Holidays 2017

Italian Lakes

Departs:
29th July 2017 | 8 Days

Italian Lakes

Tour Price:
£679.00 per person

Your Holiday Centre

Lake Como, in Northern Italy’s Lombardy region, is an upscale resort area known for its dramatic scenery. The lake's deep-blue waters are set against the rugged, forested foothills of the Alps. This jewel in the crown of Italy’s famous lakes is a haven of tranquillity, superb cuisine, majestic snow capped mountains, courteous folk and style.

Lake Como is 50 km long and west of Menaggio is where the lake splits in two. The mountains around the lake are 2000 m high and the lake up to 1350 feet deep, making it one of the deepest lakes in Europe. A spectacular landscape, rich with breathtaking views with gardens and villas that dominate its banks. To admire the beauty of Lake Como with its unspoiled sceneries, the ideal solution is to do it directly from its waters. Thanks to an efficient boat service that connects all venues, tourists can easily travel using ships, ferries and steamers. There are also numerous opportunities for lake cruises.

Tour Inclusions

  • All Coach Travel
  • 7 Nights Half Board
  • 2 Overnights in France
  • 5 Nights in Resort
  • Excursions
  • Courier Escorted

Special Notes

  • The currency you will need for this tour is the Euro and Swiss Francs.
  • Insurance.
  • An EHR card (European Heath Insurance card).
  • Please inform us of any special dietary need (diabetic, gluten free, vegetarian, etc)
  • Your request is put forward to the hotel, and they will do their utmost to accommodate your needs.
  • There is no tea/coffee making facilities in the Grand Hotel Cadenabbia.
  • To ring back to England, you dial: +44 then minus the 0 from your code, followed by your number.
  • Overnight bags required.
  • Program could be subject to alteration.
  • Exchange Rate: The price is NOT guaranteed against any alterations as a result of currency fluctuations. We have done our best to calculate in advance.

Tour Price

Price Per Person
£679.00

Single Room Supplement: £126.00

Your Accommodation

Main Hotel

4 star Grand Hotel Cadenabbia

Via Regina, 1, 22011 Cadenabbia di Griante CO, Lake Como, Italy.
Tel: +39 0344 40418

The Grand Hotel Cadenabbia dates back to the year 1802, the year in which the first hotel of Lake Como, the Locanda Cadenabbia, was built. The first tourists to stay were English, but very quickly the Grand Hotel Bellevue attracted an ever-more cosmopolitan clientele, such that the hotel can boast of having hosted eleven illustrious guests from amongst Emperors, Kings and Queens and Heads of State, including Queen Victoria.

After some restoration when it re-opened the hotel was then the Grand Hotel Cadenabbia and was accorded a four-star classification. In the heart of the most enchanting area of Lake Como and dominating the lake, Grand Hotel Cadenabbia combines the beauty of Lake Como and the comfort of a unique hotel.

The main halls decorated with ancient stuccos, mirrors, frescoes and majestic columns. The rooms have Wi-Fi, air conditioning, satellite TV, telephone, minibar, safe, complimentary toiletries, toilet and bathroom with hairdryer. The bar is warm and welcoming, with a beautiful view of the lake, as too is the Restaurant.

Outward Overnight Hotel

3 star Mercure Forbach Centre de Loisirs

70 Rue Félix Barth, 57600 Forbach, France.
Tel: +33 3 87 87 06 06

Return Overnight Hotel

3 star Mercure Forbach Centre de Loisirs

70 Rue Félix Barth, 57600 Forbach, France.
Tel: +33 3 87 87 06 06

Italian Lakes
Italian Lakes

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Depart Local Area

After boarding your luxury coach, we make our way to Dover for our morning ferry to Calais. We travel through France with stops en-route, to our overnight hotel in Forbach, where we will spend our overnight stop at the Mercure Hotel with half board.

Day 2: Forbach to Lake Como

After an early breakfast and overnight bags have been loaded, we continue our journey through France to the Alsace region; here we will make a stop for lunch. Riquewihr is the jewel in the crown – famous for the Riesling and other great Alsace wine produced here - and looks today exactly as it did in the 16C. Riquewihr is a wonderful, romantic little medieval city hidden between the Vosges Mountains and some of the most famous vineyards in Alsace. We continue our journey to the Swiss boarder at Basil, then passing Lake Lucerne, the Gottard, Bellinzona and Lugarno to Lake Come and our hotel Cadenabbia, where we will spend the next 5 nights with dinner bed and breakfast. On arrival there will be a welcome drink and Porterage.

Day 3: Day at Leisure

Enjoy a day at leisure. Why not take a boat over to Bellagio, the jewel of Lake Como, with its unique location perched on the headland with views from all angles? Time to explore the lovely historic centre of Bellagio, with its cafes, bars and shops strewn along the quaint alleyways and piazzas. Take in the superb lake views during your return boat trip on what must be Italy’s most scenic and dramatic lake.

Day 4: Lake Maggiore

Today we will visit the beautiful Lake Maggiore, Italy’s second largest lake. We will spend time in the elegant resort of Stresa, which is lined with beautiful flowers and trees. The promenade overlooks the unique Borromean Islands. Boat trips can be taken stopping at the Isola Bella where entrance to the Palace and gardens is required. This is followed by a stop at the nearby Isola Pescatore or Fishermans Island. A stroll along the promenade in Stresa, a cappuccino in one of the many cafes’ admiring the views completes a perfect day.

Day 5: Como

Today we will travel along the lake passing beautiful villages and Grand Villa’s to the town of Como. Located on the southern edge of Lake Como and close to the Alps, the town that gives its name to the lake, Como, is one of northern Italy's most popular tourist destinations. It offers its visitors a spectacular surrounding landscape and a charming old town with narrow streets lined with cosy cafes and shops. The hills around Lake Como are home to many luxurious villas and several international celebrities are known to live or spend some time there every year, including George Clooney and Madonna. Besides having beautiful surroundings, Como is the centre of the Italian silk industry. Fashion houses in Italy and abroad, such as Saint Laurent and Ungaro, rely on Como's manufacturers for their silk products. Shoppers can buy silk scarves, ties and blouses at several outlets in and near Como at cheaper prices than elsewhere in Europe.

Day 6: Lugano

Lugano City is positioned facing the south bay of Lake Lugano and is framed by the mountains of Monte San Salvatore to the South and Monte Bre to the Northeast. Its close proximity to Italy makes Lugano a city which has a wonderful blend of Italian charm and Swiss sophistication. There are restaurants and bars tucked away in a tangle of old streets. There are places to sit near the main square and watch the world go by or the famous promenade with its pristine flower beds that beckon down by the lake. There are public parks and gardens to leisurely stroll through which are all bursting with exotic flowers and trees. Monte San Salvatore and Monte Bre are both easily accessible by funicular railway. Once at the summit of either you can gaze in wonder at the beautiful vistas of the lake below and the wonderful alpine scenery in the distance.

Day 7: Lake Como to Forbach

After an early breakfast and cases have been loaded on to the coach, we say farewell to our hotel on Lake Como. Now we retrace our journey back through Switzerland passing Lucerne and Basil, crossing the border into France. We will have stops en-route to Forbach where we will spend our last overnight stop with half board.

Day 8: Return Journey to Home

After breakfast we make our way once again to Calais for our afternoon ferry to Dover. We will have stops en-route to Calais. Arrival time back in our local area should be early evening.