Italian Alpine Lakes and Venice

8 Day Tour

This has always been one of our most popular tours, but even so, it's time for an update. So in 2012 we will be hard at work reorganizing this tour. Look for a new and improved Italian Alpine Lakes and Venice tour in the fall of 2013!

Estimated Prices
2 - 18 Travelers: $2595
8 - 11 Travelers:  $2895
Single Supplement $495

Explore with us three strikingly different regions of Italy, the high alpine lakes of Trentino, the magnificent Dolomite mountain paths and vistas of Alto Adige, and the exotic and romantic city of Venice in the Veneto.  Each region has its own heritage of food, wine, and history that has shaped the people and the culture through the ages.  Like all Lost in Italy adventures, we'll be walking the trails, visiting the villages, sampling the wine, meeting the locals, enjoying the food, marveling at the incredible views, sampling the wine again, enjoying some more cuisine, and slowly easing into the pace of life in this wonderful corner of Northern Italia!

   

Day 1
Riva del GardaOur Italian adventure starts today in Riva del Garda, our home for the first part of our trip.  Located in the Italian Regione of Trentino, Riva is a picturesque town wedged between the Italian Alps and the far northern shore of Lago di Garda, the largest of the famous Italian Alpine Lakes.  In Riva you'll begin to notice the subtle cultural differences that differentiate this region from the rest of Italy.  Although primarily Italian, Austrian and German influences appear alongside Italian names, cuisine and history.  Riva’s strategic location made it an important trading center as far back as Roman times, with sailors bringing goods from the south to trade for supplies that came over the Alps from central Europe.  The diversity of cultures that mingled here makes Riva a fascinating town even today.

The scenic beauty of the area is evident, too.  The blue of the waters contrasts sharply with the green and grey of the surrounding peaks, but both natural features combine to shelter the area and provide a fascinating microclimate.  The olive trees on the slopes overlooking Riva are said to be the northernmost olives in the world, and produce an incredibly light, delicate oil.  Strangely enough, Mediterranean plants abound here and coexist with typical alpine shrubs and trees.

Tonight we'll have our orientation meeting, (of course with local wines), and afterwards we'll walk to one of our favorite spots for our welcome dinner. 

Italian and Tyrolean traditions color the robust cuisine in this region, smoked hams, apples, chestnuts, grapes, plums, and pasta tossed with some of the most delicate olive oil in the world appear on most menus. In addition you'll find polenta, more mushroom varieties than anywhere else in Italy, and trout from the alpine lakes and streams.  There are two things that definitely set this cuisine apart...the breads and the cheeses!  Drawing on both Austrian and Italian baking traditions, the finest breads in all Italy are found here...often laced with onion, garlic, or herbs.  
There is also an amazing amount of delicious cheeses produced in this region!  The problem is naming them, since there are so many local varieties, many are simply called nostrano or "our local homemade cheese".  You'll fall in love with the many types known as malga, a category of mountain cheeses that are made with the summer milk from cows that graze in the highest valleys of the region.

To top off our evening meal, the dolci of the area are often highlighted by wonderful varieties of torta or cake.  Made with mountain grown almonds, walnuts, cherries, apples and rich dairy butters and creams, they will earn a spot alongside gelato in your heart!

An after-dinner passegiata in the town piazza alongside the moored boats at the pier will cap off your first day in the far north of Italia.

Day 2
Lago Ledro

This morning we stretch our legs on a beautiful lakeside trail that winds alongside the dramatic cliffs of Lago Garda. As the morning sun paints the shoreline we’ll be enjoying the views of sailboats, windsurfers and ferry boats as we climb ever higher on this easy path.  In ancient times the local Ladin people used this trail to transport goods between the Roman and Venetian trading posts on Lago Garda and the small mountain communities.  Mules, pack horses and villagers trod these paths for centuries, but today they provide an easy way for us to enjoy the mountain scenery as we walk.  After drinking in the Lago Garda views we’ll turn inland through a tree-lined rocky gorge alongside a clear mountain stream as it leads us deep into the mountain valleys.  Small alpine villages and farms appear in the forest along our route, which seems to have taken us to another quieter world from the wide open spaces along the lake. Before we realize it we’re at our destination, Lago Ledro…a gorgeous sapphire blue alpine lake situated in a small bowl-shaped valley embedded in the forested peaks.

Your guides will prepare a sumptuous lakeside picnic featuring plenty of delicacies from the area, including cheeses from the mountain dairies, local farm salami and breads from the bakeries of Riva. 
Of course to reward you for your walk the guide will have a selection of local wines to complete the picnic!
Meanwhile you can stroll along the waters edge, spotting trout and enjoying the view, or even better you can wash off the trail dust in the clear cool waters of the lake!  (Don’t forget your towel today!)
Our private bus will take us back to town today with plenty of time for you to explore and Go Get Lost!  You can relax and “do your own thing”, with plenty of options to choose from and lots of input and help from your guides. 

• One option might be a scenic ferryboat ride down Lago di Garda to the fun lakeside shopping town of Limone.  Pushed up against the lakeshore by the mountainous cliffs, Limone is a fun place to spend a relaxing evening at dinner enjoying the marvelous lake views and small town ambiance.
• Or you might opt to take a local bus to the larger city of Trento, a wonderful place that gathers within its walls great shopping, markets, food, wine, culture, and history.  One of the most sophisticated small cities in Italy, Trento is a wonderful venue to spend the afternoon exploring the many squares, shops, historic sites and ristorante.  In fact, the bakeries of Trento are considered some of the best in Italy! 
• Another option closer to Riva is the town of Arco, just minutes away by local bus.  Arco is special in that it’s a typical northern Italian town, with lots of quiet streets, bustling squares, bars, shops, and friendly locals.  Relaxation at its best! 
• For those of you more athletically inclined, Riva and the nearby town of Torbole are two of the best known venues in the world for windsurfing.  In fact, the European National Windsurf Championships are held in Riva each spring!  Surf shops line the beaches and will gladly provide lessons and rental equipment for a day surfing one of the world’s prettiest lakes.  
• You don’t have to look far to have fun, though.  This is a great chance to take the time to “Get Lost” and explore Riva.  You could easily spend a day wandering through the piazzas, the lakeside promenade, the neighborhoods, the shops and the markets.  If you have gifts to buy for the folks back home, today is an excellent opportunity.

Day 3
Malcesine, Monte Baldo

Today we'll go south along Lago di Garda to the lakeside village of Malcesine. Here we'll board a series of lifts that scale the near vertical bluffs rising from the lake. This is the long ridge-like spine of impressive Monte Baldo, paralleling the lakeshore for over twenty miles and towering over the nearby landscape. Upon exiting the last lift we'll find ourselves in a different landscape from the gentle lakeshore we left. cool winds, short alpine flora, and stunning views in all directions!

From here a ridge-top path works its way along the spine of Monte Baldo, sometimes edging towards the inland mountains and their lush valley views, sometimes skirting the cliffs along the lake dotted with sailboats. As we walk along the ridge you’ll be amazed at the panorama, on a clear day you can easily see the southern end of Lago di Garda, over 20 miles away!

If you’re looking for an easier option today you could ride the lifts to the top, then walk as much (or as little) as you want, enjoying the mountaintop views, then ride the lifts back down to Malcesine for an extended day in the town.

After our exciting morning on the mountain we’ll turn everyone loose to explore Malcesine. There’s plenty to see and do in this beautiful little town, but when the sun is still high above the mountaintops we’ll meet at the Malcesine dock to board our boat for a scenic ride back to Riva.

We’ve got a fun evening planned, so late this afternoon we’ll meet again for a trip to one of our favorite local wineries. We’ll walk through their vineyards, have a tour of their cellars, learn all about grape growing and wine production…and of course we’ll have a tasting of some of their great vintages along with specialty cuisine of the local area.

This evening is free, so if you’re still hungry after the winery tour, you might wander around Riva to find a cozy ristorante to have dinner. The guides will be dining at one of their favorite local eateries, and you’re always welcome to join them for the evening. People-watching in Piazza Novembre over a cappuccino will be the perfect relaxed ending to an exciting day!

 

 

Day 4
Brenta Group...Nardis Waterfalls or Rifugio Tuckett

After breakfast today we bid farewell to Riva and join our local alpine guides as we board our private mini-coach and head northwest into the spectacular Dolomite Mountains. The route we use winds its way through scenic valleys, past neat mountain villages and over tumbling streams in this out-of-the-way corner of the Alps. Our destination for our morning walk is the formation of mountain peaks known as the Brenta Group, famed for their towering cliffs and surrounding lakes. Today we have two separate but equally beautiful walks! Your first choice starts with an easy stroll through dense alpine woodlands alongside a rushing mountain stream. As you enjoy the beauty and majesty of the forest, you’ll notice the thunder of cascading water growing louder. Soon we’ll find ourselves admiring the stunning beauty of the Nardis Waterfall. Huge boulders allow you to get very close and provide the perfect platform for fantastic photo-ops! As if that wasn’t enough, we have yet another short walk through even denser forest to yet another picturesque waterfall! After all the excitement your guide will take you to our favorite local ristorante for an excellent meal…complete with plenty of the local vintages, of course.

The other walk option will take us a short distance away to the mountain town of Madonna di Campiglio where we’ll use a funicular cable car to transport us up to our trailhead. The walk will lead us across one of the most spectacular landscapes in Italy, high above the treeline and weaving among towering granite pillars. The Brenta group is one of the most photographed mountain landscapes in the world, and we’ll literally be “in the postcard” as we trek between the breathtaking crags. You’ll have many chances to take your very own “postcard” photos of the scenery! We’ll have a hearty lunch at a stone and log mountain “rifugio” and then continue on our path, with dramatic views in every direction.

Eventually we’ll all board our coach and continue deeper into the mountains to Castelrotto, our home for the next few days. Our route to Castelrotto takes us to the northeast past the far northern outposts of Trento and Bolzano. The views along our route are gorgeous and provide typical landscapes of green mountain valleys lined by soaring vertical rock walls. Vineyards, towns, and orchards are sprinkled between large forested tracts. We’ll soon be into the Italian Regione of Alto Adige, also known as the SudTirol or South Tyrol, which straddles the border with Austria to the North. The Austrian influence is strong here, both in the language and the food. Castelrotto, situated in a lovely secluded mountain valley, is perhaps the most picturesque alpine town in all of the Dolomites. With winding cobblestone streets, an abundance of shops and cozy family ristorante, flowerboxes on nearly every windowsill, and towering peaks in every direction, this town is a magical bit of northern Italian ambiance.

After checking into our quaint mountain hotel, we’ll settle into a wonderful meal at the best table in town…our hotel! Even though it’s small and family-owned, its kitchen is famous for regional dishes! An after-dinner aperitif relaxing in the snug bar will be an excellent ending to yet another stellar day.

 

Day 5
Alpi di Suisi, Schlern Plateau, Sassolungo

At the town of Alpi di Suisi we’ll use a funicular to ascend to the high plateau of Sciliar, nestled in a bowl of some of the most breathtaking alpine scenery you can imagine.  Our walk will circumnavigate the plateau through rolling alpine meadows complete with wildflowers and placid dairy cows, along cliffs that plummet thousands of feet to the valley floor, and always surrounded by the brooding peaks of Sassopiatto and Sassolungo.  This walk contains a panoramic overlook that might possibly be the best in all of our trips…certainly in the top 5.  Need I say it…take your camera!

Our meal this afternoon will be at a log-cabin mountain rifugio in a protected valley of the plateau.  Depending on conditions we’ll either be outside on the deck under the crisp alpine sunshine, or eating around a cozy fireplace with a glass of vino (or Austrian beer) and a hearty mountain lunch in front of us. It doesn’t get much better than this.

For those in our group not inclined to huff and puff their way around the plateau, we can offer some fun (and easier) alternative itineraries for the day. The town of Castelrotto, although tiny, has some fun shops, as does the much larger nearby town of Ortisei. You can also use the local bus to explore the city of Bolzano, a beautiful city with one of the best shopping a market districts in Italy and also the famous Otzi Iceman museum. If you still want a bit of time in the countryside, a nearby two-person chair lift can whisk you halfway up the mountainside to the Marinzen trail. From here an easy woodland hike with great valley vistas leads to the tiny mountain rifugio of Schatsen Hutte…complete with an excellent kitchen! Lunch here in a quiet mountain glade will be an experience not soon forgotten. Suffice to say that whatever you choose to do today you’ll sleep well tonight…

 

 

Day 6
Valsugana, Venezia

Today we bid Castelrotto a fond farewell and embark on the next leg of our journey across Northern Italia. Our route will cross the far eastern Dolomites past Trento and into the picturesque Valsugana valley. This glaciated valley was one of the major trade routes through the Alps in times gone by. At midday we’ll stop in one of the small villages along the route and enjoy a fabulous picnic lunch with some of the wonderful cheese from the nearby town of Asiago and wines from the valleys we’re traversing. Eventually our route leads us down the slopes and valleys to the coastal plains as the vertical mountain countryside is supplanted by the fields, vineyards, farms and villas of the Veneto Regione.  The flat coastal landscape will tell us that we’re nearing Venezia, one of the great cultural and historic centers of Europe. 
Despite its long history and formidable reputation, Venezia has retained its “small-city” ambiance and charm which makes it so loved by travelers the world over. It is without a doubt one of the most romantic venues in the world, and the combination of canals, winding streets, gondolas, and ancient monuments combine to create an atmosphere unique in all the world. Venezia is a study in contrasts: filled with tourists and noise, yet also having many quiet typically Venetian neighborhoods never seen by the tourists…an endless variety of restaurants catering to the visitors, and yet plenty of tiny trattoria patronized by shopkeepers, boatbuilders, fisherman, and a few lucky tourists willing to explore off the beaten path…world-famous art, churches, and monuments brought by centuries of traders and seafarers, and also innumerable small charming sites in out-of-the-way locations. Venezia is made to explore on foot, it’s as if it were created just for us!

When we arrive in Venezia, we’ll board our private motorboat and travel to our hotel by canal. This evening the guides will take you on a short “get-oriented” stroll through the neighborhoods around the hotel. Afterwards you will be free to roam and find the perfect spot for dinner. The guides can provide you with plenty of recommendations. Venezia was made to wander, an after dinner passegiatta across the bridges, canals and squares of this city will be a memory you’ll always cherish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 7
Unknown Venezia, Farewell Dinner

After breakfast this morning we’ll meet a local Venetian guide and start exploring!  First we’ll walk to a typical boatbuilding shop to see firsthand how the famous gondolas are made.  The gondoliers and the boats they pilot have been an iconic part of Venezia for hundreds of years, and the history behind the families and the craft is nothing short of astonishing.  Later we’ll meander through the neighborhoods, alleys, and back streets of the “real” Venice while our guide explains some of the fascinating history and day-to-day facts of Venezia.  We’ll have a chance to stop in a Murano glass artisan shop located nearby and marvel at the incredible complexity and artistry of the Murano glassblowers.

The afternoon will be free to wander.  You can take the water taxi over to the island of Burano to see their world-famous Burano lace, or next door to Murano for a more in-depth tour of the main glass artisan shops.  Shopping, of course, is one of the number one occupations of those visiting Venezia, so this might be the perfect opportunity for gift-buying, for friends and also for yourself!

Tonight we’ll meet in the garden of the hotel for a pre-dinner wine party.  As the daylight fades and twilight closes in, we’ll wander toward one of our favorite restaurants for our final night’s dinner.  Toasts are made, trails are re-lived, and new friendships are celebrated. The magic of Venezia comes into its own at night, and as the evening wears on we come to realize that our time spent in Italia may well have been some of the best.

Day 8
Arrivederci Venezia

Your Lost in Italy tour ends after breakfast today.  Your guides can arrange for a water taxi to take you directly from the hotel to the airport in Venice, (yes, to the airport by boat), or if you are extending your stay in Venice they can suggest an endless variety of places to visit and things to experience.

Of course everyone must visit Rome and Florence at least once in their life, so a great plan is to extend your stay in either (or both) cities for a couple of days after your Lost in Italy tour.  We can arrange transport, a beautiful hotel in our favorite area near the heart of the old city, and a fascinating walking tour of the classic sites with a local guide.

Rome extension, click here
Florence extension, click here

What's Included On This Tour?

• 7 Nights Double Occupancy Accommodations at Listed Hotels or Similar (All Hotels with Private Bathrooms)
• Meals as Specified: 7 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Trailside Picnics, 3 Dinners, 5 Wine Tastings
• Picnic Lunch at Lago Ledro Featuring Local Specialties
• Picnic Lunch in the Valsugana
• Mountain Lunch at Rifugio Tuckett
• Mountain Lunch at Arnikahutte Rifugio
• Welcome Dinner in Riva del Garda
• Dinner in Castelrotto
• Farewell Dinner in Venezia
• Brenta Walk with Local Guide
• or Nardis Waterfall Walk with Local Guide
• Lago Ledro Walk
• Alpi di Suisi Walk in the SudTirol
• Monte Baldo Walk
• Venezia Neighborhood Walking Tour with Local Guide
• Guides Welcome Night Wine Tasting
• Guides Trailside Wine Tasting in Ledro
• Guides Picnic Wine Tasting in the Valsugana
• Guides Farewell Night Wine Tasting
• Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting
• Opportunities to Visit Lots of Unique Villages – Malcesine, Nago, Castelrotto, Torbole, Grigno, Ledro, Arco, etc.
• Transportation once the tour has begun. The motorcoaches and vans we use are modern, air conditioned and roomy. Our tour groups are usually between 8-18 people so we always have lots of room on our coaches to get comfortable.
• All train, ferry, hydrofoil, coach, and taxi transfers as specified in itinerary.
• Sightseeing and entrance fees as specified in itinerary
• Completely escorted by an American Lost in Italy Tour Leader with local guides at specified sites throughout the itinerary
• Lost in Italy trail-friendly wine glass
• A lifetime of unforgettable memories!

What's Not Included On This Tour?

• Airfare package
  
• Departure taxes
  
• Arrival and departure transfers, tour begins at the hotel in Riva del Garda on the afternoon of Day 1, and the tour ends at the hotel in Venice on the morning of day 8.
  
• Gratuities for meals, porterage, local guides, coach drivers, etc.
  Any costs associated with options on Get Lost Day.
  
• Visa fees, if applicable
  
• Meals not specified in itinerary
  
• Beverages at meals unless specified in itinerary
  
• Trip Cancellation/Interruption and Medical Insurance (strongly recommended), call for details
  
• Single supplement charge
  
• Items of a personal nature; phone calls, laundry, etc.