its gardens and beautiful old villas. Take the cable car up to the Alpine Gardens and walk back down, 3.5 hours, or shorter option of 1.5 hours.
October 11. Walk between the charming villages of Cannero and Cannobio, two lakeside gems, through a dense, emerald forest, remote farmlands and past ancient buildings. About 2 hours, 5.5 miles. OR spend the day in Milan.
October 12. Fly home from Milan, or take the train to Venice.
October 13. Explore Venice.
October 14. Boat to Murano Island, visit the glass maker's workshop.
October 15. Fly home from Venice.
Rave Review: “Tyler, I can't even exprss how I feel about this tour. You put together such a variety and we felt you took such good care of us. We were busy but just right. No worries! You filled our days with wonderful memories. Thank you so much." Toni Sherman, Italy tour 2011