Group Tour Operator and DMC for Italy
Glorious Lake Garda including Venice and Verona
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Torbole sur Garda ©APT Garda Dolomiti SpA
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Apponale Tower in Riva del Garda ©APT Garda Dolomiti SpA
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Venice - Bridge Rialto
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Lasize, Lake Garda, Italy
Lake Garda is the largest of the Italian lakes and provides a beautiful taste of Italy’s laid-back atmosphere. The lake is known for having crystal clear waters and beautiful surroundings. The spectacular mountainous backdrop of the Dolomites lies on the Northern shoreline and at the south, sit the gentle slopes. This varying scenery provides an ever-changing vista of the stunning Italian Lakes. Explore the numerous delightful towns and villages dotted along the edge of the lake. Sirmione, located to the south of Lake Garda boasting incredible views of the lake. You will find numerous restaurants, bars, shops, a market and a picturesque castle. Where as Limone, on the steep northern shores, is covered in lemon groves. These small villages and historic towns combine to offer a wealth of memorable experiences.
Discover two of Italy’s most fascinating cities – Venice and Verona. Romantic Venice is a magical city on the water, set on more than 100 small islands. While you are there, explore the narrow streets, take a ride on a gondola along the Grand Canal, and visit the Rialto Bridge. Venice has absolutely no roads, instead a maze of canals service the city. The most famous of these is the Grand Canal thoroughfare, which is lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces. Also visit Romeo and Juliet’s Verona. Here you will find a great number of Italian piazzas, including the famous Piazza delle Erbe, where you can sit back, relax and enjoy watching the world go by. There are many ornate churches and Roman monuments that remain in the town – the most famous being the Roman Arena, still in use some 2,000 years later.
Dates
Dates on request 2024 and 2025
Suggested itinerary by coach
Day 1-2
Travel to Lake Garda
Travel to Dover for the short sea crossing to Calais and onward through France. After an overnight stop, continue down to Italy and your hotel in northern Lake Garda (typically Riva del Garda or Torbole)
Day 3
At leisure (based from Riva del Garda or Torbole)
A day to relax and enjoy the facilities of your hotel and the surroundings. Perhaps take a stroll along the purpose-built walkway between Torbole and Rive del Garda or maybe take one of the frequent ferries to the delightful little town of Limone, famous for its lemon production, with its houses seemingly clinging on to the side of the lake. There are many shops, bars, cafes and restaurants to sit and watch the world go by whichever resort you are based in.
Day 4
Romantic Venice
An early start for a full day in Venice, the magical city on the water. On arrival at the specified coach parking area, embark on a private boat to transfer you to St Mark’s Square to meet up with a local guide for a short walking tour. See the Doge’s Palace, St Mark’s Basilica, the Campanile, the Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge amongst many of the famous sights in this city.
There will be plenty of free time to explore the narrow streets or take a ride on a gondola along the Grand Canal. Or perhaps go on a private boat sightseeing tour of the islands of the Lagoon. *Before leaving, enjoy dinner together in a local restaurant.
*Dinner will be taken in Venice before departure (due to late arrival back at the hotel)
Day 5
Lakeside Drive (Full or Half Day)
Enjoy a scenic drive around Lake Garda. There are many places worth stopping at, including the delightful Malcesine, a picturesque tourist resort with cobbled lanes and a castle, seemingly wedged between the blue lake waters and the mountain ridge behind. At the southern end of the lake, the even more popular town of Sirmione sits on a picturesque peninsula. Visit Rocca Scaliger, a fortress with magnificent views and its own small harbour. The picturesque towns of Lazise and Garda are also worth a visit.
Day 6
Romeo and Juliet’s Verona
Visit Verona, one of Italy’s most beautiful cities and the setting for Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Meet up with a local guide for a tour which will include a visit to ‘Juliet’s House’, a 14th-century residence with a tiny balcony overlooking a courtyard. Entrance is also included to Verona Arena, a huge 1st-century Roman amphitheatre which continues to host concerts and large-scale opera performances. There will be free time to discover more of Verona with its array of beautiful churches and Roman ruins. Relax and enjoy a drink in the many piazzas – the most famous being the Piazza delle Erbe.
Day 7
Scenic Dolomites and Trento
A drive north into the Dolomites, famous for its outstanding mountain scenery. Visit Trento, the ‘City of Wine’, located in the shadow of the mighty Monte Bondone. It is a magnificent city of art and culture and with a local guide, see the Gothic Cathedral, Piazza Duomo, Neptune’s fountain and the historic Castle of Buonconsiglio and Cesare Battisti Mausoleum which overlooks the city.
There is the option to take a cable car ride directly from the centre of Trento to the Busa Degli Orsi, a popular viewpoint or maybe explore Trento itself and sample a glass of ‘Trentodoc’, a local prized sparkling wine. Optional vineyard visits and tastings are possible – please ask for details.
Day 8-9
Return to the UK
It’s time to leave Lake Garda and start the journey home, once more making an overnight stop on the way. Continue to Calais on day 9 for the short sea crossing to the UK
Greatdays offer a good selection of hotels in Riva del Garda, Torbole and other Lake Garda resorts.
| Dates | Half Twin | Single supplement |
| 2025 dates | Price on request | Price on request |
