During this 10-Day Northern Italy tour, immerse your senses in the splendor and architecture that stretches across the country. Journey through 19th-century villas that dot the shores of Lake Como, venture over snow-laden landscapes as the Bernina Express transports you to Switzerland, soar through the skies on a private jet to Verona, and witness Venetian Gothic palaces from your gondola ride down the Grand Canal.
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Milan – Walk on the Duomo Rooftop
When your plane touches down at Milan Malpensa Airport, your friendly transfer will be waiting to greet and transfer you to your luxurious accommodation in the center of Milan. You will maneuver along the cobblestone streets with your guide to the Duomo di Milano. The heavy doors will open for you as you begin your private tour, and a holy silence will encircle you as you amble among the marble columns. Your tour will continue as you reach the cathedral rooftop, which will provide you with spectacular views of the city and square below.
What's Included:
Day 2
Varenna – Revel in the Glamour of Lake Como
Day 3
Varenna – Cruise around Lake Como
Day 4
St. Moritz – Delight in the Beauty of the Alps
Day 5
Verona – Encounter History and Culture
Day 6
Verona – Attend a Performance in a Roman Amphitheater
Day 7
Padua – Visit Chapels and Palaces
Day 8
Venice – Indulge in a Grand Canal Gondola Ride
Day 9
Venice – Venture to the Islands of Murano and Burano
Day 10
Venice – Depart for Home
Trip Highlights
- Experience a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of Milan’s Duomo, which will be complete with a vibrant sunset and viewed from the rooftop terrace
- Discover hilltop castle ruins and the 19th-century villas that line the placid shores of Lake Como
- Indulge in a visit to the Villa del Balbianello to enjoy the exquisite gardens and promenades while sipping your favorite aperitif
- Board a world-class train that provides you with a grand scenic tour, leading you from the palm trees of Lake Como to the snow-capped glaciers of Southern Switzerland
- Soar through the skies on a private jet that flies you from the mountains of Switzerland to the sunbaked terrain of Verona, Italy
- Applaud as you attend in an exclusive open-air performance in the Roman Amphitheater
- Venture through Padua, which is one of northern Italy’s oldest cities, and observe gorgeous 14th-century frescoes
- Luxuriate on a private gondola ride down the Grand Canal, observing classic Venetian Gothic architecture and charming flower-lined neighborhoods
- Receive personalized demonstrations of glassblowing and lacemaking on the charming islands of Murano and Burano
Detailed Description
The contagious, high-energy buzz of Milan will greet you as you begin your grand adventure through Northern Italy. High-fashion is always in style, and you will mingle past haute-couture shops to make your way to the massive gothic cathedral that graces the center of the city. Your private guide will lead you through the Duomo and to the rooftop, where you will be amazed at unsurpassed views over the city. The sleek buildings of Italy’s banking industry will fade in the background as your driver transfers you to Lake Como, and you can gaze at emerald forests and a turquoise lake that sits among the snow-capped Alps. A private boat will whisk you around the stunning lake, and you will visit small villages and glamorous villas that dot the shoreline.
Afterward, you board the Bernina Express, which is a panoramic train that will escort you from the palm tree promenades of Lake Como, over glaciers, and to the spa town of St. Moritz, Switzerland. Here, you will spend the night and be pampered at an exclusive resort. In the morning, a private jet will fly you to the beautiful city of Verona, where you will sit in the lap of luxury as you view the glorious landscapes. Red rooftops and bell-towers will eventually come into view, symbolizing that you will be arriving in Verona shortly. Upon your arrival, you will indulge in a personalized tour through the most intriguing sites of the city, visiting the house of Shakespeare’s Juliet and attending a captivating show in the 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater.
You will continue your tour in Padua, which is Northern Italy’s oldest city. Here, you will see the impressive Basilica of St. Anthony, which attracts thousands of pilgrims each year, and Giotto’s exquisite frescoes that blanket the walls of the 14th-century Scrovegni Chapel. The following day, your driver will lead you to the iconic city of Venice, where you will board a gondola and cruise down the canal, passing Gothic palaces and arched stone footbridges. After your gondola ride, you will enjoy a private tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. Your final full day in Venice will consist of an adventure to the colorful islands of Murano and Burano, where you will witness glassblowing and lacemaking demonstrations that have made these islands famous for centuries.
Starting Price
$4,500 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.9 stars based on 6259 reviews.
Zicasso's travel agent created an itinerary and experience that was simply perfect. Every hotel experience, guide, and driver was excellent. She was kind, patient, knowledgeable, and made the perfect suggestions. I loved working with her! Thank you to our agent, the tour operator, and Zicasso for a wonderful trip!
Reviewed By Anita L.
The trip was wonderful. Zicasso's travel agent and her staff planned the perfect 10-day trip. The accommodations, the drivers, the guides, and the restaurant recommendations were perfect. The communication was excellent and timely. They went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and happy. The staff were very attentive and flexible, even when we wanted some small changes, such as pick-up times for the drivers. They adapted and made it all work. This travel agent is absolutely terrific.
Reviewed By Marci M.
Our Italy trip with Zicasso’s travel partner was nothing short of spectacular! Referred by a friend who had an amazing experience, we decided to give it a try and were not disappointed. Our agent was fantastic, always ready with answers to our questions and providing excellent support throughout our journey.
In Tuscany, we visited beautiful wineries and enjoyed a delightful lunch with the vintners, who were incredibly warm and welcoming. Her attention to detail was evident when she adjusted our plans due to weather changes and even checked in on us when we were slightly delayed for a tour.
Siena was breathtaking and our hotel in Rome was perfectly located, allowing us to walk to all the major sites. One of the highlights was a small boat tour around Capri from Amalfi—perfect weather and stunning waters made it unforgettable. The cooking class on the Amalfi Coast, set on the side of a cliff, was exceptional and having personal tours just for the two of us was an unexpected and delightful bonus.
We can't express enough how much we enjoyed our Italy trip. The travel partner exceeded our expectations and we highly recommend them for a truly memorable experience!
Reviewed By Kent S.
Zicasso’s trip coordinator and her team did a fantastic job, not only in planning the trip to meet our needs and wants, but also in personalizing it as needed. They were also available as we needed them to adjust things, such as pickups, and even made some dinner reservations for us. With our budget, they set us up in excellent hotels that fit our desire for the trip to be a wonderful anniversary getaway. Her staff were also very helpful. We would strongly recommend them for a trip to Italy!
Reviewed By Rajesh J.
Zicasso's travel planner and her staff did a perfect job for our family of six. She made our trip seamless!
Everything she planned was perfect and no detail was left out. I would use them again and again for my travels to Italy.
Reviewed By Sally F.
My first solo trip was something I had dreamed about for years. I wanted it to be more than sightseeing. I wanted adventure, comfort, safety, and freedom without the stress of planning it all alone. Through Zicasso, I was connected to two specialists and Zicasso's travel consultant stood out immediately. She delivered an itinerary that gave me everything I asked for and more: maximum cities, maximum fun, and maximum value, all without compromise.
Before deciding, I researched and compared tours, packages, and individual prices online. The travel consultant’s proposal came out on top for value and content. While the other agent offered fewer cities and activities at a higher price, her plan was ambitious without being overwhelming. She booked my trains, arranged private transfers where needed, and selected boutique-style hotels that exceeded expectations. I was honestly surprised at how good they were. I stayed at hotels in Interlaken, Florence, and Sorrento. Each was clean, comfortable, and perfectly located for exploring. I had prepared myself for budget trade-offs, but instead, I found thoughtfully chosen hotels that balanced affordability with real quality.
Every document, train ticket, and activity confirmation was uploaded into the app. It became my lifeline throughout the trip, with every detail at my fingertips. The structure gave me confidence, while still leaving me free to explore.
Switzerland came first: Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, and Zermatt. Each city felt like stepping into a postcard. Interlaken gave me the adrenaline rush of skydiving, while Zermatt charmed me with its close-knit magic and alpine beauty. Italy unfolded with equal ease: Lake Como, Venice, Florence, Sorrento, Amalfi, and Rome. Every destination felt curated, yet natural, from gondola rides in Venice to boat tours on the Amalfi Coast.
What I loved most was the balance between structure and freedom. Pre-booked activities and restaurant reservations gave me a strong framework, but I could just as easily decide to spend an afternoon wandering Florence, eating gelato, or sitting in a piazza. The rhythm of the trip was perfect, structured enough to tick off bucket-list highlights, yet relaxed enough to feel like a real vacation.
Food was freestyle, but memorable. Highlights included a Japanese-Peruvian restaurant in Zurich with its elegant Japanese-Peruvian flavors, a different Japanese restaurant, a restaurant in Como with its modern fusion menu, an Indian restaurant for comforting classics, and international favorites like those in one of the restaurants in Rome. Between those meals and plenty of gelato and crepes, every stop added its own flavor to the journey.
As a solo traveler, safety mattered. I felt comfortable walking around in the evenings and was usually back in my hotel by 1am to stay rested for the next day. What really gave me peace of mind was the travel consultant’s constant support. Communication was fast and responsive. I never had to wait long for answers, whether through the app or email. There was a moment when I made a mistake with the trains and missed an activity. She immediately stepped in and worked to reschedule it or secure a refund that same day.
Earlier in the planning process, I also had a card issue due to an address error. Even though policy would not normally allow it, she and her team patiently waited until I received the refund before finalizing the booking, just weeks before my trip. That flexibility and care spoke volumes.
The difference was clear. She used my budget to its fullest potential, giving me more destinations, more experiences, and better hotels than the alternative option. She managed to combine the efficiency of a fully organized tour with the freedom of independent travel. Everything was planned, yet everything was still mine to shape.
This trip was everything I wanted: good food, beautiful views, safety, and absolute reliability. It was an organized journey with freestyle flexibility, which is exactly what solo travelers dream of. The travel consultant’s planning let me chase adventure while always knowing I had a safety net. Switzerland and Italy gave me memories I will never forget, but it was the behind-the-scenes planning that made it possible. If you want a trip that is your way, your budget, your pace, but without the endless hassle of managing it yourself, the travel consultant at this agency is the person who can make it happen. My first solo trip became my dream trip and that is the highest praise I can give.
Reviewed By tasmia S.
