Discover the stunning lakes and gardens of northern Italy

Visit charming lakes Maggiore, Como and Lugano, sun-drenched Locarno and trendy Milan, all from your base on tranquil Lake Orta

A lakeside paradise in northern Italy awaits you on this eight-day trip to the region's beautiful and elegant gardens.

You'll travel by train in style and comfort through France and Italy before arriving at Lake Orta, where you'll spend seven nights at four-star Hotel Giardinetto. Set in a peaceful location beside the foothills of the Alps, this will be your base for exploring the local area's beautiful landscapes, glittering lakes and charming towns.

Lake Orta itself is a largely undiscovered gem just eight miles long and not quite two miles wide. From these glorious surroundings you'll move on to Lake Maggiore, taking in the majestic villas and gardens of Stresa on the western shore, including the Botanical Gardens of Villa Taranto.

A trip to Locarno in Switzerland follows, a picturesque town known for its hours of sunshine, complete with a colonnaded Piazza Grande and cobbled alleys full of Latin charm.

Returning to Italy for your next excursion, you'll visit Lake Como to enjoy breathtaking views across the water as you explore the picture-perfect villages, villas and parks of Como and Tremezzo, where a visit to historic Villa Carlotta is a must. Next is Lugano, a delightful Swiss town on Lake Lugano with beautiful squares, arcaded walkways and gardens adorned with subtropical plants.

You'll then return to Lake Orta where you'll have some days to relax, discover the towns along the lake or even visit the exquisite island of San Giulio. Sandwiched in-between is a day trip to trendy Milan and its historic and artistic attractions such as the Duomo and Pinacoteca di Brera.

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Reasons to book

Breathtaking lakes

You’ll be impressed by the sheer beauty of Lake Orta, Lake Maggiore, Lake Como and Lake Lugano with their sparkling blue waters

Charming Swiss towns

Excursions to Locarno and Lugano will give you a chance to experience the traditional character of these pretty Swiss border towns

Beautiful botanical gardens

The Botanical Gardens of Villa Taranto are a true treat for the senses, with a huge number of colourful and fascinating plant species

Discover Milan

Soak up the bustle of this cosmopolitan city; climb the Duomo, stroll along Via Montenapoleone and marvel at Galleria Vittorio Emmanuel

Lakeside hotel

Four-star Hotel Giardinetto in Pettenasco is located on the shores of Lake Orta. There’s a sun deck and inviting lakeside restaurant

No-fly holiday

Travelling by train to Paris and then to Stresa means you’ll avoid the hassle of flying and reduce the carbon footprint of your holiday

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Tour brochure

Price includes

A peaceful and restorative seven-night lakeside retreat
Seven nights' half board accommodation with breakfast and dinner each day
Stay in a stylish four-star hotel with a lakeside restaurant and outdoor pool
Take a stroll along the promenade in the charming town of Stresa
Admire the impressive Botanical Gardens of Villa Taranto
Visit the enchanting Swiss towns of Locarno and Lugano
See beautiful churches, including the Renaissance cathedral, in Como
Visit the historic Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo
Explore your surroundings on Lake Orta, such as the town of Orta San Giulio and the island of San Giulio
A day out in trendy Milan, the home of fashion and design
Return Eurostar from London to Paris; return TGV from Paris to Stresa
Services of an experienced Tour Manager

Availability

From

Mon, Mon, Apr 8, 2024

To

Mon, Mon, Apr 15, 2024

Duration

8 Days

Price per person

£1,449*

* From price is per person, based on two people sharing a room, subject to availability. Price and itinerary correct at time of print but may be subject to change. Single supplement applies. Deposit £350. Local charges such as tourist tax may apply. Please note a good degree of mobility is required to get the most out of the holiday. Travel insurance is not included but required for most of our overseas trips, and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. This holiday may be sold through other selected brands. Tour is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Leger Holidays Limited and Leger Air Holidays Limited trading as Arena Travel (ABTA V3582 & ATOL 3880) and TS Travel Ltd (ATOL bonded).

From

Mon, Mon, May 20, 2024

To

Mon, Mon, May 27, 2024

Duration

8 Days

Price per person

£1,449*

* From price is per person, based on two people sharing a room, subject to availability. Price and itinerary correct at time of print but may be subject to change. Single supplement applies. Deposit £350. Local charges such as tourist tax may apply. Please note a good degree of mobility is required to get the most out of the holiday. Travel insurance is not included but required for most of our overseas trips, and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. This holiday may be sold through other selected brands. Tour is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Leger Holidays Limited and Leger Air Holidays Limited trading as Arena Travel (ABTA V3582 & ATOL 3880) and TS Travel Ltd (ATOL bonded).

From

Mon, Mon, Sep 23, 2024

To

Mon, Mon, Sep 30, 2024

Duration

8 Days

Price per person

£1,495*

* From price is per person, based on two people sharing a room, subject to availability. Price and itinerary correct at time of print but may be subject to change. Single supplement applies. Deposit £350. Local charges such as tourist tax may apply. Please note a good degree of mobility is required to get the most out of the holiday. Travel insurance is not included but required for most of our overseas trips, and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. This holiday may be sold through other selected brands. Tour is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Leger Holidays Limited and Leger Air Holidays Limited trading as Arena Travel (ABTA V3582 & ATOL 3880) and TS Travel Ltd (ATOL bonded).

From

Mon, Mon, Oct 7, 2024

To

Mon, Mon, Oct 14, 2024

Duration

8 Days

Price per person

£1,395*

* From price is per person, based on two people sharing a room, subject to availability. Price and itinerary correct at time of print but may be subject to change. Single supplement applies. Deposit £350. Local charges such as tourist tax may apply. Please note a good degree of mobility is required to get the most out of the holiday. Travel insurance is not included but required for most of our overseas trips, and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. This holiday may be sold through other selected brands. Tour is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Leger Holidays Limited and Leger Air Holidays Limited trading as Arena Travel (ABTA V3582 & ATOL 3880) and TS Travel Ltd (ATOL bonded).

From

Sun, Sun, Sep 24, 2023

To

Sun, Sun, Oct 1, 2023

Duration

8 Days

Price per person

£1,395*

Sold out

* From price is per person, based on two people sharing a room, subject to availability. Price and itinerary correct at time of print but may be subject to change. Single supplement applies. Deposit £350. Local charges such as tourist tax may apply. Please note a good degree of mobility is required to get the most out of the holiday. Travel insurance is not included but required for most of our overseas trips, and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. This holiday may be sold through other selected brands. Tour is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Leger Holidays Limited and Leger Air Holidays Limited trading as Arena Travel (ABTA V3582 & ATOL 3880) and TS Travel Ltd (ATOL bonded).

Call now to book 02039934304

Quote ref: GHK TST ITALIAN LAKES

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Itinerary

Day
1

Arrive at Lake Orta

Lake Orta,

You'll travel by Eurostar from London to Paris, where you'll pick up the TGV to Stresa. You'll be met and transferred by coach to the four-star hotel Hotel Giardinetto in Pettenasco, on the shores of Lake Orta. The hotel is right on the lake with a sun deck and a rooftop bar and will be your base for the whole trip.

Meals - Dinner
Day
2

Lake Orta

Lake Orta,

You're free to explore Lake Orta. Consider venturing to one of the towns along the lake such as Orta San Giulio with its narrow and elegant streets. Climb Sacro Monte, an old pilgrimage site behind the town, for wonderful views back down to the lake below.

Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day
3

Lake Maggiore and Locarno

Lake Maggiore ,

You'll spend a full day exploring some of the highlights of Lake Maggiore on an included coach excursion. The first stop is the attractive town of Stresa, which has a lovely lakeside promenade and is home to many picturesque villas and gardens. Moving on, you will visit the carefully landscaped Botanical Gardens of Villa Taranto which contain a huge array of plants and flowers, and were created by Scotsman Captain Neil McEacharn who wanted to create an English-style garden that would remind him of his home country. Locarno is the final stop of the day, a beautifully romantic Latin town on the northernmost tip of the lake, in Switzerland. Take a stroll to the colonnaded piazza and you will hopefully enjoy several hours of the 2,300 hours of sunshine that Locarno averages every year.

Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day
4

Lake Como and Lugano

Lugano, Switzerland

You'll visit the lakes of Como and Lugano on an included coach excursion, stopping first in the town of Como with its beautiful Renaissance cathedral, as well as the Church of Sant'Abbondio and the Basilica of San Fedele. You'll move on to Tremezzo, known for spectacular views of the lake as well as the Villa Carlotta, a historic villa and the only one in the town open to the public. You'll end the day in Lugano, a popular resort town on Lake Lugano in Switzerland, with its beautiful parks and public gardens and arcaded streets.

Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day
5

Lake Orta

Lake Orta,

Spend the day in Lake Orta. From Orta San Giulio you can take a boat to the exquisite island of San Giulio with its Romanesque basilica. From the church you can walk a path around the whole of the island. Other buildings are private residences but there is a restaurant with a lakeside terrace you can enjoy.

Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day
6

Milan

Milano, Italy

Take a break from the tranquillity of the lakes in the hustle and bustle of Milan on this included coach excursion. Known as the home of fashion and design, this renowned city offers plenty of places to discover. Enter the iconic Duomo which you can also climb if you wish, or sip an espresso from a nearby cafe. Marvel at the beautiful architecture of Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II, and soak up the glitz and glamour of Milan's designer shopping streets, the Quadrilatero d'Oro. The neighbourhood of Brera reveals a more elegant and romantic side to the city, and here you can also find the world-famous art gallery Pinacoteca di Brera.

Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day
7

Lake Orta

Lake Orta,

You have another day to absorb the peacefulness of Lake Orta. Relax on the sun deck of the hotel or venture out into your surroundings. You can swim or rent kayaks, or perhaps take a boat trip across the lake.

Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day
8

Return to the UK

Stresa, Italy

After breakfast you'll check out of the hotel and be transferred to Stresa to catch the train back to the UK.

Meals - Breakfast

Accommodation

Hotel Giardinetto

Lake Orta,

A family-run hotel on the banks of Lake Orta, with a sun deck and terrace bar, ideal for making the most of the lakeside views

This welcoming four-star family-run hotel is the ideal home-from-home for your stay on Lake Orta. You'll relish returning to your comfortable room after each day out spend exploring. Choose a room with a lake view for a truly special experience and the opportunity to watch the sunset. Continental breakfast is served each morning on the terrace overlooking the lake, and the restaurant's picture windows mean you can take in the view over dinner as well. Orta San Giulio, the lake's principal town, and the sacred site of Sacro Monte are a short distance (2k) away.

Brought to you by

TS Tours as agent for Arena Travel

This tour is operated solely by TS Tours

TS Tours is acting as agent for Arena Travel (a trading name used by Ledger Holidays Ltd). Arena Travel, with its portfolio of top experts, is one of the UK's leading special interest holiday companies. TS Tours Ltd specialises in creating bespoke tours, cruises and rail journeys in the company of experts. Its exclusive trips combine unique experiences as well as access to inspirational people. All trips are ATOL protected and financially bonded.

For general information, click here.

To view TS Tours as agent for Arena Travel’s supplier’s terms and conditions click here.

This tour is protected by the following:

Availability

From

Sun, Sun, Sep 24, 2023

To

Sun, Sun, Oct 1, 2023

Duration

8 Days

Price per person

£1,395*

Sold out

* From price is per person, based on two people sharing a room, subject to availability. Price and itinerary correct at time of print but may be subject to change. Single supplement applies. Deposit £350. Local charges such as tourist tax may apply. Please note a good degree of mobility is required to get the most out of the holiday. Travel insurance is not included but required for most of our overseas trips, and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. This holiday may be sold through other selected brands. Tour is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Leger Holidays Limited and Leger Air Holidays Limited trading as Arena Travel (ABTA V3582 & ATOL 3880) and TS Travel Ltd (ATOL bonded).

From

Mon, Mon, Apr 8, 2024

To

Mon, Mon, Apr 15, 2024

Duration

8 Days

Price per person

£1,449*

* From price is per person, based on two people sharing a room, subject to availability. Price and itinerary correct at time of print but may be subject to change. Single supplement applies. Deposit £350. Local charges such as tourist tax may apply. Please note a good degree of mobility is required to get the most out of the holiday. Travel insurance is not included but required for most of our overseas trips, and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. This holiday may be sold through other selected brands. Tour is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Leger Holidays Limited and Leger Air Holidays Limited trading as Arena Travel (ABTA V3582 & ATOL 3880) and TS Travel Ltd (ATOL bonded).

From

Mon, Mon, May 20, 2024

To

Mon, Mon, May 27, 2024

Duration

8 Days

Price per person

£1,449*

* From price is per person, based on two people sharing a room, subject to availability. Price and itinerary correct at time of print but may be subject to change. Single supplement applies. Deposit £350. Local charges such as tourist tax may apply. Please note a good degree of mobility is required to get the most out of the holiday. Travel insurance is not included but required for most of our overseas trips, and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. This holiday may be sold through other selected brands. Tour is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Leger Holidays Limited and Leger Air Holidays Limited trading as Arena Travel (ABTA V3582 & ATOL 3880) and TS Travel Ltd (ATOL bonded).

From

Mon, Mon, Sep 23, 2024

To

Mon, Mon, Sep 30, 2024

Duration

8 Days

Price per person

£1,495*

* From price is per person, based on two people sharing a room, subject to availability. Price and itinerary correct at time of print but may be subject to change. Single supplement applies. Deposit £350. Local charges such as tourist tax may apply. Please note a good degree of mobility is required to get the most out of the holiday. Travel insurance is not included but required for most of our overseas trips, and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. This holiday may be sold through other selected brands. Tour is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Leger Holidays Limited and Leger Air Holidays Limited trading as Arena Travel (ABTA V3582 & ATOL 3880) and TS Travel Ltd (ATOL bonded).

From

Mon, Mon, Oct 7, 2024

To

Mon, Mon, Oct 14, 2024

Duration

8 Days

Price per person

£1,395*

* From price is per person, based on two people sharing a room, subject to availability. Price and itinerary correct at time of print but may be subject to change. Single supplement applies. Deposit £350. Local charges such as tourist tax may apply. Please note a good degree of mobility is required to get the most out of the holiday. Travel insurance is not included but required for most of our overseas trips, and should be taken out at time of booking. Images used may not reflect your actual tour experience. This holiday may be sold through other selected brands. Tour is operated by and subject to the booking conditions of Leger Holidays Limited and Leger Air Holidays Limited trading as Arena Travel (ABTA V3582 & ATOL 3880) and TS Travel Ltd (ATOL bonded).

Call now to book 02039934304

Quote ref: GHK TST ITALIAN LAKES