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Simply Lake Garda

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4.3 stars(156 reviews)
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Small Group

Uncover one of Italy’s best-loved lakes

You are viewing the 2023 itinerary. Select your departure year
20232024
10 days From £1,595 £1,495 per person
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2023 Tour code: DZL23

About the tour

Picturesque, peaceful and perfectly placed for our visits to enchanting Verona and Venice, Desenzano is the ideal base for our holiday. Stay on the shores of Lake Garda - one of Italy's best-loved lakes and take to the waters as we cruise to Isola del Garda and Sirmione ahead of a visit to Venice for a gondola ride.

Highlights

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 – London and Turin

We meet at London St Pancras and take the Eurostar to Paris. Continuing by rail to the handsome Italian city of Turin, we spend the night in a local hotel.

Please Note: For departure 18/05/2023 you will stay at the Mercure Lyon Centre Château Perrache in Lyon.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 – Lake Garda

Making our way through northern Italy we arrive at Lake Garda. The largest of the Italian lakes, it attracts visitors with its crystal-clear waters, mountainous backdrops and charming lakeside towns. We stay in Desenzano, nestled on the lake's southern shore and boasting beautiful views of the Alps to the north. The town centre is filled with picturesque squares lined with cafés, ice cream parlours and bars.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 - Sirmione

We take a scenic cruise across the lake, making our way to Sirmione, one of Lake Garda's most delightful towns. Surrounded on three sides by water, Sirmione is peaceful and fantastic to explore on foot. The winding lanes and pretty piazzas are mostly pedestrianised, making it easy to visit Rocca Scaligera, a beautifully preserved 13th century castle surrounded by a large water-filled moat. Dominating the Old Quarter of the town, you can enjoy beautiful views over the lake from its ramparts.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 – Desenzano

Enjoy a free day in Desenzano. Perhaps take a stroll through the pretty centre, where there's plenty of welcoming cafés and restaurants to choose from. The ruins of a Roman villa are also worth visiting, complete with mosaics and a small museum detailing its fascinating history. Other highlights include the archaeological museum, telling the story of the town's long history, and the magnificent 16th-century Cathedral of St Mary Magdalene.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 5 - Venice

We travel by rail to the glorious 'floating city' of Venice. A boat transports us to St Mark's Square where we're greeted by a local guide for a fascinating walking tour. Next, we're treated to a leisurely gondola ride along its iconic canals, meandering through narrow waterways and under bridges - the perfect way to admire the city's old-world Gothic grandeur. With free time in the afternoon, you could visit the Bridge of Sighs or cross the famous Rialto Bridge. Perhaps explore some of the streets that locals frequent and discover inviting pavement cafés, bars and shops.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 – Desenzano

Enjoy another free day in Desenzano. You could relax at your hotel or explore further afield. Perhaps catch the train to stylish Milan, famous as the 'style capital of the world'. An exciting architectural mix of old and new, the city is filled with fascinating sights and landmarks. Make sure to visit the incredible Duomo - the largest Gothic cathedral in the world - and the famous 'Teatro alla Scala' opera house.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 7 - Isola del Garda

Cruising across Lake Garda, we head to wooded Isola del Garda, the biggest island on the lake and only accessible by boat. The island is owned by the historic Cavazza family and is dominated by Villa Borghese-Cavazza, a superb example of neo-Gothic architecture designed by the architect Luigi Rovelli at the beginning of the 20th century. There's also a small wood of pines and cypresses, acacias and lemon trees, magnolias and agaves. We explore the exquisite villa and extensive gardens on an insightful guided tour before relaxing with an aperitif of local wine, joined by a member of the Cavazza family.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8 - Verona

We travel by coach to Verona, famous as the setting for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. A guided tour introduces us to the city's rich history as we wander amongst Roman ruins and medieval buildings, seeing Juliet's balcony and the Roman arena. With free time afterwards, you could visit the Scaligeri tombs, where the Scaligeri - the former rulers of Verona - are interred in the Gothic architecture. Or you could spend some time perusing the designer shops on the fashionable Via Mazzini. An abundance of pavement cafés offers the opportunity to relax with a drink and watch the world go by - a truly Italian pastime.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9 – Chambery

Bidding farewell to the beautiful surroundings of Lake Garda, we board a train to Chambery, where we spend the night.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 – London

Continuing home, we travel by rail to Paris to join the Eurostar to London St Pancras.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

Hotel Desenzano, Desenzano

Hotel Desenzano, Desenzano

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Trains

Eurostar
TGV

Enhance your holiday

Upgrades

Inclusive Luggage Upgrade
Upgrade to Standard Premier Class on Eurostar
London Hotels
UK rail connections

Reviews

4.3 stars4.3 / 5 · 156 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (84)
  2. 4 stars
    (44)
  3. 3 stars
    (20)
  4. 2 stars
    (6)
  5. 1 star
    (2)

J Crisp

5 stars

Submitted 6/Jun

lovely holiday fantastic tour manager

Collected by Trustpilot

Keith C

5 stars

Submitted 3/Jun

Excellent trip; well organised; good hotels; fine scenery

Collected by Trustpilot

S Daniels

4 stars

Submitted 3/Jun

Loved lake Garda, just long days travelling.

Collected by Trustpilot

J Ambridge

1 stars

Submitted 3/Jun

Very enjoyable

Collected by Trustpilot

Lorraine Archer

5 stars

Submitted 3/Jun

Wonderful trip, great company great companions, great tour manager everything was so well organised lots of free time and lots to see

Collected by Trustpilot

Peter Marsh

5 stars

Submitted 3/Jun

The whole trip went like clockwork, Linda the tour manager was attentive to everybody’s needs and ensured all the transport connections went smoothly. The hotel was lovely; all the staff were friendly and helpful, and on one of the rest days we had the roof terrace and hot tub all to ourselves. All four of the trips were enjoyable especially Venice and Desenzano had many restaurants and bars as well as historical sites to visit. For tea drinkers amongst anybody reading this, a travel kettle is essential.

Collected by Trustpilot

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