You are viewing the 2018 itinerary
Itineraries and pricing may vary by departure year
On this wonderful holiday, you have the chance to explore the charming towns and villages surrounding Lake Garda and enjoy excursions to the fabulous cities of Verona and Venice.
Depart St Pancras International by Eurostar, after meeting at the dedicated Rail Discoveries' Departure Office, travelling to Paris. Upon arrival in the French capital, continue by high-speed TGV to Chambéry, spending one night here. On Day 2, travel by train to Milan, and transfer by coach to the Park Hotel Casimiro Village in San Felice del Benaco.
Please Note: For departure 18LES03 you will travel to Lille on the Eurostar where you will catch the train to Lyon before completing your journey to Chambery by coach.
Cruise to Malcesine today and enjoy time to explore at leisure. At this narrow stretch of Lake Garda, dramatic cliffs rise steeply from the very edge of the water giving the region an almost fjord-like feel. Malcesine is home to the 14th century Scaligeri Castle, or you could hike up Monte Baldo from here. There is the option of taking the Funivia, or cable-car, to the top of the mountain, where you'll have panoramic views over Lake Garda and the surrounding mountain ranges. Alternatively, take a short walk along the Tratto Spino towards a beautiful viewpoint.
Today you are free to explore Lake Garda or to venture further afield. The shores of the lake are lined with lovely towns and villages waiting to be discovered.
Today, travel by coach to Verona, the city made famous in Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet.' Straddling the Adige River in north-east Italy's Veneto region, the handsome and dynamic city of Verona is both a popular destination with visitors and a UNESCO World Heritage site thanks to the diversity and historical value of its architecture. Enjoy a guided city tour, exploring the vast Roman Arena - an imposing amphitheatre built by the Romans in the first century AD, which is now used as an open air opera house - Juliet's balcony, and the magnificent city gates.
The charming narrow streets and picturesque piazzas of Verona make the city a pleasure to explore, while an abundance of pavement cafés offer the perfect opportunity to relax with a drink, savour the atmosphere and watch the world go by - a truly Italian pastime.
Your day is free to spend as you wish; perhaps visit the stunning Isola del Garda, the biggest island in Lake Garda. Dominated by an impressive neo-Gothic villa, it can be reached only by boat. The island is owned by the Cavazza family, but over the centuries it had various names which were nearly always linked to the different owners. One of its main attractions is the extraordinary Venetian neo-Gothic style villa, designed by the architect Luigi Rovelli at the beginning of the 20th century. Below the villa, the terraces and Italian gardens slope down to the lake. The villa's gardens are rich in local and exotic plants, rare essences and unique flowers. The island also has a small wood of pines and cypresses, acacias and lemon trees, magnolias and agaves.
Travel to spectacular Venice by coach, and explore the unique floating city known for its beauty. On arrival, enjoy a boat trip along the Giudecca Canal to St Mark's Square, the heart and soul of the city for centuries with its blend of intriguing architecture, from where you will embark on a walking tour of this famous city's highlights, seeing the evocative Bridge of Sighs and St Mark's Basilica, renowned for its magnificent exterior and interior covered in spectacular encrusted mosaic marble carvings.
This afternoon, you are free to continue exploring. Venice is entirely car-free, which ensures that exploration on foot or by gondola is a thoroughly pleasurable experience. And there is much to discover: Venice is steeped in architectural wonder and artistic beauty at every turn, from the Gothic magnificence of the Doge's Palace to the Tintorettodecorated Scuola Grande di San Rocco.
Add a rich profusion of churches, art galleries, museums, and cultural attractions, fine shops and restaurants and a relaxed, cosmopolitan atmosphere, and it's easy to see why romantic and remarkable Venice is one of the most visited cities on earth.
Enjoy a fantastic cruise to pretty Sirmione, situated on a promontory on the southern shores of Lake Garda, to explore this charming town bursting with history. Famous for its grand 13th century castle, the views over the lake from the castle's battlements are truly captivating. Sirmione's ancient charm coupled with an array of fine cafés, shops and restaurants, a relaxed and hospitable atmosphere and a distinct lack of traffic ensure that however you choose to spend your time in this delectable town, you will not be disappointed with what you find.
Depart by rail today, travelling to Turin, where you spend the night. On Day 10, depart by high-speed TGV for Paris, where you will join the Eurostar service back to London St Pancras International.
Please note that while every departure of this tour will feature the same excursions, the order may differ from that shown above.
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.
Not Included
of travellers would recommend this tour
Tour Rating
based on 36 verified reviews
Right from the meet & greet at St Pancras , the travel, the hotels and their location, the included tours and the journey home. it was brilliant.
We enjoyed all of the trips that were organised therefore seeing places we might not have seen otherwise. Hotel was in a good location but was let down by the restaurants food. Everybody going in different directions.
Good. All inclusive. Great value7
The organisation of the tour was very good but let down by the journeys to and from destination. The group was 40 strong and on none of the trains was there enough luggage space available in the carriage. The journey back was convoluted whereas the outward journey was more direct. The mobility of some of the group was not good and the long walk at Gare da Nord to the coach and then from the coach to Gare de Lyon nearly caused us to miss the train. A similar incident on the return when we were still boarding the train and the station staff were trying to get the train to leave on time caused discomfort
Well organised holiday from beginning to end and excellent included tours.
We have submitted a detailed report directly to Rail Discoveries within a week of our return on 18th September. I am disinclined to repeat everything here
I have recently returned from my first Rail Discoveries holiday (Lake Garda). I was apprehensive about going on holiday on my own for the first time but I needn't have worried- it was as if the group had been handpicked to 'get on' together. Every aspect of the holiday was superb and our tour guide, Angela, dealt with all problems in a professional manner, for example, when a train was cancelled and alternative arrangements had to be made. I have already booked another Rail Discoveries holiday for next year.
Our tour guide Angela Alder was excellent. The Park Hotel was in a good position and we had a lovely room on the ground floor over looking the lake. We were lucky to have mostly good companions on the holiday. The tour guide in Venice was good and enabled us to go into the Basilica without joining the endless queue. The two dinners that we had on our outward/return journey were good especially the Brasserie in Strasbourg. It was a bit daunting to have a full day trip on our first day in Lake Garda after all the travelling we had done. On the outward journey we went by coach from Milan to Lake Garda and yet on the return journey this was by train. No idea what this achieved!
Excellent holiday,superb holiday guide and good hotels and itinerary
No I do not. Wish. To. Zz
Fantastic scenery, and spectacular Venice and Verona
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