Northern Italy, Austria, Slovenia & Croatia

Discover Milano, Verona, Trento, Bolzano, Val di Non, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Portoroz, Slovenia, Istria-Croatia, & Venice
Escorted 24/7 American Tour Director

Join us and go where Italians go for a holiday. Discover ancient towns thru the Dolomites, wine tastings, local cuisine and enjoy the beaches and culture of Croatia!
 

Tour Runs All Year
Itineraries may vary depending on weather/Dates

Where does this Tour take you?

BREAKFAST

LUNCH

DINNER

Day 1

Arrive in Milan. Meet your Tour Director.

Transfer to your centrally located Hotel via Private Transportation.

Aperitive welcome drink with group and Tour Director. We will have more detailed information about this day once we know all the arrival times.

Day 2

Morning guided Tour of Milan.  Our guide will take us through the streets of Milan, stopping at the Duomo.  Visit Santa Maria delle Grazie to see “The Last Supper”.  Afternoon at leisure.  Meet in the evening for dinner and drinks.

Day 3

After breakfast, we will load our luggage and head to the romantic city of Verona.  During our walking tour, our local guide will give us the history of Verona, and take us to see Juliette’s Balcony.  After time for lunch and shopping, we will begin our journey north to the Dolomites. We will stop at a Grappa factory to meet a family who has been producing Grappa for generations, and learn the history and importance of its production. We will arrive at our hotel in the evening, with dinner at the hotel.

Day 4

This morning after breakfast, we will visit the city of Trento.  Most famous for the Council of Trent in the 1500s, Trento has a very rich history dating back centuries. The weekly market in Trento is one of the largest in Northern Italy.  Take some time to wander between the stalls of food, clothing, housewares, and more.  After lunch, we will enjoy a guided tour of the Castle Buonconsiglio and learn about its history and connection to the surrounding land.  Before heading back to the hotel, we will stop at an award-winning gelateria to tide ourselves over until dinner at the hotel.

Day 5

Italy is famous for its agriculture and love for food! Today we will visit Val di Non and Val di Sole and discover some of the many products that make up the economy of these valleys.  We will discover apples, cheese, speck, and local wine.  Everywhere you look in these valleys is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.  Lunch will be provided at a local agriturismo where the kitchen prepares meals from products from their farm, and you enjoy the view. After lunch we can take a hike or you can enjoy time on the farm.  Dinner will be provided at the hotel.

Day 6

After breakfast we will drive to the Funicular at the top of Passo Mendola.  We will take the funicular to the base in the Adige Valley.  Our transportation will meet us and take us to Bolzano, where you will feel like we have already stepped into Austria, even though we are still in Italy! No visit to Bolzano is complete without a visit to Otzi the Iceman, the world’s oldest discovered mummy. After the Archaeological Museum, you will have time for a snack and shopping. We will drive to Caldaro and enjoy lunch at a local beer garden, which blends the German and Italian flavors of the valley perfectly on its menu. We will pass the afternoon wine tasting at cantinas and vineyards along the Wine Road. 

The valley is most famous for Gewurztraminer, but boasts many varieties of red and white wines. This picturesque valley is breathtaking, and begs you to stop for photos of the beautiful Lake Caldaro which is surrounded by vineyards and Tirolean style homes. In the afternoon, we will take the funicular back to the top of Passo Mendola, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the Adige and Non valleys. Dinner will be at the hotel.

Day 7

This morning we will check out of our hotel and drive north to the Brenner Pass, arriving in Innsbruck, Austria.  We will meet our guide for a tour of the historic district.  After lunch and some shopping, we will continue our drive to Salzburg and check into our hotel. We will enjoy a guided tour of Salzburg, including iconic sites from “The Sound of Music”! Stroll through the streets and transport yourself back to Motzart’s time as we explore his birthtown. Dinner will be in a nearby “keller” with traditional Austrian fare.  

Day 8

This morning we will drive to Vienna to visit the capital of Austria.  Through a guided tour, you will learn the intellectual, musical, and political history of this powerful city. After a break for lunch, we will visit the Schonbrunn Palace to see how the Hapsburgs lived in their summer residence. Of course, we will stop for a slice of Sacher Torte at the Hotel Sacher, the birthplace of chocolate cake!  Dinner will be at a traditional restaurant when we return to Salzburg.

Day 9

This morning we will take a day trip to returning to Lake Chimsee in Bavaria, Germany. The island in the lake boasts the Herrenchiemsee Palace, built by King Ludwig II, and the unfortunate location of his tragic death.  The palace is modeled after Versailles in France, and has splendid gardens overlooking the lake. After lunch, we will return to Salzburg where you can wander the streets and soak in the Austrian flavor. Dinner will be at a local restaurant.

Day 10

This morning we will check out of our hotel and begin our drive to Portoroz, on the coast of Slovenia. We will take a driving break in the morning, stopping for a snack break in the majestic lake town of Bled. Overlooking the lake is Castle Bled, believed to be the oldest castle in Slovenia. We will stop for lunch at a traditional Slovenian restaurant.  Arriving at our hotel in Portoroz in the afternoon, you will have time to explore the beachfront.  Dinner is at the hotel. 

Day 11

This morning we will drive to Pula, Croatia.  Pula boasts one of the best maintained of the almost 200 Roman Amphitheaters that dotted the Mediterranean during the Roman Empire. There are also remains of the Forum of this important seaport. In the afternoon, we will visit friends of ours at their olive oil farm. The family uses entirely organic methods to grow their olives. Learn how to taste the quality of pure olive oil, and purchase your own bottles to take back home! Before returning to Portoroz, we will stop at a vineyard to sample their wines.

The Istrian Peninsula of Croatia has several different varieties of soil, and during your tasting journey, you will learn how the soil directly influences the flavor of the grapes. Dinner will be provided at the hotel. Take an evening stroll along the coast, or discover the nightlife Portoroz has to offer for all ages!

Day 12

Today is a lazy day at the beach! Vacation can be exhausting, so take a day to recharge your batteries.  Play in the sand, relax in the sun, enjoy the pool, or take in a treatment at the hotel spa. We can also book a sightseeing or deep sea fishing trip for those who want to keep rolling! Dinner will be at the hotel.

Day 13

After breakfast, we will begin our drive to Venice. We will head north for more olive oil and wine tasting!  We will visit a family olive farm and learn more about the precious “liquid gold” of the region. Then we will drive to the wine growing region of Nova Gorizia.  Although we will be on the border of Slovenia and Croatia, your eyes will think we have transported to Tuscany. In fact, many of the wines in this area are winning prizes over some of the most prized Tuscan wines, at a lower cost to you. You can purchase or ship wine to share with your friends and family back home.  We will arrive in Venice in the late afternoon.  

After checking into the hotel, we will enjoy dinner at our friend’s cichetteria.  Cichetti are Venetian appetizers, similar to mini bruschette.  After you sample the variety and sip some Prosecco watching the sunset over the canal, you will agree with our past guests that this is one of the best dinners of the trip!

Day 14

This morning we will take a guided tour of Venice, complete with a ride on a Gondola! See the Doge’s Palace, enter the church at St. Mark’s, and learn about the complicated history of this merchant city. In the afternoon, you can choose to visit the Palace or other museums, or wander the streets taking pictures and shopping for glass. Dinner will be at a traditional Venetian restaurant.

Day 15

Depending on your flight time, we will either head straight to the airport via private water taxi, or you will have a few hours to wander the streets of Venice before meeting the water taxi. Your Tour Director will accompany you to the airport and assist you with check in. Once you are safely through security, we will cry, then begin planning your next trip with us!

Starting at

$4995 

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Airfare not Included

Prices per person are based on two persons sharing a room with private bath or shower. 

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Airfare: We can assist you in flight arrangements as well, just let us know you want to include airfare in our quotes. 

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