NORTHERN ITALY LAKES TOUR

DAY 1

Upon arrival in Verona, we will be met by our host who will assist us boarding our motorcoach for transfer to the hotel in Malcesine, in the Lake Garda region. The remainder of the day is at leisure to familiarize ourselves with the area prior to our dinner at the hotel this evening.

DAY 2

We will be off for a tour of Lake Garda today, which consists of both a bus tour and a boat tour. Of all the great lakes of Nothern Italy, Lake Garda is the greatest!It is an oasis of Mediterranean light and color. There will be free time to visit Sirmione, (often referred to as”the brightest jewel in Garda”)or Limone (where the people claim lemons were first grown)or Salo or Gardone!

DAY 3

Today, we will spend a fun day in Malcesine!It’s Market Day!!We will have a guided – walking tour of this quiet littletown between the slopes of Monte Baldo and the shores of Lake Garda. The highlight of the tour is a visit to the 13^th century turreted Castello Scaligeri. The famous German poet, Goethe, was imprisoned here for spying in 1786. It also contains a small natural history museum, Museo A. Pariani, in one of the castle’s towers. We will then proceed to Riva del Garda, one of the best known of the lake’s resorts, for lunch. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure.

DAY 4

We will depart on an excursion north to Milan where we will enjoy a wonderful, narrated panoramic tour of the city including visits to The Duomo, which is the largest Gothic cathedral in Italy and the Church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie, the 15^th century Renaissance church which houses Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece – “The Last Supper”. After lunch, we will have plenty of free time for shopping and independent sightseeing. Late in the afternoon, we will return to our hotel for dinner.

DAY

Today, we are off to Venice!Venice is a”must see”when visiting Italy. This fantastic metropolis was built on 118 small islands, with countless canals and bridges. We will tour along the Grand Canal to St. Mark’s Square, the heart of Venice. There will be free time to enjoy the unusual beauty of this city. Mid to late afternoon return to the hotel.

DAY 6

We will depart today for Verona, the setting for Shakespeare’s”Romeo and Julit”. We will be taken on a sightseeing tour of the Church of San Zeno, Piazza Bra and The Arena, Piazza delle Erbe (with its marketplace), Piazza dei Signori, the Tombs of the Della Scala Family, and the House of Juliet. Our next and last stop today will be to the ancient university city of Padua, the seat of its famous university founded in 1222.