Italy Express: Venice, Verona & Lake Garda

Route: Verona→Peschiera→Mestre

1. 1Day 1Welcome dinner in VeronaOvernight: Verona

   • Welcome to Verona: The City of Love

     Day one is short and social. We land in Verona, check in, and the whole plan is one table, one dinner and a group of people who do not know each other yet.

     • It opens with the welcome meeting, where the trip gets explained, then a laid-back welcome dinner in Verona, the kind of setting that breaks the ice without anyone having to try very hard.

     • Dinner means freshly made cappelletti stuffed with Parma ham, a smooth glass of local red wine or a crisp, bubbly Aperol Spritz, and probably a second one before the plates are cleared.

     • As the group settles around the table, stories start flowing and travelling solo turns into travelling with a crew: no pressure, no plans, just good company and Italian food on the first night.

      

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2. 2Day 2Verona's streets and Lake GardaOvernight: Peschiera

   • Romeo and Juliet city

     Second day, two cities: the morning goes behind Verona's postcards, the afternoon puts us on a train to the lake.

     • You have heard of the Arena and Romeo and Juliet, so today we go past them, on a walking tour through the winding streets and hidden corners behind the Arena where the real Verona lives.

     • Along the way come Piazza Bra, Piazza dei Signori, the Adige River and the Arco dei Gavi, plus a belvedere and an astrological observatory, then a choice: a lazy lunch in town with fresh pasta and a view, or the next train to Lake Garda.

      

   • Garda Lake

     • A short, scenic 40-minute train ride from Verona brings us to Peschiera del Garda, gateway to the lake, and the day is ours: a cantina for a wine tasting in a celebrated wine region, or a boat tour to fairytale towns: Sirmione, Lazise, Bardolino.

     • The evening runs on the same logic: the natural thermal springs of Colà in a peaceful forest setting, a hands-on Italian cooking class making fresh pasta from scratch, or Gardaland, Italy's largest amusement park.

      

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3. 3Day 3Venice, the floating cityOvernight: Mestre

   • Venice Unveiled: Canals, Gondola & Culture

     Venice has no cars, only canals, and getting into it is already part of the day. We arrive by train or bus across the scenic Ponte della Libertà, then swap onto the water.

     • A vaporetto or water taxi takes us into the heart of the floating city, built entirely on water, and from the landing we wander off through hidden alleys and over charming bridges.

     • Those alleys open onto Piazza San Marco, where the Palazzo Ducale and the Basilica di San Marco face each other, the Venetian architecture is worth the neck ache, and a gondola ride is there for the taking.

      

   • Rialto Bridge

     • Before sunset we cross the Rialto Bridge, the oldest and most famous bridge on the Grand Canal, said to have witnessed countless secret romances and whispered promises over the centuries.

     • Then up to the Terrazza del Fondaco dei Tedeschi for a panoramic view of the canals and rooftops, and afterwards we do as the locals do: bacaro hopping, an ombretta of wine, plates of cicchetti.

      

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4. 4Day 4Murano, Burano and San MicheleOvernight: Mestre

   • Venetian islands: Murano & Burano

     Today we swap the city for the lagoon, with a vaporetto ticket in hand and three islands lined up ahead.

     • We step into Murano, Venice's island of fire and glass, where master artisans have been shaping glass art for centuries; the Murano Glass Museum and canals lined with colourful houses and boutiques fill the rest of it.

     • Next we sail to Burano, known for its brightly painted fishermen's houses and its intricate lace-making tradition, a small island that is mostly an excuse to keep taking photographs.

     • Just nearby lies the Isola di San Michele, Venice's Floating Cemetery, a quiet island steeped in history and mystery where the serene water does most of the talking.

      

   • Farewell Dinner

     • Tonight we gather one last time for the farewell dinner, glasses clinking over the friendships and the memories built across five days in Italy, before the group starts breaking up.

      

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5. 5Day 5Goodbye to Italy

   • Bye Bye Venice

     The last morning is the short one, and after breakfast there is nothing left on the programme except the goodbye itself.

     • We say farewell to the group and to the group leader who ran the five days, with the bonds forged somewhere between Verona, the lake and the canals.

     • From there the trip's services end, everyone makes their own way to the airport, and the parting comes with the usual promise of a next adventure.

      

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