Walk & Discover: Italian Lakes

Stresa • Lake Maggiore • Borromean Islands • Lake Como • Lake Orta • Zermatt & the Matterhorn

Walk & Discover: The Italian Lakes

A wonderful tour rambling through the towns and villages of Italy’s most spectacular lakes – Maggiore, Como and Orta – plus villacrowned islands, lush alpine scenery, the chic Swiss resort of Zermatt and the iconic Matterhorn.

Lake Orta

Your itinerary

DAY 1 – Arrival in Stresa

Arrive at the airport for your flight to Milan and transfer to your hotel. (D)

DAY 2 – Walk: Lake Maggiore

Your first full day includes a wonderful walk from Cannero Riviera, a charming lakeside town, following a tree-lined path past flower-filled gardens and old houses. Enjoy panoramic views of the lake and the town’s legendary castles before arriving at Carmine Superior, a beautifully preserved medieval village nestled on a rocky outcrop. Easy walk – Duration: 2 hours (2.7 miles) / Altitude gain: 541 feet / Terrain: mix of mule tracks, and earth and gravel paths Our easy walk descends to the lakeshore and Carmine Inferiore, where our coach will transfer you to the delightful town of Cannobio to explore its maze of streets and pretty waterfront. Moderate walk – Duration: 3 hours (5 miles) / Altitude gain: 1,150 feet / Terrain: mix of mule tracks, and earth and gravel paths The moderate walk meanders above the lake through a granite valley and chestnut and pine forests. We enjoy excellent views of the lake, and across to Switzerland, passing an old water mill and stone houses before returning to Cannobio. (B,D) + Included Experience – Guided walk around Lake Maggiore

Hotel Simplon HHHH Located in lakeside Baveno, set in centuries-old parkland, the elegant hotel has a pink façade, which reflects the local marble for which the town is famous. The rooms are decorated to a high standard and there is an outdoor pool in the hotel’s landscaped gardens. The hotel’s restaurant and bar overlook the greenery of the park, the pool and beautiful Lake Maggiore.

DAY 3 – Discover: Borromean Islands

Unmistakably Mediterranean in character, Lake Maggiore’s shores are lined with oleanders, palms and aromatic verbena and just offshore are the fascinating Borromean Islands. Pride of place goes to the amazing Baroque palazzo on Isola Bella, which we visit on a fascinating morning guided tour of its resplendent rooms and exquisite grounds. Isola dei Pescatori, is a complete contrast; its cobbled streets, picturesque harbour and charming buildings, reflect its 10th-century origins and ancient fishing tradition. This is the perfect place for a relaxing fish lunch before we cruise back to Stresa. (B,D) + Included Experience – Guided tour of Isola Bella and visit Isola dei Pescatori

DAY 4 – Discover: Stresa

Today choose to relax in your hotel or explore Stresa’s numerous delights. Enjoying a coffee in the Piazza Cadorna is a preferred pastime for many, but there’s also a cable car to the summit of Mount Mottarone. Boat trips to Isola Madre with its botanical gardens, or Pallanza, a charming Roman town, offer wondrous views. Aficionados of literature may fancy a drink at the bar of the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees, featured in Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms. (B,D)

DAY 5 – Walk: Lake Como

Lake Como has a rich history as an important trade hub and an exclusive holiday destination. Strolling along the lakeside promenade, it is easy to forget that navigating the lakes was once a challenge. The many mule tracks and makeshift roads of yesteryear crisscrossing the hillside have been carefully restored, making wonderful walking paths. Easy walk – Duration: 2 hours (3.7 miles) / Altitude gain: 405 feet / Terrain: mix of mule tracks and tarmac roads We begin in Lenno, a lively town on the shores of Lake Como and walk through a string of charming hamlets and villages along cypress-lined paths, seeing medieval churches, historic buildings and grand villas. After passing the magnificent Villa Carlotta, which is famous for its botanical gardens, our walk concludes in Cadenabbia with free time for lunch or perhaps a boat trip to Bellagio. Moderate walk – Duration: 2 hours 45 minutes (5.4 miles) / Altitude gain: 452 feet / Terrain: mix of mule tracks and tarmac roads We begin in Sala Comacina, a colourful fishing village with lovely views. As we approach Cadenabbia, a favourite destination of the English in the 19th century, the striped façade of the Anglican Church of Ascension stands out against the rocky hillside. (B,D) + Included Experience – Guided walk around Lake Como

DAY 6 – Walk: Lake Orta

Both walks start in the leafy village of Armeno and gently descend passing charming country houses and the villages of Carcegna and Miasino. Easy walk – Duration: 2.5 to 3 hours (3.9 miles) / Altitude gain: 244 feet / Terrain: mix of mule tracks, woodland paths and tarmac roads Our walk ends in picturesque Orta San Giulio, where you have free time to wander its pebble-studded lanes, admiring the handsome medieval buildings with characterful shuttered windows. Moderate walk – Duration: 3 hours (6.6 miles) / Altitude gain: 558 feet / Terrain: mix of mule tracks, woodland paths and tarmac roads A picturesque route takes us along the river Agogna, passing small farms and alpine villages. Heading into woodlands, we cross the river Membra towards the Chiesa di San Grato, enjoying superb views of Lake Orta. We meander through the hamlets of Vacciago and Vacciaghetto, finishing at Orta San Giulio with time to explore. (B,D) + Included Experience – Guided walk around Lake Orta

DAY 7 – Discover: Zermatt & the Matterhorn

Expect some truly breathtaking mountain vistas today as we climb the foothills of the Alps, cross the Swiss frontier and head into the high Alps. Taking the Simplon Pass, marvel at the engineering feats as the road traverses towering viaducts and jaw dropping precipices. Nestled at the foot of the iconic Matterhorn, Zermatt is classic Switzerland – a car-free jumble of chalets and old wooden buildings, while cable cars and soaring footpaths weave ever upwards to the majestic

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Your tour includes

• Return flights from a selection of regional airports, plus hotel transfers • Seven nights in four-star accommodation, inclusive of all local taxes • The services of our experienced and insightful Tour Manager throughout

(B) Daily Breakfast, (D) 7 Dinners Prices are per person. For departure dates, prices and flights, please call or visit our website.

YOUR EXPERIENCES • 3 guided walks around Lake Orta,

Lake Como and Lake Maggiore • Cruise the enchanting Borromean

Islands • Guided tour of Isola Bella • Travel through the Simplon Pass to

Zermatt and the Matterhorn

Isola Bella

amphitheatre of the surrounding lofty summits. For even better views of the Matterhorn, take the cog railway up 10,000 feet to Gornergrat, or alternatively take a horse-drawn carriage ride around Zermatt. (B,D) + Included Experience – Visit Zermatt and the Matterhorn

DAY 8 – Return flight

Transfer to the airport for your return flight.

Please note: The use of air-conditioning in hotels in Italy is at the hotel’s discretion and is normally restricted to the summer months (mid-May to mid-September), depending on the temperature. Where hotels feature an outdoor swimming pool, this will be open during the summer months (weather permitting).

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