Overseas Adventure Travel - Northern Italy: The Alps, Dolomites & Lombardy 2023 - Overseas ...
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YOUR O.A.T. ADVENTURE TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE®
PREPARED ESPECIALLY FOR:
Traveler
Northern Italy: The Alps, Dolomites & Lombardy
2023
Small Groups: 8-16 travelers—guaranteed! (average of 13)
®
Overseas Adventure Travel
The Leader in Personalized Small Group Adventures on the Road Less Traveled
1
Dear Traveler,
I can’t wait to see where my next journey will take me. I know you’re eager to explore the world, too, and our
Northern Italy: The Alps, Dolomites & Lombardy itinerary described inside is a perfect start.
Exactly how your adventure unfolds is up to you, because you can personalize and tailor your
experience any way you want. Arrive early in the first destination of your adventure, stay later in the last
destination, add a pre- or post-trip extension, spend time in a Stopover city, or even combine 2 or more
trips. More than 87% of our travelers choose to tailor their adventure. Also, because we’re the leader in Solo
Women Travel, we’re offering 25 exclusive women’s departures in 2023.
As for Northern Italy: The Alps, Dolomites & Lombardy, thanks to your small group of 8-16 travelers (average 13)
you can expect some unforgettable experiences. Here’s one that stood out for me:
In my mind, nothing is more idyllic than the mountainous landscapes and rural villages of Alpine Europe. To
immerse myself in their pastoral traditions and everyday life, I explore rural communities like the villages
scattered along the Valtellina Valley. You’ll see what I mean when you experience A Day in the Life of a family-
run farm, where you’ll meet the owner, walk the grounds, lend a hand with the farm chores, and share a
meal with your hosts in the farmhouse. You’ll also get a taste for some of the other crafts in the Valley when
you visit a locally-owned goat cheese producer and a water-powered mill.
The most moving experiences of all were the stories I heard from the local people. You’ll hear their personal
experiences, too, during an illuminating conversation about the blending of German, Austrian, and Italian
culture in the South Tyrol from a local resident, who will also talk about the challenges of raising children in
this multicultural region of Northern Italy.
So you’ll experience the true culture, we don’t shy away from controversial topics. Plus, we make sure all our
Trip Experience Leaders are “insiders” who live in the country. You may be nudged out of your comfort zone,
but you will also be inspired by the wonderful people you meet.
Thanks for letting me dream along with you about Northern Italy: The Alps, Dolomites & Lombardy.
Remember, you can reserve with confidence thanks to our Risk-Free Booking policy: learn more
at www.oattravel.com/riskfree-booking. You can also check out the most up-to-date health and safety
protocols we’ve put in place across all our adventures at www.oattravel.com/coronavirus-update.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our Regional Adventure Counselors at
1-800-955-1925.
Warm regards,
Harriet R. Lewis
Vice Chairman
Overseas Adventure Travel
P.S. For more information about this popular adventure, visit our website at www.oattravel.com/itr2023.
2
CONTENTS
A Letter from Harriet Lewis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
The O.A.T. Difference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
The Freedom to Personalize and Tailor Your Experience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Grand Circle Foundation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Leader in Solo Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
NORTHERN ITALY: THE ALPS, ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS:
DOLOMITES & LOMBARDY CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE
Your Adventure at a Glance: Culture & Points to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Where You’re Going, What it Costs, Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Shipping &
10
and What’s Included . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Your Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary . . . . . . . . 12
Pre-Trip Extensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY
Post-Trip Extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Italy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Switzerland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION
Travel Documents & Entry Requirements. . . 49 RESOURCES
Rigors, Vaccines & General Health . . . . . . . . . 51 Suggested Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Money Matters: Local Currency Suggested Film & Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
& Tipping Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch . . . . . 58
Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits . . . 61
Climate & Average Temperatures . . . . . . . . . . 67
Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
3
Since 1978, leading the way in small group adventures
on the road less traveled
4
Experience the O.A.T. Difference
Small groups of 8-16 travelers (average of 13) crafted to balance included activities with time for
independent exploring.
O.A.T. is the leader in solo-friendly travel, with
43,000 solo travelers joining us through 2023 Authentic cultural connections like Home-
departures. We’ve had over 120,000 solo travelers Hosted meals and A Day in the Life experiences let
explore the world on an O.A.T. adventure since travelers engage with locals.
2015, and that number grows every year.
Unique lodgings and local modes of
O.A.T. Trip Experience Leaders, English-speaking transportation give you the local character—from
residents of the region, provide the firsthand canoes to camels, and from family-run hotels to
insight only a local can. historic manors.
87% of our travelers personalize and tailor Our 36 worldwide offices craft truly unique
their experience with the freedom to arrive itineraries, designed and supported by a team that
early, stay later, combine adventures, or add a lives and works in the area.
trip extension or stopover. Plus, each itinerary is
The Pillars of Discovery
CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS
During exclusive conversations with local experts,
you’ll get insights into the issues affecting their lives—
issues like immigration, sustainability, and violence
against women.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Meet the local people where they live, work, and play.
You might help a farmer, learn to make ricotta, or even
participate in a welcome ritual.
HOME-HOSTED EXPERIENCES
In groups of 4-5 travelers, you’ll join a local family
in their home for a meal that proves cross-cultural
exchange is the best seasoning.
GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION (GCF) VISIT
We established Grand Circle Foundation to give back to
the world we travel. You might visit a local school, clean
water facility, or a project supporting a local community.
Left page:ƩŭĞāũĿÖłŋłŶĞāmāĴŋłėĢƑāũĢłÁĢāłŶĢÖłā̇dÖŋŭ̍̒Top: A Day in the Life ŋĕÖmÖÖŭÖĢƑĢķķÖėā̇¦ÖłơÖłĢÖ̒
Bottom: ¦ũÖƑāķāũŭùŽũĢłėÖNŋĿā̟ĞŋŭŶāùŶÖƘĢłÁĢķłĢŽŭ̇dĢŶĞŽÖłĢÖ
5
Freedom to Personalize and
Tailor Your Experience
You Can Tailor Your Adventure Your Way
PRE- OR POST-TRIP EXTENSIONS
More than 55% of O.A.T. travelers choose to take a pre- or post-trip extension. Why? You’ll maximize your
discoveries, take advantage of your included international airfare, and you’ll usually travel with the same
group and Trip Experience Leader from your main trip.
1. You’ll maximize your discoveries—often in an 2. Great value: All extensions include
even smaller group than your main adventure accommodations, daily breakfast, and
(on average, 6 travelers with a dedicated Trip airport transfers.
Experience Leader)—and take advantage of your 3. Continuity and camaraderie: You’ll usually travel
included airfare. with the same Trip Experience Leader who leads
your main trip, enjoying more of his or her insider
expertise—and more time to bond with the group.
Optional Extensions offered with your Italy adventure
Italian Riviera, Genoa & the Cinque Terre NEW! The Swiss Alps: Lucerne, Bern & Zermatt
5 nights pre-trip from $2195 7 nights pre-trip from $3195
Genoa, Italy Zermatt, Switzerland
Classic Venice: Murano & Burano
4 nights post-trip from $1795
Venice, Italy
6
87% of travelers personalize
and tailor their adventures.
Here’s how...
ARRIVE EARLY, STAY LATER COMBINE & TAILOR YOUR EXPERIENCES
Arrive early in the first destination of your pre- More than 3,000 travelers combined two or
trip extension or main adventure, or stay later in more adventures in 2019. If you’re already
the last destination on your main adventure or overseas, why not see more of the world and
post-trip extension. By coming early, you’re able maximize your value by avoiding the expense
to rest after your long flight or start exploring and length of another international flight?
on your own. By staying later, you have extra
time to relax, do last-minute shopping, or
AIR PREFERENCES
explore more in depth. Accommodations are See how 54% of travelers are personalizing
at the same hotels where you begin or end their air itineraries; you can choose your
the main trip and trip extensions, so your departure city and airline, depart from one city
transitions will be seamless. and return to another, upgrade your seat to
Premium Economy or Business Class, and more.
STOPOVER IN POPULAR
INTERNATIONAL CITIES FREEDOM OF CHOICE DURING
O.A.T. offers the opportunity to Stopover in
YOUR ADVENTURE
popular cities. For $595-$995 per person, your Whenever possible, we’ve included a number
price includes 3 nights in a centrally-located of off-the-beaten path activities that allow you
hotel, daily breakfasts, and roundtrip private to make the most of your explorations. These
airport transfers. recommendations are designed by our team of
local experts with women travelers in mind.
To discover how you can personalize
and tailor your adventure, visit
www.oattravel.com/personalize
Top: O.A.T. travelers in Matera, Italy;
Right: Enjoy a post-trip to the Bay of Islands, New Zealand
7
CHANGING PEOPLE'S LIVES
One village, one school, one person at a time
Dear Traveler,
In 1992 we established Grand Circle Foundation, an
entity of the Lewis Family Foundation, as a means
to give back to the world that had already given
us so much. Since then, we’ve pledged or donated
more than $225 million worldwide to support
the education of young people, the preservation
of international treasures and UNESCO World
Heritage Sites, and the conservation of natural
resources for future generations.
Grand Circle Foundation is also there when
Foundation funds are supporting Ukrainians like this family
crisis unfolds in the world. The almost universal who has found safe haven at a shelter in Romania.
condemnation of Russia’s recent actions against
Ukraine has resulted in an unprecedented
outpouring of support for Ukrainian refugees
and orphans. Through the kind generosity of
our travelers, friends, and associates, we have
raised more than $2 million to assist Ukrainians
who have had their lives upended. Our efforts
are being spearheaded by two of our regional
associates, Stefan Mototolea in Romania, and
Kadir Tasdelen in Poland. They have been
instrumental in using their local connections
to cut through the red tape so that Ukrainian
families most in need are getting help. And as
of March 31, more than $800,000 of relief aid in Learn how Moroccan women are bettering their lives with
workshops at the Imik Simik Women’s Association.
the form of clothing, food, medicine, and other
items in short supply has made it directly into the
hands of Ukrainian refugees at shelters in Poland
and Romania. And more is on the way.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you visit the Foundation’s home page
Thank you for traveling with us, and for helping at www.grandcirclefoundation.org, you can
to change people’s lives. click on our “Donate to Ukrainian Refugee
Relief” section. To learn about many more
Warm regards,
ongoing Foundation projects, you can sign up
for our weekly e-newsletter, the Inside Scoop,
at www.oattravel.com/the-inside-scoop.
Harriet R. Lewis
Chair
Grand Circle Foundation
www.grandcirclefoundation.org
8
LEADER IN SOLO-FRIENDLY TRAVEL
Travel solo, but never alone
WHO IS A SOLO TRAVELER?
Some solo travelers may bring a friend or family
THE LEADER IN SOLO-FRIENDLY
member along, sharing the adventure. Others
TRAVEL—BY THE NUMBERS
may explore on their own, enjoying the security
and camaraderie of group travel. However you
travel, feel confident with the leader in solo-
OVER 50%
friendly travel.
of all O.A.T. travelers travel solo.
FREE OR LOW-COST SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS 30,000 SINGLE SPACES
When you travel solo, your adventure is your own. are being offered in 2023 on all
That’s why 92% of our single spaces have a FREE O.A.T. adventures.
Single Supplement, and the remaining 8% have
the lowest single supplements in the industry. See 92%
details at www.oattravel.com/solo. of our 30,000 single spaces have
FREE Single Supplements.
YOU’LL ALWAYS FEEL SAFE AND SECURE The remaining 8% have the lowest
single supplements in the industry.
Our regional associates know your adventure
inside and out, and are ready to help 24/7
throughout your entire trip, should the need arise. 25 WOMEN-ONLY DEPARTURES
And a local Trip Experience Leader is there to on some of our most popular
ensure you always feel part of the group. 2023 itineraries.
TRAVEL AMONG FRIENDS
Small groups of 8-16 travelers (average of 13) by
land and 20-25 (average of 22) by small ship are
ideal for connecting with fellow travelers. Since SCAN ME
one in four travelers explore with us solo, you’re
NEW! 101+ Tips
sure to find friends as you experience the world.
for Solo Women
Travelers
This complimentary,
EXCLUSIVE WOMEN’S DEPARTURES 96-page booklet is a
We’re offering 25 exclusive women’s comprehensive collection
departures in 2023 of some of our most popular of savvy tips specifically for
adventures. You’ll connect with fellow intrepid seasoned women travelers
going solo. Learn about safety
women travelers while delving into your
for solos, packing like a pro, the
destination—from a woman’s point of view.
best travel apps, self-care on the
road, and more. Scan this code
to view an online copy or to
request one by mail.
9
Northern Italy: The Alps, Dolomites & Lombardy
Small Group Adventure
Italy: Lecco, Tirano, Lake Iseo, Trento, Bressanone (Dolomites), Mirano
Small Groups: Average of 13 Travelers It’s Included
FROM PER DAY DAYS • Explore in a small group of 8-16 • 18 small group activities
$ 4795 $ 320 15
travelers (average group size of 13)
• Services of a local O.A.T. Trip
• International airfare, airport transfers, Experience Leader
Including international airfare
government taxes, fees, and airline fuel
surcharges unless you choose to make
• Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and
luggage porters on the main trip and
FREE Single Supplement your own air arrangements
extensions
• All land transportation • 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward
• Accommodations for 13 nights your next adventure
Maximize Your
• 28 meals—14 breakfasts, 7 lunches,
Discoveries & Value and 7 dinners (including 1 Home-
Hosted Dinner)
Optional extensions:
Italian Riviera, Genoa &
the Cinque Terre Watch our most popular video by an O.A.T. traveler
5 nights pre-trip from $2195
Created by Saul Tave, 16-time traveler from Dunedin, FL
New! The Swiss Alps: Lucerne, Open the camera feature on your mobile device, and hover the lens over this code to
Bern & Zermatt scan it. A pop-up notification will take you directly to the video.
7 nights pre-trip from $3195
Classic Venice: Murano & Burano
4 nights post-trip from $1795
Church of the Assumption of
Mary, Merano, Italy
Northern Italy: The Alps, Dolomites & Lombardy
10To/From U.S. GERMANY POST-TRIP EXTENSION
Itinerary Summary
Land route
Train route
Venice Intl. Arpt.
Ferry route
0 Miles 30
Burano Pre-trip extensions: 5 nights in Italian
S W From
Mirano Murano Riviera, Genoa & the Cinque Terre OR
I T New! 7 nights in The Swiss Alps: Lucerne,
AUSTRIA Venice
Z
E Bern & Zermatt
R
PRE-TRIP EXTENSIONS L DOLOM
To Lecco A IT DAYS DESTINATION
N E
I T A L Y Castel Tirolo Brixen S
D Merano
Genoa
Diavolezza Val
1 Fly to Milan, Italy
Monterosso Cinque Terre Bolzano Gardena
Gu l f o f Ge n o a
Erlach Zürich
Valtellina Valley Tirano 2-4 Lecco
(Optional Tour)
Edolo
Orrido di Bellano Trento Valsugana
Varenna Y
Bern Lut Lucerne L
hern 5-7 Tirano
Lago Lecco
T A
S W I T Z E R L A N D
di Como Lago d’Iseo I
Monte Isola
Brig
Iseo Brescia
Zermatt
Franciacorta (Optional tour) 8-9 Lake Iseo
Mirano
Lecco Milan Verona Venice
Lake Orta
Adriatic
Sea 10-11 Trento
12-14 Bressanone
What to Expect
15 Venetian countryside
Post-trip extension: 4 nights in Classic
Pacing: 6 locations in 14 days with one 1-night stay Venice: Murano & Burano
Physical requirements: Travel on some rugged paths and many cobblestoned streets
on foot, as well as over bumpy, narrow rural roads by bus; several elective hikes up
and down hills in the northern Italian countryside
Flight time: Travel time will be 11-18 hours and will most likely have one connection
Arrive Early, Stay Later
Prices below include accommodations,
View all physical requirements at www.oattravel.com/itr2023
daily breakfast, and private airport
transfer.
• Arrive early in Lecco before your main
trip for $175 per person, per night
Northern Italy: The O.A.T. Difference • Arrive early in Genoa before your Italian
Riviera pre-trip extension for $125 per
Unbeatable Value: Travel at the lowest prices and per diems in the industry. person, per night
People-to-People Experiences: In a smaller group of 3-4 travelers, share a • Arrive early in Lucerne before your Swiss
Alps pre-trip extension for $200 per
Home-Hosted Dinner with a local family in Tirano, and tour an apple orchard
person, per night
in Valsugana—learning about the fruit’s integral role in the local cuisine from
the orchard’s caretaker as we go. Plus, meet with a Ladin-speaking Alpine • Conclude your main trip with more time
in Mirano for $125 per person, per night
hiking guide living in the Dolomitic valleys, who will share his insights on Ladin
culture, how they came to settle in these hidden valleys of northern Italy, and • Remain in Venice after your Classic
Venice post-trip extension for $300
why ongoing efforts to preserve their unique language is so important.
per person, per night
O.A.T. Exclusives: Discuss Controversial Topics, including immigration issues
with a Kurdish political refugee in Milan who was granted asylum by the Italian
government. During our NEW A Day in the Life, we’ll immerse ourselves in the
traditions of the Valtellina valley with a visit to a water-powered mill that grinds
buckwheat for pizzoccheri, the region’s specialty pasta. More than 92% of travelers
rated this trip excellent
Information & Reservations 1-800-955-1925 www.oattravel.com/itr2023
11Northern Italy: The Alps,
Dolomites & Lombardy
YOUR DETAILED ITINERARY
BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE WITH AN OPTIONAL PRE-TRIP EXTENSION
5 nights in Italian Riviera, Genoa & the Cinque Terre
Day 1 Depart the U.S. Day 5 Monterosso • Optional Cinque Terre
by boat tour
Day 2 Arrive Genoa, Italy
Day 6 Monterosso • Corniglia
Day 3 Explore Genoa
Day 7 Transfer to Lecco • Join main trip
Day 4 Monterosso • Riomaggiore
OR
7 nights in The Swiss Alps: Lucerne, Bern & Zermatt
Day 1 Depart U.S. Day 6 Explore Bern • Visit Tierpark Bern •
Optional Erlach Castle & Hike
Day 2 Arrive in Zurich, Switzerland •
Transfer to Lucerne Day 7 Zermatt via Glacier Express
Andermatt/Zermatt
Day 3 Explore Lucerne • Controversial
Topic: The good and bad of neutrality with Day 8 Explore Zermatt • Discover
Manfred Ritschard • Welcome Dinner Sunnegga & Blauherd
Day 4 Lucerne • Optional Mt. Pilatus Tour Day 9 Zermatt • Lake Orta • Transfer to
Lecco • Join main trip
Day 5 Luthern discovery walk & hike •
Transfer to Bern
Day 1 Depart U.S.
You depart today on your overnight flight from
the U.S. to Milan, Italy.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
12Day 2 Arrive Milan, Italy • Transfer to Lecco industry here was iron and silk production;
now, however, Lecco’s involvement in
• Destination: Lecco
manufacturing is minor.
• Accommodations: Hotel NH Lecco
Pontevecchio or similar We’ll be joined this afternoon by travelers who
took our optional Italian Riviera, Genoa & the
Morning: You’ll arrive in Milan sometime
Cinque Terre or New! The Swiss Alps: Lucerne,
this morning, depending on your specific
Bern & Zermatt pre-trip extension.
flight arrangements. Upon arrival, expect to
spend about 45 minutes clearing customs and Dinner: On your own. Your Trip Experience
having your temperature checked. An O.A.T. Leader will be happy to share their
representative will then meet you at the airport recommendations, if you’d like. The food in
to escort you to your hotel. Travel in groups of Lecco is heavily influenced by its geographic
1-2 in a 4-passenger private car, or 3-4 in a location and landscape. In fact, one of the most
7-passenger private minivan for the 1.5-hour traditional dishes is risotto with perch fillets,
drive (with traffic) to our accommodations fresh from Lake Como.
in Lecco.
Evening: The remainder of the day is on
Afternoon: Upon arrival, you will check in and your own—you can either rest in your room
receive your room assignments. We stay for after your flight to prepare for tomorrow’s
two nights in the small, waterfront town of discoveries or head out to begin getting
Lecco, nestled on the southeastern shore of acquainted with the city. You can always
Lake Como. Depending on which hotel we stay ask your Trip Experience Leader for
at, amenities may include a fitness center, bar, recommendations on things to do in the area.
and restaurant. Typical rooms will include a
minibar, air conditioning, Wireless Internet,
Day 3 Explore Milan
and a private en suite bathroom with hairdryer.
• Destination: Lecco
After checking in, you’ll have some time to • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
settle into your room and unpack, or begin
• Accommodations: Hotel NH Lecco
getting acquainted with Lecco on your
Pontevecchio
own. Your Trip Experience Leader will lead
orientation walks throughout the day to Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at
accommodate the varied flight schedules. 7am, with Italian and limited American options
available.
Home to just under 50,000 inhabitants,
Lecco sits about 30 miles north of Milan, Morning: We’ll meet with our Trip Experience
on the peaceful, gently winding shoreline Leader for a Welcome Briefing around 9am
where Lake Como flows into the Adda River. A in the hotel. During this briefing, we will
respite from the hustle and bustle of the more introduce ourselves and review our itinerary in
touristic locations in the region, Lecco features more detail (including any changes that may
architectural landmarks such as the Torre need to occur). Our Trip Experience Leader will
Viscontea, a 14th-century medieval tower, as also discuss logistics, safety and emergency
well as the Teatro della Società, a neoclassical procedures, and answer any questions we
work of art. In ages past, the dominant may have.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
13Then, around 9:30am, we’ll board a private At about 4:15pm, we’ll board our private
motorcoach for the 1-hour drive to Milan. Here, motorcoach for the 1-hour drive back to Lecco,
we’ll meet with a local guide and set off on a where you’ll have a little more than 45 minutes
walking tour of just over an hour through the to rest and freshen up before dinner. Around
city’s historic center. The capital of Lombardy 6:15pm, our group will reconvene in the lobby
and Italy’s second largest city, Milan, was an for a 5-minute walk to a local restaurant.
important trading center for more than two
Dinner: Around 6:30pm at a local restaurant
millennia, and once served as the capital of
for our Welcome Dinner, featuring authentic
the western half of the Roman Empire. Today,
regional fare.
it’s a vibrant, fashion-conscious metropolis
with a population of 1.3 million. Our discoveries Evening: You are free to return to your room to
include a stroll through the Galleria Vittorio rest before your explorations tomorrow. Or, if
Emanuele II, which connects both the Teatro you’d prefer, take in the tranquil shoreline with
La Scala, and the entrance ticket to the Duomo a moonlit stroll.
di Milano, Milan’s striking Gothic cathedral.
One of the world’s largest churches (it can seat
Day 4 Explore Orrido di Bellano •
10,000), the white-marble Duomo covers an
Transfer to Tirano
entire city block and has some 3,200 statues
and 135 spires adorning its extravagant • Destination: Tirano
façade—more than any other building in • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
the world. • Accommodations: Hotel NH Lecco
Pontevecchio or similar
Lunch: At 12:45pm at a local café in downtown
Milan. We’ll enjoy a traditional aperitif-style Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at
lunch, including regional specialties like 7am, with Italian and limited American options
Milanese risotto, various puff cheese pastries, available.
and pizzette (miniature pizzas).
Morning: Around 9am we’ll check out of our
Afternoon: Beginning around 1:30pm, you’ll hotel and depart Lecco by private motorcoach.
then have about 3 hours to explore Milan on We’ll set off on a journey of about 1 hour to
your own. Perhaps you’ll take a stroll along the reach Orrido di Bellano, a waterfall and natural
cobbled streets of the Quadrilatero della Moda, gorge where caves have been carved out by
Milan’s world-renowned fashion district. the water over the centuries. Nestled along the
Or you may wish to visit the museums at the eastern shore of Lake Como, the area has been
15th-century Castello Sforzesco to admire a source of inspiration for writers and poets
Michelangelo’s last Pietà. over the years, and was named Orrido (which
means “horrific”) for the howling echo noises
Alternatively, you may wish to visit one of the the water makes flowing through the series of
renowned museums of Milan. The Pinacoteca natural caves. When we arrive, we’ll have about
di Brera’s collection includes several of the 45 minutes for some light hiking through the
greatest art masterpieces ever created. The canyon with our Trip Experience Leader, and
Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, the private collection the opportunity to admire this natural wonder
of paintings and drawings of Cardinal Federico from footbridges attached to the rocks.
Borromeo, was opened in 1609 as a center for
study and culture.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
14Around 11am, we’ll depart Orrido and board our Evening: After dinner, a 5-minute walk will
private motorcoach again for a 15-minute drive have us back at our hotel around 8pm. You have
to Varenna, a fishing village nestled along Lake the freedom to spend the rest of your evening
Como. We’ll head right down to the waterfront as you wish, whether you want to retire to your
area for a stroll along the Walk of Lovers, a room to rest before tomorrow’s discoveries or
pedestrian footpath renowned for its views of take an evening stroll around the town.
the lake, village, and surrounding mountains.
This red-fenced promenade is dotted with Day 5 Experience A Day in the Life in the
steep alleys and quaint corners, attracting
Valtellina Valley
local and international couples from around
• Destination: Tirano
the world.
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Lunch: On your own around 12:30pm. There • Accommodations: Hotel Centrale Tirano
are plenty of cafés and small restaurants along or similar
Varenna’s promenade, and you may want to
Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Our activities
dine al fresco at one of them to enjoy views of
this morning include a NEW A Day in the
Lake Como and the rugged mountains with
Life experience in the Valtellina Valley. This
your meal.
included feature provides an opportunity to
Afternoon: We’ll regroup around 1:45pm and venture into the homes and workplaces of
continue by private motorcoach to Tirano, local villagers—from an old hamlet to a cozy
arriving shortly after 3pm. Then, we’ll check in farmhouse—where we’ll immerse ourselves
to our hotel and receive our room assignments. in daily life and better understand regional
Depending on which hotel you stay at, typical traditions and customs. Read more about this
amenities include a spa and on-site health club. experience below.
Your room will likely feature wireless Internet,
Activity Note: Depending on departure, some
a satellite TV, minibar, and private bath with
groups will spend A Day in the Life on a cheese
robe and slippers.
farm in Castello dell’ Acqua, Borgo Baruffini,
After we check in, you’ll have a couple of or Teglio. Activities will be comparable to those
hours of free time to relax or perhaps to begin detailed below, including the opportunity to
exploring the city center of Tirano on your own. spend time with community leaders, try your
Around 6pm, all of us will gather at the hotel hand at cheese-making, and enjoy a farm-fresh
lobby to set off on a 30-minute orientation walk lunch with locals from the hamlet.
with our Trip Experience Leader. After gaining
Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at
familiarity with the conveniences and points
7am, with Italian and limited American options
of interest in the vicinity of our hotel, we’ll end
available.
our walk at one of Tirano’s local restaurants.
Morning: Around 9am, we’ll board our private
Dinner: At about 6:30pm, we’ll enjoy dinner at
motorcoach and set off for a day experiencing
a local restaurant. Here, we’ll get our first taste
the region’s scenic splendor during our NEW A
of the local Valtellina delicacies and toast to the
Day in the Life in the Valtellina Valley—O.A.T.
discoveries ahead with some nice local wine.
is the only travel company featuring cultural
discoveries like these in the Alpine region of
Italy. Set in the Alps near the Swiss border,
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
15the valley is renowned for its natural beauty, cows or goats. We’ll do the same, savoring this
local wines, and regional cuisine. Blanketed organic farm-to-table meal made right here,
in orchards and terraced vineyards, Valtellina with love.
boasts winemaking traditions that pre-date
Afternoon: At about 2pm, we’ll resume
even the ancient Romans.
helping our hosts around the farm for about 30
After a roughly 15-minute drive, our first minutes, whether cleaning up after the meal or
stop will be at Fattoria Al Dos. The farm tending to the animals.
“Al dos” (al dos means “hill” in the local
Then, at about 2:30pm, we’ll ride back
dialect) is situated in the farmers’ village of
to Tirano, arriving around 3:00pm. The
Castello dell’Acqua, overlooking the valley.
remainder of the afternoon is free to
Traditionally this mountain village was formed
explore independently or relax at the hotel.
by 26 small hamlets (8-10 farmers’ houses and
Perhaps you’ll walk around the surrounding
a small church) and locals made their living
countryside, taking in the beauty of the terraced
with agriculture and cheese-making. In the
vineyards. Or, you can consult with your Trip
1960s and 1970s most of these villages were
Experience Leader for ideas.
abandoned and their inhabitants moved to
the valley, but a few “pioneers” like Gabriele Dinner: On your own. Perhaps you’d like to grab
have started returning to their former family a table at Parravicini Restaurant & Wine Bar,
properties, and restarting the businesses offering hearty Italian cuisine in a wine-cellar
of things like cheese-making, organic setting, or consult with your Trip Experience
wine-producing, beer-brewing, and organic Leader for ideas.
eggs and vegetable farming. This has had a
positive impact on the area as more and more Evening: You are free to spend the remainder of
people work to keep the villages and organic the evening as you wish.
products of the Alpine region alive.
Freedom To Explore: Make the most of your
At 9:30am we will meet the Community Leaders explorations in Tirano on these off-the-beaten
Danilo, his son Gabriele, and grandmother path activities. These recommendations are
Dina, owners of a family-run farm of goat designed by our team of local experts with
cheese-making and learn about the family women travelers in mind.
history and walking about the property. You
• Take a taxi with your Trip Experience
may help Gabriele during daily cheese-making
Leader to view Renaissance art at the
activities, clean the goat stables, help harvest
Madonna di Tirano Sanctuary: Visit this
grass or chestnuts, make fresh cheese, or even
16th-century basilica to learn the story of
learn how to cook a local dish.
the Madonna’s visit to Tirano, and to see the
Lunch: At around 1pm we sit down for lunch sculptures, Latin cross, and 400-year-old
at Fattoria Al Dos. We’ll dine much like the wooden organ that adorn the church’s
hardworking farmers do - on a buckwheat sanctuary (and is still in use today). This is a
polenta or “taroz,” with local salami or cheese, wonderful opportunity to interact with locals
a seasonal green salad from the garden, and a and learn about Catholicism in the region.
glass of milk or wine. Often the farming family For active travelers, you can even opt to hike
take their lunch in the fields, watching over the 45 minutes from the sanctuary up a steep,
rocky hill to Santa Perpetua, a small chapel
overlooking the whole valley. From Tirano
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
16old town, the sanctuary is approximately a Day 6 Bernina Red Train to Switzerland •
20-minute walk and a visit is usually around Home-Hosted Dinner
30 minutes.
• Destination: Tirano
• How to get there: A 10-minute taxi ride • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
with your Trip Experience Leader, about $8
• Accommodations: Hotel Centrale Tirano
USD one way, or a 30- to 40-minute walk.
or similar
• Hours: 9am-6pm, daily.
• Cost: Free. Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: This afternoon we’ll
venture into the home of a family in Tirano,
• Step back in time at the Palazzo Salis:
where we’ll enjoy a Home-Hosted Dinner.
History lovers and architecture buffs will
This is a special opportunity afforded to us
enjoy touring this palazzo or palace, which
by our small group size and made by possible
has richly preserved rooms and more than
by the regional connections of our local Trip
500 years of history on display. Belonging to
Experience Leaders. During our shared meal,
the Salis family since the 16th century, noble
you’ll learn more about daily life in the Alps
counts still own and occupy the structure,
from these residents, and take part in the
with their private apartment located on the
customs and culinary traditions of the region.
second floor. Often, visitors will see and have
Read more about this experience below.
the opportunity to interact with the countess.
Admission to the palace includes an audio Activity Note: Please bring your passport
guide, providing 35 minutes of commentary with you for today’s discoveries, as we cross
as you stroll through ten monumental rooms the border into Switzerland. On our cable car
as well as the private garden. journey today, we will reach altitudes of almost
• How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute walk. 10,000 feet. We recommend travelers stay
• Hours: 10am-3:30pm, Monday-Saturday. hydrated and eat a light lunch to help adjust to
• Cost: About $8 USD. the high altitude.
• Sip espresso (or a cocktail) at Caffe Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at
Novecento: Stop by this traditional coffee 7am, with Italian and limited American options
shop and bar to have a drink, and get a available.
glimpse of locals going about their daily
routines. The owners speak good English and Morning: We set off today for a full-day
often enjoy interacting with patrons. You may excursion across the Alps and into Switzerland.
want to try one of the local alpine liquors or Around 8:30am, we’ll depart our hotel for a
specialized cocktails featured on their menu. 5-minute walk with our Trip Experience Leader
Boasting outdoor seating and prime location to the nearby Tirano train station. There, we’ll
in the main part of town, Caffe Novecento is meet a local guide who will accompany us as
the perfect spot for people watching. we board the local Bernina Express Train. One
of the few rail journeys designated a UNESCO
• How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute walk. World Heritage Site, the Bernina Express Train
• Hours: 7am-12am daily; closed Tuesdays is not just the world’s highest Alpine crossing
after 12pm.
(reaching an altitude of 7,400 feet), but also the
• Cost: About $3-$15 USD. steepest, with gradients up to 7%. Panoramic
views from the train allow us to sit back, relax,
and enjoy the unfolding Alpine scenery as
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
17we travel over bridges and viaducts, through Dinner: Around 6:45pm in the home of a
tunnels, and past glaciers, villages, alpine local family, which may either be a house or
meadows, and vineyards. apartment. Learn about life in the Alps from
these residents, and watch as they prepare an
After crossing the border into Switzerland,
authentic dinner. Each family has a different
we’ll disembark the train around 10:15am at the
background—some of them may be teachers,
Diavolezza station for a 10-minute cable car
bank tellers, or shop owners, for example.
ride that will transport us farther up the Alps.
Some families may even grow a number of
Reaching an altitude of almost 10,000 feet, we
ingredients used in tonight’s meal in their
can enjoy what is considered the best vantage
own gardens, in which case you may have the
point for panoramic views of the snow-cloaked
opportunity to help harvest them. Our meal
mountains and glaciers. We’ll have a couple of
this evening will consist of typical Valtellinese
hours of free time to explore and take in the
dishes using seasonal products, and the family
natural beauty before regrouping for lunch.
will sit down with us to savor it. You can be sure
Your Trip Experience Leader will provide a
there will be wine and a traditional dessert,
map of the surrounding glaciers to help you get
which might be made with seasonal fruits.
acquainted with the area.
Locals also often mark the end of a meal with a
Lunch: Around 1pm, we’ll stop at a sheltered glass of braulio, a digestif made with medicinal
hut high in the Alps for a light lunch with a hot herbs, fruits, roots and berries.
local dish and side salad.
We’re afforded this special privilege by our
Afternoon: Shortly before 2pm, another small group size; by dining in groups of no
10-minute cable ride will bring us back down more than 5, we’re given the chance to enter
to terra firma at the train station in Diavolezza, local homes and connect on a one-to-one level,
where we’ll catch the 1:15pm Bernina Express and to even share a little with our hosts about
Train back to Tirano. Our return journey will who we are and what has brought us to Italy.
take a little over an hour and will feature the This will be a great opportunity to ask them
same views we saw this morning—sit back about life in Tirano, any customs they practice,
and enjoy the ride. We’ll arrive back in Tirano and more.
around 3:15pm.
Evening: Around 8:15pm, we’ll take either a
We’ll regroup around 6:30pm in the lobby 10-minute walk or 10-minute car ride back to
of our hotel for one of the highlights of our our hotel. As this is our final night in Tirano,
northern Italy adventure: a Home-Hosted you may wish to take in the town nightlife over
Dinner with a local family. When we meet the a glass of wine at an outdoor café, or retire early
families at the hotel, we’ll break up into smaller to rest up for tomorrow’s discoveries.
groups of no more than five travelers and then
take either a 10-minute walk or 10-minute
car ride to one of the homes. This is a unique
opportunity to learn more about life in the
region—so come hungry for your home-cooked
meal, and bring plenty of questions for your
generous hosts.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
18Day 7 Overland to Lake Iseo • Franciacorta have the opportunity ask in-depth questions
vineyard and winery tour about. We’ll also enjoy a tour of the wine cellar,
as well as the mansion located on the grounds.
• Destination: Lake Iseo
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lunch: At the winery around 12:30pm. As we
• Accommodations: Hotel Centrale Tirano sip three varieties of the wines produced here
or similar during a tasting, we’ll be served a light lunch
of local specialties to cleanse our palates and
Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at
enhance our appreciation of the fine wines of
7am, with Italian and limited American options
Franciacorta.
available.
Afternoon: Around 3pm, we’ll board our private
Morning: We depart Tirano around 8:30am
motorcoach and drive about 15 minutes to our
and journey by private motorcoach to Lake
hotel. Depending on where we stay, our hotel
Iseo, the least known of the Lombard lakes, and
will likely be situated along the shores of Lake
the Franciacorta wine region. Our total drive
Iseo. The grounds may feature amenities such
time will be approximately 3 hours, but after
as an outdoor swimming pool, private beach,
about 45 minutes, we’ll stop in Edolo. There,
and restaurant. Typical rooms include Wireless
we’ll witness sweeping views of Val Camonica,
Internet, air conditioning, a private bath, and
an ancient valley in the central Alps carved by
flat-screen televisions.
glaciers and named for the Camuni people who
inhabited the region in the Iron Age. After checking in, you are free to spend the
rest of the afternoon as you wish. You can
We’ll continue driving around 10:30am,
relax in your room, join your Trip Experience
arriving in Franciacorta around 11:15am. Upon
Leader on a walk through town, or join a few
arrival, we’ll begin our discoveries with a short
of your fellow travelers for a stroll along the
hike that will reveal why this region is able to
lake’s edge.
produce some of the best sparkling wines in
the world. Then, at around 12:15pm, our hike Dinner: Around 7:30pm, our small group will
will bring us to one of the local wineries that gather for our first dinner at the hotel. Our
produces the famous Franciacorta wines—a meal will feature regional Italian cuisine with
recently added feature. The winery is run by an appetizer, main course with side dish, and
two sisters, Chiara and Maddalena. We’ll learn dessert. Bottled water, soft drinks, one beer, or
why it was important to keep the business a glass of wine are included.
relatively small in order to maintain high
Evening: You are free to return to your room to
production standards. On a personal level, we’ll
rest before your explorations tomorrow, or join
hear about the sacrifices the sisters made, and
fellow travelers in the villa’s main area for a
continue to make, to keep the family business
nightcap to discuss the day’s activities.
and tradition alive. Our conversation will also
reveal the secrets of methode champenoise, the
special method used in Franciacorta to produce
the wine’s “sparkle.” This variety of wine is
hand-harvested, fermented in wooden casks,
and aged by law for 18 months—an intricate,
centuries-old process we’ll gain insights on and
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
19Day 8 Lake Iseo • Montisola • Optional Leader can point you in the right direction.
Brescia tour Those on the optional tour will enjoy lunch at
a local restaurant around 12:30pm, featuring
• Destination: Lake Iseo
casoncelli, a local ravioli specialty filled with
• Included Meals: Breakfast meat, butter, and bacon
• Accommodations: Cocca Hotel Royal Thai
Spa or similar Afternoon: Your free time continues
this afternoon, with the option to stay in
Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at
Montisola, or perhaps take a hike through the
7am, with Italian and limited American options
Valerian trail.
available.
Travelers who took our optional tour will arrive
Morning: Most of today is all yours. You can
back at the hotel around 3:30pm.
relax with a book by the side of the lake, take
advantage of the amenities at our lakeside Dinner: On your own this evening, ask your
hotel, or head out for some independent Trip Experience Leader for recommendations.
exploring. You might also ask your Trip
Evening: Free to retire early or gather with a
Experience Leader about the possibility of
few fellow travelers to work off dinner with a
taking a local ferry boat to Montisola. If you
refreshing lakeside stroll.
make it out to this island in the middle of
Lake Iseo, you can go for a bike ride, stroll
the ancient cobbled streets, or just watch the Day 9 Transfer to Trento • Visit Verona
local fishermen haul in their catch using the • Destination: Trento
same methods their ancestors have used for • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
centuries.
• Accommodations: Cocca Hotel Royal Thai
If you’d like, you may join an optional tour Spa or similar
of the town of Brescia to discover its culture. Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning
Those taking the tour will meet in the hotel at 7am, with Italian and American options
lobby at 9am and take a 1-hour drive via private available.
motorcoach to Brescia. After arriving around
10:15pm, we’ll meet our local guide and begin Morning: Around 8:30am, we board our
a walking tour of the city. We’ll stop at sights private motorcoach and depart our hotel for
such as the Piazza della Loggia, a locals-only the almost 3-hour drive to Trento, with a stop
market filled with artisans, and the Tempio in Verona, a city declared a UNESCO World
Capitolino, one of the few remaining Roman Heritage site, along the way. At about 10am,
ruins in the area. we’ll arrive in Verona, the city made famous by
Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, Romeo and
Our tour will conclude around 12:30pm, Juliet—and second only to Rome in its number
when we will take a 10-minute walk to a local of ancient Roman ruins (in fact, the Roman
restaurant for lunch. Empire dubbed Verona as Piccola Roma or “little
Rome”). After we meet our local guide, we’ll
Lunch: On your own. You can have lunch
set out on a roughly 1-hour walking tour of the
right in the hotel’s restaurant or maybe check
city that includes a stroll through the market at
out the dining options about five minutes
Piazza delle Erbe (the old Roman forum).
walking distance from the hotel. Whatever
you’re in the mood for, your Trip Experience
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
20Lunch: On your own in Verona around 12:30pm. Evening: Free to do as you wish. Relax with
There are plenty of dining options in a city travel companions at the hotel or get a feel for
known for its wild game and hearty fare like Trento’s nightlife over a Negroni—a traditional
risotto and gnocchi. You could always go for Italian cocktail made with gin and Campari—at
a nice plate of bigoli, the signature pasta of a local bar.
Verona shaped like spaghetti, but much thicker.
Or you could just ask your Trip Experience Day 10 Explore Trento
Leader for restaurant recommendations.
• Destination: Trento
Afternoon: This afternoon, you’ll have time • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
to explore Verona on your own. Perhaps you’ll • Accommodations: Grand Hotel Trento
check out the Arena di Verona, the grand or similar
Roman amphitheater built in the first century
Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at
A.D. With seating for 30,000, the Arena is still
7am, with Italian and limited American options
in use today and renowned for its presentations
available.
of open-air opera performances. Alternatively,
you may wish to consult with your Trip Morning: Around 9am, we’ll meet a local guide
Experience Leader for ideas. and set off on a 1-hour walking tour of Trento.
The city is noted in history as the locale of the
At about 2:45pm, we’ll reboard our private
Council of Trent, which began the Counter
motorcoach and resume our northern journey
Reformation and brought half of Europe
to Trento, taking us past valleys and meadows
back to Roman Catholicism in the mid-16th
in the foothills of the towering peaks of the
century. At the heart of the city is Castello del
Italian Dolomites. We’ll arrive in Trento at
Buonconsiglio, a mighty fortress that was
about 4pm and check in to our hotel shortly
home to Trento’s bishop-princes from the 13th
after. Depending on where we stay, hotel
century until 1801. As we stroll through Trento,
amenities may include a bar and restaurant.
we’ll also stop at a local café to relax our legs
We’ll then receive assignments to our rooms,
over a warm beverage or pastry.
which will typically come equipped with a
minibar, safe, satellite TV, wireless Internet, Around 11:30am, we’ll walk 20 minutes to a
and private bath with hair dryer. local restaurant.
You’ll have some time to settle in before we Lunch: At about 12pm, our group will enjoy a
regroup at about 6:30pm for an orientation sit-down meal at a local Italian restaurant in
walk to get our bearings in the area near our Trento, with appetizer, entree, and dessert.
hotel, followed by our first dinner in Trento.
Afternoon: Following lunch, you’ll have the
Dinner: At a local restaurant in Trento around rest of the day free to relax back at the hotel or
7pm. Our meal will feature regional Italian continue exploring Trento on your own. Ask
cuisine and will include an appetizer, main your Trip Experience Leader for activity ideas.
course with side dish, and dessert. Bottled
water, soft drinks, one beer, or a glass of wine Dinner: On your own in Trento. Considering
are included. its small population, Trento has a remarkable
number of dining spots to choose from—from
street food stalls to elegant Michelin-starred
restaurants. You can still get pizza, but the
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
21food in Italy’s northern reaches begins to building designed by Italian architect Renzo
have Austrian influences. Be sure to try Paino, the exhibition begins on the top floor
the canederli, a type of bread dumpling that’s a of the building and gradually descends floor
real local favorite. by floor, symbolizing a mountain which is
believed to describe life on Earth—covering
Evening: Free for you to do as you wish.
6 floors in total. From sustainability and
Continue getting acquainted with the town on
evolution to the wide range of regional
an evening stroll, join fellow travelers at the
biodiversity, you’ll investigate the wonders
hotel bar for a nightcap, or simply relax in your
of the natural world throughout your visit, as
room after the day’s discoveries.
you peruse specimens, skeletons, dioramas,
Freedom To Explore: Make the most of your models, multimedia exhibits, photographs
explorations in Trento on these off-the-beaten and more. You’ll also find in the museum a
path activities. These recommendations are tropical greenhouse, souvenir shop, caf é,
designed by our team of local experts with and panoramic terrace overlooking the Adige
women travelers in mind. river valley.
• Walking with your Trip Experience Leader,
• How to get there: A 20-minute walk.
marvel at the excavated Roman ruins of Sass
• Hours: 10am-6pm, Tuesday-Friday;
10am-7pm, Saturday-Sunday.
Underground Archaeological Space: Located
in the heart of Trento, delight in the discovery
• Cost: About $11 USD.
of Roman ruins brought back to light. The • Witness the extraordinary works of the
ruins consist of a long section of Eastern for- Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
tification walls, a paved road, parts of houses, of Trento and Rovereto (MART): Established
craft workshops, and courtyards. Witness in 1987 and comprising three sites—the main
artifacts from different ages spanning 2,000 museum site, Depero House in Rovereto, and
years, including the ancient Roman era, late Trento Civic Gallery, the museum contains
Gothic, and Early Middle Ages. The origins of artworks from renowned artists such as
the ruins go back to the ancient Roman city Giorgio Morandi, Giorgio de Chirico, Felice
of Tridentum, established under the rule of Casorati, Carlo Carrà and Fortunato Depero.
Emperor Claudius in 46 A.D. Over thousands The primary structure of the MART was
of years, the ruins were built upon and trans- designed by Ticinese architect Mario Botta
formed, which is why a number of different and draws inspiration from classical forms,
ages are represented. particularly the Pantheon. Spanning three
floors of exhibition space arranged around a
• How to get there: A 5-minute walk with large, round “agora” (central public area),
your Trip Experience Leader.
peruse over 15,000 pieces in this evocative
• Hours: 9am-1pm & 2pm-5:30pm, collection, including paintings, drawings,
November-May; 9:30am-1pm & 2pm-
engravings, sculptures, and more. This ex-
6pm, June-September. Closed on Mondays.
tensive collection is considered an exhibition
• Cost: Free. of European importance, which has allowed
• Discover the complex beauty of the alpine
world at MUSE Science Museum: Opened
in 2013, the central focus of the museum is
to provide insight into human interaction
with the environment. Housed in an iconic
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
22the MART to collaborate with equally as Provincial History, whose exhibits trace the
impressive institutions, such as the Solomon history of Tyrol from its ancient origins up until
R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. the present day.
• How to get there: A 20-minute train ride, After our castle audio guide visit and around
about $8 USD one way. 12:30pm, we’ll take a walk to a local restaurant
• Hours: 10am-6pm, Tuesday; 10am-9pm, for lunch.
Friday.
• Cost: About $12 USD. Lunch: Around 12:30pm at a local restaurant,
featuring local specialties.
Day 11 Overland to Bressanone (Brixen) •
Afternoon: At around 2:15pm, we’ll continue
Visit Tyrol Castle and Merano
our private motorcoach journey to Bressanone,
• Destination: Bressanone stopping about 30 minutes later in the town
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch of Merano. Cradled within a mountain-lined
• Accommodations: Grand Hotel Trento basin, this striking town features a number of
or similar notable landmarks, including the medieval city
gates and medieval Ortenstein tower, popularly
Activity note: Tyrol Castle is closed on
referred to as Pulverturm (powder tower). The
Mondays and holidays. When it is closed, we
town’s 15th-century churches, gothic-style
will visit Castle Presule. Depending on the
St. Nicholas and St. Barbara’s, are cherished
departure, some groups will have lunch in
pieces of architecture, commonly admired
Merano instead of Tyrol, and some will dine at a
by visitors and locals alike. Merano has been
mountain chalet.
home to a number of public figures over the
Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at centuries, including Franz Kafka, Ezra Pound,
7am, with Italian and limited American options Paul Lazarsfeld, and the Empress Elisabeth
available. of Austria. We’ll explore the town on foot for
approximately 1 hour before reboarding our
Morning: At about 9am, we’ll depart Trento
private motorcoach around 3:45pm for the final
and travel overland by private motorcoach
1-hour stretch to Bressanone.
to Bressanone, with stops along the way.
Shortly before 11am, we’ll deboard for a scenic Upon arrival around 4:45pm, we’ll check in
and leisurely 1-hour hike (the distance of to our hotel and get our room assignments.
approximately 1 mile) to reach Tyrol Castle, Depending on where we stay, our hotel should
an ancient castle that sits high above the be situated in the heart of Bressanone, not too
Alpine town of Merano. Originally constructed far from the ancient cathedral. Amenities will
around 1100 AD and rebuilt down through the likely include a restaurant, bar, café, and spa
centuries, Tyrol Castle served as the residence facilities. Typical rooms offer Wireless Internet,
to the Counts of Tyrol until 1363. It was finally satellite TV, and a private bath. There may not
restored to its neo-Gothic glory at the end be air-conditioning.
of the 19th century and continues to serve
You’ll have the remainder of the day to settle
as a symbol of Tyrol—in fact, Tyrol got its
in and relax, or you can go for a stroll along the
name from this imposing hilltop castle that
medieval streets of this Austrian-influenced
dominates the region. The castle is now home
to the South Tyrolean Museum of Cultural and
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
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