PEAKS & TREATS

A PRIVATE TOUR WITH MINIVAN AT DISPOSAL

6 DAYS / 5 NIGHTS

Operated every Monday from April 11th – October 29th 2022 (last departure)

DAY 1: Venice – Bassano – Cortina: Depart from Venice to Bassano del Grappa, the small village overlooking the Brenta River, for a stop to experience the history, landscape and, of course “grappa”. We recommend starting at the famous bridge called “Ponte Vecchio” or “Ponte degli Alpini”, located at the point where the Brenta river narrows. This bridge has always been a symbol of the city of Bassano del Grappa, as it was a protagonist in the defense of the city in the last months of the Second World War. To protect Bassano del Grappa, the partisans blew it up to be rebuilt later by the Alpini. After leaving the bridge on the side opposite to the city center, you can take a nice walk along the Brenta to get to the “tobacco road” once known for the “masiere” where tobacco plants were grown. Do not miss the beauty of Villa Angarano Bianchi Michiel which is included among the Palladian residences and today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stop for the unmissable tasting of the famous distillate that in Bassano is told in its whole process. You will be driven to Cortina d’ Ampezzo, the Queen of the Dolomites, with its 1,756 meters of altitude. The city extends to the center of the Ampezzo valley, in an arena surrounded by the peaks of the Dolomites on each side and wraps its visitors in a landscape of rare beauty, in which the Tofana di Mezzo stands out, 3,200 meters high. The center of the town is its Corso Italia (a beautiful tile) reserved for strolling, sided by hotels, coffee houses and elegant shops. It is tangent to the two central Rome and Venice squares, among which stands the eighteenth-century parish churches of St Phillip and St James. Social life and tourism have not succeeded in erasing the Ladin origins of the valley which keeps its language and its traditional customs alive in the locals. Hotel accommodation and free time for a relaxing acclimatization walk. Overnight stay.

DAY 2: Cortina – Misurina Lake – Braies Lake – Bressanone: Breakfast at the hotel and departure for the natural alpine Misurina Lake, the largest in Cadore located at 1,754 meters above sea level, with a perimeter of 2.6 km and a depth of 5 meters. Like a jewel nestled in the Dolomites, it is known for the enchantment of its landscape and also for the healing properties it offers thanks to the particularly healthy microclimate. Stop for a walk around the lake where some of the most beautiful peaks of the Dolomites stand out: the “Tre Cime di Lavaredo” (the Three Lavaredo Peaks), the Sorapiss, the Cadini and the Cristallo. You will continue for a visit to the suggestive Braies Lake, located at 1,500 meters above sea level, in the Fanes-Senes-Braies natural park. It stands out for its turquoise waters with light emerald green shades and for its idyllic position at the bottom of the Braies Valley. This natural mountain lake attracts hikers, cyclists and climbers to its shores year round, promising relaxation and a nice refresh after a long day in the mountains. Its imposing mountain panorama will leave you openmouthed, impressive is the famous “Croda del Becco”, 2,810 meters high. The German name “Torberg” indicates that, according to a legend, the Braies Lake was once the gateway (Tor) of the underground kingdom of the Fanes and, therefore, we recommend a boat ride on the lake, giving you the opportunity to discover some secrets about this kingdom. Arrival in Bressanone in the evening, the ideal city to relax. Accommodation, and overnight stay at the hotel.

DAY 3: Bressanone – Ortisei – Alpe Di Siusi – Caldaro Area: Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Ortisei, the village where a simple walk will turn into discovering and falling in love. Together with the small villages of SS. Cristina and Selva, Ortisei is located in Val Gardena, one of the most beautiful Italian Dolomite valleys. Ortisei became famous for its artistic wooden sculptures, which for generations have been carried out here by families of expert carvers, real artists who continue to promote the art of wood carving, producing wood works, sculptures and objects known all over the world. The entire urban center of Ortisei was built in perfect respect of the history, architecture, landscape and economy of this unique place. The pedestrian area of Ortisei, which is defined by many as the most beautiful in the Dolomites, connects the parish church dedicated to S. Ulrico with St Antony’s Church, the ideal place as a starting point for numerous hiking walks on paths in paradisiacal landscapes. Among the many possibility we recommend the tour of the hill in Castelrotto, or the “Mushroom Path” in Laranza. After the walk in Ortisei we will allow ourselves a climb with the lifts, towards the “Alpe di Siusi” plateau, which has some small hills from which you may have a fantastic panoramic view of the surrounding landscape. Next, continue to Caldaro Lake, one of the largest lakes in South Tyrol and also the warmest swimming lake in the entire Alpine arc. It has an average depth of only 4 meters and is located at 216 m above sea level so the water temperature in spring already rises to 17 ° – 19 ° C, while in the warm months it even exceeds 28 ° C. Accommodation in a hotel near Caldaro, and overnight stay.

Optional Experiences:

Horse Drawn Sleigh Ride (private)

DAY 4: Caldaro Area – Merano – Bolzano – Caldaro Area: After breakfast at the hotel, departure for a tour of Merano, the spa town on the Passirio river, known for its large parks, green walks and its botanical gardens. The historic centre in a refined and welcoming atmosphere conquers visitors with its medieval arcades and elegant Art Nouveau buildings. The whitewashed peaks of the glaciers offer a natural scenery of rare beauty. Do not miss a walk to visit the wonderful botanical gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle. We proceed to Bolzano, a city capable of surprising visitors for its two faces, the first Northern European while more Mediterranean the second, which constitute a perfect combination shown both in the historical-artistic beauties of the city, and in its cuisine made of food with an authentic flavour that inebriates the air in every season. For centuries Bolzano has been the privileged centre for trade between Italy and Germany. Today the South Tyrolean capital is a cosmopolitan city that knows how to be lively, cheerful, modern and refined at the same time. Bolzano is the right balance between living spaces and green areas, numerous walks leave the city both for those who prefer not to get too far from the centre, and for the most demanding hikers, who can use one of the three cable cars to reach the highlands surrounding the capital , where nature will give its best. Return to Caldaro. Overnight hotel accommodation.

Optional Experiences:

Luxury Picnic (private)

DAY 5: Caldaro Area – Wine Route in South Tyrol – Trento: After breakfast at the hotel, the day will be dedicated to discovering the wineries and wines of the South Tyrolean wine road, the so-called Sudtiroler Wein Strasse. You will continue to Trento for a visit to the capital of the Trentino region, one of the Italian cities listed for the best quality of life and environment. Trento, with its 110,000 current inhabitants, has experienced a lively history. Founded by the Celtic populations, it was taken by the Romans and named “Tridentum”, then in 1004 Emperor Henry II transferred power to the Bishops, despite popular revolts, until the arrival of the Napoleonic troops in 1796. The subsequent Austro-Hungarian domination carried out various infrastructural works such as the regulation of the Adige river and the construction of the Brenner railway line, and the modern development of the city experienced a strong acceleration. The frescoes on several buildings in the ancient center tell the history with mythological representations: the journey of the Germanic emperors to Rome, the council of 1545, the archbishopric which for centuries determined the fate of the people of the valley. Hotel accommodation in Trento and overnight.

DAY 6: Trento – Verona – Venice: Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Verona, an ancient “paleo-veneto” settlement. The city became rich and powerful with the Romans, who appreciated its natural strategic position, a point of passage towards northern Europe. In its historic center, with its regular chessboard-shaped structure, the decumanus (today’s Corso Porta Borsari) and the cardo (Cappello and Sant’Egidio Streets) still run, but it is thanks to the theatre and the arena, the latter the very symbol of the city, that the city revives its ancient past. In the summer, they fill up with thousands of spectators and opera lovers. In Verona, Catullo, the poet of love, was born, and within the walls of one of his aristocratic buildings, the greatest love drama of all time took place. According to Shakespeare’s imagination: the love romance between Romeo and Juliet. Verona is a city that transmits a strange magic, perhaps for the mighty Renaissance architecture that tells us of its past splendor or perhaps for the Adige, which gifts the city with splendid views.
Free time available for a walk in the historic center: the ideal starting point can only be the central Piazza Bra, from which you can admire the ancient walls of the Arena of Verona. Make sure not to miss Corso Porta Nuova, which connects Piazza Bra with Piazza Erbe, the Castelvecchio, the most imposing monument in the city, the Roman Theatre, and last but not least Juliet’s house. With its famous balcony, known all over the world for the tragic love story of Juliet and Romeo. You will continue to Venice, undoubtedly one of the most picturesque and iconic cities in the world. It lays at 4 km from the mainland, in the vast Adriatic lagoon that bears its name and is made up of 118 islands connected together by a series of bridges. These islets were consolidated with wooden piling necessary to make the land acquire the right consistency to be able to build constructions on it and are separated by navigable canals, of which the largest of those crossing the entire historic center is the Grand Canal. Venice is rich in historical and artistic beauties of the highest cultural value: the Piazza San Marco, the Rialto Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs, the Doge’s Palace, the Clock Tower, St John and St Paul’s Church, St Mary-of-the-Lily’s Church and St Mark’s Bell Tower are just some of the must-sees of the city. Water is undoubtedly the dominant theme in every corner, which makes it truly unique, but discovering it slowly, discovering its silent corners, listening to its history, will enhance the memory of having been there and will keep the emotion alive in time in all its spectators.

Optional Experiences:

Ferrari Winery Visit and Gourmet Lunch (private)
Verona Walking Tour (private)
Venice Walking Tour (private)
Venice Food Tour (private)

Package Includes:

1 night in 4* hotel in Cortina
1 night in 4* hotel in Bressanone
2 nights in 4* hotel in Caldaro area
1 night in 4* hotel in Trento
5 breakfasts
1 grappa tasting
1 wine tasting experiences in typical wineries along the Wine Route in South Tyrol.
1 light lunch (drinks not included)
Transportation by air-conditioned minivan
Round trip Ticket Ortisei – Alpe di Siusi Ropeway
Rowing boat rental on Braies Lake (30 minutes)

*Package descriptions and pricing are subject to change without notice.