On the Shores of Lake Garda by Rail 2012 

We begin our holiday at St Pancras International in London, where we board the Eurostar to Paris. We make the journey in Standard Premier Class, with a light meal and drinks served at our seats shortly after departure. On arrival in the French capital we board a private coach to transfer across the city to the Mercure Hotel Gare de Lyon, ideally located for our onward journey tomorrow. Tonight you are free to dine out in Paris at the restaurant of your choice. (E)

This morning we board the high-speed TGV to Italy. The journey takes us through the French countryside towards the towering, snow-capped Alps and across the Italian border, passing through Turin before arriving in Milan. Here we transfer to a coach and continue to Desenzano on Lake Garda's southern shores. On arrival we transfer to our base for the next seven nights, the Hotel Piccola Vela. We dine together in the hotel this evening. (B,D)

Today we travel to the stylish city of Milan - Italy's fastpaced and fashionable economic capital. We begin our time in Milan with a guided tour, by coach and on foot, including a visit to the incredible Duomo - the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. We visit the world's most famous opera house, the 'Teatro alla Scala', and the beautiful 19th century glass-roofed shopping arcade, the 'Galleria Vittorio Emanuele'. The highlight of our trip to Milan is a visit to the famous church and cloister of Santa Maria delle Grazie where we see Leonardo da Vinci's celebrated painting 'The Last Supper'. (B,D)

Spend today at your leisure, possibly relaxing at the hotel, taking a walk along the lakefront or exploring one of the nearby resorts. One enjoyable option is to take a short boat ride to the pretty town of Sirmione, situated on a narrow promontory in the southern waters of the lake. Sirmione's medieval streets are delightful, and here you can visit the 13th century Scaligeri Castle or the Grotte di Catullo, a ruined Roman villa situated at the tip of the headland. (B)

Today we board the train in Desenzano for a full-day excursion to the fabulous city of Venice. Arriving at the city's Santa Lucia station close to the Grand Canal, we are greeted by a truly glorious view of the shimmering Venice lagoon. A private boat transports us along the Giudecca Canal - our first chance to soak up the wonderful atmosphere of this unique city. We arrive at St Mark's Square, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful city squares in the world. Our local guide greets us here and takes us on a walking tour of the city, leading us around the narrow winding streets and small squares to visit some of Venice's main sights, including St Mark's Basilica. Your afternoon is free to explore at leisure - take an enchanting gondola ride on the canals or explore using Venice's water-bound public transport network - the Vaporetti. We return to Lake Garda by train at the end of a truly enjoyable day. (B,D)

Today you are free to relax or explore at your own pace. You could explore the winding streets, medieval castle and picturesque waterfront in Desenzano, or perhaps make your way to the Old Town, as today is market day and the square is filled with colourful stalls selling local produce. (B)

Today we visit Verona, a charming walled city of Roman origin and the setting for Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', situated just 45 minutes away by coach. During our visit we enjoy a guided tour through the city's narrow streets, which are lined with beautiful medieval buildings and Roman monuments. One such structure, the vast Arena, is an incredibly well-preserved amphitheatre built in 30AD. There is some free time following our tour to explore Verona at your own pace - the charming narrow streets and picturesque piazzas make the city a pleasure to explore, while an abundance of pavement cafés offer the perfect opportunity to relax with a drink, savour the atmosphere and watch the world go by - a truly Italian pastime. This evening we dine together at Cascina Capuzza - a local farmhouse and wine cellar in a beautiful rural setting amidst expansive vineyards. We enjoy a dinner of local ingredients and traditional recipes, complemented by home-produced wines from their own vines. The meal and wine-tasting experience has been hugely popular among Great Rail Journeys customers for many years. (B,D)

Travelling by coach* up Lake Garda's eastern shore, we make our way to the fjordlike north of the lake, to Malcesine which sits on narrow stretch of Lake Garda where dramatic cliffs rise steeply from the very edge of the waters. Malcesine is home to the 14th century Scaligeri Castle which dominates the town. We take a guided tour followed by some free time to explore at your leisure. You may wish to take this opportunity to travel by cable car up to the summit of Monte Baldo, Lake Garda's highest mountain, which rises up behind Malcesine and separates the lake from the Val d'Adige, the valley of the river which flows through Verona. The modern Malcesine cable car is the simplest and most spectacular way to get to the summit, climbing to 1750m. On the upper section the cars revolve slowly to give a spectacular panorama of the lake and its surrounding mountains. We return to Desenzano by boat, passing the many small villages along the shore. (B,D)

*Please note that on some departures we travel to Malcesine by boat and return by coach.

We leave Desenzano this morning, travelling by coach to Milan to join our train for Dijon. We travel in First Class on a route that skirts the shores of sparkling Lake Maggiore and through Lausanne, set on the shores of charming Lake Geneva, before crossing into France. We reach Dijon for an overnight stay at the 4-star Mercure Dijon Clémenceau. (B,D)

Today we travel by high-speed service through France to Paris. Here we cross the city by coach to join our onward connection by Eurostar to London. After a light meal and drinks served at our seats, we arrive into St Pancras International. (B,E)

E = Eurostar meal, B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
These meals, where shown, are included in the price of your holiday