Italy: Venice, Verona & Lake Garda

Benvenuta! Welcome to Venice!

On this first day, there will be a group transfer from the Venice Airport to our hotel at 12:00pm.

This hotel, Hotel San Cassiano, was the home of the famous 19th century painter, Giacamo Favretto and is set back in a quiet district, only a short walk from the Grand Canal. Enjoy this afternoon to rest, unpack, or explore the nearby lanes and alleys.

In the evening, we’ll kick off our Italian adventure together with a welcome dinner in a local Bacaro to begin our immersion in Venetian tradition. We'll eat well and get to know one another over cicchetti and vino!

After breakfast at the hotel, we'll embark on a day of guided exploration through the magical city of Venice. A regional expert will artfully steer us through the streets of the floating city, exploring St. Mark’s Square, the Rialto Bridge, and the vibrant Rialto Market, as well as other unique and lesser-known sites. You’ll also experience a quintessential gondola ride through narrow waterways, secret passages, and the breathtaking Venetian Lagoon.

The afternoon is at leisure, leaving ample time to further explore. You'll also have an opportunity to enroll in an optional mask decorating workshop.

In the evening, we’ll make our way to the northernmost part of Venice. We’ll pass through the Cannaregio district, including a visit to the Jewish Ghetto. Known as an escape from the crowds, this area offers a quiet, more intimate look into the everyday Venetian lifestyle and a lovely atmosphere for our dinner together.

Today we’ll explore the islands of the Venetian Lagoon by private water taxi! We'll witness the renowned mastery of Murano glass-blowing artisans, see the colorful buildings of Burano, and watch Venetian women practicing the centuries-old art of lace-making, passed down from mother to daughter for generations.

Along the way we’ll enjoy a nice lunch at a local trattoria in Burano, also stopping at a secret Lagoon Vineyard for a leisurely glass of local wine.

The rest of the afternoon will be yours to roam, relax, shop or eat your way through Venice!

We'll travel by train to Verona where a local guide will lead us through our first day in the city. By foot and private bus, we’ll make our way along the streets of ‘fair Verona’, taking in its rich history with stops at the Roman Arena, the bustling Piazza Delle Erbe, and, of course, Juliet's balcony.

There will be free time midday to find a fabulous spot for lunch before we are whisked away in the early afternoon to new accommodations at a boutique farmhouse in the Verona hills. Take some time to settle into your room and enjoy the views of the surrounding countryside.

In the evening, we’ll all meet on the beautiful terrace to enjoy a glass of Prosecco. This will be followed by a short drive into the center of the city for an amazing dinner that we’ll prepare ourselves under the incredible tutelage of some of the finest chefs in the city. Expect lots of laughs in great company!

After breakfast, we’ll drive thirty minutes into the Lessinia Mountains to visit with a local food producer. The Benedetti family has been creating artisanal meat and cheeses for generations, and we’ll have the opportunity to witness their traditions in action and learn about what makes their products so special. We’ll enjoy a delicious lunch of their meats and cheeses, paired with Valpolicella wine, in the unique setting of their wine cellar.

Another short drive will take us to an alpaca and Brogna sheep farm in a tiny, mountainside village. In the alpine pastures, we’ll get to know the farm owner, Cristina, and learn how she was inspired to start the farm in an effort to bring the Brogna breed back from the brink of extinction.

We'll then move to the nearby medieval village of Molina where Cristina will welcome us into her workshop. Here she dyes the wool using natural pigments such as onion skins and chamomile. After the demonstration, there will be time to explore the village, with its beautiful examples of architecture from Lessinia stone.

We'll return to the hotel in the afternoon. For dinner, you’re welcome to dine in the farmhouse’s exquisite restaurant, or take a ten-minute taxi ride into Verona and indulge in one of the exceptional local restaurants.

Today we’ll float through the turquoise, thermal waters on a guided boat tour of Italy’s largest lake, making our way around the Sirmione Peninsula. From our vantage point on the boat, we will admire the architecture of medieval castles, scan for bubbles from the Boiola sulfur spring and listen to the lake’s lapping waves that have inspired Italian opera singers and poets for centuries.

After our return to port, we’ll shake off our sea legs with a walking tour through the Sirmione Historical Center, before heading down the road to Desenzano del Garda for a lunch of fresh fish. This small, but fabulous restaurant sits right on the shores of this magnificent lake.

Once back in Verona, you can choose to return to our wonderful hotel or spend some time wandering the city. The evening is yours to enjoy as you wish.

Heading east, we’ll journey into the hills to explore the world-famous wine region of Valpolicella. Our tour guide today will lead us around ‘the pearl of Verona,’ taking us through divine vineyards, majestic villas, and spectacular gardens. There will be a wine tasting and light lunch before heading back to the hotel in the afternoon.

In the evening, we’ll share our final meal together at a nearby, gourmet restaurant that is bound to delight!

It’s time to begin your journey home. The group's transfer to the Venice Airport will be organized for late morning. We anticipate reaching the Venice airport at approximately 12:00pm. Please keep this in mind when scheduling your return flight.