Northern Lakes & Cinque Terre STANDARD Independent Rail Tour 2025

Upon arrival in Venice, make your own way to the hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free to discover Venice and its beautiful Lagoon at your own pace. Overnight at the hotel in Venice.

Breakfast at the hotel.  Join a half day walking tour and enjoy a wonderful journey through the history of Venice in the 1,600 years since its foundation. The tour will take you through the calli, fields and palaces on an exciting journey - hear the secrets of Casanova, discover treasures stolen from Constantinople and learn about the relations with the Orient and the legend of St Mark. The tour will unveil the many mysteries surrounding Marco Polo and the Silk Road and many other stories that will leave you speechless as you discover how much of our daily lives have been influenced by the Venetians. The rest of the day at leisure with the possibility of booking other activities, such as a gondola ride or a visit to the islands of Murano and Burano. Overnight at the hotel in Venice. (B)

Breakfast at the hotel. Make your own way to the Venice train station and depart for the next stop: Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet, where William Shakespeare's set this famous work. As the train approaches Verona, begin to savour the timeless charm of this city, located near Lake Garda and nestled between the Italian Alps and the Po Valley. After arrival and hotel check-in, the afternoon is free to stroll around the city to see main monuments, such as Juliet's balcony, Piazza delle Erbe, Castelvecchio, the Lamberti Tower or visit the famous Arena di Verona. Overnight at the hotel in Verona. (B)

Breakfast at the hotel followed by a train to the town of Desenzano, sitting on the southern shore of Italy’s largest lake, Lake Garda. Today enjoy the public ferry on the lake that connects the various towns on the southern shore of Lake Garda. Our advice is not to miss the opportunity to visit Sirmione, a small town in the province of Brescia that enchants its visitors with the beauty of its breathtaking scenery and architecture full of history, fully deserving its title “Pearl of Lake Garda”. Equally impressive along the lake are Lazise, Garda, Bardolino on the eastern side of Salò and Gardone on the western side. The hop on / hop off ticket included in the tour, allows you to navigate between all these villages within the boats' sailing hours. Return to Desenzano in the late afternoon and train return to Verona. Overnight at the hotel in Verona. (B)

Breakfast at the hotel and make your own way to Verona train station and depart for the next destination of the tour: Cinque Terre and the city of La Spezia. La Spezia sits east of the Cinque Terre coast, the famous stretch of coastline which is home to 5 fishing villages perched over the Mediterranean Sea: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. A 2-day Cinque Terre Train Card is included giving access to the Cinque Terre National Park area and the use of regional trains and local buses that connect the fishing villages. Overnight at the hotel in La Spezia. (B)

Breakfast at the hotel, then free day to continue the visit to the Cinque Terre. You can take part in a food tour to taste the seasonal specialties of the Ligurian region or experience authentic Italian cuisine with a Pesto experience and discover the secrets of making homemade pesto or alternatively, enjoy wine tasting offered in Manarola or Monterosso. Overnight at the hotel in La Spezia. (B)

Breakfast at the hotel and make your own way to La Spezia train station and take the train to Milan, the “Capital of the North”. After arrival and check-in to the hotel, the rest of the day is free to explore the beauty of the fashion city: the Duomo with its terraces, the Sforzesco Castle, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and the famous fashion and shopping streets. Overnight at the hotel in Milan. (B)

Breakfast at the hotel followed by the day discovering the beauty of Lake Como. The ferry ticket included in the tour allows stops in various villages on the stretch of the lake that spans from Como to Bellagio. The romantic town of Bellagio is situated between the two arms of Lake Como, known for its cobbled streets, elegant buildings and the park of Villa Serbelloni, an 18th century terraced garden overlooking the lake - there is lots to see. Be careful not to be distracted by such beauty and be sure to check the ferry return times to Como! On the way back to Como, you can admire the changing colours of the lake in the late afternoon light. Return by train to Milan for evening at leisure and overnight at your hotel. (B)

Breakfast at the hotel followed by check-out. (B)