Milan & The Italian Lakes

Tour 17^th century villa and palazzo gardens, explore contemporary botanical displays and even wander through a mountainside alpine collection. Plus, enjoy the best food and wine!

Tour Complete

This tour occurred on May 28-June 4, 2024. Past tour information is preserved for informational purposes only. Visit Tour Highlights below to see a recap of this trip.

ITINERARY

AT A GLANCE

May 28, Tuesday – Arrive in Milan and the Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel

May 29, Wednesday – Villa Taranto, Villa Cicogna Mozzoni

May 30, Thursday – Isola Madre, Isola dei Pescatori, Isola Bella

May 31, Friday – Giardino Botanico Alpinia, Free Time in Stresa, Wine Tour & Tasting at Cantina Fontechiara

June 1, Saturday – Villa Melzi, Villa Medici Giulini

June 2, Sunday – Villa Carlotta, Villa del Balbianello

June 3, Monday – Bosco Verticale, Biblioteca Degli Alberi

June 4, Tuesday – Depart or continue travels

DETAILS

Day 1, Tuesday, May 28: ARRIVAL

Tour members arrange their own transportation to Milan and to the Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel, where a reservation has been made for them.

We will gather for a welcome dinner this evening (included in tour price).

Day 2, Wednesday, May 29: VILLA TARANTO, VILLA CICOGNA MOZZONI

We’ll leave Milan this morning and kick off our tour of gardens at Villa Taranto. Scotsman Neil McEarchern established the gardens and started this botanical collection in the 1930s. Prepare to ooh and aah over the wide variety of rare plants from around the world, all situated in a perfect microclimate. Impressive terraces and water features, a natural-looking (but manmade) valley, and beautiful bedding schemes are just a few of the features that we’ll see here. We’ll eat lunch together (included) in this beautiful setting between the lake and the mountains before we travel to our next garden.

In the afternoon, we’ll make our way to the 16^th-century Villa Cicogna Mozzoni, where the house and gardens perfectly complement one another. With carefully considered views and balanced siting, the formal courtyard and terraces seem to be an extension of the home, and the gardens include beautiful statues, fountains and even a magnificent waterfall staircase. Explore this stunning Renaissance-era estate indoors and out.

At the end of the day we’ll retire to The Palace Grand Hotel with a 4-course meal and wine (included).

Day 3, Thursday, May 30: ISOLA MADRE, ISOLA DEI PESCATORI, ISOLA BELLA

We’ll start our day on a boat toward Isola Madre and its rich history and horticultural wonders. Although the Palazzo Borromeo dates to the 16^th century, the gardens that surround it now were mostly installed in the 19^th century. Wander through the palazzo and lush plantings of palms, rhododendrons, wisteria, bougainvillea, citrus trees, banana trees and even proteas, and don’t miss the golden and silver pheasants and white peacocks that stroll the estate!

At midday we’ll board a boat for the charming fishing village of Isola dei Pescatori, where we’ll enjoy lunch together (included) and a bit of free time to explore.

In the afternoon we’ll again hop on a boat and make our way to the famous Italian-style Baroque garden and Isola Bella, which was once a mostly uninhabited island. All the construction materials, soil and plants were brought to the site in the 17^th century. Tour the impressive palazzo, the 10 terraces leading to the Teatro Massimo monument and the intricate parterres on different levels.

We’ll end the day with some free time and dinner on our own.

Day 4, Friday, May 31: GIARDINIO BOTANICO ALPINIA, STRESA, CANTINA FONTECHIARA

Today we’ll visit Giardinio Botanico Alpinia on the slopes of Mount Mottarone, a pre-Alpine relief wedged between Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta. At this botanical garden established in 1934, visitors can walk through rocky flowerbeds with an enchanting view of Lake Maggiore. Although it’s at a high altitude, its proximity to the lakes creates a mild climate that allows both high- and low-altitude plants to grow here, and the plant collection includes about 750 Alpine species.

Next we’ll spend some free time exploring the lakeside resort town Stresa, then visit the small family-run winery Cantina Fontechiara. On a tour of these elegant vineyards, we’ll learn about the history of wine making, vineyard cultivation, wine-making practices, and of course, end in the wine-tasting room. Here we’ll try Nebbiolo, Vespolina and Nebbiolo Rose wines alongside locally produced food pairings.

This evening we’ll once again gather at the hotel for a 3-course dinner and wine (included).

Day 5, Saturday, June 1: VILLA MELZI, VILLA MEDICI GIULINI

Villa Melzi sits on the shore of Lake Como. Mild winters, warm summers and plenty of rainfall create perfect conditions for the gardens around the 19^th-century neoclassical villa. Among the naturalistic plantings of camellias, rhododendrons, Japanese maples and conifers, you’ll find classic statues, balustrades and a gazebo. Don’t miss the museum and chapel nestled into the garden as well.

At midday we’ll travel to the famous 17^th-century Villa Medici Giulini, which boasts both a lovely garden and a rich collection of keyboard instruments, such as fortepianos, harpsichords, spinets and organs, all available for guests to play and experience the acoustics of the building and also the sounds that historic composers heard as they worked. The gardens have two main themes: an Italian garden with hornbeam hedges and boxwood parterres, and a colorful English-style garden. If weather permits, we’ll enjoy the sounds of music being played outdoors as we stroll and have lunch together (included)!

We’ll end the day with some free time and dinner on our own.

Day 6, Sunday, June 2: VILLA CARLOTTA, VILLA DEL BALBIANELLO

In this morning’s garden visit, we’ll again travel to the shores of Lake Como to take in Villa Carlotta’s botanical displays and museum. The 18^th-century formal Italian garden showcases terraces, formally pruned hedges, stairs, water features, statuary, as well as roses, a citrus tunnel, camellias and more. In contrast, the romantic garden has a more natural planting style and features some English garden favorites, such as hydrangeas and English roses, alongside tropical plants, a rock garden and even a valley of ferns. We’ll eat lunch together in this beautiful and varied setting (included).

At Villa del Balbianello, natural landscape and 18^th-century structure combine with mesmerizing effects. We’ll spend the afternoon exploring the wooded peninsula covered in old oaks, knotted plane trees and Italian cypresses. Learn about the extraordinary measures the staff takes to maintain its impressive trees. Tour one of the many exhibits of art and history. There’s lots to see here!

We’ll meet on our final night at The Palace Grand Hotel for a 4-course meal and wine (included).

Day 7, Monday, June 3: BOSCO VERTICALE, BIBLIOTECA DEGLI ALBERI

This morning we’ll leave The Palace Grand Hotel and make our way back to Milan, where we’ll see the Bosco Verticale, or Vertical Forest, an innovative architectural and horticultural residential project. You may have seen these amazing buildings come across your Instagram or Pinterest feeds. Two apartment towers, each several stories tall, are surrounded by a “green skin” of 800 trees, 15,000 perennials and 5,000 shrubs planted in pockets that extend to the tops of the buildings. This beautiful planting encourages biodiversity in an urban setting and has other more practical benefits, as well.

We’ll also tour the nearby Biblioteca Degli Alberi, or Library of Trees, a contemporary urban botanical garden.

We’ll enjoy a farewell lunch together (included) before we have a free afternoon in Milan and return to our airport hotel to say our goodbyes.

Day 8, Tuesday, June 4: DEPARTURE

Our time together has ended, but garden lovers always find fresh inspiration wherever they are. Tour members can choose to return home or carry on the adventure.