Day 1: Venice Jewish Ghetto & Bacari food tour
Arrival at Venice Marco Polo airport. Private transfer to selected hotel centrally located.
Meet our local guide for an interesting tour of the city on a gastronomic adventure spanning two sides of the Grand Canal. You’ll visit four of the best eateries in Venice, learning how to find great food in the Floating City. The best way to understand the history of Venice is through its food. With your guide you’ll visit the famous Rialto, learning about the culture of the city. Disembarking by Ca d’Oro (or the ‘Gold Palace’) in the historic neighbourhood of Cannaregio. While tourists clog the streets between Rialto & St. Mark’s Basilica, Cannaregio is where locals congregate. Historically the Jewish Ghetto, it’s the most historic and storied part of the city, as you’ll learn from your guide. Settle down in this lovely neighbourhood for yet another glass of wine and a plate of the city’s best cicchetti (appetizers).
Once back to your hotel, weening at leisure and overnight.
Day 2: Venice Monumental interiors: Saint Mark Square, Doge’s Palace and Basilica
Breakfast. Meet your local guide for a in-depth cultural tour of Venice.
So called the ‘’most beautiful lounge in the world” Saint Mark’s Square with its monuments, colours and perspectives, is the background of the beautiful interior of the Doge’s Palace, where you can visit the grandiose halls of government with the important artworks representative of the glories of the Republic of Venice, the precious residence of the Doge, the solemn halls where justice was administered and the Bridge of Sighs, through which you can reach the fearful state Prisons. Then we move to the nearby Saint Mark’s Basilica, that is like an ancient jewel-case of beautiful treasures, but also the most important and loved church in Venice, covered inside by thousands of square feet of shiny mosaics. The oriental aspect of the architecture testifies the deep ties between Venice and Byzantium.
Lunch and afternoon at leisure. Dinner at restaurant and overnight.
Day 3: The hidden Lagoon islands: Burano, Mazzorbo & Torcello
Breakfast and morning meeting with our guide in Venice.
Together by private boat you will reach Torcello, proceed to Burano where you will visit a lace-maker laboratory set in a unique location and its Museum. Here you will admire unique and prestigious hand-made lace pieces like table cloths, table covers, centre-pieces, collars, linen, handkerchiefs, fans, wedding veils, which used to embellish the most prestigious mansions of Europe and adorn ladies and knights at the most important times of the day. , here you will learn the In our personal lace collection you will find some old and new artefacts, an overview of the history of Burano lace by the handsof our lace workers and their ancestors. An art and tradition bequeathed over the centuries until today.
You will admire some of the ancient laces realized in the XVII, XIX, and XX centuries, exhibited in the Museum of the Atelier.
Then proceed to Mazzorbo.
n ideal destination far off the main touristic itineraries , thanks to its wild and unspoiled nature which gives an air of seductive mystery and a charming atmosphere of ancient times. Following the long avenue that leads to the square and along the main river, you are immersed slowly in a landscape that seems remained to the period of the late Roman Empire, with a rhythm occasionally fragmented by a colonial-style restaurant.
You will visit the Torcello Church and discover its priceless mosaics, treasures and two areas that have remained inaccessible for centuries: the crypt and the sacristy. Commissioned in 639 as a new cathedral for the Episcopal seat of Altino, the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta is a real masterpiece of Venetian-Byzantine art. Burano is the island of the buildings with the bright colours and laces. But beyond that it reserves many other surprises! This tour will give you an unusual and exciting experience, a contact with the island and its inhabitants: be amazed by the colours, enjoy the fairytale atmosphere of a small fishing village, learn about the traditions of the island and discover how the ihabitants (called buranelli) live today… Just relax and enjoy the visit!
Mazzorbo is a nice island located right next to Burano, and linked to the majour island by a wooden bridge called by the locals “Ponte Longo” (long bridge). Considered by the most a natural prosecution of Burano, this small island is often neglected by the tourists. But Mazzorbo is rich in history and beauty. It’s main richness is for sure the agricolture: here on the island you can find hundreds of artichoke fields, as well as vineyards and fruit trees.
You can enjoy an aperitif admiring the beautiful lagoon before going back to Venice.
Dinner at leisure and overnight.
Day 4: The other side of the Lagoon: Chioggia & Pellestrina boat tour
Breakfast. Departure for a bot excursion to the most genuine side if the Venetian Lagoon. Here discover Chioggia “the little Venice” and the slow rhythm far from the crowd. Proceed to Pellestrina. Here enjoy a typical lunch in a very nice trattoria facing the lagoon.
Return to Venice. Time at disposal for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Padova & Verona
Breakfast. Check out and private transfer to Verona.
You will stop along the way in Padova, since you can’t miss this beautiful small city!
Here you will enjoy a guided tour to the Masonic Park of Palazzo Romiati, Basilica del Santo (St. Anthony), along the Alicorno river to the Park Treves de’ Bonfili, the Botanical Garden and Prato della Valle (Valley’s meadow), ending with an aperitif at San Leonino. Lunch at the “Pontara”.
In the afternoon guided tour along the Naviglio Interno (internal Canal), the Medieval walls and the Fortified Citadel, the Oratory San Michele, the Monument dedicated to Andrea Palladio, visit a building of contemporary architectural interest, with a Deconstructivist Façade, of a Padua Studio, and will reach the Astronomical Observatory of the Specola and the Torre del Boia.
In the late afternoon, continue towards Verona, arrival and accommodation in your 4* Hotel centrally located.
Dinner at leisure and overnight.
Day 6: Verona & Opera
Breakfast. Check out and private transfer to Verona.
You will stop along the way in Padova, since you can’t miss this beautiful small city!
Here you will enjoy a guided tour to the Masonic Park of PalazzBreakfast and meeting with the guide.
Begin your tastings in the same way that most Italians begin their day: with an espresso! Pair the robust coffee with a delicious pastry, before continuing with the walk.
As you continue to your next food stop, listen as your tour leader illustrates stories and curiosities of Verona’s most important squares where Veronese used to buy and take their food or aperitif. Make your way to a local delicatessen where taste some fresh salami and Parma ham, but also the famous Parmigiano cheese with balsamic vinegar.
Afterward stop in a small and very local take-away pizzeria to taste one of the most delicious pizza in the city, made as per tradition with sourdough starter.
Then it’s time take a good glass of local wine in a local Osteria, you should choose from Prosecco, Valpolicella or the famous Amarone.
Continue to a local workshop where fresh tortellini is made by hand. Learn about the process of making pasta, from mixing and rolling the dough to stuffing it., sample some of the freshly made pasta. From there, move on to a typical Osteria to take a Spritz like locals do.
At the end of this small-group Verona food walking tour, you’ll feel like a local.
After relaxing at the hotel, enjoy the superb evening play at the Arena. Tonight “Carmen” directed by Hugo de Ana. Carmen is an opera composed by Georges Bizet with the libretto written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy; it is a rare example of opera comique, characterized by teh alternation of dialogues and musical parts. In particular Mehilac took care of dialogues, while Halevy turned them into verses and music.
Day 7: Garda Lake & Valpolicella wine region
Breakfast.
You’ll leave the city to go to Lake Garda passing through the valleys of the Valpolicella wine region.
You’ll get to Sirmione, a small fortified village at the end of a narrow peninsula that extends about 4 km into Lake Garda and offers panoramic views of the eastern and western shores of the lake.
Your guide will give you a tour of the old city. There will be time and opportunity to visit the ancient caves of Catullus, from which originates the thermal water.
At the end of the Sirmione visit take the minivan to return to Verona, and depending on the time remaining, you may get a second further stop in another magnificent villages along the east coast of the lake, such as Lazise or Bardolino.
Lunch during the excursion. Transfer back to Verona.
Day 8: Departure
Breakfast. Check out and private transfer to Venice airport for the departure.
Departure: Available all year long, Opera season starts from Mid June to End of August
PRICE
from 2650 euro per person in double room based on 8 participants
The tour is fully customizable
