The Flavors of Verona & Lake Garda Tour
Discover one of Italy's best-kept secrets..and make it yours. Be inspired by the breath-taking views of Italy's northeastern region.
11 Days/10 Nights (6 Nights on Lake Garda + 2 Nights in Verona + 2 Nights in Venice)*
Low Season: 2022 price starting at $7,140 per person. High Season: 2022 price starting at $7,850 per person.
Be delighted by the curiously captivating gastronomic and historical gems offered by the Veneto region. Start this remarkable journey with a relaxing stay in a luxury family-owned boutique hotel on Lake Garda. Gaze at reflections of the breath-taking mountain peaks as you explore the picturesque lake-shore villages.
Visit Medieval castles, the breath-taking Italian Alps (Dolomiti), and pristine Alpine villages.
Discover romantic Verona on a guided walking tour, take fun cooking classes with local ingredients, visit a cheese farm in the mountains, and visit the world-renown wineries of the Valpolicella.Finish your enchanting journey in Venice by wandering its intricate maze of waterways and hidden alleyways, as well as the island communities of Murano and Burano on a luxury private boat.
*Nada's Italy works with centrally-located luxury boutique hotels of the highest quality standards and amenities, which we regularly inspect and evaluate. For specific information about accommodations selected for this tour, please contact us with your travel dates.
Overview
- EXPLORE: Lake Garda, Dolomites (Italian Alps), Verona, Montagnana, Valpolicella, Venice, Murano & Burano.
- Enjoy the Northern Italian lifestyle with a small group of 6-12 travelers.
- Savor tasty regional cuisine & wine in family owned trattorias.
- Discover the picturesque villages around Lake Garda, Verona, and many more.
- Stay in a luxury boutique hotel overlooking Lake Garda.
- Be inspired by the stunning views of the Dolomites, the most scenic of the Italian Alps.
- Visit a local cheese farm in the Alps surrounding Lake Garda, followed by home-made lunch.
- Enjoy a fun group cooking class and learn to make local delicacies.
- Take a private tour of boutique winery and tasting of Valpolicella wines.
- Discover sumptuous Venice and enjoy a private walking tour through its charming alleyways.
- Board a private boat to the Islands of Burano & Murano with a visit to a traditional glass factory.
(Itinerary is subject to change with or without notice. The sequence of day trips may vary. The final itinerary will be given at the start of the trip.)Friday | Day 1 | Benvenuto : Welcome!
Welcome to Italia! After being picked up from the Venice airport, you'll be on your way to stunning Lake Garda! (Make sure to communicate your arrival time & flight info to us promptly. Please book your arrival in Venice no later than 1:00 pm on Friday). Tonight you will rest in a beautiful fairy-tale like luxury boutique hotel overlooking the lake! Enjoy a Welcome dinner in a lovely restaurant that is perched up on the steep mountainside with a view over Lake Garda that will have your knees buckle! Try some delicious specialties from this region and tasty local wines, as you get to know your new travel companions.
Meals included: dinner
Saturday | Day 2 | Charming Lakeside Villages
Get ready for some amazing views of this extraordinary Italian lake! You will be completely blown away by the beauty of the mountains reflected in the deep blue waters. This morning we board the boat service to Malcesine a picture-perfect Medieval town. As we approach the village, you can admire the Castello Scaligero, a 14th-Century fortification. Behind Malcesine rises the 6,000ft high Montebaldo. If you’re brave enough, you can reach the summit of Montebaldo by the funivia, a gondola that rotates 360 degrees as you ascend this steep mountain! Group lunch in a great local's favorite - undoubtedly one of the best restaurants in the area. Enjoy some free time to discover this small scenic town full of arts, crafts, cafés, and history on your own. Then we continue to Riva del Garda, surrounded by imposing mountains, with free time to explore. Dinner at our own villa's restaurant on the scenic terrace.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Sunday | Day 3 | Sirmione's Roman Ruins and Elegant Salo'
Another exciting full-day excursion exploring the delightful lake villages. Board the boat to Sirmione, an ancient fortified town on the Southern part of the lake. Group lunch at a local trattoria. Enjoy some free time to explore the local market, charming alleyways, shops, and take a walk to the famous ruins of the colossal Roman villa, surrounded by the lake’s blue-green waters, dating back to the 1st century BC. Then back on the boat to Salo’, known for its beauty and unusual history.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
Monday | Day 4 | The Delights and Flavors of Limone sul Garda
Today we visit a local cheese farm in the Alps surrounding Lake Garda - a dairy coop that produces all-natural Alpine cheeses, along with fresh yogurt, jams, olive oil, and gelato. See how the cheese is made and aged, then sit down for a delicious lunch with homemade dishes.In the afternoon, you'll have time to enjoy the historical center of Limone sul Garda with free time to explore and delight in its laid-back lifestyle. Immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of this fascinating northern Italian village. Then slowly float back down to Earth and enjoy dinner on your own.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
Tuesday | Day 5 | The Dolomites and the Alpine Village of Ortisei
Today’s highlights will not be centered as much around history, but around the awe-inspiring views of the most beautiful areas in the Italian Alps: the Dolomites. Our spectacular drive will be even more pleasant to the eye as we make stops along the way to admire the scenery and charming Alpine villages such as Canazei and Ortisei. Enjoy a group lunch with typical South-Tyrolean specialties, including grilled sausage, mushrooms, cheese, beef stew, and polenta. We continue to the Passo Pordoi, called “La Terrazza delle Dolomiti” (the terrace of the Dolomites), from where you can test your bravery and hop on the suspended car that will lift you high above the clouds to view the most important peaks in the Alps, including the famous Marmolada Glacier. Be amazed by these spectacular sites – we are truly on top of the world! A unique group dinner in a Medieval Castle of the Trentino region will frame in the memories of this beautiful day.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Wednesday | Day 6 | Cooking Class and Lakeside Leisure
Get ready for a super-fun group cooking class, followed by lunch. You will then have an afternoon of free time to do as you please. Relax by the hotel's magical patio with a breathtaking view of the Alps & Lake, read a book lounging on the beach, go into town for some great shopping opportunities, or simply sit and enjoy a glass of vino in one of the village's charming piazzas and watch life pass you by. Dinner will be on your own so you can choose how to spend your final night in this extraordinary northern paradise.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
Thursday | Day 7 | From the Middle Ages to your Table
Today we’ll leave Lake Garda and drive towards the Verona area. We'll stop along the way in
S.
Ambrogio in Valpolicella, for lunch in a family Trattoria, one of the area’s top
restaurants, known for using local organic ingredients and regional recipes. We continue towards a remarkable 13th century castle that will be our home for the next two nights. After check in, group gathers in the courtyard
for a private tour of
this amazing historical estate dating back to the Middle Ages. Enjoy an elegant dinner in the Castle’s own fine dining restaurant prepared by its private Chef.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Friday | Day 8 | Valpolicella Wines & Walled City of Montagnana
Morning drive to the Valpolicella area, known for its world-renown wine production. Private tour, lunch, and wine tasting at a family-owned winery that produces Recioto, Amarone and Ripasso della Valpolicella, among other top-quality wines. Our next destination is a true delight to the eye: the romantic city of Romeo & Juliette: Verona, which has a splendidly preserved Roman Arena. We meet up with our expert City Guide, who will walk us through the main sites of the city, telling us about the Scaligeri (della Scala) family and the impact it had on Verona and surrounding territories throughout the centuries. Enjoy some free TIME after the tour for gelato and a nice stroll in Verona, also a great place to shop! We continue to the amazing nearby village of Montagnana, a medieval town whose walls are among the very best preserved in Europe. You can truly witness the authentic Italian lifestyle in this community, where human interaction appears to be frozen in time, just as life used to be before modern technology. Dinner at a traditional restaurant featuring local dishes.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Saturday | Day 9 | The Picturesque Canals of Venice
After breakfast, we'll be on our way to sumptuous Venezia, also known as La Serenissima, where we'll be escorted to our hotel for check-in and luggage drop-off. Enjoy a group lunch in a nearby restaurant. In the afternoon we'll meet up our private guide who will take us on a walking tour of historic Venice, telling us about traditions, culture, and amusing facts of Venetian life through the ages. Enjoy some FREE TIME to explore this enchanting city and enjoy dinner on your own.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
Sunday | Day 10 | The Island Villages of Murano & Burano
This morning we are taking a trip to the Islands of Burano & Murano by private water-taxi, with a visit to a traditional glass factory and a 'merletto' lace shop. Enjoy your final evening of the tour with a farewell dinner
in Venice. Arrivederci!
Meals included: breakfast, dinner
Monday | Day 11 | Arrivederci! Until we meet and eat again!
Nada's Italy hopes that you can stay longer in Italy and explore other beautiful cities of this very diverse country!
Meals included: breakfast
What's included in the Flavors of Verona & Lake Garda tour package:
- 6 Nights on Lake Garda + 2 Nights in Verona + 2 Nights in Venice. A trip
totaling 11 Days/10 Nights (depart the US on Thursday and return on
Monday).
- This tour begins and ends in Venice.
- Small group travel: maximum of 12 travelers per group!
- Fully
escorted day trips with professional private driver and full-time
English-speaking Nada's Italy Italian Tour Director.
-
Meals included: all breakfasts, 8 lunches, 6 dinners (included meals are shown at bottom of the description for each day.)
- Beverages included:
bottled water, soft drinks (in limited amounts), coffee, and 2 glasses
of wine per person (choice of red or white) with included lunches and
dinners.
- Private Walking Tours by locally licensed English-speaking City Guides: Historical Highlights of Verona, Walking tour of Venice (with tickets to St. Mark's Basilica).
- Destinations included: villages on Lake Garda (Limone, Malcesine, Riva del Garda, Salo', Sirmione), Italian Alps (Dolomites), Ortisei, Verona, Montagnana, Valpolicella wine-making district,
Venice, island communities of Murano and Burano (destinations may vary based on the time of the year).
- Unique Experiences: boat trips around Lake Garda, visit of a cheese and dairy farm, cooking class with local chef, private boat rides in Venice and island communities, private winery tour in the Valpolicella, fine-dining experience in 12th century castle, and much more!
- Private Transportation
for day trips and transfers in comfortable air-conditioned Mercedes
Executive vans (does not include: transfer from and to the airport,
airfare, or any other personal travel expenses).
- A+ Rated Customer Service With Nada's Italy you can rest assured that your travel experience will be completely stress-free. Your personal Journey Coordinator will
assist you with any additional services you may need, provide expert
packing and travel advice, and answer any questions you may have before
your trip.
- Benvenuto Box: after you sign up, you'll
receive a box full of Nada's Italy goodies for your trip with lots of
useful information to make the best of your stay!
- Return Traveler Program: receive up to $800 credit per person towards any future trips you take with Nada's Italy!
- No bag limit (many tour companies have a 1-bag limit per person).
- Taxes & Fees:
Local VAT taxes and government fees, City Tax, gas, highway tolls, city
access licenses and permits, parking fees.
- Staff & restaurant tips
(additional gratuities can be given at the sole discretion of each
individual traveler).
What's Not Included in Tour Package
Trip price does not include
airfare and anything that is not specified to be included. Price does
not include any personal related expenses or travel-related expenses outside of the scheduled itinerary. The food & wine that is
included is what is presented during group meals.
Before you sign up, please note the following:
>
The
first day of this tour is Friday (you will need to book your flight from
the USA on Thursday to get to Venice on Friday). The last day of this
tour is Monday (arrival in the U.S. is the same day of departure on your
way back). Some tours start and end in different cities, make sure to
book your flights accordingly.
> Airfare is not included.
Nada's Italy can assist with Business and First Class airfare. Please
let us know if you need information about arrival and departure airport
for this tour.
> Reminders, hotel information, and arrival
instructions will be sent only by email, please make sure we have your current email address.
> Transfers
to and from the airport are not included in the tour rate. Please
contact us if you'd like to add transfers to your tour package.
> You
must be in good physical condition to sign-up for this trip. This is
not a physically challenging trip, nonetheless, there will be a lot of
walking uphill, downhill, walking over uneven pavement, and standing for
extended periods of time.
> Even though tips to staff and
restaurants are included, it is suggested that you put aside
approximately $100 (US) in combined gratuities for your driver &
Tour Director for your trip (and any voluntary additional restaurant
gratuities are at your discretion).
> Nada's Italy strongly
recommends that you purchase Travel Insurance for your trip. For
suggestions on policies and a quote, please contact us.
> You should know that
air conditioning in Italy, as well as WIFI connection, are not always as
reliable as they are in the United States.
> The hotel
staff
assigns rooms to guests, some rooms may include stairs. A view is not
guaranteed. As Nada's Italy works mainly with luxury historic inns and
small upscale boutique hotels, rooms differ in size and layout. In
general, Italian bedrooms and bathrooms are smaller compared to US
standards. Each room has its own en-suite
bathroom with shower and/or tub, hair-dryer, and basic toiletry set. Please
contact us if you have specific requests/needs.
> It is your
responsibility to obtain the required documents to travel to Italy,
please verify with your own country's travel laws and government
agencies. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.
> In
the unlikely event your tour does not reach the minimum participation
requirement of 6 travelers, we will work with you to choose another
available tour or tour date. We will do our best to make the transition
as smooth as possible.
> Add extra nights and extend your stay in this amazing country. Contact us for a quote (subject to availability).
> Please note: while we do our best to adhere to our published
itineraries, they may be changed at the discretion of the Tour Leader
due to weather conditions and any other unforeseeable circumstances.
>
Unless stated otherwise, all rates are per person, based on double
occupancy, land only, in USD, and subject to availability. Rates may
vary by departure date and are subject to change without notice. Nada’s
Italy reserves the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies or
omissions and to change or update rates, fees and surcharges at any time
without prior notice.