Lake Maggiore

SEE IT - SAVE UP TO 10% ON ALL HOLIDAYS

Join us for a memorable holiday in Lake Maggiore, one of Europe’s most romantic regions, where languid blue waters lap a verdant shoreline fringed by gentle rolling hills. Dotted with some truly elegant and serene resorts, the area lends itself perfectly to rest and relaxation, coupled with gentle exploration.

Highlights

Relax and enjoy the amenities at your chosen hotel
Stroll along the picturesque lake-shore
Lunch in a shore-side cafe or restaurant
Enjoy a delicious ice cream in the sun
Visit the stunning gardens of the Borromean Isles and the Villa Taranto
Cruise to a far-flung lake resort
Window shop in Stresa's elegant streets
The chance to join optional excursions to Turin, Barolo and Switzerland's Zermatt, beneath the Matterhorn

Inclusions

Seven nights’ carefully chosen bed and breakfast accommodation at the three-star Hotel Boston (upgrade hotels available for a supplement)
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

Optional Borromean Islands & Villa Taranto Day Trip

Explore beautiful Maggiore, Italy’s second largest lake, mountain-backed and famed for the beautiful gardens that line its shores. Board a water-taxi or steamer for the crossing to the idyllic Borromean Islands. Visit stunning Isola Bella, with its 17th-century Baroque palace and water gardens, charmingly picturesque Isola dei Pescatori, inhabited by a community of fishermen and a perfect stop for a lunch of lake fish. A perfect day is completed with a visit to Verbania, where the world-famous gardens of Villa Taranto, created by an ex-pat Scotsman, are even more stunning than those of the islands’.

Optional Lake Como Tour

Join our optional excursion to beautiful Lake Como and head into Lombardy to discover another one of Italy’s most picturesque regions. Enjoy visits to exquisite Bellagio and elegant Como Town before returning to your hotel.

Optional Alba and Castle Barolo Day Trip

Take an optional excursion to visit Alba and Castle Barolo. Enjoy a tour of Alba, with its historical centre and 100 towers, best known for being the gastronomic home of precious white truffles and dark chocolate. After a fascinating few hours, head further south, where the vineyards of Barolo produce the ‘king of Italian wines’. No visit to the area is complete without enjoying a tasting at the Castello di Barolo, an enoteca within the turreted walls of the ancient castle – the final highlight of an enjoyable day.

Optional Zermatt Excursion

Choose to join an optional excursion to world-famous Swiss resort Zermatt, towered over by the craggy pyramid of the Matterhorn. Travel via the Simplon Pass into Switzerland, climbing high into the Alps, hoping for clear skies to catch your first sight of perhaps the world’s most photographed peak. Take the optional journey on the famous Gornergrat Railway as you head through alpine meadows to the summit station. From here, on a clear day, some 29 peaks – including of course the Matterhorn – and great glaciers form an unforgettable view. Head out on a mountain trail or simply take in the view before enjoying lunch in the mountain restaurant.

Optional Day Trip to Turin

Join an optional excursion to the stately capital of Piedmont, Turin. The city sits nestled at the foot of the Alps and boasts a Baroque heart at glittering odds with its industrious reputation. Wander down Via Roma, with its ultra-chic stores, cross grand Piazza San Carlo with its elegant facades, and perhaps pause for coffee and a pastry in any number of ornate, traditional cafes. The curious might check the cathedral, where the Turin Shroud is kept under lock and key.

Further Information

Hotel transfer times

The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately one hour and 15 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.

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.

Entrance fees

Since some attractions visited offer free admission to visitors at certain times of year, we do not include entrance fees. These will be payable locally where applicable.

Meals 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

Italian hotel room tax

Some regions of Italy have introduced a room tax of between 1€ and 3€ per person per night, payable directly by the guest to the hotel on check-out. You will be advised by your Tour Manager in resort if a particular hotel is implementing this charge.

Airport development fees

An Airport Development Fee has been introduced at a few UK Airports. You will be required to pay this charge at the following airports prior to checking in for your flight: Blackpool, Newquay and Norwich. The amount varies from airport to airport, but it is generally between £5 and £10 per person. Please visit the airport's website for further information.

Travelling to Europe

Rules may have changed since you last travelled to European Union countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The following are useful guidelines which will help you prepare for your next adventure. Note that these new rules do NOT apply when travelling within the United Kingdom or to the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland. You do require government issued ID when travelling by air though. Names - It is very important that all passenger names are exactly as per your passport although we do not require middle names. Passport - Your passport must meet two requirements to travel to an EU country and to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It must be less than 10 years old on the day you return home – please check the 'date of issue' and valid for at least 3 months after the day you return home – please check the 'expiry date'. These rules do not apply to travel to Ireland where you can continue to use your passport as long as it’s valid for the length of your stay. Visa - If you’re a tourist, you do not need a visa for short trips to most EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You’ll be able to stay for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. Different rules will apply to Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania; if you visit these countries, visits to other EU countries will not count towards the 90-day total. Travel to Ireland will not change and stays there will not count towards the 90-day total. European Travel Information & Authorisation System (ETIAS) - Towards the end of 2022, it is likely that non EU citizens will be required to apply online for an authorisation to visit most European countries. The current details suggest there will be a charge of €7 per person and the authorisation will be valid for all trips made to the EU in a three year period from issue. We will advise you of confirmed details prior to your tour’s departure. Border Control - At border control, you may need to show proof of your return journey - your travel documentation issued by us will be sufficient for this. You will also need to use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens if manual checks are required. Healthcare Cover - You should always get appropriate travel insurance with healthcare cover before you go abroad which covers pre-existing conditions. You should understand the terms and conditions of your travel insurance and be happy with its cover for healthcare and travel disruption. Newmarket sell a comprehensive travel insurance policy. Ask our travel consultants for more information. You should also apply for a UK Global Heath Insurance Card (GHIC) which lets you get urgent state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. Note GHIC is only valid in EU countries and not in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Terms and conditions

Save up to 10% discount applies to specific 2022-2024 holidays and tours only. All tours are marked with the discounted percentage. The ‘See it.’ offer applies to new bookings only for 2022 -2024 departures booked between 1 September and 30 September 2022 inclusive. The Offer does not apply to holidays with late availability pricing and excludes Ocean Cruise, River Cruise, Lapland, Andre Rieu, and Wimbledon. This offer cannot be combined or used in conjunction with any other discount, promotion or concession. When booking a holiday as described above, prices shown will automatically have percentage discount applied on our website. The discount applies to the tour price (excluding extras and holiday insurance) at the time of booking. The Offer is subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time.