The graceful palm treed promenades highlighted with colorful flower gardens decorating the lake fronts of its steeped villages, the small colorful fishing boats searching for lake fish and the grandeur and imposing villas built by Europe's wealthy 18 and 19C elite have all contributed to turn this place into a wonderful walking experience. From the Swiss frontier city of Lugano to the lakeside city of Como, we'll walk the gentle slopes of the Italian lakes District to Lago di Como and its picturesque villages of Menaggio, Bellagio and Varenna, enoy the magnificence of Lago Maggiore & round out our expeinece in charming Lake Orta.

Day 1: Introductions, City tour and casual walk

We meet at Como train station and begin our transfer to Lake Como, stopping for a delicious lunch on the way. On arrival, after settling into your hotel, we get orientated with a tour of this chic and fascinating little town with an extremely knowledgeable and charismatic local guide who will introduce you to her friends along the way, tell you about the area’s history of silk production and the illustrious people who have frequented this popular little gem of a town over the centuries. After a short, uphill walk we stop for a coffee or a refreshing glass of prosecco at a superb viewpoint where you can see the promontory of Bellagio and the magnificence of Lake Como below. We return downhill to explore a more rural side of Bellagio that tourists never usually see, following the path of a little stream until we reach the lake front and your hotel. There’s time for a quick aperitif, or perhaps you can enjoy a little rest and a swim in the hotel pool before a superb dinner in an elegant restaurant with fish specialities caught and cooked by a local fisherman.

Lodgings: Hotel Belvedere in Bellagio for 3 nights.

Dinner: Included for 2 nights and one night on your own.

Day 2: Boat rides and exploration of the castles and villas

We start the day with a short boat ride to the other side of the lake, to the charming little town of Varenna. We follow an enchanting trail up to the ruins of Castel Vezio in the picturesque hamlet of the same name. The Castle is a center for some magnificent birds of prey. We then walk the trail to a dramatic mountain spring, the Fiume Latte (or Milky River)  that is actually Italy’s shortest river. It begins deep in the mountains and its origins have puzzled great minds like Pliny the Younger and Leonardo da Vinci. We wind our way down to explore the stunning lakeside gardens of Villa Monastero, an ancient abbey and noble family home, before a delicious lakeside lunch and the ferry back to Bellagio. The afternoon is free to explore the town and do some shopping or just relax. The most typical souvenir to take home is a top quality, fine silk scarf, but you’ll find plenty of things to fascinate you in the little streets and alleyways of the town, or why not explore the gardens of Bellagio’s artists’ haven, the Rockefeller Foundation? 

Day 3: Spectacular Viewpoints, Magnificent Gardens

A packed day starts with a quick boat ride to Cadenabbia, across the lake then an invigorating climb to what is one of the trip's most spectacular viewpoints, the Church of San Martino, which you can see on the hill directly opposite Bellagio. We follow the Way of the Cross to a romantic spot for a breathtaking look at the unique conformation of the lake. We then return to Cadenabbia, with a short walk along the lake front to see the spectacular house and gardens of Villa Carlotta, “… a place of rare beauty, where masterpieces of nature and art live together inperfect harmony in over 70.000 square metres of gardens and museum. The beautiful villa wasbuilt at the end of XVII century by the Milanese marquis Giorgio Clerici in a natural basinbetween lake and mountains, facing the dolomite Grignas and the peninsula of Bellagio”.
We then stop for a tasty lakeside lunch before continuing on a pleasant, easy trail to Villa Balbianello. We approach the lake by boat to get the full impact of its majesty. Villa Balbianello is completely different in style from Villa Carlotta – in a way that’s both refreshing and fascinating – but we don’t want to spoil the surprise…our guided tour will reveal all its secrets.
After exploring the villa we return by boat and you have the evening free for dinner in Bellagio. We have plenty of recommendations for restaurants - let's hope George Clooney is one of you dinner companions!

Lodgings: Same as night before

Dinner: Free night out

Day 4: Lago Maggiore and Switzerland's Lago Lugano

We bid farewell to lovely Lake Como and transfer through the picturesque scenery of Switzerland – passports at the ready! We’ll stop off along the way so that you can enjoy a few hours in the enchanting lakeside city of Lugano, known as "the Monte Carlo of Switzerland” for a spot of sightseeing and some delicious lunch. We then continue on to our destination, Lake Maggiore, you have time to explore the charming little town of Stresa, or centuries a popular retreat for Europe's aristocrats and stop on the Orient Express through the Simplon Pass route. The setting is truly breath-taking. Our charming boatman will taxi you across the lake to Isola dei Pescatori ('Fishermen's Island') where dinner and your hotel await. Enjoy the romantic sunset and the island all to yourself.

Lodgings: Hotel Verbano, Isola dei Pescatori, Stresa.

Dinner:

Day 5: Palaces of Isola Bella

The day is spent exploring the wonders of this part of Lake Maggiore, principally the Borromeo islands and their great villas, which are truly stunning. You'll have a guided tour of the Palace on Isola Bella to get some background on the history of one of Italy's most important families then enjoy exploring the gardens with its splendid rose garden and rare white peacocks. Isola Madre has a very different feel, with the house being more of a family home and the rare of trees and plants in the gardens do full justice to this area's verdant and luxuriant flora. After a fun lunch at a friendly local pizzeria we take a pleasant loop walk through the grounds of Villa Palavicino (with its beautiful animals) and into the woods behind Stresa to explore the charming hamlets. We then set off for our last lake, Lake Orta, where you are free to have a fine dinner by the lakeside.

Lodgings: Villa Crespi, Orta

Dinner: Free night out

Day 6-7: Lago di Orta

We spend the day exploring Lake Orta. Lake Orta lies to the west of Lake Maggiore, in the northern Italy and is one of the smallest and least-known of northern Italy's sub-Alpine lakes, and is a place for sublime moments. The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, visited the lake in May 1882 and believed that the experience changed his life forever, thus inscribed the date "von Orta
an" ("from Orta onwards") as a preface to his masterpiece “Thus Spoke Zarathustra”.
Other 19th-century writers enchanted by its quiet beauty include the French novelist Honoré de Balzac, and Robert Browning whose poem "By the Fireside" contemplates the beauty of a setting where "Alp meets heaven in snow", and describes the lakeside village of Pella as a luminous "speck of white... in the evening-glow".
After a walk along the lake we set off for the 17th century Sacro Monte monastic complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site with its 20 mystical, fascinating chapels that recount the life of Italy’s patron saint, St. Francis of Assisi. We descend once more to the lake for a short boat ride to the charming little island of St. Giulio with its convent and walk the ‘Way of Silence’.
After a great lunch the afternoon is free for shopping or relaxing. The more adventurous and energetic can take a short ride across the lake to the town of Pella and a lovely walk through the woods for a perfect view of the island from the other shore. Then it’s back to your hotel for a cocktail and our final night dinner in an extremely elegant setting.

After breakfast we bid a fond farewell to the Lakes and accompany you to Arona, where you can catch your train to Milan to go home or continue discovering Italy. Arrivederci!

Lodgings: sme as previous night  

Dinner: In town either on the square weather dependent or nearby.

Transportation Logistics

The following is a list of train schedules for transportation to and from the tour start, Como San Giovani station, and end locations. Train departure times and tracks are subject to change, so verify before boarding.

Trains from Milan (tour start): ~30'
#16 Milan Central departs 11.10 pm, arrives in Como S. Giovanni at 11:43 AM

From Firenze/Florence: ~2.5 hours
#9506 Florence SMN departs 9:00 AM, arrives Como S. Giovanni at 11:43 PM

From Rome: ~4.5 hours
#94506 Rome Termini departs 07:15 AM, arrives Como S. Giovanni at 11:43 PM