Cornelius Amann
06 octobre 2026
5/5
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Italian Lakes: Maggiore, Como and Garda
8 days from Milan to Milan: two nights on Lake Maggiore with the Borromean Islands, three in Bellagio on Lake Como and two in Sirmione on Lake Garda.
8 jours · Départ et retour : Milan · jusqu'à 12 voyageurs
Piazza della Libertà in Bergamo's lower town, on the way from Lake Como to Lake Garda Photo: Laurens R. Krol, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2018-08-15_Italy,_Bergamo_DSC_5335_DxO.jpg)
Les faits
En bref
- Durée
- 8 jours, 7 nuits
- Départ et arrivée
- Départ et retour : Milan
- Taille du groupe
- 7 à 12 voyageurs
- Niveau d'activité
Modéré
About 5 to 8 km on foot on most days, on lakeside paths, cobbled lanes and the stepped streets of Bellagio, Varenna and Bergamo's upper town, with steps on and off boats. Monte Baldo's top station is at about 1,760 m, reached by cable car. The one real climb, the stepped path to Castello di Vezio above Varenna, is optional, and every longer walk has a part you can sit out.
- Repas compris
- 7 petits-déjeuners, 6 repas du midi, 1 repas du soir
- Chambre individuelle
- + CAD 770 (prix estimé)
- Saison
- April to October
Points forts
Pourquoi ce voyage
- Isola Bella's palace and terraced garden at opening, lunch on Isola dei Pescatori and the peacocks of Isola Madre
- The fast boat up Lake Como from Como to Bellagio, with the bags sent ahead by road
- Three nights in Bellagio: Villa Carlotta, Varenna and Villa Melzi by ferry and on foot
- A cooking class and dinner on Lake Como
- Bergamo's upper town inside its Venetian walls, on the way to Lake Garda
- The Grotte di Catullo in Sirmione in late light, as the day visitors leave
- Monte Baldo by cable car, Malcesine castle and the ferry to Limone's lemon houses
- Milan Cathedral's rooftop terraces and Michelangelo's Rondanini Pietà on the last morning
Ce qui distingue ce voyage
Le temps libre fait partie du programme
Le temps libre et les choix sont indiqués les jours où ils ont lieu.
En solo, sans pénalité
Une chambre individuelle coûte + CAD 770 (prix estimé).
Jour par jour
Itinéraire
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Milan, then Lake Maggiore
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) to central Milan, then Stresa on Lake Maggiore
- Welcome dinner in Stresa; lunch at your own choice in Milan
- Nuit : Stresa
- Environ 2 h de route
Matin
Most flights from North America land at Milan Malpensa (MXP) in the morning. Our vehicle meets the group there in the late morning and drives about 50 km into Milan; if you are already in the city, you join us at a central meeting point at noon (times and place come with your final itinerary). Your See Sight Tours guide starts with an easy hour on foot, a gentle stretch after the flight: through Parco Sempione behind the Sforza Castle to the Arco della Pace, the triumphal arch begun under Napoleon and finished in 1838, and the two neoclassical toll houses that once guarded this city gate.
Après-midi
Lunch is at a café of your choice by the park. Early in the afternoon we drive about 90 km north-west to Stresa, back past the airport: Stresa is only about 60 km from Malpensa, and the walk in Milan is the reason for the detour. Stresa sits on the Piedmont shore of Lake Maggiore; we stay two nights near the lakefront. Check in, rest, then walk the promenade where tomorrow's boats leave for the islands.
Soir
In the evening we sit down together for a welcome dinner.
Compris
- Pick-up at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) or a central Milan meeting point
- Walk through Parco Sempione to the Arco della Pace with your guide
- Drive to Stresa on Lake Maggiore
- Welcome dinner in Stresa
Temps libre : Late afternoon free in Stresa
Activité : Land at Malpensa by about 10:30 am to join the pick-up; the exact time is set with your final itinerary.
The Borromean Islands
Stresa to Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre by boat, and back
- Petit-déjeuner et repas du midi
- Nuit : Stresa
- En bateau
Our hired boat leaves the Stresa pier so that we are on Isola Bella when the palace opens, before the day boats crowd the landing stage. The Borromeo family turned this rock into a baroque palace in the 17th century, and its garden climbs in ten terraces to a stage of statues and obelisks, with white peacocks on the lawns. A local guide takes us through the state rooms and down to the shell-lined grottoes below them.
Après-midi
Late morning we cross to Isola dei Pescatori, the one island where people still live all year, a village of narrow lanes and fishermen's houses, for a sit-down lunch of lake fish. In the afternoon the boat takes us to Isola Madre, the largest of the three and the quietest: a botanical garden of camellias, azaleas and palms around a smaller villa, with peacocks and pheasants loose on the paths.
Soir
We are back in Stresa by late afternoon, and the evening is free along the lakefront.
Compris
- A hired boat for the group for the day
- Isola Bella: Palazzo Borromeo and its terraced garden at opening, with a local guide
- Sit-down lunch on Isola dei Pescatori
- Isola Madre and its botanical garden
Activités en option
- Villa Taranto gardens in Verbania by ferry
- Santa Caterina del Sasso, the hermitage on the cliffs of the eastern shore
Temps libre : Evening free in Stresa
Activité : About 3 to 4 km on garden paths and stairs, with steps on and off the boat at each landing.
Como, Brunate and the boat to Bellagio
Stresa to Como by road, then by fast boat up the lake to Bellagio
- Petit-déjeuner et repas du midi
- Nuit : Bellagio
- Environ 1.5 h de route
Matin
We leave Stresa after breakfast for Como, about 85 km and an hour and a quarter by road, at the southern tip of Lake Como. Your guide walks you from the lakefront into the walled old town and the cathedral, begun in 1396 and crowned with its dome in the 18th century. Then we ride the funicular, running since 1894, up to the village of Brunate, about 700 m above sea level, for the view down the first stretch of the lake towards the Alps.
Après-midi
Lunch is a sit-down meal back in Como. In the early afternoon our vehicle takes the bags ahead by road while we board the fast boat up the western arm of the lake, past villas, boathouses and steep villages, to Bellagio, on the point where the lake divides. The crossing takes about 45 minutes.
Soir
We stay three nights in Bellagio, and the evening is free to walk its stepped lanes and the waterfront.
Compris
- Como's old town and cathedral with your guide
- The Como to Brunate funicular
- Sit-down lunch in Como
- Fast boat from Como to Bellagio, with your bags sent ahead by road
Temps libre : Evening free in Bellagio
Activité : If the fast boat is not running, we take the slower ferry, about two hours, or drive the last stretch along the shore.
Villa Carlotta and Varenna by ferry
Bellagio to Tremezzo and Varenna by ferry, and back
- Petit-déjeuner et repas du midi
- Nuit : Bellagio
- En traversier
The short ferries of the central lake make this a day without the vehicle. We cross from Bellagio to Villa Carlotta at Tremezzo for its opening, while the paths are quiet. The villa was built at the end of the 17th century and holds neoclassical sculpture, including works by Antonio Canova, and Francesco Hayez's painting The Last Kiss of Romeo and Juliet. Its gardens step down to the water, with azaleas and rhododendrons that peak in April and May, a valley of ferns and citrus on the terraces. From Tremezzo the ferry crosses to Varenna, a village of coloured houses stacked above a small harbour on the eastern shore.
Après-midi
Lunch is a sit-down meal in Varenna, then time to walk the lakeside walkway and the gardens of Villa Monastero, which run for a long stretch along the shore. We are back in Bellagio by ferry in the late afternoon. Your day pass covers the central-lake ferries, so you can stay out later if you like.
Compris
- Day pass for the central Lake Como ferries
- Villa Carlotta and its gardens at opening
- Varenna with your guide
- Sit-down lunch in Varenna
- Villa Monastero gardens
Option plus facile : Stay in Varenna's gardens and harbour after lunch and take an earlier ferry back to Bellagio.
Option plus active : Walk up the stepped path from Varenna to Castello di Vezio, about 20 to 30 minutes uphill, for the view over all three arms of the lake.
Temps libre : Evening free in Bellagio
Activité : About 5 to 6 km on garden paths and village lanes, with steps on and off the ferries.
Bellagio at an easy pace, and a cooking evening
A day in and around Bellagio
- Petit-déjeuner et repas du soir
- Nuit : Bellagio
A slower day in one place.
Matin
After breakfast your guide walks you through Bellagio's stepped lanes and along the shore to the gardens of Villa Melzi, built between 1808 and 1810 for Francesco Melzi d'Eril, vice-president of Napoleon's Italian Republic. The park runs along the water with old trees, a small Japanese garden and views across to Tremezzo. We walk on to Punta Spartivento, the tip of the promontory, where you can see down the Como and Lecco arms of the lake at once. The rest of the day is yours: swim at the lido, rent a kayak, take a boat to Villa del Balbianello, or sit with a coffee on the waterfront.
Soir
In the early evening we meet for a hands-on cooking class with a local cook: fresh pasta and a risotto in the lake style, then dinner together at the table with what we have made, and a glass of wine.
Compris
- Morning walk with your guide to Villa Melzi gardens and Punta Spartivento
- Cooking class with dinner and wine
Activités en option
- Villa del Balbianello by boat
- A private boat trip on the lake
- Kayak rental
Option plus facile : Skip the morning walk and join the group for the cooking class in the evening.
Option plus active : Take the ferry to Cadenabbia and walk the Greenway del Lago di Como south through Tremezzo to Lenno, about 3.5 km each way, then walk back to Cadenabbia for the ferry to Bellagio.
Temps libre : Afternoon free
Activité : About 3 km on foot in the morning, with stepped lanes in Bellagio.
Bergamo's upper town, on to Lake Garda
Bellagio to Bergamo by road, then Sirmione on Lake Garda
- Petit-déjeuner et repas du midi
- Nuit : Sirmione
- Environ 2.5 h de route
We leave Bellagio at about 8:30 am along the shore of the Lecco arm and on to Bergamo, about 60 km and an hour and a half, as the lake road is narrow. From the lower town, past the 1930s Piazza della Libertà, we take the funicular up to the Città Alta, the upper town inside the Venetian walls that UNESCO listed in 2017. Your guide walks you through Piazza Vecchia, under the arches of the Palazzo della Ragione, and into Santa Maria Maggiore, founded in 1137 and decorated inside in the baroque age, beside the marble facade of the Colleoni Chapel.
Après-midi
Lunch is a sit-down meal in the upper town: polenta, or casoncelli, the local filled pasta. Then it is about an hour to Sirmione, on a narrow peninsula reaching into the south of Lake Garda, for two nights. At about 5 pm a local guide takes us round the Grotte di Catullo, the ruins of a large Roman villa at the tip, as the day visitors leave and the light drops over the water.
Compris
- Bergamo's upper town with your guide: the funicular, Piazza Vecchia and Santa Maria Maggiore
- Sit-down lunch in Bergamo's upper town
- The Grotte di Catullo in Sirmione in the late afternoon, with a local guide
Activités en option
- Sirmione's thermal baths
Temps libre : Evening free in Sirmione
Activité : The Grotte di Catullo close on Mondays, so departures are set so this day is not a Monday.
Monte Baldo, Malcesine and Limone
Sirmione to Malcesine by road, Monte Baldo by cable car, the ferry to Limone sul Garda, then back to Sirmione along the western shore
- Petit-déjeuner et repas du midi
- Nuit : Sirmione
- Environ 3.5 h de route
We leave Sirmione at about 8:30 am and follow the eastern shore through Lazise, Bardolino and Garda to Malcesine, about 65 km and an hour and a quarter.
Matin
The cable car climbs from the lake to Monte Baldo, the upper section in a cabin that turns as it rises, to about 1,760 m, where on a clear morning the whole northern half of the lake lies below you.
Après-midi
Back down, we walk Malcesine's lanes to its Scaliger castle on a rock above the water, where Goethe was nearly arrested as a spy in 1786 for sketching it, and sit down to lunch. Then the ferry crosses the lake to Limone sul Garda, known for its lemon houses: tall stone pillars where lemons grew under winter covers. We visit the Limonaia del Castel and walk the old harbour. Our vehicle meets us in Limone and drives back down the western shore, through the tunnels of the cliff road and past Gargnano and Salò, about 70 km and often an hour and 40 minutes or more in summer traffic.
Soir
The evening is free.
Compris
- Monte Baldo cable car from Malcesine
- Malcesine's Scaliger castle
- Sit-down lunch in Malcesine
- Ferry from Malcesine to Limone sul Garda
- The Limonaia del Castel lemon house in Limone
Option plus facile : Skip the cable car and spend the morning in Malcesine's lanes and castle before lunch.
Option plus active : Walk along the Monte Baldo ridge from the top station for about an hour before riding back down.
Temps libre : Evening free in Sirmione
Activité : The cable car stops in strong wind or storms; if it does, we take a longer ferry on the lake instead.
Milan Cathedral, the Sforza Castle and home
Sirmione to Milan, then Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) or Milano Centrale
- Petit-déjeuner et repas du midi
- Environ 3 h de route
We leave Sirmione at about 8 am on the motorway to Milan, about 130 km and an hour and three quarters. Milan Cathedral comes first, on a reserved entry: inside with your guide, then up by lift to the rooftop terraces among its marble spires and statues. From the square we walk through the glass-roofed Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to La Scala, and along Via Dante to the Sforza Castle, the fortress of the dukes of Milan. In the castle museums you see Michelangelo's Rondanini Pietà, the marble he was still carving in the last days of his life in 1564, and the old ducal rooms with their painted glass.
Après-midi
We finish with a farewell lunch near the castle. At about 2:30 pm the trip ends: our vehicle drops you at Milano Centrale or your Milan hotel, or takes you on to Malpensa, about 50 km, arriving at about 3:45 pm.
Soir
Many long-haul flights leave Malpensa before midday, so if yours does, we can book an extra night in Milan.
Compris
- Milan Cathedral and its rooftop terraces by lift, with your guide
- The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and La Scala
- The Sforza Castle museums and the Rondanini Pietà
- Farewell lunch in Milan
- Drop-off at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), Milano Centrale or a Milan hotel
Activité : Book a flight leaving Malpensa after about 6:30 pm, or add a night in Milan. The Sforza Castle museums close on Mondays, so departures are set so this day is not a Monday.
- Milandépart
- Stresa2 nuits
- Bellagio3 nuits
- Sirmione2 nuits
- Milanarrivée
- Étape avec nuitée
- Excursion d'une journée
- En bateau ou en train
Faune et météo : April and May are the garden months, with camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons in flower on the islands and at the villas. June to August is warm to hot, often near 30°C, with afternoon thunderstorms and busy ferries, so we go out early. September and October are mild and quieter. Lake Garda has steady winds, a northerly in the morning and a southerly in the afternoon, and the cable car can stop in strong wind.
Vous voulez recevoir ce programme par courriel?
Recevez l'itinéraire jour par jour par courriel, ou posez-nous vos questions sur ce voyage. Un conseiller en voyages vous répond le jour même ou le jour ouvrable suivant.
Avant de réserver
Ce voyage est-il pour vous?
Ce voyage vous convient si vous recherchez
- Travellers who want all three big lakes without one-night stops
- Gardens, villas and boat days rather than museums every morning
- A gentle pace with free afternoons and evenings in every base
- Anyone who would rather cross the lakes by boat than sit on a coach
Ce voyage ne vous convient pas si vous recherchez
- Step-free access: Bellagio, Varenna and Bergamo's upper town are built on steps, and boats mean gangways
- Travellers who want Venice, Florence or Rome (see our Venice, Florence and Rome trip)
- A beach holiday: the lidos are for a swim, not a week on the sand
- Travellers who want every evening planned with the group
Réservez vos vols une fois votre place confirmée.
7 nuits
Où vous logerez
Vos hôtels sont nommés dans la confirmation de votre voyage.
- Stresa2 nuits
- Bellagio3 nuits
- Sirmione2 nuits
Un seul prix
Ce que le prix comprend
Compris
Hébergement
- 7 nights: 2 in Stresa on Lake Maggiore, 3 in Bellagio on Lake Como and 2 in Sirmione on Lake Garda
- Central lakefront or old-town hotels of a 3-star-plus standard with private bathrooms, a short walk from the ferry pier; we name each hotel when we confirm your dates
- Hotel city taxes
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) or a central Milan meeting point on day 1
- Drop-off at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), Milano Centrale or a Milan hotel on day 8
- Our own vehicle and driver for the road days, and for your bags on the boat day to Bellagio
- A hired boat for the group on the Borromean Islands day
- The fast boat from Como to Bellagio, a day pass for the central Lake Como ferries and the ferry from Malcesine to Limone
- The Como to Brunate funicular, the Bergamo funicular and the Monte Baldo cable car
Votre guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 8
- Licensed local guides on Isola Bella and at the Grotte di Catullo
- Tips for local guides, boat crews and drivers
Activités
- Milan: Parco Sempione and the Arco della Pace; the cathedral and its rooftop terraces; the Sforza Castle museums and the Rondanini Pietà
- Lake Maggiore: Isola Bella's palace and gardens, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre's gardens
- Lake Como: Como's old town and cathedral, Brunate, Villa Carlotta, Varenna and the Villa Monastero gardens, the Villa Melzi gardens and a cooking class
- Bergamo: the upper town, Piazza Vecchia and Santa Maria Maggiore
- Lake Garda: the Grotte di Catullo in Sirmione, Monte Baldo, Malcesine's castle, Limone sul Garda and the Limonaia del Castel
- All entrance fees for included sights
Repas
- 7 breakfasts
- 6 lunches: on Isola dei Pescatori, in Como, in Varenna, in Bergamo's upper town, in Malcesine and a farewell lunch in Milan
- 2 dinners: a welcome dinner in Stresa and the dinner you cook at the Bellagio cooking class
Non compris
- International flights to and from Milan
- Visa or travel authorisation fees, such as ETIAS once it applies
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed
- Drinks, apart from wine with the cooking-class dinner
- A tip for your See Sight Tours guide, at your discretion
- Optional activities such as Villa del Balbianello, Villa Taranto or a private boat on Lake Como
- Lido, spa and thermal bath fees, including the baths in Sirmione
- Extra nights in Milan before or after the trip
- Personal expenses
Suppléments
- Chambre individuelle
- CAD 770 (prix estimé)
Quand partir
Dates et prix
Choisissez votre date de départ au moment de votre demande de réservation. Nous vérifions cette date et la confirmons dans votre devis.
Vous préférez voyager sans groupe ni guide? Demandez-nous d'organiser vos hôtels, vos transports et vos visites de ville pour voyager en autonomie.
Avant de réserver
Conditions de réservation
Rien n'est facturé maintenant. Les conditions complètes et le barème d'annulation accompagnent votre devis, avant que vous acceptiez.
Adresses de l'entreprise
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Avis des voyageurs
Ce que disent nos voyageurs
Avis de voyageurs ayant participé à nos visites d'une journée.
Jane
06 octobre 2026
5/5
Susan
06 octobre 2026
5/5
Tom L
05 octobre 2026
5/5
MandL83
05 octobre 2026
5/5
Darren O
05 octobre 2026
5/5
Bon à savoir
Questions
What does the price include?
Seven nights in central 3-star-plus hotels on three lakes, 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 2 dinners, airport transfers in Milan, our vehicle and driver, a hired boat to the Borromean Islands, the ferries, funiculars and Monte Baldo cable car, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, local guides, a cooking class and every entry in the day plan.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. Other lakes trips often run to 16 and coach tours far more, so a group of 12 or fewer fits on one hired boat, boards ferries quickly and sits around one table at lunch.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the Milan pick-up on day 1 to the drop-off on day 8. On Isola Bella and at the Grotte di Catullo, licensed local guides lead the visits, with your own guide alongside.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderate. Expect 5 to 8 km on foot on most days, with stepped lanes in Bellagio, Varenna and Bergamo, and steps on and off boats. Monte Baldo is reached by cable car. The climb to Castello di Vezio is optional, and the longer days each have an easier choice.
I am travelling solo. Do I pay a single supplement?
Yes, and it is published up front: a room of your own is guaranteed on request and costs CAD 770 more on the small-group trip, about 17 percent of the price, in the same central hotels as everyone else. If you would rather share, ask when you request to book and we tell you whether a roommate is available.
When is the best time to visit the Italian Lakes?
April to October. April and May are best for the island and villa gardens in flower. June to August is warm and busy, so we go out early. September and October are mild and quieter. Most gardens and the island palaces close from early November to late March, which is why the trip does not run in winter.
Which lake is best: Como, Garda or Maggiore?
Each is different, which is why this trip stays on all three. Maggiore has the Borromean Islands and their palace gardens. Como is the narrow, steep lake of villas and ferry villages, so it gets three nights. Garda is the largest, with Sirmione's Roman ruins, Monte Baldo and the lemon houses of Limone.
How do we get around the lakes?
By boat where it is the better way, and by our own vehicle where it is not. We hire a boat for the Borromean Islands, take the fast boat up Lake Como and use the ferries between villages. Our vehicle carries your bags between bases, so you never haul a suitcase onto a ferry.
Does the trip go to Verona or Venice?
No. To keep three nights on Como and no one-night stops, this trip ends in Milan. Verona is about 40 minutes from Sirmione, so we can add a night there after the trip. For Venice, see our Venice, Florence and Rome trip, which pairs well with this one.
How does booking work and how much does it cost?
Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes. The small group starts from CAD 4,540, and private trips from CAD 8,170. Pick your start date and request to book; we confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken until then.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip runs as a private trip for your party only, with your own guide and vehicle, on a date you choose. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same hotels, boats and guided visits.
Do I need a visa for Italy?
Canadian, US, UK and Australian citizens can visit Italy and the rest of the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180. The EU's ETIAS travel authorisation is expected to start in late 2026; we confirm at booking exactly what applies to your passport and dates.
See Sight Tours offre des services de voyage partout en Amérique du Nord depuis 2006. Présente dans 20 villes au Canada et aux États-Unis, l'entreprise se spécialise dans les tours en petit groupe qui offrent des expériences personnalisées et de grande qualité aux voyageurs.
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