First Class Lake Iseo: Italy's Secret Lake

Your Italian adventure begins by meeting the Tour Manager and travelling group at London St Pancras International, ready to board the Eurostar service.

Travelling in spacious Plus class, we are served a light meal at our seats as we travel to Paris, where we change trains to the First Class service direct to Turin. The rolling hills of France pass by our windows before we cross the Alps into northern Italy, arriving in Turin this evening.

We check in to our four-star hotel near the centre for an overnight stay, and head out for our first meal together, a three-course dinner at a local restaurant.

• Eurostar Light Meal
• Dinner

After breakfast there's time to explore Turin at leisure. Fringed by the Italian Alps, the city's grand public squares are lined with cafés and bars, while there's a stylish pedestrianised shopping district a short distance from our hotel. Turin's architecture is an attractive blend of Baroque, Renaissance and modern, while a number of fascinating art galleries can be found near Giardini Reali.

This afternoon, we travel by First Class rail to Brescia. From here, a coach transfers us to the charming village of Sulzano on the shores of Lake Iseo. Our elegant hotel has a swimming pool and panoramic terrace right on the shores, providing jaw-dropping views of the lake and its surrounding mountains. With a private bathing area, it is also possible to take a dip in the lake's refreshing waters.

After checking in, there's time to unwind before we gather for a three-course dinner in the hotel's restaurant this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today is an opportunity to familiarise yourself with this little-known corner of northern Italy and explore independently. The pristine lake and its unchanged villages recall the days of the Grand Tour when people flocked to Italy to discover the culture and beautiful landscapes of this fascinating country. A train line with regular services along the eastern shore makes exploring further afield easy.

Sulzano's Old Town is small, with narrow, sheltered streets curving gently with the shoreline and regularly providing glimpses of stunning views. To the south of Sulzano is the medieval village of Iseo, whose open-air market is held on Fridays amid a picturesque warren of pastel-coloured houses. One of Italy's most beautiful villages, Lovere, can be reached by ferry. Nestled between the lake and mountains, Lovere's Centro Storico is a delightful jumble of colourful houses which jostle for position around the lakeshore and its main square.

Dining independently tonight provides the chance to sample local cuisine. Restaurants in the towns around Lake Iseo offer an impressive choice of menus, many featuring creative dishes of local freshwater fish.

• Breakfast

A full day exploration of Brescia awaits after breakfast. Positioned between Milan and Verona, this historic city is situated at the foot of the Italian Alps, surrounded by stunning mountainous scenery.

After travelling by coach, we explore the historic old centre with an expert guide on a walking tour through the main city squares. Brescia aligned with Rome during the Carthaginian Wars and the most important Roman remains in northern Italy can be found here, including a former temple and part of a World Heritage site which contains an amphitheatre. Starting from the oldest Roman piazzas we wander past impressive arched columns, decorative churches and marble statues to the city's enchanting medieval district and striking, Renaissance-era square.

Our tour ends in the modern centre of Brescia where restaurants and shops are located. At the end of the tour, we return to our accommodation where there is time to relax before a three-course dinner in the hotel restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A free day today presents the chance to enjoy the beauty of Lake Iseo and beyond. You may like to take a boat to one of the lake's other villages, soaking up amazing views of the surrounding mountains. The ancient fishing village of Clusane is renowned for its gastronomy, particular Franciacorta wine, saffron and baked tench.

From Sulzano's train station you could travel to some of Italy's most famous cities in less than 90 minutes. In Verona, you could follow in the footsteps of Shakespearean characters to find Juliet's balcony or uncover the incredible Roman Arena.

Known as the 'fashion capital of the world', Milan is a grand city of ornate architecture and elegant squares. Stroll past the fashion boutiques of Via Monte Napoleone, visit the famed Teatra alla Scala, wander the canalside streets of the popular Navigli district or savour a coffee in Piazza del Duomo while marvelling at the Gothic cathedral - one of the largest church buildings in the world.

• Breakfast

Our excursion today takes us on the Treno dei Sapori. Translating as the 'Train of Flavours', the journey combines the region's wonderful scenery with its famed produce.

In the picturesque village of Iseo we depart by boat to Monte Isola, Europe's tallest lake island. After a guided tour of the picturesque villages, there is free time to explore independently. Sailing back to the lake shore, we board the Treno dei Sapori in Sale Marasino. Travelling to Bornato, we soak up beautiful views as we are served fresh, local food, including cheeses, meat and sparkling Franciacorta wines. From Bornato, we continue to the village of Provaglio d'Iseo where our enjoyable outing ends. The village has a wetland nature reserve, with wildlife including purple herons, black kites and great bitterns. Above is the Monastery of San Pietro in Lamosa which we tour with a local guide.

We return for a free evening to head out independently to a local trattoria or admire the sunset over the lake from our hotel.

• Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, we drive to Bergamo at the foothills of the Alps between lakes Iseo and Como. After meeting our guide, we board a funicular to the historic Upper Town. We take a walking tour of this captivating citadel, encircled by Venetian walls. The spellbinding Piazza Duomo is a wonderland of magnificent buildings, such as the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, guarded by marble lions. Other fantastic sights include the neoclassical cathedral and the octagonal baptistery.

After our tour, there is a free afternoon to continue exploring. You could head down into the airy and modern Lower Town, where wide boulevards are lined with chestnut trees. Maybe find a trattoria to savour some local flavours including casconcelli, a variety of filled ravioli.

Another option is to relax in one of the small squares, sampling a coffee or an apéritif, or indulge in a stracciatella, a variety of ice-cream with dark chocolate flakes that was invented in Bergamo. We return to Sulzano this afternoon with time to unwind before we sit down for a three-course dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After a free morning and afternoon to unwind in Sulzano, we embark on a holiday highlight as we travel by coach to a Franciacorta winery.

Franciacorta is a famed sparkling wine produced in the small region around the southern edge of Lake Iseo. Renowned for their gleaming, straw-like colour and delicate bubbles, these wines are differentiated from other Italian sparkling wines by their rich bouquet and dense, balanced flavours. The smooth and refined character also separates it from the familiar minerality of champagne.

At a vineyard in Franciacorta, we enjoy a guided tour of a winery to learn about the history and flavour of these acclaimed wines, before sampling a number of varieties. Dinner this evening is at the winery as we sit down for a three-course meal of local specialities in idyllic surroundings - a sumptuous way to conclude our time in northern Italy.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Leaving Sulzano by coach after breakfast, we can enjoy our final views of beautiful Lake Iseo as we head to Milan. Here, we take our First Class seats to travel by rail through Switzerland to Basel.

After winding through Como and Lugano, we enter the Gotthard Base Tunnel. At 35.5 miles, it's the world's longest railway tunnel and takes us straight to the heart of central Switzerland. Skirting Lake Lucerne enroute, keep an eye out for the picturesque waters backed by towering peaks.

On arrival in Basel, we walk the short distance to our central hotel for an overnight stay. After checking in, there's time to relax or look around this attractive waterside city, before our final evening meal together, a three-course dinner in the hotel restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This memorable holiday has uncovered the rare beauty of Italy's secret lake which offered up many unforgettable experiences, from the views of imposing Monte Isola to the delightful flavours of its produce at a Franciacorta winery. Visits to lesser-visited cities of northern Italy revealed the timeless streets and historic churches of Bergamo, as well as the country's finest Roman remains outside the capital in Brescia.

After a leisurely breakfast this morning, we walk the short distance to the station to board the direct train, travelling to Paris in First Class. Here, we transfer to the Eurostar, enjoying a light meal at our seats in Plus class. On arrival back at London St Pancras, your discovery of beautiful Lake Iseo and northern Italy concludes.

• Breakfast
• Eurostar Light Meal