Scenic Italy & Switzerland

We will meet at the airport at 11.00am for our Air Malta flight departing at 1.00pm and arriving in Milan Airport at 2.50pm. We shall proceed to our 4 star Hotel Atlantic in Arona to check in. Later, we can join the tour leader for a familiarisation walk.

On our full-day optional excursion to Macugnaga we will first make a short stop to admire the statue of St Charles Borromeo. Then we continue to drive up the Anzasca Valley, plunged between the rugged mountains. Macugnaga nestles in the foothills of Monte Rosa. The village itself is a cluster of typical alpine buildings. Upon arrival, we will take the Belvedere Chairlift (extra & weather permitting) at the foot of Monte Rosa to view the Alps and a fantastic view of the valley, a truly unforgettable experience.

Today we will leave early for our full-day optional excursion taking us to a long but extremely rewarding scenic drive to Zermatt, Switzerland. We will stop at Tasch where we shall take the train (extra) to Zermatt (it is not possible to visit Zermatt by coach because it is a car-free zone). The climax in Zermatt will be the fantastic, breathtaking panoramic views of the world-famous mountain, The Matterhorn. The views can be enjoyed by the 2 tier system of cable cars which will take us high up on the Klein Matterhorn on an elevation of 3,883m above sea level, including also the Glacier Paradise (extra & weather permitting). This is definitely highlighted as an amazing experience not to be missed!

Today is market day in Arona. We suggest you indulge yourself to some shopping by visiting the stalls along the main road edging the lake. Early in the afternoon, we will go on an optional excursion to the quaint village of Orta, situated on Lago d’Orta. We will first go to Pella from where we will take a boat (extra) to Orta; there will be time for lunch (extra) and to roam around the narrow cobbled streets. We will then take the boat to make a short visit of the Island of San Giulio, and then continue our boat trip to Pella. From Pella, we can take a chu chu train (extra) to the Balcony of Lake Orta at a height of 638m, where the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rock (Madonna del Sasso) is situated.

This morning we will drive once more to Switzerland for a full-day optional excursion, heading to Lugano, where we shall board a boat to go on a Lake Cruise trip (extra). We will later have some free time for shopping & sightseeing in Lugano. In the afternoon, we will proceed to Ascona - a picturesque village in Switzerland located on the shore of Lake Maggiore. We will have some free time for personal sightseeing.

Today’s full-day optional excursion takes us to Como. We will stop and admire the Duomo and also enjoy a boat trip (extra) on the world-famous Lago. In the afternoon, we shall proceed towards the village of Tremezzo located on the western shore of Lake Como from where we will board a boat (extra) to Bellagio – one of the most attractive lake resorts. Bellagio is a small village at the tip of a long hilly promontory between the two southern branches of Lake Como. We will have lunch (extra) and spend a relaxing afternoon in this tiny town with lovely views and classy boutiques.

Lago Maggiore is on the programme for our optional full-day relaxing excursion to explore the islands on the lake. Our coach will take us to Stresa where we will go by boat (included) with the tour leader to Isola Bella for a visit to the sumptuous Borromeo Palace and its Italian-style gardens. We will then make a short stop to Isola dei Pescatori, a tiny, quiet island with an old church dedicated to San Vittore. Finally, we will cruise around Isola Madre, the largest island on the lake dominated by Villa Borromeo, an aristocratic place surrounded by beautiful gardens. We shall then return to Stresa for lunch (extra) and have some free time for shopping and sightseeing.

(Group 1 & 2) | After check out, we will head to Milan, the capital of Lombardia. We will proceed to Castello Sforzesco where we leave the coach to visit the Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele and see the Teatro Della Scala from the exterior. We will then make our way to Milan Airport for our Air Malta flight departing at 3.40pm arriving in Malta at 5.30pm.

(Group 3-6) | After check out, we will head to the Hermitage of St. Caterina del Sasso, perched on its ‘balcony’ over-looking the Borromeo Gulf. We will then make our way to Milan Airport for our Air Malta flight departing at 3.40pm arriving in Malta at 5.30pm.