Northern Italian Highlights by Rail | Self Guided Tour | 9 Days

DAY 1:                                      VENICE 

Upon arrival, make your own way to the hotel. Day is at leisure. Overnight in Venice. 

DAY 2:                                      VENICE 

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a guided tour exploring the history of Venice in the 1600 years since its foundation. You will be taken through palaces on a journey through the secrets of Casanova, discovering treasures stolen from Constantinople, relations with the Orient and the legend of St Mark, and unveil the many mysteries about Marco Polo and the Silk Road. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Venice. (B) 

DAY 3:                                      VENICE – VERONA 

After breakfast, make your own way to the train station for your train to Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet. Upon arrival, make your own way to the hotel. Afternoon is at leisure to see monuments such as Juliet’s balcony, Piazza delle Erbe, Castelvecchio, the Lamberti Tower or visit the famous Arena di Verona. Overnight in Verona. (B) 

DAY 4:                                      VERONA – LAKE GARDA – VERONA 

Make your own way to the train station. Travel from Verona to Desenzano and embark on a public boat that connects the various towns on the southern shore of Lake Garda. Your ticket will allow you to navigate between these villages, getting off and on as you please, within the boats’ sailing hours. Return to Desenzano and take the train to Verona. Make your own way to the hotel. Overnight in Verona. (B) 

DAY 5:                                      VERONA – LA SPEZIA (CINQUE TERRE) 

After breakfast at the hotel, make your own way to Verona station and depart for the next destination of our trip: the Cinque Terre and the city of La Spezia. La Spezia is the starting city to explore the famous Cinque Terre, the stretch of coast with 5 fishing villages perched over the sea: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The two-day Cinque Terre Train Card is included, which allows access to the National Park area and the use of regional trains that connect the villages and local buses. Overnight stay in the Cinque Terre area. (B) 

DAY 6:                                      LA SPEZIA (CINQUE TERRE) 

Breakfast at the hotel, then free day to continue the visit to the Cinque Terre. Overnight in the Cinque Terre area. (B) 

DAY 7:                                      LA SPEZIA (CINQUE TERRE) – MILAN 

After breakfast at the hotel, make your own way to La Spezia station and take the train to Milan, the ‘capital of the North’. Arrival in Milan and check-in at the hotel. Rest of the day 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 in Milan. (B) 

DAY 8:                                        MILAN – LAKE COMO – MILAN 

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, discover the beauty of Lake Como. Make your own way to Milan train station, reach Como by train and board one of the public boats that navigate the lake. Your ticket allows you to get off at each stop and visit the various villages on the western shore. Be careful not to be distracted by such beauty and be sure to check the ferry return times to Como! Return to Milan by train. Make your own way to the hotel. Overnight in Milan (B) 

DAY 9:                                      MILAN 

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, before checking out. End of our services. (B) 

ACCOMMODATION (OR SIMILAR): 

VENICE: Hotel Amadeus, or Principe Hotel 

VERONA: Hotel Leon D’Oro 

LA SPEZIA (CINQUE TERRE): Hotel the Poet, or CDH Hotel 

MILAN: NYX Hotel Milan, or Hotel Bristol 

INCLUDES: 

• 8 nights’ accommodation with daily breakfast in 4* hotels
• 2nd class high speed train ticket from Venice to Verona
• 2nd class return train ticket from Verona – Desenzano del Garda – Verona – local train
• 2nd class high speed train ticket from Verona to La Spezia – high speed train + intercity or regional train (with change in Milano Centrale or Florence Santa Maria Novella)
• 2nd class train ticket from La Spezia to Milano Centrale – intercity or local train
• 2nd class return train ticket from Milan – Como – Milan – local train
• Half day Walking Tour of Venice (multilingual group tour)
• Daily ticket for public ferry on the Lake Garda (southern lake basin only)
• Daily ticket for public ferry on the Lake Como (Como – Bellagio – Como)
• 2-Day Cinque Terre Card

EXCLUDES: 

• Transfers from/to the rail stations unless specified under ‘Includes’. Note: The hotels are located walking distance from the rail stations
• Tourist city tax, to be paid on the spot
• Lunches and dinners
• Optional tours and experiences
• Entrance tickets to monuments and/or museums, unless listed above
• Extras, tips, porterage, and everything not expressly listed as inclusion is not included and to be paid on the spot

THINGS TO NOTE: 

• Accommodation is subject to change without notice.
• Hotel rooms may not be available for check-in before 2:00 p.m.
• City taxes are not included and are to be paid directly to the hotel.
• Class of rail ticket is based on 2^ndclass unless the optional upgrade to 1^stclass has been selected at the time of booking.