Our trip to northern Italy includes two of the most picturesque places in the country. With its intricate architecture, canals, and bridges, Venice is always a highlight of every trip.

Scattered over northern Italy and across the Italian-Swiss border, the Lake District is renowned for dramatic mountain backdrops, shimmering lakes, idyllic towns, and fascinating Roman history.

Milan is another bucket list city with the famous Duomo, Leonardo da Vinci’s mural The Last Supper, and La Scala Opera house.

October 1-10, 2025

 

Package Includes:

• Round-trip airfare from Raleigh-Durham International Airport or Charlotte Douglas International Airport
• Nine nights’ accommodations at first-class hotels
• 13 meals: nine breakfasts, one lunch, and four dinners
• All sightseeing and admissions per itinerary
• Hotel transfers
• Professional tour director
• Our State host
• Wine and beer reception
• Motor coach transportation
• Baggage handling

 

Itinerary Highlights:

• Milan walking tour
• DaVinci’s The Last Supper*
• La Scala Museum
• Four-night stay in Lake Maggiore
• Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori
• Lugano, Switzerland
• Monte Brè cable car
• Sirmione and Lake Garda
• Three-night stay in Treviso
• Venice walking tour and St. Mark’s Square
• Entrance into the Doges Palace
• Gondola ride along the Venice canals
• Lake Como and Murano Island optional tours

*Every effort will be made to secure tickets for The Last Supper. Tickets go on sale 90 days before visits and cannot be guaranteed. Groups larger than 25 will be divided in two.

 

Accommodations:

• One night in Milan: NH Hotel Milano or similar
• Four nights in Baveno/Lake Maggiore: Grand Hotel Dino, Hotel Splendid, or similar
• Three nights in Treviso: Villa Park Hotel Bolognese or similar

Hotels are subject to change.

 

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Departure
Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Depart on your overnight flight to Italy.

 

Day 2: Arrive in Milan
Thursday, October 2, 2025

Arrive in Milan and meet your tour director. Milan is a metropolis in Italy’s northern Lombardy region and is a global capital of fashion and design. It is known for its Duomo and incredible shopping. Later, transfer to your hotel. Enjoy a welcome dinner with your fellow travelers this evening.

Meals: Dinner
Overnight: NH Hotel Milano or similar in Milan

 

Day 3: Milan
Friday, October 3, 2025

Milan’s wealth of art and architecture awaits on your first day of sightseeing in this remarkable city. Enjoy a Milan walking tour with a local guide to see the famous Duomo, the third-largest Catholic cathedral in the world, found in the center of the city. Entrance is included into this impressive and breathtaking cathedral that is often considered one of the most beautiful churches in the world. Next, visit the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie to take in Leonardo da Vinci’s mural, The Last Supper*, which he painted on the refectory wall. The tour will continue at Piazza Della Scala, the square that houses the Scala Theatre, which was built in 1776 and is one of the world’s best-known opera houses. You will have a guided visit to the La Scala Museum. Enjoy some time at leisure to enjoy a cappuccino or stroll and shop at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the world’s oldest shopping malls. Later, we travel to the Italian Lakes region and check in to our hotel for a four-night stay.

*Every effort will be made to secure tickets for The Last Supper. Tickets go on sale 90 days before visits and cannot be guaranteed. Groups larger than 25 will be divided in two.

Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Grand Hotel Dino, Hotel Splendid, or similar near Lake Maggiore

 

Day 4: Lake Maggiore • Borromean Islands
Saturday, October 4, 2025

Following breakfast, enjoy a private boat ride from Stresa to visit the Borromean Islands of Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori, and Isola Madre. Today you will admire stunning palaces, ornamental gardens, magnificent buildings, and elegant villas. Arrive at Isola Bella, the jewel of Lake Maggiore, and enjoy a tour of the 17th-century Isola Bella Gardens and Palace. See its richly decorated rooms and beautiful garden. See the Teatro Massimo, the most important monument in the garden. Statues, obelisks, and fountains are perfectly integrated with the vegetation of the 10 scenic terraces, at the top of which rises the statue of the unicorn, the heraldic symbol of the Borromeo family. Next, visit Isola dei Pescatori (Fishermen’s Island), a fishing village with original dwellings that is considered the most picturesque of the Borromean Islands. It is also the only of the Borromean Islands that is permanently inhabited. There is free time at leisure to explore on your own. See the Church of San Vittore, dating to the 11th century, or browse the quaint shops. Next, enjoy some free time in Stresa, with its elegant promenades and picturesque historic district before arriving back at your hotel. Dinner is included this evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Grand Hotel Dino, Hotel Splendid, or similar near Lake Maggiore

 

Day 5: Leisure time • Optional tour to Lake Como
Sunday, October 5, 2025

The day is at leisure to enjoy as you wish. Perhaps you will join today’s optional tour to Lake Como. The shimmering blue waters of Lake Como are surrounded by lush mountains, charming towns, and picturesque villages. With its mild climate and captivating landscapes, Lake Como has inspired poets, artists, and writers for generations. Lunch is included, as well as a boat trip to Bellagio. The evening is free to have dinner and explore on your own.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (on optional tour)
Overnight: Grand Hotel Dino, Hotel Splendid, or similar near Lake Maggiore

 

Day 6: Lugano, Switzerland
Monday, October 6, 2025

This morning, travel to Lugano, Switzerland, an Italian-style city set on the edge of a bejeweled lake with views of the Alps in the distance. Flanked by two mountain peaks on the shore of a palm-lined glacial lake, the city of Lugano lets you enjoy a taste of Mediterranean culture in view of the Swiss Alps. Enjoy a guided walking tour of Lugano and some free time to shop and explore on your own. Next, ride on the cable car (funicular) to the summit of Monte Brè. Experience the splendor and incredible panoramic views of the Bernese and Vallese Alps as seen from the top of Switzerland’s “sunniest mountain.” Enjoy the stunning views of Lake Lugano and surrounding mountains from the panoramic terraces. Enjoy free time in the small village of Brè. Later, arrive back at your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Grand Hotel Dino, Hotel Splendid, or similar near Lake Maggiore

 

DAY 7: Sirmione • Treviso
Tuesday, October 7, 2025

This morning, we depart Lake Maggiore en route to Treviso. Stop in Sirmione, an ancient village situated on the shores of Lake Garda. Enjoy a guided tour of the city with some time at leisure to discover the narrow streets, take in views of its famous sinking castle, or simply relax alongside the lake. Lunch is included before traveling to Treviso, located in the Venetian mainland. This elegant town of painted houses and quaint canals is crossed by the Sile and Botteniga rivers and encircled by a set of Renaissance city walls. Check into your hotel for a three-night stay. This evening, enjoy dinner as a group.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Villa Park Hotel Bolognese or similar in Treviso

 

Day 8: Venice
Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Following breakfast, transfer by boat to Venice and meet your local guide in St. Mark’s Square. Enjoy an “insiders walking tour” of St Mark’s Square to learn the history of this world-famous landmark. Admire the Campanile, a brick bell tower that rises above the piazza, and see the Bridge of Sighs. Entrance is included into the incredible Doges Palace, built in 1340, which was once the residence of the Doge of Venice. Next, enjoy an iconic gondola ride as you sit back, relax, and glide gracefully through the picturesque canals of Venice with a master gondolier. The afternoon is at leisure to have lunch on your own, shop, and explore Venice. Later, return to Treviso with the evening at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Villa Park Hotel Bolognese or similar in Treviso

 

Day 9: Leisure time in Treviso • Optional tour to Murano
Thursday, October 9, 2025

The day is yours to discover Treviso however you wish. Relax at a quaint café, shop at the many boutiques, or visit one of the excellent museums and galleries. Perhaps join the optional tour to visit Murano and spend some more time in Venice. Catch your boat and cruise across the Venetian Lagoon to the island of Murano. Here, visit a glass factory, where you’ll watch a glassblower create beautiful pieces of glassware, a Murano tradition that dates back to 1291. Next, travel by boat to Venice for a free afternoon to explore and shop on your own before returning to Treviso. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Villa Park Hotel Bolognese or similar in Treviso

 

DAY 10: TREVISO – FLIGHT HOME
Friday, October 10, 2025

Transfer to the Venice airport for your flight home, filled with memories of Milan, Venice, and the Italian lakes.

Meals: Breakfast

 

Tour Rates:

Regular rate: $5,099 per person, based on double occupancy
Booking discount*: $4,999 per person, based on double occupancy
Single supplement: $1,000

Please ask about the “No-Risk Deposit” plan.

*Booking discount applied when final payment is made by check.

 

For Reservations & More Information:

Premier World Discovery
Melissa Grant
(877) 953-8687, ext. 238 (Pacific Standard Time)
mgrant@premierworlddiscovery.com

Online booking option: Save time and postage and secure your seat for this group departure. Click here and use the booking number 189865 to make your deposit online in just a few minutes. No need to submit a reservation form if booking online.

For more information on physical requirements and what to expect on an Our State trip, click here.