Your holiday summary
| Holiday type |
Tours Rail holidays |
|---|---|
| Country |
France |
| Travel type |
Train |
| Price range | From £1195 |
| Travel partner | Travel Editions |
| Duration | 8 nights |
|
Need help with your booking? 0330 333 6761 |
Lake Orta by rail
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You'll love this tour if you like: Stunning lake and mountain scenery Quaint lakeside villages Lively Italian street markets Sacred religious sites Boat trips - on Lake Orta and Maggiore
This wonderful tour was our first tour by train to Italy and focuses upon Italy's beautiful lakes from our base on pretty Lake Orta. Tour highlights include two of Italy's (and one of Switerzland's) most striking lakes - Orta, Maggiore and Lugano. You will also visit Varallo, the tranquil Santuario D'Oropa, a complex of religious buildings and a hospice, Monte Rosa, the highest mountain in Switzerland and second largest in Europe, the charming resort of Stresa and Lake Maggiore's stunning Borromean Islands with spectacular mountain and lake scenery at every turn. One of the tour's most appealing features is our base at Lake Orta staying at the charming family run 3-star Giardinetto Hotel, situated in lovely gardens right on Lake Orta with fantastic lake views. Dinner is included here every night in its lakeside restaurant offering excellent local cuisine and stunning views.
This wonderful tour was our first tour by train to Italy and focuses upon Italy's beautiful lakes from our base on pretty Lake Orta. Tour highlights include two of Italy's (and one of Switerzland's) most striking lakes - Orta, Maggiore and Lugano. You will also visit Varallo, the tranquil Santuario D'Oropa, a complex of religious buildings and a hospice, Monte Rosa, the highest mountain in Switzerland and second largest in Europe, the charming resort of Stresa and Lake Maggiore's stunning Borromean Islands with spectacular mountain and lake scenery at every turn. One of the tour's most appealing features is our base at Lake Orta staying at the charming family run 3-star Giardinetto Hotel, situated in lovely gardens right on Lake Orta with fantastic lake views. Dinner is included here every night in its lakeside restaurant offering excellent local cuisine and stunning views.
Included
- Return Eurostar and TGV from St Pancras or Ebbsfleet to Novara via Paris
- 1 nights' accommodation at the 3-star Mercure Gare de Lyon on bed and breakfast basis
- 7 nights' accommodation on dinner (set menu), bed and breaskfast basis at the 3-star Giardinetto Hotel, Lake Orta
- Winetasting at the hotel
- Transfers in Paris and Italy
- Full touring itinerary as detailed in the itinerary
- Tour manager throughout
Not included
- Single room supplement
- Room upgrades - only twins/doubles available: Standard lake view or Superior lake view
- Standard Premier/1st Class upgrade on Eurostar/TGV. On the Eurostar this constitutes upgraded seating and light meal with complimentary drink with upgraded seating only on the French railway leg Holiday insurance
- Meals other than those stated
- Items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls etc
- Porterage and gratuities.
PLEASE NOTE: As with most trains, passengers are responsible for carrying baggage onto and off the train. Baggage can be stored on overhead shelves or at the entrance to the carriages.Trollies are available at St Pancras and Lille, but bags do need to be carried on to the platform.Travel Editions recommends a new luggage delivery service called Carry My Luggage, where your suitcase can be picked up from your home before departure and delivered straight to your hotel; therefore removing the worry about carrying your cases onto and off the trains. Please click here for more information and a 20% discount exclusive to Travel Editions clients off the Carry My Luggage service.
PLEASE NOTE 2: Eurostar have changed their upgraded service from September 2010 from "Leisure Select" to a new service that they are branding as "Standard Premier." This service includes the upgraded seating on the train but now includes only a cold, light meal and a drink.
Day 1
Travel by Eurostar from St Pancras or Ebbsfleet to Paris and transfer by coach to your hotel for an overnight stay right next to the Gare de Lyon with the balance of the day free to enjoy some of Paris’ inexhaustible sights and dinner in one of its many superb restaurants (not included).
Day 2
Travel by TGV to Novara. On arrival transfer by coach to your hotel (approx 1.5 hours) for check in for 7-night stay on Half Board basis. Balance of day free to enjoy the hotel’s gardens and facilities.
Day 3
A full day free to enjoy the delights of the hotel and Lake Orta.
Day 4
A full day tour of the lakes – Lake Maggiore, and into Switzerland to see Lake Lugano – with plenty of stunning scenery and stops at picturesque lakeside villages and towns.
Day 5
Travel by boat to Omegna for the colourful local market. Evening winetasting at the the hotel before dinner.
Day 6
Varallo is famed for its 15th century church of Santa Maria delle Grazie that houses a superb collection of beautifully-restored frescoes depicting the life of Christ. The town also boasts an extraordinary religious community founded in the 15th century, Sacro Monte, set high up at an altitude of 610m reached by a long staircase or cableway.
Day 7
Another glorious day of scenery as we head up to Italy’s 2nd highest mountain, Monte Rosa and the pretty mountain village of Macugnaga, founded in the 12th century by the Swiss Walser people, that offers wonderful Alpine views and charming mountain architecture.
Day 8
We have saved perhaps the best day until last as we head to the chic lakeside resort of Stresa and to Maggiore’s historic and beautiful Borromean Islands. This group of three islands in the lake, easily reached from the quayside at Stresa, comprise Isola Bella, location of the splendid 17th century Palazzo Borromeo, Isola Madre, a beautiful botanical garden and Isola dei Pescatori, a picturesque fishing village.
Day 9
Transfer to Novara station for return TGV to Paris and onwards by Eurostar to Ebbsfleet or St Pancras.
NB: Exact order of itinerary may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion.
Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 49 passengers.
Travel by Eurostar from St Pancras or Ebbsfleet to Paris and transfer by coach to your hotel for an overnight stay right next to the Gare de Lyon with the balance of the day free to enjoy some of Paris’ inexhaustible sights and dinner in one of its many superb restaurants (not included).
Day 2
Travel by TGV to Novara. On arrival transfer by coach to your hotel (approx 1.5 hours) for check in for 7-night stay on Half Board basis. Balance of day free to enjoy the hotel’s gardens and facilities.
Day 3
A full day free to enjoy the delights of the hotel and Lake Orta.
Day 4
A full day tour of the lakes – Lake Maggiore, and into Switzerland to see Lake Lugano – with plenty of stunning scenery and stops at picturesque lakeside villages and towns.
Day 5
Travel by boat to Omegna for the colourful local market. Evening winetasting at the the hotel before dinner.
Day 6
Varallo is famed for its 15th century church of Santa Maria delle Grazie that houses a superb collection of beautifully-restored frescoes depicting the life of Christ. The town also boasts an extraordinary religious community founded in the 15th century, Sacro Monte, set high up at an altitude of 610m reached by a long staircase or cableway.
Day 7
Another glorious day of scenery as we head up to Italy’s 2nd highest mountain, Monte Rosa and the pretty mountain village of Macugnaga, founded in the 12th century by the Swiss Walser people, that offers wonderful Alpine views and charming mountain architecture.
Day 8
We have saved perhaps the best day until last as we head to the chic lakeside resort of Stresa and to Maggiore’s historic and beautiful Borromean Islands. This group of three islands in the lake, easily reached from the quayside at Stresa, comprise Isola Bella, location of the splendid 17th century Palazzo Borromeo, Isola Madre, a beautiful botanical garden and Isola dei Pescatori, a picturesque fishing village.
Day 9
Transfer to Novara station for return TGV to Paris and onwards by Eurostar to Ebbsfleet or St Pancras.
NB: Exact order of itinerary may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion.
Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 49 passengers.
Giardinetto Hotel, Lake Orta
The charming 3-star Giardinetto Hotel is located on the lake about 4km from Orta San Giulio and offers lovely views. Facilities at this friendly, family-run hotel include heated pool, lakeside terrace restaurant serving excellent local cuisine, bar and comfortable bedrooms with private bath/shower, TV, telephone and minibar. Rooms with a lake view and balcony are also avaialble subject to availability and supplement.
The charming 3-star Giardinetto Hotel is located on the lake about 4km from Orta San Giulio and offers lovely views. Facilities at this friendly, family-run hotel include heated pool, lakeside terrace restaurant serving excellent local cuisine, bar and comfortable bedrooms with private bath/shower, TV, telephone and minibar. Rooms with a lake view and balcony are also avaialble subject to availability and supplement.
lovely holiday, lovely hotel, lovely food but particular mention has to go to Sandra our tour manager. outstanding. very impressed. calm, informed, funny, warm. an absolute credit. had a wonderful week thank you.
Sep 2011
Mr P Turner
Mr P Turner
