Festive fun in stunning surroundings
Join us for an unforgettable festive holiday on the shores of Italy's largest and most stunning lake. The waters here are backed by the wooded slopes of craggy mountains and fringed by stylish, elegant resorts, completing a spectacular scene that has drawn visitors for the last hundred years.
Famous Riva del Garda, at the lake's northern tip, is a delightful spot. Its elegant, pastel-painted buildings surround a little port, and its promenade is the perfect place for a morning stroll.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT DOES THE PRICE INCLUDE?
Your Itinerary
Day One: Outbound flight to Italy
Fly to Italy, and transfer to your hotel.
Day Two: Optional day trip to Trento
Spend today relaxing, or join our optional excursion to historic Trento. Beautifully set in the shadow of Monte Bondone, Trento is home to a variety of atmospheric Christmas Markets - perfect for last-minute Christmas shopping.
Day Three: Optional Verona city tour
Today is Christmas Eve, and on our full-day optional excursion we explore "fair Verona", the historic backdrop for the tragic tale of "Juliet and her Romeo" and home to the opera season held yearly in its Roman amphitheatre. Explore, then head into the welcoming warmth of a cafe on Piazza Bra to watch the world go by. Return to your hotel via the shoreline of Lake Garda, stopping to admire beautiful vistas of the lake from some of the most popular resorts. In the evening, enjoy a special four-course dinner. Then, if you wish, enjoy midnight mass at the church in Riva del Garda.
Day Four: Christmas Day
As ever, Christmas Day will be packed with relaxation and celebration. In the morning discover the sights of Lake Garda on our included scenic boat trip. Enjoy a turkey lunch, then, in the evening, take a seat for a special, four-course celebration dinner. It's a perfect way to spend a special day!
Day Five: Optional Venice city tour
Boxing Day's unmissable optional excursion is to Venice - quite simply one of the world's most beautiful cities, and perhaps even more so in the winter months. Discover its mysterious labyrinth of alleys and waterways, spectacular St Mark's Square and Cathedral, the bell tower, the Doge's Palace, the Rialto Bridge, and the mystique of the Palace of Prisons and the Bridge of Sighs.
Day Six: Rest and relax
Spend today relaxing as some of your newfound friends say goodbye and head home for the New Year, and a new group arrive, fresh from their own Christmas celebrations back in the UK.
Day Seven: Optional Bolzano day trip
Bolzano, in the heart of the wine-growing Alto-Adige region, is a delightful town surrounded by slumbering vineyards and the towering, craggy peaks of the Dolomites. Here, on the Piazza Walther, you'll find a wonderful Christmas market. Local craftsmen offer their work for sale, and the food and drink available fuses the flavours of Austria, the Alps and Northern Italy with the tastes of the Mediterranean.
Day Eight: Optional Verona city tour
If you missed it the first time around, today brings another opportunity to explore wonderful Verona on an optional visit (See Day Three).
Day Nine: Optional Venice city tour
Visit - or revisit - Venice on a final optional excursion (See Day Five).
Day 10: New Year's Eve
Spend today relaxing, or join us for an optional boat trip on Garda's waters, giving you the opportunity to view the lake and its surroundings from a different perspective. Return to your hotel to prepare for this evening's five-course New Year's Eve dinner, a wonderful way to ring in 2020.
Day 11: New Year's Day
Start the new Year with a lazy day relaxing, and perhaps recuperating from the celebrations, either in the hotel or in beautiful Riva. Complete a wonderful festive celebration this evening with a candlelit dinner at your hotel.
Day 12: Fly back to the UK
Transfer back to the airport for the return flight.
PRICES
Hotel Europa ★★★★
Hotel Europa ★★★★
Riva del Garda
Further Information
Hotel transfer times
The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately one hour from Verona, two hours from Milan Bergamo and three hours from Milan Malpensa.
Combining hotel transfers
We sometimes need to combine transfers to and from your hotel. We always try to keep any wait to a minimum, but you may be asked to wait at the airport for up to an hour, while other incoming flights arrive, before the transfer to your hotel. Similarly, we may need to transfer you back to the airport up to three hours before your flight home departs.
European closing times
Shops in Europe will generally close from early afternoon on Christmas Eve until 27th December. Included tours and excursions have been chosen for their scenic or historic value.
Special requirements
If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.
Disabled access
The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Entrance fees
Since some attractions visited offer free admission to visitors at certain times of year, we do not include entrance fees. These will be payable locally where applicable. This applies to excursions that are included in the price of your holiday and to excursions booked as optional extras.
Italian hotel room tax
Some regions of Italy have introduced a room tax of between 1 € and 3 € per person per night, payable directly by the guest to the hotel on check-out. You will be advised by your Tour Manager in resort if a particular hotel is implementing this charge.
Itinerary changes
Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.
Foreign Office travel advice
Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.
