Tour Plan
Upon arrival at Milan Airport, after passport control, customs and luggage claim at the arrivals hall you will be greeted by your private English speaking driver who will transfer you to your hotel : Starhotels Rosa Grand 4****. We will book: 1 double deluxe room.
Check in and the rest of the day is at leisure.
The Rosa Grand is an elegant 4-star hotel in the heart of Milan, a short distance from its main cultural and historic attractions, as well as the fashion district of the city. This original building features large comfortable spaces, decorated with amazing taste, innovative and objets d’art. It offers 330 rooms and suites decorated with oak flooring, encaustic-style walls, gold-leaf lamps, leather poufs in vibrant colors and the pink-themed photographs of Maurizio Galimberti. Elegant, sleek and modern, the Grand Lounge & Bar by Eataly is ideal for enjoying drinks before and after dinner in a chic and relaxing ambience. The Roses by Eataly restaurant offers contemporary cuisine that combines local Milanese traditions with innovative recipes. The multi-functional conference facilities include 8 meeting rooms, while the Fontana ballroom is ideal for weddings.
Day 2 – Milan to Portovenere
After breakfast and check out from the hotel, you will be met by your private English speaking driver for a transfer to the train station. Here you will take the fast train to La Spezia where your private driver will be waiting for you for a direct transfer to your accommodation in Portovenere: Grand Hotel Portovenere 5*****. We will book:1 double classic room.
Check in and the rest of the day is at leisure.
The charming Portovenere Grand Hotel is located in a protected corner of the Liguria region, UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. Secluded beaches, peaceful bays set along the coastline, crystal-clear waters, turquoise sea beds, mountainside cultivations featuring grapevines and olive trees and a quaint tourist harbor framed by brightly colored houses. All the rooms are furnished and decorated in relaxing colors that recall nature and light.
Day 3 – Portovenere: Full day hiking along the Cinque Terre
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be met by your private English speaking guide and transfer to Rio Maggiore where you will start your hiking tour, walking along the vineyards and what is known as the ‘lovers walk’ to Manarola, a region characterized by its colorful houses facing the sea and its small intertwining streets connected by a network of stairways that lead up and down to the little villages. You will proceed to Corniglia, perched on top of rugged cliffs nearly 90 meters high, you will visit the only hill of the Cinque Terre that is not directly on the sea. Here, you will have free time for lunch at leisure. Remember here you are in Pesto land, made with fresh basil, a must have! After lunch, you will walk along the panoramic pathway from Corniglia to Vernazza, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. After this visit, you will be ready to go back to Rio Maggiore by local train where you will be met by your English speaking driver who will escort you back to your hotel in Portovenere.
Rest of the evening is at leisure.
Day 4 – Portovenere: Free day at leisure
Today you will have a free day at leisure to relax and discover and enjoy Portovenere on your own.
Day 5 – Portovenere: Tigullio area full day tour
After breakfast you will be met by your private English speaking guide and driver in the hotel lobby for another splendid day along the Ligurian coast of Northern Italy. Departure by private minivan from your hotel in Portovenere with your English speaking guide to make your way to Rapallo. Stop for a visit in this tiny little village with your guide and from here take the public boat for a tour of this beautiful land called Tigullio where you will visit S.Margherita, Portofino and San Fruttuoso with possibility of stopping off where you want to visit the different villages. The sea in this part of Italy is also part of UNESCO.
Santa Margherita Ligure: is one of the “pearls” of the Tigullio Gulf. The small enchanting port, the fin-de-siècle promenade with its colorful houses, the sea, the typical Ligurian fishing boats. The various comfortable hotels all contribute to making Santa Margherita one of the most beautiful and unforgettable Ligurian towns.
Portofino: Portofino is the most famous Ligurian town in the world. The presence of consuls, emperors, men of literature, Hollywood Stars, statesmen, rich business men, contributed to the creation of its special atmosphere and to make the name of Portofino known all over the world, you will see many of the most exclusive yachts from all over the world sailing this beautiful sea.
San Fruttuoso: In a tiny little bay between Camogli and Portofino, yet another Ligurian gems for you to discover. Sitting at the bottom of the Portofino Hills S. Fruttuoso is accessible either by boat or by foot with a beautiful walk through the Portofino Natural Park. This picturesque bay is dominated by an 11th century Abbey, a beautiful stretch of beach, the Doria tower, a few fishermen houses scattered here and there.
Stop for lunch wherever you may choose it to be.
Your driver will be waiting for you at the end of the tour for your return back to the hotel.
Day 6 – Portovenere to Sirmione with a stop in Parma
After breakfast and check out from your hotel, you will be met by your private English speaking driver for a transfer to the beautiful village of Sirmione on the Garda Lake. Along the way you will have time for a quick stop in Parma: the city home of parmesan cheese and Parma ham. You can have a nice stroll in the city center and have lunch in one of the quaint local restaurants .
After a couple of hours, meet up with your private driver and transfer to you accommodation in Sirmione: Hotel Olivi 4****. We will book 1 double superior room with lake view. Check in and the rest of the day is at leisure.
Nestled in a vast garden framed by century-old olive trees, the Olivi Hotel is located in Sirmione, just a few steps from the shores of Lake Garda. The 55 rooms feature classic décor and furnishings, complemented by modern conveniences and prestigious services. The resort offers a refined and rich gastronomic selection: the elegant Degli Ulivi restaurant, open for lunch and dinner, proposes both traditional Mediterranean cuisine and international dishes. During the summer season, La Limonaia serves sophisticated cuisine on the candlelit terrace, and guests can enjoy snacks or light meals at the poolside bar and restaurant, La Bissa. The exclusive Natural SPA is equipped with four thermal areas: Acquae Tiepidae, with outdoor heated thermal water pool and a covered saltwater pool; Salus et Otium, with sweet sauna and SPA where you can relax, have a massage or various different treatments, all under medical supervision if desired. Sirmione is famous for its water and terme, naturally hot spring waters since Roman times.
Day 7 – Sirmione: Boat tour of Lake Garda
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be met by your private English speaking Captain with private motorboat to enjoy your two-hour boat tour. You will admire Sirmione from a totally different perspective. Sirmione is a striking little town that sits on a peninsula extending three kilometers into the lake's interior. Among its many attractions, the standout feature is a splendid castle whose walls tower over the entire town. The history goes back to the second millennium B.C., the Bronze Age. During your tour you will pass under the historic bridges, see Maria Callas’s house, Grotte di Catullo and Boiola thermal springs. Drive to the Rock of Manerba and Borghese Island (the largest on the lake) for a short stop.
After the tour the rest of the day is at leisure to savor the beautiful landscapes and charming villages, surrounded by the mountains to the north and the gentle slopes of the hills to the south.
End of the tour and the rest of the day is at leisure.
Day 8 – Sirmione to Santo Stefano with Stop in Verona
Breakfast and check out from your hotel in Sirmione. You will be met by your private English speaking driver and transfer to Santo Stefano (TV). Along the way you will stop in Verona where you will meet your English speaking guide. Verona is the setting where Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy took place, Romeo and Juliet. Together with your guide, you will discover one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in Italy, filled with splendid palaces, squares, churches, and priceless treasures of art. You will see the Arena, a Roman amphitheater, known as one of the greatest creations of Roman architecture where there is amazing opera in the summer months, including both Italian and international opera singers and musicians, also Pavarotti’s favorite theatre. You will then reach the 13th century house with the famous balcony belonging to Juliet’s family. ‘Romeo Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo?’
At the end of the tour you will have free time for lunch, what better way to end your tour?
You will meet up again with your driver and head to Verona airport your flight back home.
1 night at the Hotel Rosa Grand 4**** (or similar) in Milan – 1 double deluxe room
All meals not mentioned in the program
A perfect holiday in Italy! - From the time we arrived in Naples until the time we left Sorrento a week later, everything was perfect! The driver that we had was wonderful ( his name... read more 
sancurtis
Dennis D
Betty M
Jacob A