Day 1: After an early home pick up we join our platinum executive tour coach and head to Kent where we make the short crossing to France. Upon arrival we continue our journey through northern France to our overnight hotel in the Metz area.
Day 2: After breakfast we travel through ever changing scenery through Austria, crossing the Alps into Italy, making suitable stops enroute. On arrival at the hotel, you will enjoy a glass of prosecco whilst your luggage is taken to your room.
Day 3: Our route this morning takes us past the lesser known but incredibly scenic Lake Molveno, and from here we enjoy the relaxing route taking us through to the back of Lake Garda. Riva offers a lakeside historic centre and is the most northerly point in Europe where olive trees grow! We have free time to explore Riva and perhaps enjoy a delicious lunch or drink in the main square.
Day 4: Today we arrive in one of Italy’s best kept secrets – stunning Merano! In true ‘Sound of Music’ fashion, this beautiful spa town sits nestled between the Dolomites. The town centre abounds with shops, restaurants and cafés oozing with delicious strudel. For a birds’ eye view of the city, take the chairlift up to the panoramic viewpoint (not included), try out some mouth-watering ‘speck’ in a local stube or tempt yourself with ‘sachertorte’ in one of the pastry shops! In the afternoon, we head to the historic winery of Kettmeir, nestled amongst the vineyards of Alto Adige, where we enjoy a tour and tasting of some top quality wines – the South Tyrolean wines are so good they don’t export much as they prefer to keep them for themselves!
Day 5: Today, Fausto will play host and take us out for a gentle walk around this friendly village. We enjoy a picnic with great company, food and wine... and start to get into the relaxed ‘Paganella way of life’ in the mountains!
Day 6: Today we drive north towards Moena, based in the heart of the Dolomites, and ascend towards the vibrant town of Canazei. From here it’s just a short drive to get to the ‘Sella Pass’, an incredible viewing platform, from where we can enjoy lunch and appreciate the amazing 360 degree views across the Dolomites’ spectacular jagged peaks. We continue down into the alluring Val Gardena, a historic valley known for its wood making traditions and unique and ancient language, Ladin, which is only spoken here. Enjoy a break in the picturesque village of Ortisei and relax over a delicious plate of strudel, or perhaps shop for one of the other local specialities – handmade cuckoo clocks!
Day 7: Sadly this morning we depart the Hotel Paganella and make our way back to our overnight hotel, stopping in the beautiful town of Riquewihr, a medieval town right in the heart of the Alsatian vineyards, classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France. For centuries this magnificent town has managed to combine the quality of its architecture with the quality of its world-famous wines, from where it gets its nickname “The Gem of the Alsace Vineyards”.
Day 8: This morning we head back to Calais and our crossing to the UK. Once we arrive in Kent we continue back to Norfolk where our taxi service will be waiting to take you home.
Holiday Information:
7 Nights Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
Price: £1182pp
Single Supplement: £130 (Will be allocated a twin or double room for sole occupancy, depending on availability) (Limited Availability)
Insurance: £POA Due to crossover renewal dates over the festive period, new insurance policies cannot currently be purchased online. Please contact our office in the new year for further details.
Tour Reference: EUR1841
This tour will be undertaken in one of our Platinum luxury executive coaches. You will have extended leg room, airline style seats with adjustable headrests and USB charging points, along with all the facilities present on our executive touring vehicles.
Deposit Required: £70pp
Balance Due: 10 weeks prior to departure