Simply Lake Garda

Your holiday begins at London St Pancras where we meet the Tour Manager and our group of co-travellers before boarding the Eurostar service to Paris. From the French capital, we continue by rail across France, passing the Italian Alps as we travel to Turin.

In the alpine foothills, this city is a modern centre of business and technology, but boasts a history blending Renaissance and Baroque architecture.

After checking in to our hotel in the city's historic centre, we join our group for our first dinner together in a traditional restaurant nearby.

• Dinner

After breakfast, there's time at leisure to explore Turin. This dignified city is an important centre of business, finance and technology, and is also a showcase of Baroque, Renaissance and modern architecture. Fringed by the Italian Alps, the city's wide boulevards and grand public squares are lined with enticing cafés and bars. Just a short walk from our hotel is a pedestrianised shopping district.

Later, we regroup and walk to the railway station to continue our journey further into northern Italy by rail. We pass through Milan before arriving at Desenzano, a large town with an attractive historic centre and charming waterfront on the shores of Lake Garda.

Arriving early evening, we check in to our family-run hotel, which boasts a beautiful panoramic terrace providing stunning views of the lake. Perfectly positioned near to the town's historic centre and train station, it's a great location from which to explore Desenzano and further afield. This evening, we dine at our hotel, which is renowned for its food, offering freshly prepared dishes using local ingredients that celebrate the flavours of the region.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A full free day ahead presents the perfect opportunity to get to know our base of Desenzano after breakfast.

At the heart of the town is the main square, Piazza Malvezzi, where you'll find cafés, gelateria, stylish boutiques, delicatessens and wine shops. From the pretty marina with its ancient harbour wall, you could walk along the lakefront on the Cesare Battisti promenade. Built on the base of a Roman fort and town, the medieval Desenzano castle has fabulous views across the bay. Nearby is the Roman villa with beautiful mosaics, thermal baths and a terrace overlooking the lake. Other highlights include the archaeological museum, and the Cathedral of St Mary Magdalene.

With Desenzano train station only a short distance from our hotel, you could take one of the frequent trains to another city, such as fashionable Milan with its world-famous Duomo. A boat trip to the wine-producing town of Bardolino or the UNESCO-listed Roman city of Peschiera are other appealing options. Wherever you find yourself today, you can indulge in authentic Italian cuisine for lunch or dinner.

• Breakfast

Today is a highlight of your holiday as we travel by rail from Desenzano to glorious Venice. On arrival, a private boat transfers us to the heart and soul of Venice, St Mark's Square.

Here, we find ourselves surrounded by iconic sights including St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. Embarking on a guided tour, we are taken through hidden backstreets, seeing the house where Vivaldi was born, the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St George and the famous Bridge of Sighs. Our tour ends back in St Mark's Square, where we are free to continue discovering this wonderful city at our own pace. You could choose to enter St Mark's Basilica to see its incredible interior or revisit some of the other great buildings we've passed.

Wandering along luminous turquoise canals, passing Venetian palazzos and beautiful bridges, is the ideal way to soak up Venice's ethereal atmosphere. Later, we return to Desenzano by rail and dine at our hotel this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

By now you'll be enjoying the leisurely Italian pace of life, and today you have a day and evening ahead to spend exactly as you wish. You might choose to relax at the pool or on the roof terrace of our hotel, to discover more of Desenzano and its historic attractions, or to venture further afield, either by boat or by rail.

The chance to sightsee by boat is a tempting option. On the western coast of the lake is Gardone Riviera, a hidden gem and one of Italy's most beautiful small towns. Surrounded by mountains, the town features the André Heller Botanic Garden, with unusual plants from all over the world - a Japanese garden, water features and grottoes - which is decorated with contemporary art sculptures.

Besides the option to explore by boat today, you could also consider a day trip to a city that can be reached efficiently by rail, such as Bergamo with its historic hilltop Old Town. This evening you are free to dine independently and there are many places to choose from in Desenzano.

• Breakfast

This morning is at leisure, and it is market day in Desenzano so you may choose to wander down to the lakeside and join locals in browsing the many colourful stalls of clothing, handcrafted items and fresh produce. This afternoon we walk across to the boat landing and join a cruise across Lake Garda to the wondrous Isola del Garda. This is our only tour to visit this island - the largest on the lake and only accessible by boat.

Isola del Garda has been owned by the Cavazza family for generations. Here, fragrant acacia and lemon trees frame an extraordinary neo-Gothic style villa. 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 a guided tour before relaxing with a drink.

We return to Desenzano by boat at the end of the afternoon, and there's time to relax and unwind before we gather for dinner at our hotel this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today is spent at leisure and there are many fascinating destinations you could visit after breakfast, or unwind in our attractive base of Desenzano. With great rail connections from the lakeside town, you could be in either Brescia or Verona within 20 minutes.

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. The heart of historic Brescia is the Piazza della Loggia - a good place to enjoy a local delicacy. You could try casoncelli bresciani, a delicious stuffed pasta, and sip on Pirlo, similar to Aperol spritz.

Historic Verona is a UNESCO-listed city that may be best-known as the setting for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Here, you can see Juliet's balcony and the awe-inspiring Roman Arena, which predates Rome's Colosseum and is now an open-air opera house. Unwind in Piazza delle Erbe, the city's oldest square which was originally a Roman forum, now buzzing with cafés and lined with beautiful buildings.

• Breakfast

On our final full day in Desenzano, we take a short cruise after breakfast to our nearest lakeside neighbour.

Sirmione is one of Lake Garda's most delightful towns. Set on a narrow peninsula which stretches into the lake, the town is a pleasure to explore on foot and you are free to do so independently. Sirmione is known for the striking medieval Scaligero Castle, which guards the entrance to the town. It's possible to enter the castle and climb its fortified walls for views across the lake. Among the Old Town's medieval streets and colourful piazzas, you'll find a 14th-century church, trattorias and pavement cafés. Local specialities include fresh fish, pizza and homemade pasta, such as pumpkin ravioli and tortellini. Another ancient site on the Sirmione peninsula is the extraordinary Grottoes of Catullus, the preserved remains of one of the largest Roman villas in Italy.

This afternoon, we sail back to Desenzano where there's time at leisure - maybe to enjoy a swim in the hotel pool - before dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We leave the beautiful surroundings of Lake Garda, for a coach transfer to Milan, where we continue by rail to Chambéry, passing Les Deux-Alpes and the Vanoise National Park enroute.

This evening, we arrive in the attractive medieval town of Chambéry and walk a short distance to our hotel for the night. This charming French town is backdropped by the Alps, and its historic Old Town has a characterful square, surrounded by colourful houses.

This evening, we gather with our group to enjoy the final dinner of this memorable holiday at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Staying in beautiful Desenzano on the shores of Lake Garda has allowed us to explore the treasures of northern Italy. From a tour of magical Venice to boat rides to floral Isola del Garda and enchanting Sirmione, we have uncovered elegant sights and famed landmarks. With plenty of free time, you have had many opportunities to discover destinations that appeal to your interests.

After a night in Chambéry and our final breakfast, we travel by rail to Paris, where we join the Eurostar to London. As we arrive back at St Pancras, your Italian holiday comes to an end, and you can make your way home.

• Breakfast