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Italian Lakes Explorer

Glittering jewels of Lombardy
 
From Maggiore to Garda, via Como and Iseo, discover the stunning scenery of the Italian Lakes and the surrounding mountains on this self-guided journey by car (hire car included). You stay in magnificent lakeside hotels and have the option to take a trip on the famous Centovalli Railway.
Italian Lakes Explorer. 10 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
Italian Lakes Explorer. 10 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
 

Holiday information

 

A touring holiday of Italy's lakes

The glittering lakes that define Lombardy are part of a ravishing landscape of water and mountains fused together in glorious harmony. Some are admired for their grandeur and wide-open vistas; others for their serene atmosphere and the air of tranquillity that pervades the villages and vineyards that line their shores.
From the shores of shimmering Lake Maggiore, you begin a journey through some of Italy's most beautiful scenery, taking you via Lake Como to quiet Lake Iseo before a grand finale by the shores of Lake Garda. We cannot tell you which is the most beautiful or which most perfectly embodies the essence of the Italian Lake District, but at the end of the road, we're sure you will have found your own personal favourites...
 
Gallery
 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • Arrival in Cannero on Lake Maggiore
    Night 1: at Hotel Cannero (the first of three nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of exploration.
  • Explore Lakes Maggiore & Orta
    Begin your stay in Cannero with a visit to the neighbouring lakeside towns of Cannobio and Stresa – both are easily reached, whether you choose to drive or enjoy a boat ride. Cannobio is renowned for its lovely waterfront promenade, where fine 18th and 19th-century palazzi rub shoulders with former fishermen's houses, and for its colourful past as a smugglers' haven. Stresa, meanwhile, is home to the Isole Borromee, beautiful islands that shimmer like jewels on the lake and are known for their magnificent palaces and sculpted gardens.

    Slightly farther by car is beguiling Orta San Giulio, from where you can take a boat out across Lake Orta to the silent island of Isola San Giulio with its imposing Benedictine monastery, or another option is to cross the border into Switzerland to experience one of Europe's great train journeys, as the Centovalli Railway winds its way past waterfalls, ravines and forests, crossing a hundred delectable valleys and nearly as many bridges.
    The boat from Orta San Giulio
    Cannobio
  • Cannero to Gravedona on Lake Como: 2.5hrs by car
    Driving east via Locarno – whose churches, galleries and castle can be explored on our self-guided town trail – you take in the glacial glory of Switzerland's Lake Lugano before arriving at Lake Como and the Hotel Tullio, located by the water's edge.
    Locarno
  • Explore Lake Como
    On your full day in Gravedona, take a boat either to the illustrious, 17th-century Villa Carlotta with its priceless art collection, luxuriant gardens and straight-backed cypress trees, or to picturesque Bellagio – known as 'the Pearl of Lake Como'.
    Villa Carlotta
    Bellagio
  • Gravedona to Iseo: 2.5hrs by car
    The beauty of Bergamo beckons as you travel onwards, enticing you to take the funicular to its historic old town for lunch before continuing to the sublime Relais I Due Roccoli, set in the hills above Lake Iseo.
  • Explore Lake Iseo
    Admire extraordinary rock carvings in the Val Camonica or visit the earth pyramids at Zone. Alternatively, for a more relaxing option, why not take a boat over to beautiful, traffic-free Monte Isola for lunch?
    Enjoy the views from Monte Isola
    Explore the pyramids at Zone
  • Iseo to Gargnano on Lake Garda: 2.5hrs by car
    Tarry awhile amid the Alpine splendour of Val Trompia and Lake Idro en route to your final destination. Bordered by terraced hillsides of orchards and olive groves on one side, and glittering Lake Garda on the other, D.H. Lawrence found it difficult to tear himself away from Gargnano’s lemon-scented embrace, and by spending your last two nights at the idyllically situated Hotel Gardenia al Lago, you will begin to understand why.
    Gargnano
  • Explore Lake Garda
    Your last day can be spent criss-crossing the lake by steamer, perhaps disembarking at Malcesine for a cable-car ride up to the lofty ridge of Monte Baldo for a magnificent, bird’s-eye view over Lake Garda and its surrounding peaks.
    Monte Baldo views over Lake Garda
    Steamers on the Lake
 

Accommodation

You stay in four magnificently located hotels.

In Gargnano we work with more than one hotel, as shown below. Both are hand-picked by us and, unless there is a price implication (in which case we will contact you to discuss your options), we will tell you which one we have booked for you on your booking confirmation. Wherever you stay here, we recommend adding an extra night – you can try your hand at boating or wind-surfing on Lake Garda, or take the train from nearby Desenzano to visit Verona.
 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 10 nights: 09 April 2023 - 11 August 2023, 20 August 2023 - 14 October 2023, 09 April 2024 - 11 August 2024 & 20 August 2024 - 14 October 2024

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    9 - 23 Apr 2023 £1650 £765
    24 - 30 Apr 2023 £1705 £765
    1 May - 24 Jun 2023 £1770 £800
    25 Jun - 1 Aug 2023 £1825 £765
    20 Aug - 11 Sep 2023 £1880 £765
    12 - 26 Sep 2023 £1825 £800
    27 Sep - 4 Oct 2023 £1760 £765
    9 - 23 Apr 2024 £1815 £840
    24 - 30 Apr 2024 £1875 £840
    1 May - 24 Jun 2024 £1945 £880
    25 Jun - 1 Aug 2024 £1995 £840
    20 Aug - 11 Sep 2024 £2070 £840
    12 - 26 Sep 2024 £1995 £880
    27 Sep - 4 Oct 2024 £1935 £840
    3rd & 4th person discount -£145 to -£160
    Single traveller supplement £145 to £160

    Includes accommodation, meals, travel between hotels and any other services integral to the holiday as described, plus a detailed information pack, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Included travel: 10 days’ category B car hire (e.g. Lancia Ypsilon or similar with manual transmission)
    Please note: a 'one-way' supplement is payable locally if the hire car is returned to a different location from the pick-up point

    Driving time to the first hotel from: Milan Bergamo 2h, Milan Linate 1h45, Milan Malpensa 1h15, Verona 3h
    Driving time from the final hotel to: Milan Bergamo 1h30, Milan Linate 2h, Milan Malpensa 2h30, Verona 1h30

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Hotel Cannero, Cannero
    Superior with lake view: 09 Apr - 11 Aug 2023 £34
    Superior with lake view: 20 Aug - 14 Oct 2023 £34
    Superior with lake view: 09 Apr - 11 Aug 2024 £37
    Superior with lake view: 20 Aug - 14 Oct 2024 £37
    Hotel Tullio, Gravedona
    Junior suite: 09 Apr - 11 Aug 2023 £40
    Junior suite: 20 Aug - 14 Oct 2023 £40
    Junior suite: 09 Apr - 11 Aug 2024 £44
    Junior suite: 20 Aug - 14 Oct 2024 £44
    Superior: 09 Apr - 11 Aug 2023 £18
    Superior: 20 Aug - 14 Oct 2023 £18
    Superior: 09 Apr - 11 Aug 2024 £20
    Superior: 20 Aug - 14 Oct 2024 £20
    Relais I Due Roccoli, Iseo
    Lake view: 09 Apr - 11 Aug 2023 £30
    Lake view: 20 Aug - 14 Oct 2023 £30
    Lake view: 09 Apr - 11 Aug 2024 £33
    Lake view: 20 Aug - 14 Oct 2024 £33
    Suite with lake view: 09 Apr - 11 Aug 2023 £48
    Suite with lake view: 20 Aug - 14 Oct 2023 £48
    Suite with lake view: 09 Apr - 11 Aug 2024 £53
    Suite with lake view: 20 Aug - 14 Oct 2024 £53
    Hotel Gardenia al Lago, Gargnano
    'Benaco' double with lake view (no twins): 09 Apr - 11 Aug 2023 £36
    'Benaco' double with lake view (no twins): 20 Aug - 14 Oct 2023 £36
    'Benaco' double with lake view (no twins): 09 Apr - 11 Aug 2024 £40
    'Benaco' double with lake view (no twins): 20 Aug - 14 Oct 2024 £40

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Prices include an extra day's car hire
    Hotel Tullio, Gravedona (B&B) Double room Single room
    09 Apr - 14 Apr 2023 £88 £176
    15 Apr - 20 May 2023 £106 £212
    21 May - 11 Aug 2023 £122 £244
    20 Aug - 25 Sep 2023 £122 £244
    26 Sep - 14 Oct 2023 £106 £212
    09 Apr - 14 Apr 2024 £97 £194
    15 Apr - 20 May 2024 £116 £232
    21 May - 11 Aug 2024 £134 £268
    20 Aug - 25 Sep 2024 £134 £268
    26 Sep - 14 Oct 2024 £116 £232
    Hotel Gardenia al Lago, Gargnano (B&B) Double room Single room
    09 Apr - 11 Aug 2023 £150 £216
    20 Aug - 14 Oct 2023 £150 £216
    09 Apr - 11 Aug 2024 £165 £238
    20 Aug - 14 Oct 2024 £165 £238
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Bergamo, Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate or Verona
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Milan Malpensa. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Milan Malpensa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Aberdeen - Verona (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Milan Malpensa (via Zurich) Swiss 
    Birmingham - Verona jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Birmingham - Verona (via Munich) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Milan Bergamo Ryanair 
    Bristol - Milan Malpensa easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Bristol - Verona jet2,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Nottingham East Midlands - Milan Bergamo Ryanair 
    Nottingham East Midlands - Verona jet2 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Milan Bergamo Ryanair 
    Edinburgh - Milan Malpensa easyJet 
    Edinburgh - Verona easyJet,  jet2 
    Edinburgh - Verona (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Edinburgh - Verona (via Paris CDG) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Verona TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Verona jet2 
    Leeds Bradford - Verona (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Milan Bergamo Blue Air 
    Outward route Airline
    London City - Milan Malpensa British Airways 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Milan Bergamo easyJet 
    Gatwick - Milan Linate easyJet 
    Gatwick - Milan Malpensa easyJet,  Wizz Air 
    Gatwick - Verona British Airways,  easyJet,  TUI 
    Gatwick - Verona Wizz Air 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Milan Linate Alitalia,  British Airways 
    Heathrow - Milan Malpensa British Airways 
    Heathrow - Verona British Airways 
    Heathrow - Verona (via Rome Fiumicino) Alitalia 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Milan Malpensa easyJet,  Wizz Air 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Milan Bergamo Ryanair 
    Stansted - Milan Malpensa Ryanair 
    Stansted - Verona jet2,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Milan Bergamo Ryanair 
    Manchester - Milan Malpensa easyJet,  Flybe,  Ryanair 
    Manchester - Verona easyJet,  jet2,  TUI 
    Manchester - Verona (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Manchester - Verona (via Munich) Lufthansa 
    Manchester - Verona (via Zurich) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Milan Malpensa (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Verona TUI 
    Newcastle - Verona (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Milan Malpensa. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

What is included
  • 10 nights
  • 6 dinners
    10 breakfasts
  • detailed cultural information
  • category B car hire
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 7 reviews
  • Ms M Hu
    USA
    15 September 2023

    Should warn customers that even though the services were carefully selected, customers should implement careful measures including theft prevention from hotel staffs because in the event of loss neither your agency or the hotel will assume responsibility.

    Inntravel
    response

    We were very sorry to hear that some possessions went missing and investigations didn't turn up anything.

  • Nigel
    11 September 2023

    The whole trip was as planned and was very rewarding with many options on how to spend our time at each location.

  • Mrs B
    07 September 2023

    Places we enjoyed a lot were Isola Madre (Palazzo Borromeo on Isola Bella was lovely but very busy even in mid September, so get there early), Lake Maggiore. Bergamo was definitely worth a 3 hr stopover but be aware that the main, big church shuts for 2 hrs over lunchtime. Bellagio when I visited in 1981 was lovely, but it is now over run/swamped by huge numbers of tourists and we could not wait to get away from it - not worth the trip as nicer places in the area. Lake Garda was our favourite lake - enough elegance but not so busy as Como - Limone was worth a trip - busy but able to absorb the numbers, but our favourite place was charming, pretty Isola Garda.

  • Anon
    21 July 2023

    Excellent locations on the lakes and friendly family run hotels. Sensible timings to travel to each hotel.

  • York Tourists
    24 May 2023

    We enjoyed the experience of the Italian Lakes and the extra days in Venice. The driving distances between each location are not excesive. We found the Italian Lakes sections of the itinerary very relaxing - partly because the locations of the hotels were often in smaller villages with not a lot to do. We did not want the walking suggestions provided and, with just one lakeside road heading south and north, there was not a lot of incentive to travel or use the car on the non-transfer days. We had hoped to go on lake sailings, but in the end the boat timetables and the distances to local landing points meant that we were never able to fit it in. Iseo was the only place we succeeded in getting a lake sailing. Venice was a nice end to the hoilday. Busy, lots of walking and steps. Mosquito season in full swing. The AVIS car hire return was rubbish as we were charged excess for some minor damage we knew nothing about. We got the impression that AVIS just wanted to punish us because we had not bought their extra CDW insurance. Inntravel provided all the holiday information we needed, and in and efficient but sometimes slow way. We would consider using again - if the holiday we wanted was provided. A slow holiday company for that slow laid back holiday.

    INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our self-guided journey Italian Lakes Explorer with our Venice City add-on

     

     

  • Mrs N Carruthers
    Basingstoke
    15 September 2022

    Inntravel are really efficient and friendly. I would recommend them

  • Mr H Braybrook
    Bedford
    04 October 2021

    The Relais I due Roccoli is a beautiful hotel and I would recommend it to anyone.
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • The information that we send to you 2-3 weeks before your holiday includes practical information about each stage of your journey so that you can travel confidently from one hotel to another, recommendations for places to visit and eat out in each place, plus cultural information about the area. Where applicable, we also provide notes for a self-guided walking tour of most cities, and some large towns. Sample travel pack >
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • Absolutely! We are experts in tailored rail travel. Making use of sleeper trains or stopovers in cities along the route, we can get you from London to virtually anywhere in mainland Europe. We can even make arrangements to Mallorca, Sicily and Norway with a combination of ferries and rail. Please contact us to discuss your plans.
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Italy, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The principal official language is Italian, though some regions have a second official language, such as South Tyrol, where German is widely spoken. The currency is the Euro. Italian time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
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