ITINERARY

Day 1 We take taxis to meet our coach and then travel to Dover for the short sea crossing to Calais. From there we travel through France to the first of our overnight hotels in Metz.

Day 2 Leaving after breakfast, we continue through France, cross the border into Switzerland and, touching on the shores of Lake Zurich and Lake Wallen, we make our way to Davos for our night in the centre of this beautiful mountain resort.

Day 3 This morning we leave Davos on board the Bernina Express. In marvellous panoramic carriages we travel in style over bridges, through tunnels and alpine gardens, past rushing mountain streams and cross the Bernina Pass – the track’s highest point at 2253m. We then descend, cross the Italian border and reach Tirano where we disembark. Our coach will then take us on to Iseo and our hotel for a five-night stay.

Day 4 A full day excursion to Lake Como. We first travel to the town of Como, the oldest town on the lake. Go inside the medieval town walls and visit the central piazza with its fine cathedral and 13th Century pink and white marble Town Hall. We then drive north along the western shore to Cadenabbia and take the short ferry crossing to Bellagio, known as the ‘Pearl of the Lake’. We return via the fast boat to Como, enjoying stunning views across the water. Our coach will then take us back to Iseo.

Day 5 A free day to enjoy Iseo. Visit the historic centre and view the frescos in the church of Santa Maria del Mercato, the Town Hall, Arsenal, Della Quadra Palace, or just relax and enjoy the ambience of this pretty lakeside town. Alternatively take a trip onto the lake and visit Monte Isola, a beautiful island where no vehicles are allowed, and where life has changed little over the decades (fare not included).

Day 6 Today we travel to Lake Garda and visit some of the beautiful towns along its shores, including picturesque Sirmione with its castle perched on the end of a 4km-long peninsula into the lake. We travel north along the eastern shore as the scenery gets steadily more mountainous and the lake narrows as we get closer to the Dolomites. Our tour takes us by Bardolino, Garda and Brenzone before stopping in Malcesine, with its own castle and quaint cobbled streets. We take a boat trip out onto the lake before rejoining our coach further south and returning to Iseo.

Day 7 We have a half-day drive through the Franciacorta Wine Region, in the foothills between the Po Valley and the southern shore of Lake Iseo. We stop for a tour and tasting at one of the region’s fine vineyards where the sparkling wine is said to rival Champagne! The rest of the day is at leisure.

Day 8 An early morning start sees us travelling north toward our overnight hotel in the area of Saarbrücken.

Day 9 We make our way north through Luxembourg and Belgium and onto Calais where we board our ferry for Dover. Once in the UK we travel to the local area, our taxis and home.