Venice Simplon-Orient-Express & Italian Lakes Trio with Mediterranean Cruise | Times Expert Traveller – The Times

Explore the Mediterranean Sea on a Silversea cruise, immerse yourself in the enchanting surroundings of Italy’s largest lakes during three superb hotel stays and experience the timeless elegance of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

Your holiday begins in the romantic city of Venice where you’ll relish a one-night hotel stay. Discover secret passageways, dramatic Gothic architecture and the famous Venetian cuisine; all of which contribute to the beauty and intrigue of this magical city. Relish a romantic gondola ride through the labyrinthine waterways, soak in the atmosphere in St. Mark’s Square where you’ll marvel at the spectacular charm of Saint Mark’s Basilica.

From here you’ll embark the brand-new Silver Dawn, sister ship to Silver Moon and Silver Muse. Immerse yourself in sumptuous suites, an array of dining options plus cutting-edge amenities as you cross the Adriatic Sea to the charming city of Split. This gem along Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast is home to an old town that is largely taken up by the well-preserved remains of a Roman villa. The chic island of Hvar is another Dalmatian Coast hotspot, while at Dubrovnik, your next stop, you’ll find a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was used as a filming location for the fantasy TV series Game of Thrones.

Other highlights of your cruise include the beautiful Greek island of Corfu, Sicily’s capital, Palermo, and Naples, an atmospheric city awash with grand architectural treasures and overlooked by the imposing slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Disembarking in Civitavecchia, you’ll then transfer to Florence for a two-night hotel stay. Set in the heart of bucolic Tuscany, this stunning city is often referred to as the birthplace of the Renaissance.

After this, you’ll begin your Italian Lakes experience, starting with Lake Como, where you’ll spend three nights. Here you’ll take a scenic train ride on the Bernina Express, a journey that’s packed with dramatic sights, including the dizzying Brusio spiral viaduct, an engineering marvel and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This is followed by a two-night hotel stay at Lake Maggiore. Along the shores of Italy’s second-largest lake you’ll find everything from waterfalls to ancient buildings that cling to the cliffs like limpets, as well as picturesque villages that seem frozen in time. On your second day here, you’ll take an unforgettable train ride through the Centovalli, a dizzying visual feast of dramatic gorges and crevices.

You’ll then transfer to the fabled Lake Garda for a four-night hotel stay. The country’s largest lake lies at the foot of the Dolomites mountain range and is fringed with picturesque villages and dotted with islands, including the tranquil Isola del Garda with its Venetian neogothic villa, and the pretty town of Sirmione. Sample some of the region’s finest wine, from Bardolino to Chiaretto, on a tasting tour, a good way to delve into its rustic landscape.

Finally, you’ll end your holiday in exquisite style as you board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in Verona. Make your way to London in timelessly elegant surroundings on one of the world’s most celebrated train journeys. Settle into carriages decked out in French-polished cherry wood and antique fixtures as you bid farewell to Italy.

Passing by the jagged peaks of the Alps and rural France, immerse yourself in opulence and relish the first-class cuisine, served by immaculately dressed white-gloved waiters. Reaching the English coast, a British Pullman will then whisk you back to London in regal style.

Venice – Hotel Stay

Venice

Discover the romance of Venice through its enchanting atmosphere, iconic landmarks and intricate architecture. Glide through the labyrinthine canal streets on a gondola as you admire the remarkable Renaissance and Gothic palaces, lining their path. Head to the heart of Venice, St. Mark’s Square, home to impressive St. Mark’s Basilica and marvel at its ornately decorated luminous Byzantine mosaics or pay a visit to Doge’s Palace – a masterpiece of Gothic architecture.

Venice – Embark Silver Dawn

Venice

Embark the newest addition to the Silversea fleet in Venice where you’ll head across the Adriatic Sea to the Dalmatian Coast. Sister ship to Silver Moon and Silver Muse, Silver Dawn features the very best of her illustrious siblings but is in a class all of her own. Immerse yourself in sumptuous suites, eight dining options plus cutting-edge design and technology throughout.

Accommodation –


Silver Dawn

Meals included –


Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Split

Split

Split is a city that combines archaeological treasures, natural beauty and modern Dalmatian life with consummate ease. With its spectacular setting – a mountainous backdrop offset by the turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea – it’s no wonder that a powerful Roman emperor once chose to build his palace here. Today, Diocletian’s Palace is one of the finest and best-preserved Roman monuments in the world and takes up a large area of the delightful Old Town.

Accommodation –


Silver Dawn

Meals included –


Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hvar

Hvar

Hvar is known as a chic, jet-set island whose shores are blessed with coves and bays, while inland you’ll find rolling fields of lavender, olive groves, fruit orchards and dense pine forests. In the main town, clustered around the harbour, discover the renaissance cathedral and take a stroll up to the imposing fortress that has loomed over the quaint red-roofed streets for centuries. It’s also said to be Europe’s sunniest destination, with the highest average hours of sunlight per year.

Accommodation –


Silver Dawn

Meals included –


Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

This picture-perfect medieval walled city, a stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers ancient stone buildings, narrow cobbled streets and red-tiled rooftops. Little wonder that it was used as a filming location in the TV series Game of Thrones. Stradun is the city’s focal point and main artery while Dubrovnik’s streets are generally traffic-free. A popular attraction here is the cable car ride that takes you to the peak of Mount Srd, affording superb panoramic views.

Accommodation –


Silver Dawn

Meals included –


Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Bari

Bari

Today you’ll visit Bari, the capital of Italy’s Puglia region. This historic and progressive city stands on the Adriatic coast and is home to fascinating sites, including the Basilica di San Nicola, one of southern Italy’s first Norman churches, and the Petruzzelli theatre, one of the most famous symbols of Bari. Enjoy the buzz of the Piazza Mercantile, and admire the sturdy walls of the Castello Svevo, otherwise known as Swabian Castle, which is now home to an art gallery.

Accommodation –


Silver Dawn

Meals included –


Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Corfu

Corfu

The vivid blue waters and idyllic beaches of Corfu await. Several excellent museums and a strong cultural pride stem from this beautiful island’s reputation as an early seat of European learning. Away from the resorts, you’ll find mountains carpeted with woodland, where towering Cyprus trees stand guard over inviting trails. You could also visit the Achilleion, a palace built in the 1800s for the Empress of Austria as a holiday refuge after the tragic loss of her son.

Accommodation –


Silver Dawn

Meals included –


Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Giardini Naxos

Giardini Naxos

A sleepy Sicilian fishing village until the 1970s, Giardini Naxos is now a popular tourist destination whose seafront is bedecked with pizzerias, bars and hotels. But it’s rich in ancient history, too. Take in sights such as Schisò Castle, rebuilt in the 16^th century from an earlier fort, and Vignazza Tower, once used to spot pirate ships off the coast. At the neighbouring town of Taormina there’s an ancient Roman theatre that is still in use for concerts, while the magnificent sight of nearby Mount Etna adds to the atmosphere.

Accommodation –


Silver Dawn

Meals included –


Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Palermo

Palermo (Sicily)

Today you’ll see another side to Sicily when you stop at the capital, Palermo. This city has character and charm in abundance, with stunning beaches and turquoise waters. Palermo’s eventful history stretches back to the 8th century and the city is known for its endless Norman buildings, beautiful palaces, lively markets and relaxed atmosphere. Wander through Palermo’s winding streets and you’ll also find historical churches, opera houses and ancient city walls.

Accommodation –


Silver Dawn

Meals included –


Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Naples

Naples

Bustling Naples also serves as a gateway to key destinations including Sorrento, Positano, Capri and, of course, Pompeii, an ancient Roman city preserved under ash after the eruption in AD 79 of Mount Vesuvius, the only active volcano in mainland Europe. Savour a pizza in the city where this staple of Italian cuisine was first conceived and wander piazzas lined  with grand architecture, from colonnaded palaces to domed gallerias, as well as streets that seem frozen in time.

Accommodation –


Silver Dawn

Meals included –


Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Civitavecchia (Rome) – Disembark Silver Dawn & Florence Hotel Stay

Florence

After disembarking in Civitavecchia, you’ll transfer to the Tuscan capital, an achingly romantic city of medieval architecture and art, with a magnificent centre that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Regarded by many as the birthplace of the Renaissance movement, it’s home to the superb Uffizi Gallery, home to works by Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Other sights include the Duomo cathedral and Piazzale Michelangelo which boasts panoramic views of the city.

Meals included –


Breakfast

Florence – Hotel Stay

Florence

Set in the heart of Tuscany, Florence is an ideal base from which to explore the region’s famous bucolic beauty. Gentle hills draped in morning mist, vineyards washed in golden sunshine and villages perched on the hillsides are all part of its charms. And don’t forget the food, which some may argue is just as inspiring as the galleries and churches. Find a restaurant with a terrace and a captivating view and feast on locally-sourced gourmet dishes, complemented by acclaimed wines.

Meals included –


Breakfast

Lake Como – Hotel Stay

Lake Como

Transfer to the magnificent Lake Como where you’ll enjoy a three-night hotel stay. Also known as Lario, Lake Como is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardo and is the third-largest lake in Italy. Favoured by many an A-List celebrity, Lake Como is an upscale resort area known for its dramatic scenery – set against the foothills of the Alps – beautiful villages where you can enjoy a coffee alfresco, and extravagant villas. Head to the picturesque village of Varenna for a romantic spot.

Meals included –


Breakfast

Lake Como – Hotel Stay & Tour

Lake Como

Today you’ll embark the iconic Bernina Express for a train journey to St. Moritz, passing through the Poschiavo Valley and the Engadin. Enjoy incredible sights of majestic mountains and quaint little towns as you trundle over the dizzying Brusio spiral viaduct, past Puschlaversee, over Alp Grum and onto the magical Bernia Pass. Before reaching St. Moritz, you’ll savour incredible views of Lake Bianco and the snow-covered Morteratsch Glacier.

Meals included –


Breakfast

Lake Como – Hotel Stay

Lake Como

With another day in Lake Como, you could explore more of the many quaint towns perched along the shores of the lake, or even the small city of Como itself, which is full of museums, well-manicured parks, palaces and grand churches and cathedrals dating back centuries. Another romantic spot is the picturesque village of Varenna, with its brightly painted houses set before a quintessentially alpine backdrop – a great place for photo opportunities.

Meals included –


Breakfast

Lake Maggiore – Hotel Stay

Lake Maggiore

Transfer to Lake Maggiore for your two-night hotel stay. Located just south of the Alps, Lake Maggiore is the second-largest lake in Italy and extends into Switzerland. It’s characterised by its colourful fishing villages, the tiny Borromean Islands off its south-western shore and the delicious cuisine found in the villages around it. Blessed with a mild climate all year round, the surrounding landscapes burst with a mesmerising array of Mediterranean vegetation and exotic plants.

Meals included –


Breakfast

Lake Maggiore – Hotel Stay & Tour

Lake Maggiore

Today you’ll enjoy a picturesque train journey from Domodossola to Locarno. This unforgettable experience will take you through the stunning Centovalli, or “One Hundred Valleys”, as you pass by deep gorges and crevices with cascading waterfalls, as well as across alpine meadows, numerous bridges and forests of chestnut trees. Upon arriving on the Swiss shores of Lake Maggiore, you’ll enjoy some time to embrace the atmospheric surroundings and explore the treasures within.

Meals included –


Breakfast

Lake Garda – Hotel Stay

Lake Garda

Head to the shores of Lake Garda for a three-night hotel stay. The largest lake in Italy, this staggeringly beautiful body stretch of water has a universal charm that attracts people from all walks of life. The lake’s southern region has olive groves, Roman architecture and lakeside beaches, while the north is characterised by its dramatic scenery, hemmed in on both sides by the majestic Alps. Take a boat ride to Isola del Garda to see a striking neogothic villa set on a beautifully looked-after island.

Meals included –


Breakfast

Lake Garda – Hotel Stay & Tour

Lake Garda

As one of Italy’s best-known wine-making regions, this is the perfect place to take a superb tasting tour of several vineyards. Acclaimed varieties such as Bardolino and Chiaretto are produced here, among many others. On your final day at leisure, pay a visit to magical Sirmione, blessed with thermal springs, a water-side castle and the ruins of a Roman villa. You could also delve into history at Riva del Garda with its cobblestone streets and pretty waterfront backed by soaring mountains.

Meals included –


Breakfast

Verona – Embark Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Verona

Begin your journey home in the luxury of a bygone age by boarding the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in Verona. Indulge in a three-course lunch in the elegant dining car, and watch the alpine landscape transform into the rolling fields of rural France. In the evening, prepare to be dazzled by a leisurely four-course dinner concocted by expert French chefs, and using the finest ingredients sourced from destinations along the way, then retire to your sumptuous cabin which has been turned into an elegant haven of rest.

Accommodation –


Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Meals included –


Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

London – Disembark Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

London

Wake to peaceful views and breakfast in your cabin before delighting in a delicious brunch as you sweep through northern France towards the Channel. Back on English soil, you’ll board the equally luxurious British Pullman for a traditional afternoon tea, accompanied by a glass of sparkling wine before arriving in London, your Italian experience complete.

Accommodation –


Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Meals included –


Breakfast

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