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Lake Garda All Inclusive

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10 days From £1,849 £1,699 per person
4.2 stars(162 reviews)
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Discover the serene delights of Italy’s Lake Garda, and visit the glorious cities of Verona and Venice from your base in a charming lakeside town

Save up to £150pp

Save up to £150pp on selected European holidays, when you book by 2nd April 2024.

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Mobility Rating 2

2024 Tour code: 24LES

About the tour

Soak up the laid-back atmosphere of one of Italy's most beautiful lakes on a rail escape to peaceful Lake Garda.

Sail across shimmering waters to the idyllic lakeside towns of Sirmione and Malcesine to uncover colourful streets, impressive scenery and amazing views.

Enjoy guided tours of two of the region's most fantastic and fascinating cities as you explore remarkable Venice and historic Verona, the setting for Romeo and Juliet.

Unforgettable Experiences

Unwind on a cruise across Lake Garda
Unwind on a cruise across Lake Garda
Relax on a boat journey to the gorgeous medieval village of Malcesine with its imposing castle overlooking the rugged cliffs of Lake Garda’s dramatic western shores.
Explore Shakespeare’s Verona
Explore Shakespeare’s Verona
Discover the historic city of Verona on a guided tour, visiting Juliet’s balcony, an ancient piazza and the impressive Roman Arena that is now an open-air opera house.
Experience enchanting Venice
Experience enchanting Venice
Enjoy a fascinating guided walking tour of the ‘Floating City’, seeing some of its main attractions and hidden treasures, followed by free time to explore at your own pace.
Sail to Sirmione, the ‘Pearl of Lake Garda’
Sail to Sirmione, the ‘Pearl of Lake Garda’
Take a boat ride across the glistening waters of Lake Garda to delightful Sirmione and enjoy free time to uncover its fairytale castle fortress, fascinating history and beautiful views.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 – London to vibrant Stuttgart

Your holiday begins as you meet your Tour Manager and fellow travellers at London St Pancras for the Eurostar service to Paris. Changing trains in the French capital, you continue by rail to Stuttgart. Gliding through the vineyards of the Champagne region on you way to Germany, you arrive in lively Stuttgart in the early evening.

Famed as the birthplace of the automobile, Stuttgart is home to both Porsche and Mercedes-Benz and contains a 140-year-old rack railway that climbs 673 feet in 1.4 miles. In the centre, the sprawling Baroque New Palace, which once housed Württemberg's dukes and kings, neighbours the attractive Palace Garden. After checking in to your hotel, you can get to know your group better over dinner this evening.

Some departures dates will have a different itinerary on this day due to Italian engineering works - click here to see affected dates

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 – Across the Brenner Pass to Lake Garda

An incredible journey awaits after breakfast today. Transferring to Stuttgart station, you board a morning train to Munich. Passing through nearby Ulm, look out for its striking minster - the tallest church building in the world.

In Munich, you join a direct train to Verona. This astonishing route crosses Austria, revealing incredible scenery as the route climbs on the approach to the Brenner Pass. Enroute, you can admire magnificent mountains, hilltop fortresses and alpine meadows.

Descending the Alps via Bolzano, you arrive in Verona. From here, you transfer by coach to your 4-Star hotel in charming Garda. This small town is set in a picturesque bay and is perfectly placed to explore the elegant lakeside towns as well as the majestic mountains.

Your hotel is centrally located just a short walk from the lake. With a peaceful courtyard, it is a great place to unwind. You have a three-course dinner here tonight, with five drinks included between 5pm and 10pm every night in Garda.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 – Lake Garda cruise to medieval Malcesine

This morning you take a short walk to Garda's ferry pier for a boat ride along Lake Garda's eastern shore to the beautiful medieval hamlet of Malcesine. Enroute, you get to see lakeside towns gathered round the shore, before the scenery becomes more dramatic as you enter the Alps, with rockier peaks edging closer to the narrowing, fjord-like lake.

With free time in Malcesine, you may like to visit the impressive 14th-century castle which dominates the village. Colourful buildings line narrow cobbled streets down to the shorefront, where charming small piazzas look out across the lake. You might want to enjoy your picnic lunch while drinking in the view from one of these picturesque squares.

The boat ferries you back to Garda in the late afternoon, allowing you to enjoy the fresh air, glistening lake and exquisite views before returning to your hotel for tonight's three-course dinner.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 – Enjoying the serenity of Garda

Today is free to explore Garda at your own pace. As you have access to a swimming pool at a nearby, sister hotel, you might like to unwind by the pool before enjoying lunch at your hotel. If you want to soak up the scenery of this gorgeous lake, at the southern end of the town is the Rocca di Garda. This outcrop of cliffs has breathtaking views across the lake and was once home to a 5th-century fortress until it was destroyed by the Venetians. The historic centre of Garda is a pretty warren of narrow lanes with shops, cafés and restaurants, and a wide lakefront promenade overlooking a small marina and the shimmering water.

Alternatively, you could visit neighbouring Bardolino, a delightful town famed for its full-bodied red wines and its wine harvest festival, held annually in October. You can get to Bardolino on the public boats that carry passengers between towns on Lake Garda - or you might prefer a walk down the 'lungolago', a flat 1.5-mile lakeside walkway connecting Bardolino and Garda.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 – Guided tour of Shakespeare’s Verona

Today you travel by coach to historic Verona, a UNESCO-listed city that may be best-known as the setting for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. On a guided tour you're introduced to the city's ancient history as you wander beside Roman ruins and medieval buildings, seeing Juliet's balcony and the awe-inspiring Roman Arena, which predates Rome's Colosseum and is now an open-air opera house.

You also visit the heart of romantic Verona, the Piazza delle Erbe, the city's oldest square, where you might like to enjoy your picnic lunch. Once a Roman forum, the piazza now buzzes with cafés and is lined with ornately decorated buildings, some painted with frescoes. Other popular attractions here are the Torre dei Lamberti, an 84-metre watchtower with panoramic views across the city, and the Castelvecchio bridge, a crenelated 14th-century brick and marble bridge crossing the winding Adige river.

You return to Garda by coach in the late afternoon to enjoy dinner and drinks at your Garda hotel.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 – A free day to explore Lake Garda

With a full day at leisure, you could make use of the lake boats to enjoy some more sightseeing. You might like to visit the island's largest lake, Isola del Garda, which is only accessible by boat. Isola del Garda has been owned by the Cavazza family for generations. You can wander amongst the fragrant acacia and lemon trees that frame an extraordinary neo-Gothic style villa. There's also a small wood of pines, cypresses, magnolias and agaves.

Nearby is Gardone Riviera, a hidden gem and one of Italy's most beautiful small towns. Surrounded by mountains, and with a palm-lined promenade, the town features the André Heller Botanic Garden. Here, a two-acre site is filled with unusual plants from all over the world, plus Japanese gardens, water features and grottoes and decorated with contemporary art sculptures by renowned artists.

Other places to explore by boat are the UNESCO-listed Roman city of Peschiera, or beautiful Riva del Garda, surrounded by mountains on the northern shore.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 – Guided tour of enchanting Venice

Today you travel by coach to the 'Floating City' of Venice, a highlight of your holiday. On arrival your group is transferred by a private boat to St Mark's Square, the heart and soul of Venice. Here you can view the impressive landmarks of St Mark's Basilica, the beautiful Doge's Palace, and historic cafés. On a guided tour you explore hidden backstreets, seeing the house where Vivaldi was born and the Bridge of Sighs - which links the city's prison with the Doge's Palace. Your guide shares stories and details of the different sights along your tour, which finishes back in St Mark's Square, where you view the Clock Tower and the oldest coffee house in the world, Caffè Florian.

After the tour, you have time to continue discovering this wonderful city at your own pace, perhaps enjoying a picnic lunch in a scenic spot. You may like to enter St Mark's Basilica to see its atmospheric interior or take a closer look at some of the other grand landmarks you've passed. Wandering besides the city's luminous turquoise canals, passing Venetian palazzos and beautiful ruins, is the perfect way to soak up the ethereal atmosphere.

You return to Garda by coach and dine at the hotel this evening.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 – Discovering the ‘Pearl of Lake Garda’

This morning you take a short cruise to Sirmione, known as the 'Pearl of Lake Garda' in part due to its location. Set on a narrow peninsula which stretches into the lake, this fascinating fortress town is a pleasure to explore on foot. You are free to discover Sirmione independently, over lunchtime and into the afternoon. Among the old town's medieval streets and colourful piazzas, you'll find beautifully restored buildings, including a 14th-century church. You can stop to enjoy your picnic lunch overlooking the lake or sip a coffee or Aperol spritz on a laid-back terrace.

A short walk from the old town is the medieval Scaligero Castle, which guards the entrance to the peninsula of Sirmione. From here, you can savour great views across the lake from the top of its fortified walls. Another ancient site to explore is the extraordinary Grottoes of Catullus, the preserved remains of one of the largest Roman villas in Italy, set on a small hill at the tip of the peninsula, with a museum and wonderful views from the top.

You sail the short distance back to Garda this afternoon and enjoy your final dinner and drinks in Italy at your hotel this evening.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 – Crossing the Alps to Mulhouse in the Alsace

Your group leaves Garda by coach this morning, travelling to Milan where you board the train through Switzerland to the Alsace region of France. Travelling through scenic valleys lined with impressive peaks, you make your way to Mulhouse, via Basel.

An attractive, historic city, the focus of Mulhouse's medieval centre is Place de la Réunion, where you can find the Gothic Revival Temple St-Étienne and the pink and gold decorated town hall. Constructed in 1553, this striking Renaissance building displays allegoric frescoes representing vices and virtues. Our hotel is near the station, and it is here that we enjoy our final dinner together this evening.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 – Homeward bound

This morning the group leaves Chambéry for Paris. Travelling through France, you can begin to look back on this wonderful holiday to one of Italy's greatest lakes. From the blissful lakefront villages and surrounding mountains to the amazing Venice and historic Verona, Lake Garda exudes laid-back charm.

In Paris, you board the Eurostar service to London St Pancras International. On arrival in the early evening, you say a fond farewell to your fellow travellers and Tour Manager with whom you have shared these unforgettable experiences.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Please note

Please note that while every departure of this tour will feature the same excursions, the order may differ from that shown above.

Departure Information

Some departures dates will have run a different itinerary due to Italian engineering works - click here to see affected dates

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We will write to you around 10 weeks before your departure date with the precise meeting times for your tour group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

Hotel Centrale, Garda

Hotel Centrale, Garda

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Trains

Eurostar
The TGV

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Upgrades

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Reviews

4.2 stars4.2 / 5 · 162 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (79)
  2. 4 stars
    (46)
  3. 3 stars
    (26)
  4. 2 stars
    (6)
  5. 1 star
    (5)

Stephen Garlick

5 stars

Submitted 21 Oct 2023

This is a well planned holiday with very good hotels in perfect locations. The Tour Manager was excellent.

Collected by Trustpilot

Mr Stephen Merrey

5 stars

Submitted 21 Oct 2023

From Day one we knew this was going to be perfect holiday our travel guide Debs was excellent she was friendly and very informative made you feel like a new friend from day one, Lake Garda was perfect lovely scenery, hotel staff were friendly and helpful would recommend this holiday and hopefully one day we will go back to Lake Garda.

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Beale

5 stars

Submitted 20 Oct 2023

Very good tour, with a very good guide. Wonderful weather helped. Good hotels, good food, with excellent excursions.

Collected by Trustpilot

Ian

5 stars

Submitted 20 Oct 2023

Lovely friendly hotel. Great excursions and brilliant Tour Guide .

Collected by Trustpilot

David Evans

5 stars

Submitted 20 Oct 2023

Beautiful lake frontage. Lovely coast path with easy walking. Plenty of great looking restaurants

Collected by Trustpilot

James

5 stars

Submitted 14 Oct 2023

Despite problems with travel due to a landslide and discovery of a WW2 bomb at the side of the track the holiday was very enjoyable. Although a lot of walking is involved. Nothing to do in the evenings.

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