Switzerland and Italy Tour

Enjoy all Italy has to offer including stops in Venice, Burano, Murano, Florence, Lake Como and Cinque Terre with 2 days in Zurich, Switzerland

12-Day Journey

Your Journey

Personalized journeys by our travel designers from start to finish

Experience

Our travel designers have been around the world and back again

Peace of Mind

Our team is available 24/7/365 before, during and after your journey

What's Included in your Switzerland and Italy Tour

  • 3-Nights in Zurich, Switzerland
  • 2-Nights in Lake Como, Italy
  • 2-Nights in Venice, Italy
  • 3-Nights in Florence, Italy
  • Day Trip to Siena-San Gimignano
  • Day Trip to Cinque Terre
  • Hotel Accommodations at each Location
  • Small Group or Private Tours with Expert Local Guides
  • Full support before, during and after your trip
  • Your Travel Designer available 24/7

Your Switzerland and Italy Tour Itinerary

Day 1-3 Zurich, Switzerland (3-nights)

ACCOMMODATIONS:

In Zurich’s Seefeld district, where art and culture, maritime flair, and trendy locations combine to create a unique mixture, the Sorell Hotel Seefeld invites you to stay in style with excellent service. Book our boutique hotel in Seefeld now!

In the most dynamic district of the city. It is only a few minutes walk from the Sorell Hotel Seefeld to the opera house and the Kunsthaus. Bahnhofstrasse and Zurich’s old town are also within easy walking distance.

ACTIVITIES in ZURICH:

  • Chocolate Tour: Discover the sweet side of Switzerland

Join us on an original, entertaining, and deliciously sweet walking tour around Zürich’s charming old town. We will show you some of the city’s most irresistible sweet corners, including traditional confectionaries, artisan chocolatiers, and other interesting chocolatey sites.

During the tour you will learn about Swiss chocolate history, find out about each chocolatier’s finest specialties and of course, you will also get to try lots of sweets. The tour will be rounded up by a connoisseur tasting session, where we will explain how to taste and pair chocolate.

Embark on a journey into the world of cacao and handmade Swiss chocolate that will have you re-discover old creations and experience a variety of new and different tastes.

  • Zurich City Highlights Tour

Explore Zurich on a half-day sightseeing tour of the city. Climb aboard a luxury coach for a panoramic tour of top sights like the Swiss National Museum, the Zurich Opera House, and the Old Town, and then take to the water for a scenic ferry crossing of Lake Zurich. Marvel at the grand architecture of Fraumünster Church and the Bahnhofstrasse and then gaze at sweeping Alpine vistas as you ride a cable car to the vertiginous Felsenegg vantage point.

Climb aboard a comfortable, air-conditioned coach in central Zurich and embark on a panoramic sightseeing tour of the city. Receive a historical introduction to Zurich from your guide and direct your attention to landmarks such as the Swiss National Museum and the Zurich Opera House.

Disembark for a leisurely stroll around Zurich’s charming Old Town (Altstadt), and admire quaint houses and grand political centers. Capture photographs of the world’s largest clock face on St Peter’s Church, and gaze at the prismatic stained-glass windows that decorate Fraumünster Church.

 

Your Switzerland and Italy Tour continues at Lake Como

Day 4-5 Lake Como, Italy (2-nights)

In the heart of Como on the water, when it was built in 1898, this remarkable property was named “Grand Hotel Plinius”; the engineer Giuseppe Salvioni drew the original project whilst the young architect Federico Frigerio designed the magnificent decoration of the top floor.

A majestic palace on the lakefront, featuring the Belle Epoque style and modern comforts, made it stand out amongst the other hotels in the city.

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ACTIVITIES in LAKE COMO:

  • Cooking with Paola

Cooking has always been my passion and I am very happy to transmit that. The idea of the cooking class is to give you the flavor of a true Italian lifestyle through food, an experience for all senses. You will learn some Italian words while cooking delicious Italian food. At the end of the course, you will receive a copy of all recipes prepared together.

You will be welcomed with an appetizer and a glass of prosecco just to set the atmosphere. The menu will include three different including a first course, main course, and dessert) using fresh seasonal ingredients and will last for 3-4 hrs. A selection of digestivi will be served after dinner. The lesson will be held in a cozy, family environment (Paola’s in Lake Como), so you can truly understand Italian culture and passion for food.

You will eat together all the delicious dishes prepared. It will be a unique and different cooking experience with an Italian family! Above all expect plenty of good food and many stories to tell. In Italy you live and eat well! Come and cook with Paola!

  • 7-hour Boat tour with my favorite Captain in Lake Como

Onboard for sight-seeing the best villas including Villa Erba, Villa D’Este, Villa Versace, Villa Oleandra (George Clooney), Waterfall of Urio, Island Comacina, Villa Cassinella (Richard Branson), Villa Balbianello, and Villa Carlotta.

Next (2-3 hour) stop at the beautiful “Pearl of the Lake” Village of Bellagio

You can enjoy the most beautiful village on Lake Como, shop and have lunch, (lunch on your own).

Few places are as romantic as Lake Como, and even fewer resorts as beautiful as Bellagio. Called the “Pearl of the Lake”, Bellagio’s world-class hotels and restaurants provide the perfect place to soak up the lake’s famous panorama. The village is characterized by century-old buildings, stone lanes, and picturesque cobbled stairways filled with shops showcasing the finest Italian wares. (1- hour boat ride back home.)

 

Your Switzerland and Italy Tour continues in Venice

Switzerland and Italy Tour

Day 6-7 Venice, Italy (2-nights)

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Palazzo Veneziano

Palazzo Veneziano is a new contemporary antique 4 Star hotel in the world’s most mysterious destination – Venice. Allow yourself navigation back in time! Antique damasks in 4 different colors, bronze, glass, stones, and Venetian materials arriving from the past have been assembled into a new and original contemporary way.

ACTIVITIES in VENICE:

  • 3-hour Venice Private Food Tasting Walking Tour

The popular diet of Venetian includes polenta, risotto, and fish, and you will try all the mentioned on this tour. Each of the stops is well known among locals for some dishes, and along with your local foodie, you will not only learn about the legends behind the food, the bar, the restaurant, but also some histories about the area as well.

There are 8 stops on this tour with plenty of food to make sure you do not need breakfast or dinner. You will start your day with some coffee as the Italians do. Venice has a tradition that goes a long way back in time in making tasty pastries, and you will get to try some of the heavenly delicious pastries that the Venetian has to offer.

After your sweet tooth has been satisfied, stroll through some wine bars and savor typical Venetian drinks accompanied by the famous Cicchetti. Try 5-6 different types of fish and learn how each dish is created.

Even Venice is known for seafood dishes, there is some delicious local cured meat that you must try too! Then go to the backstreet, visit the oldest bar, find out where the famous lover in history used to frequent and of course try their signature dish. After that, crawl your way to get some traditional Venetian cookies and learn why they are so good, and the tour will end with some authentic gelato!

  • Private Venice City Tour

Enjoy a panoramic tour over the history of St. Mark’s square and its main monuments. Visit St. Mark’s Basilica, with the richness of its beautiful gold mosaics and marble inlays of the floors.

Visit the Doge’s Palace, a fourteenth-century building from where the ancient Venetian republic exerted control over the city. In its splendid rooms, plastered and immersed in hundreds of masterpieces of painting, the Duke and his Council controlled the fate of a thousand-year history republic. Be surprised by the details of the gold staircase and the realism of the scenes depicted. Pass through the famous to reach Bridge of Sighs the Prisons Palace.

  • Venetian Rowing Lesson

Having the opportunity to appreciate the historical and truly traditional aspects of Venice.

Inhabitants have always moved around on different kinds of boats that have become the true symbol and essence of Venice. During this private rowing lesson, you will participate in an authentic Venetian experience that few tourists get to try. In these 90 minutes of unforgettable fun, you will learn the basics of the voga alla veneta, the traditional Venetian rowing style, while at the same time

You will feel just like a real gondolier as you stand up and row both at the prow and at the stern. You will first start by testing out the movement, without putting the craft in motion. Then you will traverse the gorgeous side canals of the Cannaregio district and, after you have become confident, daringly enter the open lagoon.

The lessons will be held in a rare, hand-crafted wooden craft called batela coda di gambero (‘shrimp-tailed’). These beautiful batele are particularly adapted for first-time rowers; they’re quite spacious but more stable than a gondola, and also represent one of the most common historical Venetian craft.

  • Murano Glass and Burano Lace Tour

Situated just across the Venetian Lagoon from Venice, the lovely islands of Murano and Burano are world-renowned for their traditional artisan crafts. You’ll meet up with your guide in central Venice for the short boat ride to Murano, a picturesque grouping of islands that has been home to some of the world’s finest artisan glassblowers since the 13th century.

Visit the workshop of a local glassblower to watch delicate forms take shape from molten glass through a combination of rolling, shaping with iron tools, and blowing through a long metal tube. Learn tricks of the trade, like how minerals are added to give the candy-colored vases and chandeliers of Murano their vibrant hue. Enjoy some free time on the island to explore other workshops and perhaps pick up a souvenir to take home.

Hop back on the boat for the scenic ride to Burano, where traditional lacemaking workshops are scattered among the island’s brightly colored homes. Learn about the history of Burano lace and how it was once sought after by monarchs across Europe for its exquisite quality. You’ll get a chance to watch local craftswomen creating lace through a series of finely detailed weaving and stitching, carrying on a tradition that has thrived here for centuries.

 

Your Switzerland and Italy Tour continues in Florence

Day 8-10 Florence, Italy (3-nights)

ACCOMMODATIONS:

What once was a stately historical building 100 meters from the Florence Cathedral, today is home to the 4-star Hotel Spadai – opened in 2015. The most stylish and luxurious boutique hotel in the heart of Renaissance Florence.

Every room has been refurbished and turned into a stunning urban oasis, where antique materials blend naturally with a superb contemporary style.

But most of all, they have hired the most talented and attentive staff available, and we have set new standards of efficiency and personalized service in order to form the most amazing Florence experiences for each one of you.

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ACTIVITIES in FLORENCE:

  • A Walk through the History of Florence & A Visit to the Accademia Gallery

This private tour begins in Piazza Della Repubblica, the city’s forum in ancient Roman times. From here you will walk toward Piazza Della Signoria, an L- shaped square that is dominated by Palazzo Della Signoria (also called Palazzo Vecchio). This colossal Romanesque fortress is one of the most impressive town halls in Tuscany.

Next, you will discover the Franciscan Basilica of Santa Croce; this fine example of Italian Gothic architecture contains beautiful frescoes by Giotto. Many important masters are buried here: Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli, to name just three. Then comes Piazza del Duomo, where the elegant cathedral dedicated to Santa Maria del Fiore, the Virgin of the Flower is located here.

The tour ends in the Accademia Gallery, where you can admire the monumental statue of “David” by Michelangelo that once stood in front of Palazzo Vecchio.

  • Siena-San Gimignano Full Day

Visit the picturesque Tuscan hill towns of Siena and San Gimignano on this full-day private excursion departing from Florence. This full-day excursion begins with a visit to the picturesque village of San Gimignano, famous for the 13th-century towers that stand as a testament to its medieval prosperity and the wealth of its merchants.

Afterward, you will drive through the gorgeous Tuscan countryside to Siena. In this cradle of the Italian Gothic style, your expert, a private guide will introduce you to the artistic marvels of the historic center with an hour and a half tour. See the spectacular Duomo and baptistery, both of which beautifully symbolize the devout religious nature of the Sienese.

The city’s heart is the gracious, shell-shaped main piazza, or Campo, site of the celebrated Palio – this thrilling horserace is run twice each summer, on July 2nd and August 16th. Looming over it is the Palazzo Pubblico (City Hall), a crenelated, medieval building that represents the independence and economic might of the Sienese oligarchy.

Time permitting, the driver will take a slight detour to Monteriggioni, a tiny village surrounded by high walls and 14 square towers. It is one of the finest examples of medieval military architecture in existence.

  • Cinque Terre: Day Trip Private Tour

Take a full-day private excursion from Florence to explore the renowned Five Villages of the Italian Riviera. A cultural landscape of great scenic and cultural value, the Cinque Terre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for its incredible beauty. This full-day excursion departs from and returns to your Florence hotel, and offers a convenient way to discover the colors and flavors of this fascinating area.

You will meet your guide in Riomaggiore, the southern-most of the “Five Lands.” Due to rock slides, Via dell’Amore and some of the Cinque Terre’s paths are closed until further notice, therefore instead of walking between the villages, you will take the train or public boat instead.

After visiting Riomaggiore, you will reach Manarola, the second smallest of the villages and probably the oldest; the cornerstone of Manarola’s church of San Lorenzo was laid in 1338.

Corniglia is next. Perched on top of a promontory, Corniglia is the only one of the five villages without direct access to the sea. It is enclosed on three sides by picturesque, terraced vineyards while the fourth side descends steeply to the blue waters of the Mediterranean. After a guided visit to the village and its park, you’ll stop for a tasty lunch of local dishes and wines at the Cantina de Mananan (included in the price).

Last but certainly not least is Vernazza, the most picture-perfect of the five and considered to be one of the most authentic fishing villages on the Italian Riviera. You’ll not soon forget the feeling of being embraced by Vernazza’s fine, natural harbor.

Return Home with Memories that Last a Lifetime

Contact your Travel Designer

lisa crawford
Lisa Crawford

Luxury Travel Advisor, Founder, and CEO

Contact Lisa Crawford today at 954-456-0419 

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