Lombardy: Sforzas and Gonzagas

Bergamo

Arrive at Milan Malpensa Airport, where you are met and transferred by private car to your hotel in Bergamo – a city in Lombardy’s attractive alpine region. Overnight at Hotel Plazza Vecchia within the Old Town, Hotel NH Bergamo in the downtown area, or similar. (N) 

Meal basis: As per itinerary – B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner, N: No meal

Milan

Enjoy a day at leisure in fashionable Milan, capital of the Lombardy region. It’s an opportunity to admire the lofty Duomo di Milano, Italy’s largest church; see Da Vinci’s masterpiece “The Last Supper”; browse haute couture at the famous Quadrilatero d’Oro; and dine at Michelin-starred restaurants or laid-back trattoria. Overnight at your hotel in Bergamo. (B) 

Crespi d’Adda & Lake Iseo

This morning, you are transferred by private car to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Crespi d’Adda for a guided tour. Crespi d’Adda is considered an outstanding example of a 19th-century company town, built for cotton mill workers complete with school, church, theatre, health clinic, and cemetery. After your visit, continue to the glittering waters of Lake Iseo for lunch. Return to Bergamo, where the remainder of your day is at leisure. Overnight at your hotel in Bergamo. (B, L) 

Bergamo

Meet your guide for a half-day tour of Bergamo, focusing on the historic upper town. This fortified hilltop quarter is replete with medieval buildings and piazzas. During your tour, you may visit Rocco Castle, from which you gain an excellent view over the town; the Romanesque Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore; the ornate, Renaissance-era Colleoni Chapel; and the Cathedral, full of gorgeous religious frescoes. The rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight at your hotel in Bergamo. (B) 

Franciacorta

Today, you are privately transferred by car to Franciacorta, a region south of Lake Iseo renowned for its wine production. Here you join a shared wine-tasting visit at the sleek Cà del Bosco winery. Afterwards, spend time at leisure in the ancient city of Brescia nearby. Continue to Mantua, where you overnight at Hotel Cà Uberti (or similar). (B) 

Mantua & Sabbioneta

Begin with a half-day guided tour of Mantua, whose old town is UNESCO-listed for its Renaissance-era architecture. Depending on your travel dates, the tour includes a visit to either the Ducal Palace, royal residence of the noble Gonzaga family; or the 16th-century Palazzo del Te, with its dramatic floor-to-ceiling Mannerist fresco, “Fall of Giants”. Next you are privately transferred to the walled town of Sabbioneta, jointly UNESCO-listed with Mantua, for a half-day guided walking tour. Afterwards, return to your hotel in Mantua. (B) 

Borghetto Sul Mincio

After a morning at leisure, you are privately transferred by car to Borghetto Sul Mincio, where you have free time to explore. This idyllic hamlet sits on the banks of the Mincio River, cloistered by green morainic hills. Here you’ll find rustic riverside homes, cobbled streets, old water mills, and a medieval castle. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant, where you sample authentic, hand-prepared agnolini pasta. Afterwards, return to your hotel. (B, D) 

Fly home

You are privately transferred by car to Verona Airport in time for your departure flight. (B)