Lake Maggiore, Orta and Como for Solo Travellers
Lake Maggiore, Orta and Como for Solo Travellers
Lake Maggiore, Orta and Como for Solo Travellers
8 Days Starting and ending in 28831 Baveno, Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Italy
Visiting: Baveno, Lake Maggiore, Borromean Islands, Cannobio, Villa Taranto, Lake Como, Zermatt, Matterhorn, Lake Orta, Arona
Tour operator:
Tour code:
1LM
Specialist Group:
Singles Solo
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Physical rating:
Please contact Riviera Travel if you have any concerns regarding the suitability of the holiday due to reduced mobility.
Age range:
18-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Please contact Riviera Travel with specific dietary requests.
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
From:
$2526 (USD) including Flights from the UKTour Overview
Our desire to experience new countries is as timeless as the beauty of the Italian lakes, which have been delighting visitors for many centuries. Indeed, it was the arrival of the British during the days of the 'Grand Tour' that first brought fame to sublime Lake Maggiore and helped to create the sophisticated villages, nestling like pearls on a string along its verbena-clad shores. Separated from its larger and better-known neighbour, tranquil Lake Orta is encircled by emerald woodlands; its focal point is Orta San Giulio, the enchanting medieval village often simply called Orta. Then there's Lake Como, which has long been attracting visitors in search of inspiration and relaxation - both Rossini and Verdi found their muse while in lakeside villas here. This wonderful combination of magnificent Swiss mountain scenery and Italy's tranquil, crystal-clear lakes creates a stunning visual montage that cries out to be explored.Â
It's hard to describe the flawless beauty of the Italian lakes, yet viewing them you'll immediately understand why so many artists, composers and writers have sought peace and inspiration here. The heady mix of serene waters, forest-clad hillsides, medieval villages, orange-blossom-scented warm air and delicious food make them an irresistible destination.Â
We explore not only Lake Maggiore, which straddles both Italy and Switzerland, but also the equally beautiful Lake Como and lesser-known Lake Orta, one of the most spellbinding places you'll ever visit. With the arc of the imposing Alps stretching out along the horizon, you'll enjoy arguably the finest mountain scenery on the planet during your visit to Switzerland -dramatic Zermatt, nestling at the base of the world's most mesmerising peak, the mighty Matterhorn. Then there are the delightful lost valleys, tumbling glacier streams and classic chalet scenes that, when blended together, offer a truly inspirational tour.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrival In Baveno
Location: Baveno
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Simplon
Meals Included: Dinner
Arrive at the airport for your flight. Upon arrival we transfer by coach to Baveno, a quiet town on the idyllic shores of Lake Maggiore. Our hotel for seven nights, with breakfast and dinner, is the historic four-star Hotel Simplon.Â
Day 2 : Lake Maggiore & Borromean Islands
Location: Lake Maggiore, Borromean Islands, Baveno
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Simplon
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Our morning is spent revelling in the myriad charms of Lake Maggiore. It’s one of Italy’s best natural treasures, with breathtaking views, lush hills in the south and mountains in the north. We take a relaxing cruise to the ravishing Borromean Islands, named after the noble Borromeo family to whom they have belonged since the 12th century. The first island we call at is Isola Bella for a guided tour of its Baroque palazzo and terraced gardens.Â
The palazzo is a floating chest of wonders, with beautifully furnished halls affording wonderful views of the lake, and staterooms adorned with fine furniture, exclusive paintings and neoclassical stucco work. Perhaps more impressive are the enchanting gardens, whose 10 terraces imaginatively showcase a kaleidoscope of botanical treasures, from citrus and magnolia trees to fragrant shrubs. Fantastical marble statues and a flock of white peacocks add the final finishes to this dramatic display.
Next, we visit the tiny fishing village on Isola dei Pescatori, named after the fishermen who inhabited the island centuries ago. Today, the compact latticework of cream-coloured houses is home to several dozen permanent residents. It’s popular with visitors, yet somehow the rustic little island maintains a delightful air of authenticity. Much of the shore is dotted with vibrant restaurants and cafés overlooking Lake Maggiore – many have cosy secluded terraces – making this the perfect place to stop for lunch at your leisure. Afterwards, perhaps wander through the village’s narrow, winding lanes before we cruise back to Baveno this afternoon.
Day 3 : Cannobio & Villa Taranto Gardens
Location: Cannobio, Villa Taranto
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Simplon
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning we enjoy a completely different view of Lake Maggiore during our private boat ride to Cannobio, the last town on the shore before the Swiss border. With picturesque views at every turn and one of the finest promenades on Lake Maggiore, Cannobio is a wonderful place to spend a few hours. Stroll along the gentle cobbled streets and escape into a timeless world of grand mansions, boutiques and bars. The lakeside Santuario della Pietà church conceals an ornate interior and commemorates the miracles of 1522, when it was believed that a painting of Christ and the Virgin Mary had bled, and a fragment of a rib matching that of the painted Christ was later found under the canvas. If you’re feeling peckish, why not stop for lunch at one of the many lakeside cafés and watch the sailboats and windsurfers skim across the lake?
After some free time in Cannobio, we drive along the shore to Villa Taranto to visit its marvellous gardens, an impressive display of almost 20,000 plants brought from the far corners of the world. Founded in the 1930s, the gardens were the passion project of Scottish captain Neil McEacharn, who had become enamoured of the Italian lakes and set about creating a classical English garden and a botanical treasure trove. Among the many highlights are the 350 varieties of dahlia, ponds of South American water lilies, and terraces of flowers awash with colour.
Day 4 : Lake Como
Location: Lake Como
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Simplon
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning we explore northern Italy’s most famous lake, described by Wordsworth as ‘a treasure whom the earth keeps to herself’. For centuries Lake Como has attracted visitors – including Byron, Shelley, Churchill and numerous others – seeking relaxation, culture and creative stimulus from its picture-perfect setting. The town itself is renowned for its imposing cathedral, delightful parks, grand hotels and the majestic Villa Olmo, which has hosted many eminent guests including Napoleon, Archduke Ferdinand and Garibaldi, the ‘father of modern Italy’.Â
During your free time, you could take the funicular railway up the hill to Brunate for breathtaking views of the lake and town. The shore is lined by attractive pastel-painted villas, faded by decades of sunshine, with winding lanes ascending to the town’s hilly centre.
Day 5 : Free Day
Location: Baveno
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Simplon
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
With the entire day at leisure, you can choose to relax in the hotel, perhaps take a swim in the pool or explore nearby Stresa’s many delights. The lakeside exudes an ambience of classic belle-époque gentility, owing its origin to the days of the ‘Grand Tour’ when Europe’s 19th-century aristocracy, having crossed the border from Switzerland, experienced their first taste of Italy. Literary aficionados may like to enjoy a drink at the bar of the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées, featured in Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms, and frequented by the likes of George Bernard Shaw and Charlie Chaplin.
Day 6 : Zermatt & The Matterhorn
Location: Zermatt, Matterhorn
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Simplon
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we witness some truly spectacular mountain vistas as we ascend the foothills of the Alps, cross the Swiss border and journey into the high Alps. We take the Simplon Pass, an ancient traders’ and smugglers’ route which wasn’t suitable for vehicular traffic until Napoleon had a road across the pass constructed in the early 19th century. The scenery becomes more breathtaking, with wildflower-covered meadows dotted with tiny shepherds’ shelters, and dense forests crowned by snowy peaks glistening in the sun. If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of an elusive ibex, a chamois or even a golden eagle soaring above.Â
You’ll marvel at the engineering feats required to build the road as it traverses towering viaducts and jaw-dropping precipices, passing mountain streams and tumbling waterfalls before we arrive at the legendary village of Zermatt. Nestling at the foot of the mighty Matterhorn, Zermatt is classic Switzerland, a car-free jumble of chalets and old wooden buildings strewn along a valley floor of pastures, alive with the sound of cowbells, while cable cars and soaring footpaths weave upwards to the majestic amphitheatre of the surrounding lofty summits.Â
The ultimate alpine peak, the Matterhorn is relatively unobtrusive until you reach the end of the village and turn a corner, when the Swiss national symbol is revealed in its magnificent splendour – the sight is truly one of life’s ‘wow’ moments! For an even better view, take the cog railway up 10,000 feet to Gornergrat, the awe-inspiring mountain wonderland of summits and glaciers. Alternatively, relax in one of Zermatt’s many cosy cafés or take a gentle ride in a horse-drawn carriage.
Day 7 : Lake Orta
Location: Lake Orta, Arona
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Simplon
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
On our final day we experience one of the tour’s real highlights. Orta is probably the prettiest of the Italian lakes, yet one of the least well-known. You’ll understand why it’s regarded as something of a hidden gem, as there’s an exceptional atmospheric charm that’s immediately discernible. Surrounded on three sides by deep blue water, the romantic lakeside village of Orta San Giulio has so far avoided the tourist hordes. Its pebble-studded lanes and stepped alleys – lined with a myriad traditional food shops selling the gorgeous produce for which Italy is renowned – lead down to the shore and a main square. You’ll adore the village’s medieval architecture of picturesque buildings with shuttered windows in typically Italian shades of ochre, magenta and light blue, which create a kaleidoscope of colour.Â
A boat trip takes you to the island of San Giulio, which features an enchanting basilica with an opulent interior containing a spectacular carved black marble pulpit, wonderfully preserved frescoes and a vertebra which, according to legend, belonged to a dragon.Â
Before returning to our hotel, we visit Arona at the southern end of Lake Maggiore to view the monumental statue of San Carlo Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan. This enormous 17th-century bronze stands over 110 feet high and, for centuries, was the world’s tallest bronze statue. It crowns a hill commanding wonderful views across the lake and the surrounding countryside.
Day 8 : Return Home
Location: Baveno
Meals Included: Breakfast
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
What's Included
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Accommodation
7 nights in four-star accommodation
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Airport Transfers at Destination
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All Domestic Transportation (including internal flights)
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Local Taxes
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Meals
Daily breakfast and dinner
A welcome dinner and drinks on the first night -
Fully Guided
The services of a Riviera Travel tour manager
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International Travel
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All tours as mentioned
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Porterage of one piece of luggage at the hotel
What's Not Included
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Tipping and Gratuities
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Insurance
Check out our Q&As
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Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?
As detailed in the itinerary
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Yes
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What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?
As detailed in the itinerary
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Will I know the names and details of all the accommodation before I depart?
Yes
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Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?
Yes
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Are flights included in this tour?
Return flights
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
No, 18 years and above only
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Is there a supplement for solo travellers?
No, all our solo tour prices are fully inclusive with no single supplement to be added. Whilst hotels generally charge a little more for single occupancy rooms, we never charge you extra for meals, excursions, flights, rail journeys or transfers.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
For almost 40 years
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I have reduced mobility; can I still travel?
We want to ensure you make the correct choice before you book your holiday with us. If you have any concerns regarding the suitability of the holiday due to reduced mobility we would encourage you to contact us to discuss these concerns
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Do I require travel insurance?
It is a condition of booking that you carry suitable travel insurance.
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What is my luggage allowance?
You will receive details of your luggage allowance with your final travel documents, which are sent approximately 10 days prior to your date of departure.
Reviews of this Operator
Dates & Availability
Thursday - Thursday
Jun 27, 2024 - Jul 04, 2024Thursday - Thursday
Sep 19, 2024 - Sep 26, 2024Thursday - Thursday
Oct 10, 2024 - Oct 17, 2024Thursday - Thursday
Oct 17, 2024 - Oct 24, 2024Thursday - Thursday
Apr 17, 2025 - Apr 24, 2025Thursday - Thursday
May 15, 2025 - May 22, 2025Thursday - Thursday
Jun 12, 2025 - Jun 19, 2025Thursday - Thursday
Sep 11, 2025 - Sep 18, 2025Thursday - Thursday
Oct 02, 2025 - Oct 09, 2025Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Riviera Travel requires a minimum deposit of 250 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 75 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of riviera travel charges.
Up to 75 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 74 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 70% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.