Lake Como and the Beautiful North

Duration 12 days
Price guide
From
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During this unforgettable 12-day trip you will discover the stunning alpine scenery and world-class wine that makes this part of Italy so special, along with the elegant cities of Venice, Milan, and Verona. Take in the Lake Como’s luxurious villas and villages that reflect in glistening waters, in Venice you can marvel at Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica and the network of canals that dissect the city. In Milan there’s just time to shop and sightsee before venturing to Piedmont for some of the best food and wine in the country and from Verona there’s the chance to explore Lake Garda and the Valpolicella wine region.

Trip highlights

  • Explore the flavours of the region at wineries in Piedmont
  • Enjoy a private boat tour around stunning Lake Como
  • Explore the romantic and ancient streets of Verona
  • Discover culinary secrets on a Venetian cooking class
  • Experience the unique islands of iconic Venice

Bespoke trips with Jacada

We design one-of-a-kind journeys incorporating luxury in all its forms. Our bespoke trips include:

  • Luxury accommodation throughout
  • Private transfers
  • Private tours and experiences
  • Full support from your travel designer and concierge
  • Help with restaurant recommendations and reservations
Black and white illustration of two guides pointing to a building in the distance
  • Days 1–2 Milan
  • Days 2–4 Piedmont
  • Days 7–9 Verona
  • Days 9–12 Venice
Lake Como and the Beautiful North
Price guide
  PP
  • Days 1–2 Milan
  • Days 2–4 Piedmont
  • Days 7–9 Verona
  • Days 9–12 Venice

Itinerary in detail

Every Jacada trip is tailored to your personal preferences and interests. Below you’ll find a sample itinerary to inspire your own custom-designed journey.

Days 1–3

One night in cosmopolitan Milan

An arbiter of international style, Milan is Italy’s financial and industrial heart, a thoroughly modern European city with a great history not far under the surface. Whether shopping, seeing da Vinci’s Last Supper, dining or out discovering hip canal-side bars, Milan is a city with an overlooked charm hiding just beneath the chic surface.

Days 2–4

Two nights in the Piedmont region

The area of Piedmont, known for its wonderful food and wine, is fringed by the French and Swiss Alps and is one of Italy’s most naturally beautiful regions. Its name means ‘at the foot of the mountains’ and it is a patchwork of snow capped peaks, sweeping valleys and plains dotted with vineyards, farmhouses and pretty baroque towns. It is also a region famous for its food and drink with enough wineries and chocolate shops to ensure no visitor is ever left hungry or thirsty.

Make it mine

Tour and sip

Sample and savour

Wine tasting in the Langhe area

Some of the finest Italian wines come from Piedmont; the rolling hills of Monferrato, Le Langhe and Roero are responsible for Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera red wines and the white wines of Asti and Moscato. As well as the more well-known names, you will get to taste a number of indigenous grape varieties that do not make their way out of Italy, such as Dolcetto, Ruche, Grignolino and Arneis. A must for any wine lover, this tour will take you to a variety of local wineries and give you ample chance to taste these delicious drops.

Wine and chocolate tasting

Visit one of Italy’s greatest wine regions planted predominantly with the Nebbiolo grape variety, visit a prestigious winery and try the famed truffles from the mediaeval town of Alba. In October Alba hosts a massive truffle festival which attracts visitors from far and wide. Pay a visit to Cherasco for chocolate tasting in a renowned pastry shop, famous for the production of Baci di Cherasco – Cherasco kisses. The Baci were invented as a way of using up the fragments of hazelnuts left over from the production of nougat.

A pause in Turin

Enjoy a private transfer to Lake Como, stopping at the beautiful baroque city of Turin

Wander Piazza Castello with its grandiose Savoy palace and the baroque church of San Lorenzo, marvel at Piazza San Carlo with its twin churches and historic cafes and savour a ‘bicerin’, a special Torinese coffee with cream and chocolate. Explore Piazza Carignano where the first king of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele, was born, then pass down the monumental arcaded Via Po, until you arrive at the Mole, a 548ft tower built originally as a synagogue in the 19th century. The impressive Renaissance Duomo houses a sacred length of linen cloth bearing the image of a man, believed to be the burial shroud of Jesus of Nazareth.

Days 4–7

Three luxurious nights in Lake Como

Lake Como has been a popular retreat since the time of the Roman Empire, and its popularity shows no signs of waning. Shaped like an inverted ‘Y’, the lake is long and slender and one of Europe’s deepest. Surrounded by the Rhaetian Alps and close to the border with Switzerland, its enviable position means few fail to be charmed by its beauty. Picturesque towns, grand villas and beautiful gardens are scattered around the lake and exploring them is easy thanks to the ferry service.

Make it mine

On the lake

Beside the lake

Explore Lake Como by private boat

The sparkling waters of Lake Como, flanked by beautiful villas, small villages and beyond, the Rhaetian Alps, make this one of Italy’s prettiest destinations. Take to the water and enjoy a boat tour of the lake that lets you appreciate its beauty from the best angle. You’ll see the small wooden island of Comacina as well as the characteristic bell tower of Santa Maria Maddalena, before proceeding to Bellagio, known as the pearl of the lake, where you can walk along its narrow streets.

A Como city and silk factory discovery

Close to Lake Como and the staggering Alps, Como is one of Italy’s most desirable cities. It contains numerous works of art, churches, gardens, museums, theatres, parks and palaces, including the Basilica of Sant’Abbondio and Tempio Voltiano dedicated to Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the modern battery. Como was also the birthplace of many historical figures, including the poet Caecilius and Pope Innocent XI. Como is also known for its silk and you’ll visit a silk factory to see how this famous fabric is made.

A pause in Bergamo

Enjoy a private transfer to Verona, with a stop to explore the two sides of Bergamo

Bergamo is a city of two parts, the lower town, Citta Bassa and the upper town, Citta Alta. In the upper town, walk along narrow winding mediaeval streets and see wonderful Renaissance architecture, dating to the time when the city was ruled by Venice for over 350 years. It is also ringed by a magnificent set of gated walls that kept invaders out until 1796, when French Revolutionary troops successfully stormed it. At the heart of Bergamo lies the Piazza Vecchia and from here, you will visit the Colleoni Chapel and the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica.

Days 7–9

Two nights in Verona

Verona is a splendid city of art, inextricably associated with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and straddling the winding Adige River. In the historical centre, modestly grand piazzas and a maze of streets are dotted with quietly humming cafes, tucked away osterie (old inns serving wine and simple food), artisan shops and high couture boutiques. For lovers of Italian art, a visit to Verona is a must as the rich collections held in 12-century churches and art museums here encapsulate the transition in Western European art from late-Medieval to early-Renaissance styles.

Explore Verona's stunning surroundings

Journey along the shoreline of Lake Garda

With a private driver, spend today discovering the southern shores of Lake Garda. The whole area is very much a summer playground, with numerous water sports on offer and a couple of spa towns, where you can take to the waters and treatments. You will also be able to take a steamer or catamaran trip on the lake which will give you a much better glimpse of some of the sumptuous private villas which line the lakeside.

A pause in the Valpolicella wine region

Take a private transfer to Venice, stopping to savour the wines of Valpolicella

This hilly, agricultural and marble-quarrying region surrounding Verona is famous for its wine production. A variety of wines are produced here, including a Recioto dessert wine and Amarone, both made from dried grapes. Several light and fragrant styles are also produced here. You’ll visit a local winery to learn all about the processes and techniques used in the production, and enjoy a tasting.

Days 9–12

Three nights in Venice

Sat within a shallow lagoon between the mouths of the Po and Piave rivers, Venice is formed of 118 islands which are dissected by some 170 canals and connected by over 400 bridges. The entire city is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an extraordinary architectural masterpiece in which even the smallest building may contain works by some of Europe’s greatest artists.

No visit to Venice would be complete without experiencing a gondola ride as you travel like a Venetian down the city’s canals. Enjoy the special point of view from the water, observing the intricacies of Venetian life on the canals.

Make it mine

Islands

City

Culture

Explore Murano, Burano and Torcello

Visit Venice’s most famous islands and learn about their importance in history and trade. On Murano visit one of Venice’s most important glass factories for a private demonstration and spot works of great glass masters like Signoretto in the showroom. Then, the picturesque Burano, a fisherman island of brightly coloured houses and a lace school where antique techniques of lace-making are still used. Finally, Torcello, the first island to be inhabited, is bursting with history. See its beautiful cathedral, magnificent mosaics and the Locanda Cipriani where Ernest Hemingway stayed while writing A Farewell to Arms.

Discover the highlights of Venice on foot

Wander Venice’s winding streets and waterways to learn about the city’s history and development. A masterpiece of Gothic architecture, the Doge’s Palace is just as impressive inside with works by Titian, Veronese, Tintiretto, Vittoria and Tiepolo adorning the walls. Stop by the shimmering, mosaic-filled St. Mark’s Basilica, its architecture a mixture of Byzantine, Roman and Venetian. See the lively market on the Rialto Bridge where mountains of colourful fruit and shimmering seafood are purchased.

Visit a typical Venetian bacaro

Discover Venice and its traditions and visit a typical bacaro. These wine bars are popular meeting points for Venetians, and take their name from Bacchus, the Roman god of agriculture and wine. People meet here after working or during lunch breaks to have a glass of local wine and a cicchetto, a typical appetiser.