A Taste of Italy

We board our ferry to Calais and stay overnight in France on a bed and breakfast basis.

We travel to the Hotel Madonna di Luciago, close to Lake Orta and surrounded in the distance by the Italian Alps. This small hotel is quite typically Italian and has a restaurant, a bar and an outdoor swimming pool.

After a leisurely breakfast, we board the coach for a short scenic drive to Lake Orta, one of the smallest lakes in Italy but also one of the prettiest. After taking in the wonderful views of the lake, we explore the town of Orta San Giulio and have time to enjoy a coffee or take the public boat over to the tiny island of San Giulio.

Next, we drive to Lake Maggiore, enjoying the stunning views along the way, as we follow the shore via Baveno to Stresa. Stretching upwards to Switzerland and the foothills of the Alps, Lake Maggiore enchants all who visit. The second largest lake in Italy is surrounded by charming towns and villages, such as Stresa, Verbania, and Ascona, each offering unique cultural and historical attractions.

We take time for lunch in Stresa and have time to explore the shops and lakeside promenade. We also take the public boat over to Isola Bella (one of the 3 Borromean islands), with its 17th century Palace and stunning Italianate gardens.

After breakfast we check out of our hotel and travel to our next Hotel in Fanano (Emilia Romagna region) via Vercelli where we stop for lunch.

Vercelli is one of the oldest cities in northern Italy, founded around 166 BC. Known as the rice capital of the world, Vercellese Rice is popular here as well as many cured meats and an ancient white peach called ‘Bella di Borgo d’Ale.’ The surrounding views of paddy fields make for a fascinating lunch location!

After lunch, we continue to the Hotel Firenze in Fanano. A small village nestled in the Apennine landscape, Fanano is located in the province of Modena. On arrival at our hotel, perfectly positioned in the centre of the village and our home for the next four nights, we enjoy time to relax and explore the facilities available.

We spend the day exploring the mountain village of Fanano with its picturesque and historic centre, ancient churches and noble buildings. We enjoy a guided walking tour, viewing the artistic stone sculptures in the Urban Park as well as the village centre. In the evening, we have dinner at our hotel’s atmospheric restaurant.

We start this exciting day of sightseeing with a guided walking/city tour of Modena. Sitting in between Milan and Bologna in a long flat valley, known for luxury sports cars (Lamborghini and Ferrari) the birthplace of Luciano Pavarotti, parmesan cheese, tortellini pasta and balsamic vinegar, of course!

We stop for lunch in Carpi, a pretty and photogenic medieval town with plenty of cafes and restaurants serving fantastic food to choose from. After our fascinating tour, we reboard our coach and travel to Maranello. Inside the famous Ferrari Museum see firsthand beautiful vintage vehicles and stunning F1 cars as well as many trophies on display.

We spend the day in Bologna, one of the most historical and well-preserved medieval cities in Italy and a haven for food lovers. A city with streets full of porticos and squares, there is also water and boats just like Venice. Bologna is known for Parmigiano Reggiano and so many traditional Italian dishes but is most famous for Bolognese sauce! Known locally as ragú, the dish originated in France from sauces using broth only with no meat, however by the 18th century, documents show the first meat-based sauce served over pasta in Imola, a town near Bologna.

In the afternoon, we meet at the Villa Griffone – the Marconi Museum – for a fascinating tour tracing the origins and history of the famous inventor and developments in telecommunication.

We check out of our hotel and travel from Fanano to Biella via Lake Garda. We enjoy lunch at Sirmione, a charming resort town on the south of the lake called Sirmione. The town is dominated by its medieval castle (Rocca Scagliera) and a stroll to the tip of the peninsula reveals ancient Roman ruins.

Later we arrive at our base for the next three nights, the Hotel Agora Palace in the heart of Biella. Tonight, we enjoy an evening meal at our hotel.

We enjoy the morning at leisure in Biella. By taking the rack and pinion funicular (a cogwheel railway) we can explore the Old Town, and the historic centre of Biella Piano to Piazzo. Here we discover the rich history of the town and the importance of the Cervo stream and industry.

Don’t miss the historic cathedral, churches, noble mansions and bespoke shops. There are several pizzerias and restaurants to choose from for lunch.

In the afternoon we visit the MeBo Museum of Brewing and Cheesemaking and enjoy a guided tour and tasting.

Our morning excursion takes us to Turin where we enjoy a guided walking tour of this beautiful city, surrounded by the magnificent backdrop of the Alps. We take in the sights of the elegant, arcaded streets, the royal palace (entrance not included) and historic cafès. There are many local delicacies, such as ‘gianduiotti’ speciality chocolates, ‘torrone’ nougat, and more. We return to our hotel in Biella for lunch and the rest of the day at leisure.

Travel to our overnight hotel in France.

Continue to Calais for our return ferry home.