Like jewels on a mountainous crown, the alpine lakes of Northern Italy offer a welcoming playground on this 10-day tour of Lake Como, Maggiore, and Iseo. Far from the crowds of Italy's major cities, you can walk in the footsteps of royalty as you explore this idyllic setting. From wineries to walking tours, this region will come alive and leave you astounded at the concentration of beauty that is to be found here.
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Como – VIP Walking Tour
Perched along the banks of the Y-shaped Lake Como, your first day in Italy will be spent enjoying a VIP walking tour that will acquaint you with the town for which the lake earned its name. Dating back to ancient times, Como provides an atmosphere rich in gastronomic and cultural tradition. Into this atmosphere you will step on your walking tour, and as you make your way from the Gothic-Renaissance Duomo to the 18th-century Teatro Sociale, the city center will come alive with the echos of the past. During your first evening in Italy, you can enjoy the city's spectacular architecture and fresh baked La Nuvola bread.
What's Included:
Day 2
Como – Bubbles Along the Lake
Day 3
Valtellina – A Wine-lover's Delight
Day 4
Lake Maggiore - Jewel of the Italian Alps
Day 5
Lake Maggiore - Visiting the Lake's Lush Islands
Day 6
Lake Maggiore – Creating a Culinary Masterpiece
Day 7
Lake Iseo – Visiting the Largest Lake Island in Europe
Day 8
Lake Iseo – In Search of the Franciacorta
Day 9
Lake Iseo – The Quintessential Lakeside Village of Lovere
Day 10
Lake Iseo – A Reluctant Departure from Lake Country
Trip Highlights
- Orient yourself along the cobbled alleys and boulevards of Como on a customizable walking tour of the elegant city center
- Take to the waves on a majestic motorboat cruise along the banks of Lake Como and into a world of elegant villas, lush forests, and commanding alpine peaks
- Ponder the subtle flavors of centuries worth of winemaking tradition on a visit to the Valtellina valley and its celebrated
- Bask in the vast panoramas on display at Lake Maggiore and watch the sun set over the snow-capped Alps on a luxurious evening cruise
- Delight in an island-hopping excursion to the palaces and gardens that have attracted emperors and celebrities for centuries
- Immerse yourself in the celebrated traditions of the Italian kitchen during your very own cooking course in the magical atmosphere of Lake Maggiore
- Stretch your legs on an enjoyable hike up the slopes of Monte Isola and take in the unique views of Lake Iseo
- Walk in the footsteps of royalty on a visit to Castello Bonomi in the heart of the Brescia region, where you can enjoy the flavors of a winemaking tradition that dates back centuries
- Plunge into the engaging environment of the quintessential Italian village at Lovere, where you can ponder the brilliant church frescoes or enjoy a stroll along the picturesque waterfront
Starting Price
$9,800 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What’s Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
Reviews of this Travel Agency
4.78 stars based on 606 reviews.
The trip was wonderful. All of the transitions from place to place were very smooth. Each tour guide and driver was very welcoming and informative. We had two children with us and we felt safe and comfortable at all times.
One area to mention is that there were times we didn't need a guide to assist us in transferring from place to place. For example, there was a guide who was hired to walk us across the street from the Venice train station to a water taxi. We could have done this on our own and would have preferred not to have to pay for something like that.
I would highly recommend (and have already) Zicasso!
Reviewed By Kimberly K.
We had a wonderful experience with Zicasso's travel partner. The hotel and restaurant suggestions were fantastic! It was very helpful to have them on WhatsApp and always available if we had any issues. I would highly recommend using them for anyone traveling to the area.
Reviewed By Fred D.
This was a trip of a lifetime for us. We had a busy schedule and got to see everything we wanted and then some.
Our Zicasso travel agent was awesome, provided some great, helpful information, and made suggestions for things to do that I am so happy we took her advice on and did not miss!
We had drivers booked, tickets for everything, and exact times we had to be anywhere. Having the help desk's constant support and sharing our daily itinerary the night before made this a truly stress-free vacation. I will definitely use Zicasso and this travel company for my next adventure.
Reviewed By Tammy L.
My husband and I were thrilled with our recent trip to Italy that Zicasso’s travel designer put together. We began by attending a family friend’s wedding, held in Ravello, on the Amalfi Coast. Due to my husband’s mobility issues, we were met by a driver and headed to the Amalfi Coast. The driver was first class and the trip was very comfortable.
After the wedding festivities, we were able to have the most wonderful experiences visiting the towns of Amalfi and Positano, and our base for one week was in beautiful Sorrento. We attended a cooking class and enjoyed eating what we prepared. We had in-depth learning opportunities in Naples and Sorrento. Every guide we had spoke excellent English and was so knowledgeable. We especially enjoyed Pompeii! A super-fun day was had on the small group tour of Capri. The crew was fantastic and very accommodating in consideration of my husband’s mobility issues.
From beginning to end everything went well. The use of a messaging app was great for making sure everyone was on the same page.
The only thing that was a disappointment was the pizza in Naples. It wasn’t the best.
The hotel in Sorrento was phenomenal - it couldn’t have been better. The view of Mt. Vesuvius from our balcony helped create memories we will have forever. The hotel in Rome was also very nice. It was right in the middle of the main attractions.
We are very happy with our experience with this travel company and would not hesitate to recommend it!
Reviewed By Anne F.
Zicasso had two travel companies provide their itinerary of what we wanted to do on our two-week trip to Italy and Greece. We chose this company because we felt they put together a nice itinerary that clearly defined what we would expect day to day. We were a little apprehensive about choosing a travel agent we had not heard of, but the communication from them prior to our trip settled our nerves. We were not disappointed because it ended up being the trip of a lifetime.
Reviewed By Thomas W.
The trip was fabulous. The hotels were interesting and most had no air conditioning. When we asked, we were given fans. Some of the days were excruciatingly long, especially for the 73- and 74-year-olds, and also the 10-year-old.
Reviewed By Susann R.
