Bellissima Northern Italy

A private transfer will meet you at Milan's Malpensa Airport or Linate Airport to take you to Grand Hotel et de Milan, close to the La Scala Opera House and the city's celebrated fashion district. Please join us to meet your Tauck Director and your fellow travelers at a welcome reception followed by dinner this evening.

Hotel: Grand Hotel et de Milan

Milan's wealth of art and architecture awaits on your first day of sightseeing in this remarkable city. Join a local guide for a walking tour including views of the Duomo, the great Cathedral of Milan and a striking example of Gothic architecture; the famous La Scala opera house; and the impressive Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. The rest of the day is free to explore what interests you most in Milan.

Hotel: Grand Hotel et de Milan

Today starts with exploring Italy's most beautiful lake, Lake Como. In Tremezzo, discover Villa Carlotta, known for its lovely setting and splendid 17th-century gardens decorated with sculptures, stairways and fountains. A private boat ride across the lake to Bellagio reveals the grand villas of the rich and famous. After lunch on your own, board another private boat for a cruise to Como en route to your Belle Époque hotel in Stresa on Lake Maggiore.

Hotel: Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees

Today, travel by boat to Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore and the exquisite Villa Borromeo on the tiny, private island. A guided tour of the ornate family home showcases priceless works of art, tapestries and furniture in an elegant and sumptuous setting. Have lunch on Isola Pescatori, then return to lovely Stresa, where the afternoon and evening are free to enjoy as you please.

Hotel: Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees

Today's travels take you across lush rural landscapes to ancient Bergamo, where you'll explore its walled medieval center – straight out of a storybook illustration – with a local guide; visit the Piazza Vecchia, the 12th-century Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, and the Cappella Colleoni. After a wine tasting and tasty lunch at an agriturismo in the Franciacorta region, your northern Italy vacation continues to Verona, land of Romeo and Juliet, where your accommodations at the Due Torri Hotel are not far from the famous balcony that recalls Shakespeare's timeless tragedy.

Hotel: Due Torri Hotel

Today, you will explore Verona, best known as the home of Shakespeare's tragic lovers, Romeo and Juliet… and of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Valentine and Proteus. In honor of its many historical buildings, Verona has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is famous for its Roman amphitheatre, the third largest after the Colosseum in Rome and still used for operas and other cultural entertainment. A walking tour this morning reveals the many charms of the city; the afternoon is free to continue your explorations on your own. Enjoy dinner with wine at a local ristorante tonight.

Hotel: Due Torri Hotel

This morning you will travel to Modena, where you'll visit a Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factory to experience first-hand the process of cheesemaking; from the milk delivery to the finished wheels, follow each detail of the production – and end with a tasting! You'll then hear the story of Enzo Ferrari, driver and creator of Scuderia Ferrari in the 1930s, at the Enzo Ferrari Museum. Later, a guided visit reveals the art of balsamic vinegar making – an elaborate process of rendering grapes and decanting must into wooden barrels. Your visit is memorable, as is the sampling of this aromatic staple of gourmet cooking aged from 18 to 25+ years! Journey on to the celebrated university town of Bologna, where food, fashion and culture reign supreme. Dine this evening at a local restaurant.

Hotel: Grand Hotel Majestic - già Baglioni

This morning, a walking tour around the city of Bologna will take place. Surrounded by hills, the dusky red buildings, marble-floored ancient porticoes and wide piazzas contribute to the distinctly Renaissance feel in the center of Bologna, a bastion of food, fashion and culture. Home of the world's oldest university, the Alma Mater Studiorum, founded in 1088, notable scholars such as Dante, Boccaccio and Petrarca once walked its streets. Following this, you will have some time on your own to experience the city. After your time to explore on your own, learn the secrets of Bologna's cuisine in a cooking demonstration by a chef.

Hotel: Grand Hotel Majestic - già Baglioni

Take a high-speed train to Venice today; board a private boat to begin exploring the islands of the Venetian Lagoon, starting with Torcello, where you'll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Afterwards, you'll have a chance to tour its 11th-century basilica. Then continue on to nearby Burano, known for its exquisite lacemaking and picturesque colored homes. Back on dry land, check into your home for the next two nights in the City of Canals – The Gritti Palace, Venice. Tonight, a Tauck Exclusive awaits when you experience a private recital at the Museo della Musica in the heart of Venice.

Hotel: The Gritti Palace

Awaken in intriguing Venice, one of the world's most beloved cities, today and indulge in all things Venetian. You might begin your day enjoying a coffee in Piazza San Marco, referred to by Alfred de Musset as "the drawing room of Europe." Here in the city where streets are paved with water, the sound of human voices replaces the traffic noise so common in the other great cities of Europe as pedestrians flock to this central gathering place for Venetians. Perhaps you'll choose to see the magnificent view of the city from the top of St. Mark's bell tower, stroll over to the Rialto Bridge, take in some of the city's excellent museums or shop for distinctive Venetian souvenirs such as the traditional Carnival masks and colorful Venetian glass. Or, just follow your nose and see where the tiny streets might take you. This evening, join us as we celebrate the end of a splendid trip with our farewell cocktail reception and dinner at the hotel.

Hotel: The Gritti Palace

Today, your tour comes to an end. A private transfer will meet you at the hotel and take you to Venice's Marco Polo International Airport ahead of your journey home.