Italian Lakes - Lake Como
Newmarket Holidays is offering 15% off all tours to Europe until Friday, 30 October.
8days from
£1,359*per person
Overview
Join us for a memorable holiday in Lake Como, and discover one of Europe's most idyllic, charming and stylish corners, as you soak up the atmosphere of the most picturesque of the Italian lakes, in its mountain-backed setting to the north of Milan. Combine leisurely days in your chosen hotel with exploration of the lake's towns and villages, elegant villas and glorious gardens, and perhaps venture further afield on escorted excursions.
Itinerary
- Fly to Milan - Touch down in Italy and transfer to Lake Como and your chosen hotel. Settle into your surroundings and enjoy your first dinner.
- Optional visit to Varenna - Enjoy a leisurely morning with breakfast at the hotel ahead of your first day on Lake Como. If you'd like, you can visit lakeside Varenna, one of Como's most picturesque towns, on an optional excursion. Having stood for over 2,000 years, the town is home to quaint cobbled alleys and colourful houses, and exudes quintessential Italian charm. Upon arrival, you'll be free to explore under your own steam, perhaps taking a leisurely stroll along the passegiatta degli innamorati trail (lovers' walk) or embracing la dolce vita at one of its delightful waterside cafés. The best views of Lake Como can be found from the panoramic terraces of Castello di Vezio and the nearby villas, Cipressi and Monastero, offer a glimpse of 18th-century opulence. After a few hours spent exploring Varenna, return to your hotel for the evening.
- Optional visit to Bellagio and Villa del Balbianello with Lake Como cruise - Today's optional tour introduces you to Como’s most sparkling jewel, stunning Bellagio. Idyllically set on the peninsula that divides the lake’s two southern limbs, Bellagio is often described as the most beautiful town in Italy. Join your tour manager for the ferry crossing, then step ashore to discover this exquisite place, with its elegant villas and glorious gardens looking out over the lake and backed by wooded hills. After a short walking tour, you'll be free to enjoy Bellagio and its wondrous surroundings. Stroll along the lakefront promenade, take a seat in a café, or enjoy a delicious gelato before boarding a lake cruiser to sail past yet more elegant villas and their stunning gardens, and past some of the lake's highly favoured settlements. The cruise will include a visit to the gardens of Villa del Balbianello, after which you'll be free to sit back and relax, enjoying the joys of cruising back to port under hopefully sunny skies on what is sure to be a memorable day.
- Optional Como excursion - Have breakfast this morning and enjoy a full day at leisure to spend however you see fit, perhaps making the most of your hotel's amenities or venturing out along the lake side under your own steam. If you'd prefer a more structured day's activity, you can also join a fascinating optional tour to glittering Como, the city from which the lake gets its name. Start your excursion in the city's walled Old Town, with its eclectic mix of architectural styles and welcoming, café-lined piazzas, and meander along its winding alleys under your own steam. Also of interest are Como Cathedral, with its magnificent vaulted cloisters, and the Palazzo Broletto, which offers fascinating insight into the city's medieval past. Along the waterfront, you'll find the Tempio Voltiano, dedicated to the famed inventor, Alessandro Volta, as well as a collection of magnificent neoclassical villas. For uninterrupted views of the city, why not take a ride on the Como-Brunate Funicular?
- Optional Milan city tour - Today you're free to relax in the hotel and its surroundings, or to join our optional excursion to the great city of Milan. One of Europe’s most exciting cities, Milan is not merely a centre of worldwide fashion; it is also home to some of the best collections of art and architecture in the world. The Sforzesco Castle, the famous shopping Galleria, La Scala – one of the world’s greatest opera houses – and the great cathedral, Il Duomo, one of its largest Gothic churches, are among the breath-taking sights brought to life on your guided tour. Afterwards you can head to the shops, visit a gallery or museum, or simply take a seat in a pavement café to watch the Milanese world go by.
- Optional Bernina Express train journey to St Moritz - Enjoy another day at leisure to spend as you see fit, perhaps joining an optional excursion that'll take you to St Moritz, the world-famous resort set high in Switzerland’s Upper Engadine Valley. Board the Bernina Express to travel from the Lombardy town of Tirano through Switzerland’s Italian-speaking southeast corner – across viaducts (including the famous spiral at Brusio) and over the 2,253-metre-high Bernina Pass – to St Moritz. The journey to this exclusive mountain town features some of the most stunning scenery found anywhere in this Alpine region. Enjoy window-shopping in this playground paradise, or perhaps take a stroll into the beautiful countryside beyond the town, before returning to Como and your hotel by coach.
- Optional Bergamo tour - Join today’s optional excursion, which journeys to the twin city of Bergamo, built between the Lombardy Plain and the Alps. Here, modern Bassa, the Lower City with its neoclassical features, is watched over by idyllic, walled Alta, the Upper City. The city's stunning 14th-century citadel, ancient Piazza Vecchia (Old Square) with its beautiful Pallazo della Ragione, 15th-century bell tower, cathedral and elaborate Santa Maria Maggiore church are all breath-takingly glorious examples of Italian architecture. The city also boasts some carefully preserved Venetian walls, and a stroll along a section of these is a must for the energetic. Bergamo is also famed for its food, and boasts a host of reasonably priced cafes and osterie in which you can enjoy a delicious snack.
- Fly back to the UK - Bid "arrivederci" to your hosts, and transfer back to the airport to catch your flight home at the end of a wonderful stay in a beautiful corner of the world.
What's Included
Holiday Highlights
- Marvel at the delightful and unspoiled Varenna
- Explore elegant Como Town
- Take a lake steamer or ferry to beautiful Bellagio
- Visit the stunning gardens of Villa del Balbianello
- Relax and enjoy the amenities at your chosen hotel
- Choose from six pre-bookable optional excursions
- Spot George Clooney – or at least his former home!
- Take lunch in a shore-side cafe or restaurant
- Enjoy peaceful lake-shore strolls
Our Price Includes
- Seven nights' bed and breakfast or half-board accommodation
- Return flights from your chosen UK airport to Italy
- Return airport-to-hotel transfers
- Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced resort-based manager, with specialist local guides where applicable
- All mandatory local taxes and charges
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Dates and Prices
Accommodation
Hotel Bazzoni, Tremezzo -
Introduction
This welcoming hotel sits on the lakeside promenade in Tremezzo, with scenic views of Lake Como from its terrace and public areas. Inside, elegant rooms and a relaxed atmosphere make it a comfortable base for exploring the lake.
Facilities & Amenities
The hotel has a bar and lounge area, a reception and a dining room. There is a lift, and a small seasonal swimming pool and sun-terrace (both open weather permitting).
Rooms
The bedrooms offer private facilities, hairdryer, fridge, flat screen satellite TV, safe, air-conditioning, ceiling fan and telephone. There is a supplement for rooms with lake view.
Hotel Lario, Mezzegra-Tremezzina -
Introduction
Set a short distance back from the water, this welcoming three-star hotel in Mezzegra-Tremezzina offers charming views over Lake Como towards Punta Balbianello. Its central position makes it an ideal base for exploring Bellagio, Varenna and Tremezzo.
Facilities & Amenities
The Lario offers traditional comforts and modern amenities, including free Wi-Fi, a restaurant, bar and an outdoor pool (seasonal). On an historical note, the village of Mezzegra was the place in which Italian dictator Benito Mussolini met his end in 1945, at the hand of the partisan leader Audisio.
Rooms
The rooms are bright, airy and air-conditioned, and each offers a direct-dial telephone, a satellite TV, a safe, a fridge, a hairdryer and private facilities.
Hotel Griso Collection, Malgrate -
Introduction
Set on the edge of Lake Como and backed by the Bergamo Alps, this contemporary hotel provides a peaceful escape. Relax on the rooftop solarium with its Jacuzzi and lake views, then head out to Bellagio or Varenna, both under 25 minutes away.
Facilities & Amenities
This hotel features a sleek Italian restaurant, with a terrace overlooking the neighbouring mountains, a lounge bar, and a rooftop solarium.
Rooms
Stylish guestrooms feature TVs, balconies, mini-bars, safes, hairdryers, air conditioning, and free Wi-Fi.
Hotel NH Lecco Pontevecchio, Lecco -
Introduction
Overlooking the River Adda, this contemporary hotel is close to the city centre and Lecco train station, with ferries to Lake Como nearby. It's also well placed for the Grigna and Resegone mountains, both criss-crossed with walking trails.
Facilities & Amenities
There's a restaurant serving Italian dishes, with a terrace overlooking the river for warmer months, a cocktail bar, and a well-equipped gym. The hotel serves a buffet breakfast each morning, with fresh pastries and produce.
Rooms
Airy, neutral-tone guestrooms are spread across three floors. Many have a balcony with river or mountain views. All feature safes, hairdryers, TVs, mini-bars and free Wi-Fi.
Hotel Alberi, Lecco -
Introduction
Positioned across the street from gardens that stretch along Lake Como, this relaxed, family-run hotel is a short walk from Lecco train station.
Facilities & Amenities
Guests have access to a lobby lounge and a breakfast room.
Rooms
Classically decorated guestrooms have TVs, mini-fridges and free Wi-Fi.
Hotel Promessi Sposi, Malgrate -
Introduction
Backed by truly spectacular lakeside scenery, this exquisite four-star hotel promises a relaxing base from which to explore Lombardy.
Facilities and amenities
The hotel's wellness centre, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a garden terrace, features a spa and a gym. There is also a fine dining restaurant, an Italian eatery, a cocktail bar and lounge, and a wine cellar.
Rooms
Minimalist guestrooms with neutral details offer mini-bars, safes, TVs, air conditioning, and free Wi-Fi.
Other Information
Hotel transfer times
The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately one hour 30 minutes from Milan Malpensa and two hours from Bergamo.
Combining hotel transfers
We sometimes need to combine transfers to and from your hotel. We always try to keep any wait to a minimum, but you may be asked to wait at the airport for up to an hour, while other incoming flights arrive, before the transfer to your hotel. Similarly, we may need to transfer you back to the airport up to three hours before your flight home departs.
Meals and dining in Italy
Guests on half-board arrangements will be served a three-course evening meal, and can expect a first course of traditional pasta or soup, a main meat or fish course accompanied by one or two types of vegetable, and a simple dessert of fruit, cake or Italian ice cream. Breakfasts will usually consist of bread rolls, jam, cereal, ham, cheese, fruit juice, tea and coffee. Menus will vary from hotel to hotel, but choice will be more limited than in a normal restaurant. In some instances, individual guests who have booked with the hotel independently may be offered a different menu from those who are staying at the hotel as part of a package tour.
An authentic dining experience in Italy can often be a bit different to the Italian food that international tourists might be used to, but it’s one of the best ways to truly appreciate the finer cultural differences of this tourist hotspot. From simpler, but more frequent, courses to regional dishes, here are some points to note when dining in Italy.
The first major difference you’re likely to notice is that the dining experience as a whole is much longer; you’ll enjoy a much more social experience than the average dinner back home with multiple smaller courses spread across a longer period of time. While each meal will be prepared to order, you may notice that dishes are served cooler than you might be used to – Italian dishes are rarely served piping hot to preserve the more delicate flavours of each ingredient and to provide a more enjoyable dining experience. The final thing to bear in mind is that it may be tricky to find Italian classics in the same form as they are at home. For instance, while Spaghetti Carbonara is a staple in historic Rome – and made traditionally using egg yolks rather than cream – you’ll often find it replaced with a wild boar ragù in Tuscany.
Special requirements
If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.
Disabled access
The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Itinerary changes
Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.
Foreign Office Travel Advice
Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.
Holiday code
N1781Holiday provided by Newmarket Holidays (for iTravel Offers)
BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE: This holiday is sold and operated by Newmarket Holidays (ABTOT 5509, ATOL 2325, ABTA V7812), you can be 100% sure that your money is safe.