Hidden Italy

Itinerary

Friday
Depart Leyland at 14.00hrs for our journey to Hull to board the evening P&O overnight ferry to Rotterdam, enjoy a meal onboard before retiring to you cabin to wake in Rotterdam. We suggest you take an overnight bag with essentials for your overnight crossing and overnight hotel in Switzerland, ensuring you have any medication you might need as access to the coach during the crossing is strictly prohibited.

Saturday
Following breakfast on the ferry, disembark in Rotterdam re-joining the coach to continue our journey to our overnight hotel in Switzerland with a suitable lunch stop en-route. Tonight, we have dinner at the hotel.

Sunday
Check out of our overnight hotel following breakfast as we continue our journey through Switzerland into northern Italy, with a lunch stop en-route. Arrive at the hotel to a warm Italian welcome and a glass of prosecco while your bags are taken to your room. Tonight is a 3-course set menu.

Monday
Following breakfast we travel to the romantic capital of Europe, Verona. Situated on the banks of the River Adige, perhaps best known for its association with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and is one of Northern Italy's most attractive cities. Enjoy a guided tour before time to explore the rich array of art and magnificent architecture. Verona is a shopper's paradise with something for everyone from the daily market in Piazza delle Erbe to the stylish designer shops of Via Mazzini. Visit piazza Bra, the largest piazza in Verona, lined with a wonderful array of cafes and restaurants.

Tuesday
Today's excursion takes us to the foothills of the Dolomites to visit Veneto's best kept secret, the hidden gem of Asolo. Enjoying a wonderful position, this picturesque hamlet earns its romantic nicknames of 'the pearl of the Veneto' and 'the city of a hundred horizons'. Mountains, rolling hills, lush plains surround the town to create the most breathtaking views from this medieval stronghold. Take some free time here to explore the pretty old town that has inspired poets, writers, artists, and travellers. Re-join the coach as we head to Villa di Maser, one of Palladio's greatest constructions, commissioned by the powerful Barbaro family of Venice in the 16th Century, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a historic vineyard within the estate. We will visit the Villas six rooms open to the public and enjoy the magnificent gardens.

Wednesday
Today we enjoy Brassano del Grappa at leisure. Explore the picturesque, compact centre, ideal for exploring on foot. Perhaps visit the Grapperia Nardini Distillery to Sample and learn about the fiery spirit, just a 10 minute stroll from the hotel and located on the towns famous Ponte Vecchio, the 13th century wooden bridge that spans the River Brenta. Back at the hotel we can learn to make a real Aperol Spritz, originally created in Brassano.



Thursday
Today's full day excursion takes us firstly to Isla Tronchetto to board a water bus to St Marks Square in Venice. Spend the rest of the day exploring at leisure. Stunning architecture and a labyrinth of mysterious passageways await to be discovered in the alluring city built on a lagoon. Explore the Grand Canal that reflects the magnificent Venetian buildings lining its banks, the Doge's Palace and the beautiful Basillicas of San Marco and Santa Maria della Salute. Venture into the back streets to discover wonderful hidden gems, churches, and museums. Perhaps take a ride on a gondola before we return to Tronchetto by water taxi to re-join the coach for the journey back to the hotel.

Friday
Check out of our hotel following breakfast, bid farewell to our Italian hosts as we begin our return journey to our overnight hotel in Switzerland with a suitable lunch stop en-route. This evening enjoys a 3-course evening meal at the hotel. We suggest that you pack an overnight bag with enough essentials for your overnight hotel and the ferry crossing back to the UK.

Saturday
Check out of our overnight hotel following breakfast for our journey to Rotterdam to board the evening P&O crossing back to Hull, with a suitable lunch stop en-route, enjoy a meal onboard before retiring to you cabin to wake in the UK. We suggest you take an overnight bag with essentials for your overnight crossing, ensuring you have any medication you might need as access to the coach during the crossing is strictly prohibited.

Sunday
Following breakfast on the ferry, disembark in Hull re-joining the coach to continue our journey home.