Northern Italy – Milan to Venice

From Milan to Turin to Venice, these next six days will be incredible!  You will be visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Castles, Cathedrals, Canals, Shopping Districts, Vineyards, and Canals.  Milan to Turin to Venice is the incredible journey we will be traveling.  We will be taking high-speed rail, luxury motorcoach, and boat, discovering the culture and cuisine of Northern Italy, places rarely visited.  So, visit and tour these three vibrant cities in Northern Italy with us…

Northern Italy – Milan to Venice
August 5 – 11, 2022

Day 1 – Arrive to Milan – August 5, 2022 – Friday
This vacation may be considered POST-CRUISE, in which case you will need to board a train at the point of disembarkation on your way to Milan.  Then you will board the coach and go meet your local guide for a guided tour of Milan. Milan is at the Lombardy region’s heart and it’s Italy’s second-largest metropolis. Home to the nation’s stock exchange, one of Europe’s biggest trade-fair grounds and an international fashion hub, it is also Italy’s economic powerhouse.  Explore the best of Milan on a walking tour that will show you the imposing Duomo in pink Candoglia marble, the iconic red-brick Castello Sforzesco, La Scala, and the glamorous shopping arcade of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. This walking tour will not only show you the top sights of the city but will also let you understand why design here, is a way of life.  At the end of the guided tour, transfer by motorcoach to the hotel and check in to your rooms. This evening you will enjoy a group dinner at a local restaurant. 

Day 2 – Milan cooking class – August 6, 2022 – Saturday
After breakfast in the hotel, you will enjoy a cooking class in Milan! You will bring back home with you a piece of Italy by learning its Italian traditional recipes. You will participate in a cooking class where you will have the opportunity to learn the secrets of Italian pizza, pasta like gnocchi or Milanese risotto and then gelato, tiramisu, and other specialties! You will experience Milan from another perspective: learn the art of Italian cuisine and feel like a real chef.  Cooking classes are composed by a hands-on part, where you will learn the secrets of Italian traditional food instructed by a local chef, and a second part where you will enjoy your food creation. The afternoon is at your leisure, and dinner is on your own, overnight in Milan.

Day 3 – Milan to Turin – August 7, 2022 – Sunday
Enjoy your breakfast in the hotel, then board the motorcoach and depart for Turin.  Founded by the Romans more than 2400 years ago, it is one of the most important and beautiful cities in northern Italy, probably the most elegant one. Turin is the capital city of Piedmont in northern Italy, known for its refined architecture and cuisine. The Alps rise to the northwest of the city. Stately baroque buildings and old cafes line Turin’s boulevards and grand squares such as Piazza Castello and Piazza San Carlo. Turin was Savoia’s royal dynasty capital city, where all the kings of Italy were born. Here in Turin, you can really feel the taste of aristocracy and elegance. Meet your local guide and enjoy an orientation tour of the city. At the end of the guided tour, transfer to your hotel and check in to your rooms. Dinner is on your own at a local restaurant and overnight in Turin.

Day 4 – The Langhe – August 8, 2022 – Monday
After breakfast in the hotel, you will board the motorcoach and depart for a day tour to the Langhe region. Admire landscapes shaped by the work of man and nature where great Italian wines are made between vineyards, villages, and castles. Hilly stretches as far as the eye can see, on which ancient villages and castles are perched, a succession of gentle slopes planted with vines the rows of which make geometric shapes: this is the magnificent scenery of the Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato, which has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The beautiful wine-growing areas of Piedmont, which with their landscapes shaped by of nature and man, have become part of the world heritage list. Visit La Morra, atop a hill surrounded by vines with the Alps as a backdrop. Here you will visit a local ‘cantina’ and enjoy a wine tasting of the precious wines produced here. Then, continue to Barolo: the tiny, 1800-hectare parcel of undulating land immediately around this hilltop village knocks out what is arguably the finest vino in Italy and its ancient streets are delightful enough themselves to warrant a stroll. Visit the medieval castle of Barolo, that houses the wine museum. Then, transfer to another local ‘cantina’ where you will enjoy lunch together on your own with, of course, its unique wines. Return to Turin in the afternoon for a free evening and overnight in Turin.

Day 5 – Turin to Venice – August 09, 2022 – Tuesday 
Enjoy breakfast in the hotel, after which you will transfer to the train station and catch your fast train to Venice. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel located right on the island. Venice is one of the few cities in the world that can be truly described as unique. This incomparable union of art, architecture and lagoon-based living has been a fabled destination for centuries. No matter how many photographs, films, or paintings you’ve seen, the reality is more surprising than you could ever imagine. It survives against all the odds, built on a series of low mud banks amid the tidal waters of the Adriatic, and regularly subject to floods. Venice has been known as “La Dominante” (The Dominant), “La Serenissima” (The Most Serene), “Queen of the Adriatic”, “City of Water”, “City of Masks”, “City of Bridges”, “The Floating City”, and “City of Canals”. The lagoon and a part of the city are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Parts of Venice are renowned for the beauty of their settings, their architecture, and artwork. After checking in to your hotel, go meet your local guide for a walking tour of the city. Explore the best of Venice on a walking tour from St. Mark’s Square to the Rialto Bridge. See the canal city’s top sights, including St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, and the church of Santa Maria Formosa. A Venice walking itinerary between St Mark’s Square and Rialto together in an amazing tour, to discover the magic and history of this beautiful city: you will walk in Venice and admire some of its most famous buildings. The rest of the afternoon and evening are free to explore. Overnight in Venice. 

Day 6 – Venice – August 10, 2022 – Wednesday
Breakfast in the hotel. Today is free at your leisure in Venice – optional excursions will be provided. Perhaps take a gondola thru the canals and have lunch at one of the many outdoor cafes. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant tonight. Overnight in Venice.

 Day 7 – Departure- August 11, 2022 – Thursday
Our final breakfast is in the hotel before boarding the boat for our transfer to Venice airport for our return flight to the USA.
*There is the possibility to extend your vacation if you wish.  Just let TravelKatz know ahead of time, and we will plan it for you.
Arrivederci Italia!

RATES: This vacation can be considered ALL-INCLUSIVE, but we want to show you the various costs and what will be included.

Number of participants	16-19 persons	20-24 persons
Per person price in double room	$2,370	$2,280
Single supplement	$720
Supplement for drinks at dinners included (Mineral water and 1/4 liter of wine per person)	$50
Supplement for in & out porterage service (1 piece per person)	$30
Supplement for city taxes included	$50
Free of charge policy	1 free of charge in double rooms	1 free of charge in double rooms
Minimum size of group	Min. 16 paying persons	Min. 20 paying persons

The quoted rates include:

HOTEL ACCOMMODATION:

August 05-07, 2022 (2 nights) – MILAN
HOTEL STARHOTELS RITZ 4**** centrally located in Milan or similar 2 buffet breakfasts, Valet and service charges are included.

August 07-09, 2022 (2 nights) – TURIN
HOTEL STARHOTELS MAJESTIC 4**** centrally located in Turin or similar 2 buffet breakfasts, Valet and service charges are included.

August 09-11, 2022 (2 nights) – VENICE
HOTEL SATURNIA INTERNATIONAL 4**** centrally located in Venice or similar 2 buffet breakfasts, Valet and service charges are included.

MEALS:

Aug. 05, 2022, Dinner in Milan with a 3-course set menu
August 06, 2022, Cooking class in Milan followed by lunch tasting what passengers have prepared
August 07, 2022, Dinner in Milan with a 3-course set menu
August 08, 2022, Wine tasting in La Morra and lunch at a winery near Barolo with a 2-course set menu
Aug. 10, 2022, Dinner in Venice with a 3-course set menu

TRAIN TICKETS:

Aug. 05, 2022, Basel – Milan if Post – Cruise (Eurocity, 1st class, 10:28am-2:40pm)
Aug. 09, 2022, Turin – Venice (FrecciaArgento, premium class, 11:45am-2:12pm).

PRIVATE MOTORCOACH TRANSPORTATION:

Aug. 05 Milan train station – half day Milan – hotel in Milan
Aug. 06 Hotel – cooking school – hotel
Aug. 07 Milan – Turin
Aug. 08 Full day Langhe region
Aug. 09 Hotel – train station.
Taxes, tolls, tickets, and parking fees are included.

BOAT TRANSFERS:

Aug. 09 Venice station – pier near the hotel
Aug. 11 Pier near the hotel – Venice airport.

ENGLISH SPEAKING LOCAL GUIDES:

Aug. 05 Half Day Milan (3 hours)
Aug. 07 Half Day Turin (3 hours)
Aug. 08 Half Day Langhe (3 hours)
Aug. 09 Half Day Venice (2 hours).

ENTRANCE FEES:

Aug. 05 Duomo, Milan
Aug. 08 Castle, Barolo
Aug. 09 Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica.