During this 10-Day Northern Italy tour, immerse your senses in the splendor and architecture that stretches across the country. Journey through 19th-century villas that dot the shores of Lake Como, venture over snow-laden landscapes as the Bernina Express transports you to Switzerland, soar through the skies on a private jet to Verona, and witness Venetian Gothic palaces from your gondola ride down the Grand Canal.
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Milan – Walk on the Duomo Rooftop
When your plane touches down at Milan Malpensa Airport, your friendly transfer will be waiting to greet and transfer you to your luxurious accommodation in the center of Milan. You will maneuver along the cobblestone streets with your guide to the Duomo di Milano. The heavy doors will open for you as you begin your private tour, and a holy silence will encircle you as you amble among the marble columns. Your tour will continue as you reach the cathedral rooftop, which will provide you with spectacular views of the city and square below.
What's Included:
Day 2
Varenna – Revel in the Glamour of Lake Como
Day 3
Varenna – Cruise around Lake Como
Day 4
St. Moritz – Delight in the Beauty of the Alps
Day 5
Verona – Encounter History and Culture
Day 6
Verona – Attend a Performance in a Roman Amphitheater
Day 7
Padua – Visit Chapels and Palaces
Day 8
Venice – Indulge in a Grand Canal Gondola Ride
Day 9
Venice – Venture to the Islands of Murano and Burano
Day 10
Venice – Depart for Home
Trip Highlights
- Experience a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of Milan’s Duomo, which will be complete with a vibrant sunset and viewed from the rooftop terrace
- Discover hilltop castle ruins and the 19th-century villas that line the placid shores of Lake Como
- Indulge in a visit to the Villa del Balbianello to enjoy the exquisite gardens and promenades while sipping your favorite aperitif
- Board a world-class train that provides you with a grand scenic tour, leading you from the palm trees of Lake Como to the snow-capped glaciers of Southern Switzerland
- Soar through the skies on a private jet that flies you from the mountains of Switzerland to the sunbaked terrain of Verona, Italy
- Applaud as you attend in an exclusive open-air performance in the Roman Amphitheater
- Venture through Padua, which is one of northern Italy’s oldest cities, and observe gorgeous 14th-century frescoes
- Luxuriate on a private gondola ride down the Grand Canal, observing classic Venetian Gothic architecture and charming flower-lined neighborhoods
- Receive personalized demonstrations of glassblowing and lacemaking on the charming islands of Murano and Burano
Detailed Description
The contagious, high-energy buzz of Milan will greet you as you begin your grand adventure through Northern Italy. High-fashion is always in style, and you will mingle past haute-couture shops to make your way to the massive gothic cathedral that graces the center of the city. Your private guide will lead you through the Duomo and to the rooftop, where you will be amazed at unsurpassed views over the city. The sleek buildings of Italy’s banking industry will fade in the background as your driver transfers you to Lake Como, and you can gaze at emerald forests and a turquoise lake that sits among the snow-capped Alps. A private boat will whisk you around the stunning lake, and you will visit small villages and glamorous villas that dot the shoreline.
Afterward, you board the Bernina Express, which is a panoramic train that will escort you from the palm tree promenades of Lake Como, over glaciers, and to the spa town of St. Moritz, Switzerland. Here, you will spend the night and be pampered at an exclusive resort. In the morning, a private jet will fly you to the beautiful city of Verona, where you will sit in the lap of luxury as you view the glorious landscapes. Red rooftops and bell-towers will eventually come into view, symbolizing that you will be arriving in Verona shortly. Upon your arrival, you will indulge in a personalized tour through the most intriguing sites of the city, visiting the house of Shakespeare’s Juliet and attending a captivating show in the 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater.
You will continue your tour in Padua, which is Northern Italy’s oldest city. Here, you will see the impressive Basilica of St. Anthony, which attracts thousands of pilgrims each year, and Giotto’s exquisite frescoes that blanket the walls of the 14th-century Scrovegni Chapel. The following day, your driver will lead you to the iconic city of Venice, where you will board a gondola and cruise down the canal, passing Gothic palaces and arched stone footbridges. After your gondola ride, you will enjoy a private tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. Your final full day in Venice will consist of an adventure to the colorful islands of Murano and Burano, where you will witness glassblowing and lacemaking demonstrations that have made these islands famous for centuries.
Starting Price
$4,500 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
The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.9 stars based on 6244 reviews.
The trip Zicasso's travel specialist arranged for us exceeded all our expectations. It was absolutely wonderful; not a single detail was overlooked. The hotels were excellent, the tours were great, and the drivers were always on time. I totally recommend Zicasso and the agency, and will undoubtedly use them for future travel plans.
Reviewed By Philip S.
Zicasso's travel designer did a terrific job. We had the initial phone consult, after which she delivered a first draft of the itinerary. From there, she helped guide us through a few revisions until we got the details smoothed out. We are experienced travelers and can appreciate a well-constructed trip, and that's what our experience with our agent reflected.
One crucial thing is that all the drivers who are engaged to move you around are prompt. Every one of them was right on time and friendly and helpful to boot. It was much appreciated.
To sum up our experience, I would do it all again with Zicasso and the agency and our agent. Our trip to Italy in the late summer of 2025 was something we will not soon forget!
Reviewed By tony B.
Zicasso's travel partner is very thorough and makes sure the trip is tailored to your vision. They are flexible and very responsive. We would recommend them to anyone traveling.
Reviewed By Evan C.
Zicasso's travel agency far exceeded our expectations. We had our five-year-old and 11-year-old children with us, so the tour guides and walking needed to be kid-friendly.
Our hotel in Rome was wonderful, the location was perfect, and they had good A/C and a breakfast buffet. There were plenty of great restaurants within easy walking distance, as well as the Vatican.
Our tour guide for the Colosseum and Roman Forum was great. Pompeii was amazing. Our tour guide was basically a celebrity down there and knew exactly how to take us around the ruins without ever waiting.
Tuscany was our favorite by far. We did a cheese-making experience and lunch that was super-cool. The kids got to play with the farm animals and the owners were so attentive and interesting. We did a cooking class with a chef that was the kids' favorite thing on the entire trip. I would make a point to book this experience; the kids still talk about it and wear the aprons around the house. The resort in Tuscany was nice. We had our own private pool, plus the resort pool, and could easily walk to a small local town with some great food.
Venice was good, but probably our least favorite on the trip. You have to walk a ton, which was difficult for the kids, but it's still worth experiencing.
We travel a bunch and I would highly recommend using Zicasso's travel partner.
Reviewed By Kevin S.
We were very happy with the services provided by Zicasso's tour operator. Our agent and his team were very responsive to all of our communications and created an itinerary for us that was exactly the mix of places to see and activities we were looking for.
The tour operator provided us with all of the information we needed to navigate around Switzerland (visiting Zermatt, Grindelwald, and Lucerne). We liked all of the hotels they selected and found their restaurant recommendations to be very helpful. They also provided us with a package of materials containing our rail passes, maps, and detailed instructions that helped make our trip seamless and stress-free.
We felt like we were in very good hands with them and would definitely use them again if we return to Switzerland.
Reviewed By Elisa R.
Zicasso's travel designer made the whole trip run very smoothly. It was a pleasure working with her.
Reviewed By Joseph B.
